In March 20216, Luca Varani, a 23-year-old car mechanic, was brutally murdered in an apartment on the outskirts of Rome, to which he had been invited by his acquaintances Manuel Foffo and Marco Prato. They were subsequently arrested and found guilty. Seemingly motiveless, it appeared that they had tortured and murdered under the influence of drugs to simply see what it felt like. The crime sent shock waves throughout the city. Author Nicola Lagioia was asked to cover the case and this is the result, a fictionalised account of a real crime. It’s called a novel, but this merely allows Lagioia to elaborate on the facts. It remains a work of non-fiction, in my opinion. It’s gripping stuff. Lagioia explores all aspects of the murder, from different points of view, based on interviews, the relevant documentation, social media messages and so on. He also explores Roma the city and its dark side, the rampant corruption, the drugs and violence. It’s a dark and disturbing story, questioning the presence of evil, even of possession, and whether the guilty men were in fact mentally ill. I found it compulsive reading and was fascinated to learn more about the case. A great read.

The City of the Living by Nicola Lagioia is a gripping and disturbing account of a real-life murder that took place in Rome in 2016. Two young men, Manuel Foffo and Marco Prato, lured a third man, Luca Varani, to Foffo's apartment with the intent of raping him. They then tortured and killed Varani in a brutal and senseless manner.

Lagioia's book is not a traditional true crime story. Instead, he uses the murder as a springboard to explore the dark side of Rome, a city that is both teeming with life and plagued by corruption, violence, and poverty. He also examines the psychology of the killers, two seemingly ordinary young men who committed an extraordinary act of evil.

Lagioia's writing is sharp and incisive, and he does not shy away from the difficult and disturbing aspects of the story. He also does a masterful job of capturing the atmosphere of Rome, a city that is both beautiful and decaying.

The City of the Living is a challenging book to read, but it is also a rewarding one. It is a must-read for anyone interested in true crime, psychology, or the dark side of human nature.

<i>"Think of those horror films where a group of kids goes on a retreat for a weekend in a house at the edge of the forest, and at a certain point, at night, while they're all sleeping, monsters arrive?" said the other writer. "Except that in this case the monsters arrive not from the outside but from within, they come from the obscure depths of those kids."</i>

This is work of non-fiction by Italian author Nicola Lagioia, who is known for his crime novels, using the brutal 2016 murder of a young man named Luca Varani by two other young men to explore Roman society more broadly, but also diving deeply into the lives of all three men and their families, as well as his own experiences as he investigates this crime that fascinated all of Italy.

Lagioia is doing something more substantial here than just writing true crime, although that is the easiest description of what this is. It is similar to Emmanuel Carrère's The Adversary, although Lagioia makes this not about his interactions with the two murderers but about their motivations, or more exactly, their attempts to explain their motivations even to themselves. As an American reader, it was startling to see how easily members of the press got access to confidential information like police interviews. While a lot of space is given to the timeline of the crime, the description of the actual murder isn't graphic.

Another focus is the city of Rome, a city that Lagioia portrays as a decaying and corrupt corpse, yet when he and his wife make the decision to leave, they recognize quickly that they made a mistake and for all its faults, they don't want to live anywhere else.

This is a fascinating look at something we are used to over here (true crime narratives) from a different angle, as well as being a glimpse into what life is like in Rome. I will note that this book is often described as fiction, or in one case as "true crime fiction," but whether that is due to the author's reputation as a novelist or the publisher being well known for literary fiction, this book is non-fiction.

On the way to his uncles funeral Emmanuel’s brother and father Learned about another death but this one was committed by Emmanuel and his friend Marco. They killed a straight man name Lucas and a talion papers would make a big deal out of the fact the two killers we’re both gay. Although this is based on the true story this is a fictional account and I found it was toll respectfully. I don’t know if you call it the formatting of the book or the way the story was told but the narrative was so well done I found myself not wanting to put the book down I Felt bad for everyone involved and in the end whether Lucas got justice I think it’s left up to the reader they have many twists and turns in this thrilling read and there is a book I highly recommend. I even got a little emotional doing the math for Lucas and I am not even Catholic. It’s really very well done but but I am just repeating myself. I want thank Europa additions and Net Galley for my free arc copy

This was such an interesting read; the prose flows pretty elegantly, and I can see the Capote reference in the summary that I read. Lots of commentary is packed into this book, and I certainly wasn't bored with it!

This book was not for me, it was interesting in parts but I just didn't like it and how some of the book describes things, I can't put my finger in it but I didn't enjoy it.

The City of the Living was a heart-wrenching yet compulsive read. It tells the story of a crime that the author portrays as a distinctly Roman transgression. Similar to King's The Shining, the evil of this crime seems to seep and ooze from the very environment in which it takes place. The overflowing waste and overrun rat population in a city beget by corruption, drugs, and depravity mirrors the dissipation of Manuel Foffo and Marco Prato, two capricious twenty-something year olds who became household names for the most monstrous of reasons. And yet, Lagioia cautions the reader against regarding Foffo and Prato as pure monsters. There is a context to the events of that night in March 2016. Rather than painting a picture of two irredeemable villains, Lagioia takes the reader to the very depths of human nature and guides us as we wade through the scum and detritus beneath.


The book flows so urgently and is so absorbing that the reader may find themselves forgetting that it is indeed a work of non-fiction. This is a credit to the author's extensive research and hours upon hours of interviews over espresso in the piazzas of the Eternal City. The plaiting of established evidence and philosophical musings on human fallibility, transgression, family, and place afford the book its well-deserved position beside such works as Capote's In Cold Blood. Yet, enjoying such a book lures the reader into reflections on one's own moralities regarding the consumption of true crime. Nontheless, The City of the Living is a worthy title to join Europa Editions' quality catalog.

23-year-old Luca Varani was savagely murdered in Rome in 2016, by two killers that seemed entirely lacking for motive. The crime captivated all of Italy, with speculation flying as to the reasons for the killing. Was it a drug-induced psychosis? Motivated by prejudice? A crime of passion? The need to understand was driving the public into a frenzy, including the writer and narrator of this story.

Let me be clear up front with you, this is not a "thriller" in the sense that we commonly use it today. It is marketed as a literary thriller, but more specifically it is a true crime novel with an expertly woven narrative thread. I'm sorry to be yet another English-speaking reader that does this to you Nicola, but it is similar is style to Truman Capote's <i>In Cold Blood</i>. Okay, disclaimer over — carry on if you're still interested!

What a book. Truthfully it took me a while to get into the story, and I was a bit daunted by the 400+ page length of it. I'm glad I stuck it out, because this is the kind of writing that gets under the skin and remains there, even if you don't realize it. Nicola Lagioia has inserted himself as a character in the book, and these first-person sections are the ones I found most impactful. They are crammed with thoughtful commentary, pointed observations, and questions about humanity that we will probably never be able to satisfactorily answer. Rome itself is also a character in this book, and she is a cruel mistress.

I had a physical reaction to reading the details of the murder included three-quarters of the way through this book, and I'm not a squeamish person. I think this is a testament to the author's ability to create psychological tension and horror, because I did not predict it at all. We had, after all, already covered so many horrible and tragic details. Anyway, steel yourselves.

Dark, atmospheric, and sordid, this book will wrap you up and not let go, so proceed with caution. Thank you to Nicola Lagioia, Europa Editions, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

(Based solely on storytelling aspects)

Navigating the intricacies of true crime is always a delicate endeavor. The City of the Living attempts to delve into the complexities of a brutal, real-life crime that shocked Rome, aiming to explore the darker facets of human psychology and societal malaise.

The storytelling is sharp at times, capturing the unnerving realities and complexities of a case that defies easy answers. However, the narrative occasionally falters, possibly due to translation issues, which disrupt the flow and impact of the story.

The author's investigative approach, engaging with the victim's family and one of the killers, brings a sense of immediacy to the book. However, for me, the story often seemed to hover on the periphery of its profound themes without diving deeply enough into them. It touches upon themes like betrayed expectations, sexual confusion, and economic grievances but leaves the reader wanting more—perhaps a deeper exploration or synthesis of these elements.

My reservations about recommending this book are twofold. Firstly, the uneven pacing and flow, possibly due to translation, create gaps in an otherwise engaging narrative. Secondly, and more subjectively, the book treads a fine line in depicting real-life horror without providing the depth of insight one would hope for in a story of this magnitude.

In summary, while The City of the Living is a compelling attempt to dissect a horrifying event, its shortcomings make it less than unforgettable for me. Approach with a readiness for its inherent complexities and gaps.

Absolutely brilliant. I will be spreading the word on this book across multiple planned (and already active) youtube videos on my booktube channel over the coming weeks and months. Charlotte Molloy on booktube.

Nicola Lagioia’s work of autofiction Meticulously and sensitively delivers the true story of Luca Varani and his brutal, senseless murder at the hands of Manuel Foffo and Marco Prato.

Told in the vain of capotes ‘In True Blood’ Lagioia delves into the background of the three men in a futile attempt to find any explanation for the incomprehensible torture and murderous acts of violence that transpired on the 4th March 2016. The City of the Living successfully captures the corruption and sinister parts of the City of Rome, which is the setting of this tense literary reportage.

I was thoroughly captured by this devastating and intense look into the darkest aspects of humanity and how the propensity for evil permeates every corner of society.

Psychological And an Emotional Read
Nicola Lagioia’s The City of the Living is a very professionally written book and is an excellent true crime story. As you read into the horrific murder of Luca Varani and the degree of the suffering inflicted on Luca Varani it is almost impossible to imagine.
This book has been compared to Capote’s In true blood, and Nicola Lagioia investigates the stories of of two young Men from well off families. Manuel Foffo and Marco Prato, who go on an alcohol and cocaine filled bender and both then after inviting Luca Varani up to Manuels apartment they brutally kill him.  The book tells the story of all three men and Lagioia hopes their families, and friends can shed some light as to why the two men would turn to such a horrific and senseless murder.
Luca Varani was the adopted and much beloved son of a family of peddlers and the senseless murder of their son devastated the family. Manuel Foffo and Marco Prato are undeniably shocked at what their sons have done but as you read this dark story you will be brought into the minds of the killers in hopes of finding an explanation for such a senseless act.
You will find there are no rational explanation for the shocking crime that ended three lives. The author finds many hints and clues from young love which is based on a lie, drugs, alcohol, and the parents who do not know their children at all. This book is a psychological and an emotional read. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This Italian autofictional true crime novel has been compared to Capote's classic In Cold Blood, and with good reason: The book tells the story of two ordinary young Romans from well off families, Manuel Foffo and Marco Prato, who after an alcohol and cocaine filled bender brutally killed Luca Varani, the adopted and much beloved son of a family of peddlers. Much like Capote, Lagioia investigates the back stories of the three men, their families, friends, and surroundings in hopes of finding an explanation for the senseless slaughter, and while the author finds many hints and clues that can be interpreted in an explanatory fashion, there is ultimately no rational explanation for the shocking crime that ended three lives: A dead victim, one suicide, one 30-year-prison sentence (this is no spoiler, as this is a well-documented and widely covered case).

Much like Capote, Lagioia himself features as a reporter / narrator, and his thoughts and feelings are reflected in the text. The city of Rome is also a major character: The narrator laments the decaying state of the rat-infested city, the poor administration, the brutality - but he also loves its vibrancy, its survival in ruins. While a minor plot focusing on a Dutch tourist expresses the frustrations of systemic injustice, the murder case in the main plotline shows how society struggles to make sense of evil.

The case of Marco (a nightlife organizer, HIV positive, suicidal and gay, possibly trans) and Manuel (a young man who blamed his father for his failures, identified as straight but also had sex with Marco) is shocking and enigmatic - and it becomes more and more mysterious the more we learn about them. After consuming alcohol and cocaine for two nights and days, they started fantasizing about rape and contacted Luca (a chronically broke mechanic and occasional prostitute) who became their murder victim. Lagioia does a great job accumulating the puzzle pieces, only to show that the motif that reveals itself is expressive, yet abstract. While the whole murder / drugs / sex story lends itself to sensationalism, the author does not fall into this trap; rather, the many voices and contradictory angles speak about the complexity of evil.

An impressive work of true crime with many philosophical undertones and an ode to Rome, despite its flaws.