In Cold Blood: Overview

Controversial and compelling, In Cold Blood reconstructs the murder in 1959 of a Kansas farmer, his wife and both their children. Truman Capote's comprehensive study of the killings and subsequent investigation explores the circumstances surrounding this terrible crime and the effect it had on those involved. At the centre of his study are the amoral young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, who, vividly drawn by Capote, are shown to be reprehensible, yet entirely and frighteningly human.

Serialized in the New Yorker prior to publication in book form,'In Cold Blood'presents investigative journalism in the form of a novel, effectively combining literature and reporting. The New York Review of Books called it “The best documentary of an American crime ever written...” Other critics have not been so kind, citing fictionalized conversations, invented scenes, and fabricated events. Capote's narrative contains no footnotes, nor does he cite specific sources for any of the conversations in the book. By the time'In Cold Blood'appeared the end of the story was known. Both murderers had been tried, convicted and executed by hanging. The book's tremendous success stemmed from Capote's graphic depiction of the crime as well as his incisive and often empathetic descriptions of the killers.

A Study Guide for Truman Capote's'In Cold Blood. his concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading.

A complex critical portrait of one of the most influential writers in the world - Bibliographic information that directs readers to additional resources for further study - A useful chronology of the writer's life - An introductory essay by Harold Bloom.

The most famous true crime novel of all time and one of the first non-fiction novels ever written; In Cold Blood is the bestseller that haunted its author long after he finished writing it.

On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues. As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.