In Cold Blood

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.


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