In Cold Blood Review | Teen Ink

In Cold Blood Review

April 24, 2022
By Anonymous

I enjoy murder mystery books. The plots are very gripping and I like trying to figure out who the killer is. 

I picked up In Cold Blood by Truman Capote thinking this book would be similar to the other murder mystery books I have read. I was told that it was a classic and was one of the first books written that made the murder mystery genre popular. That's why I decided to read it. Even though it was not what I was expecting, I was pleasantly surprised by how much it captivated me.

In Cold Blood recounts a real-life story of the Clutter family murder. This murder happened in 1959 in the small town of  Holocomb, Texas. Capote describes the town with great detail. His style of writing is extremely descriptive and he analyzes the personalities and mannerisms of each character. The chapters alternate between the perspective of the Clutter family and their friends and the perspective of the killers. By the end of the book the reader knows Dick and Perry (the killers) as well as they know the Clutter family. This is what makes this book so different from other murder mystery books I have read.

Right after the murders have occurred, Capote writes “Of all the people in all the world, the Clutters were the least likely to be murdered.” (54, Capote). This quote drew me in because I wanted to know why anyone would kill a whole family. Using foreshadowing to create wonder and suspense Capote slowly reveals how the murder happened and why. His illustrative style of writing also helps him dive deeper into the details and motives behind this murder case.

Even though it was different then other books in its genre, I can see why it is considered a classic. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. 



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