In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences

The narrative centres upon the murder of a Kansas family by two men, Perry Smith and Dick Hicock, who are in many ways far from typical killers, much less cold blooded killers. The family, the Clutters of Holcombe, Kansas, are far from typical victims, nor is this the kind of place such a murder would be expected. Capote does a remarkable job at an even-handed analysis and narrative treatment of all the characters, from the family itself to the townspeople and investigators, as well as the murderers themselves. Perhaps it is because he found an area of identification?

This is a psychological thriller of a sort - at least it would be, were it not a true life tale. Getting into the minds of the criminals and the investigators was no easy task for Capote, but what comes forth on the page is very crisp and insightful reporting, without the kinds of embellishments one might expect from a figure such as Capote when dealing with middle-America folk.

The question of why for the killing is still never fully resolved, despite Capote's attempt to set out all the story and psychological detail. Perhaps this is as strange as the interest Capote took in the subject in the first place, as well as the effect it had on him, and those around him, ultimately - while Capote himself never again finished a major project after this, that is also true of his assistant, Nell Harper Lee, whose book 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (done about the same time as 'In Cold Blood') was also her last major writing.

A worthwhile book in many ways.


In Cold Type...   Mars 24, 2006
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Truman Capote's 'In Cold Blood' is enjoying a resurgence of popularity thanks to the Oscar-winning film depicting the author's life and work during the writing of this phenomenal piece. At one point in the film, the character Capote makes the statement that when he thinks about how good this book will be, he can hardly breathe. Perhaps it is because it is part of our history now, I don't consider the book to be that good, but it was a work fairly close to groundbreaking in its impact - it was a new genre, the narrative telling of a non-fiction event as if it were a fictional novel.

The narrative centres upon the murder of a Kansas family by two men, Perry Smith and Dick Hicock, who are in many ways far from typical killers, much less cold blooded killers. The family, the Clutters of Holcombe, Kansas, are far from typical victims, nor is this the kind of place such a murder would be expected. Capote does a remarkable job at an even-handed analysis and narrative treatment of all the characters, from the family itself to the townspeople and investigators, as well as the murderers themselves. Perhaps it is because he found an area of identification?

This is a psychological thriller of a sort - at least it would be, were it not a true life tale. Getting into the minds of the criminals and the investigators was no easy task for Capote, but what comes forth on the page is very crisp and insightful reporting, without the kinds of embellishments one might expect from a figure such as Capote when dealing with middle-America folk.

The question of why for the killing is still never fully resolved, despite Capote's attempt to set out all the story and psychological detail. Perhaps this is as strange as the interest Capote took in the subject in the first place, as well as the effect it had on him, and those around him, ultimately - while Capote himself never again finished a major project after this, that is also true of his assistant, Nell Harper Lee, whose book 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (done about the same time as 'In Cold Blood') was also her last major writing.

A worthwhile book in many ways.


Portrait of evil   Mars 22, 2006
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Written as an experiment in blending fiction, non-fiction, and journalism, Truman Capote succeeds in creating a new genre, known now as creative non-fiction, with In Cold Blood. His narrative horrifies, yet compels the reader to experience the 1959 real-life, savage murder of four members of the Clutter family by Perry Smith and Dick Hickock in the rural Kansas community of Holcomb. While the new movie that is out has created a stir, that stir will probably move over to other Capote or Capote-related works: works such as “Other Voices, Other Rooms,” and the novel “A Tour of Southern Homes and Gardens” by McCrae which relies heavily on Capote and his genre. At any rate, Capote is here to stay. I also highly recommend-Giorgio Kostantinos'masterful thriller-QUEST-


Superbe.   Mars 2, 2003
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Roman saisissant, épique. Un road movie version Faulkner, version Freud, version Petit Poucet, version tout ce que vous voudrez tant on se laisse séduire par l'histoire toute simple, sans détour, mais fascinante, de deux meurtriers en cavale. Pas de mobile pour le crime, pas de traces, rien, rien non plus dans leur tête, ou si peu. Du sang partout mais surtout deux hommes passés au crible d'une psychologie romantique et acide. Un grand auteur et un grand roman dont l'atmosphère persiste longtemps dans l'esprit du lecteur.