In a sea of trashy romance novels and cheap FBI thrillers, Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” certainly makes for an interesting read. The book is Capote’s scandalous and highly anticipated retelling of the Clutter family murder.

This true story takes place in the small town of Holcomb, Kan. where a family was slaughtered in what seemed to be the perfect crime.

The story begins with the introduction of the story’s main characters, the Clutter family and their murderers. As the story continues, the murderers, Dick Hancock and Perry Smith, are coming closer to Holcomb and preparing for the crime.

Capote gets the reader entrenched in the lives of each character. When Dick and Perry finally meet the family, they have broken into the home to steal their money. When they realize the Clutters do not keep any money in the house, the pair is now faced with having to dispose of the witnesses.

Capote tries to retell the murder through the little evidence left behind by Perry Smith and Dick Hancock. Capote’s novel analyzes the murder and sets the tone for what America would consider one of its “Great American novels.” When his novel was published, it gained immense popularity and continues to be one of the nation’s most popular thrillers. His suspenseful descriptions of the crime scene and the cracking of the case keep the readers on the edge of their seats.