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In Cold Blood

In Cold Blood is a nonfiction novel by American author Truman Capote about the 1959 murders of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, and the investigation, trial, and execution of the killers.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

In Cold Blood is a nonfiction novel by American author Truman Capote about the 1959 murders of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, and the investigation, trial, and execution of the killers. It is widely regarded as an early and influential example of the true-crime genre and the nonfiction novel.

Background

Truman Capote based the book on the real 1959 Clutter family murders in Holcomb, Kansas. The narrative follows the crime, the investigation, the trial, and the execution of the convicted killers.

Publication history

In Cold Blood was first published in four installments in The New Yorker in 1965 and then released in book form in 1966.

Style and genre

Capote described the work through a blend of factual reporting and literary storytelling. This approach helped establish the book as an important example of the nonfiction novel and true crime writing.

Legacy

The book is widely recognized for its influence on later true-crime literature and narrative nonfiction. Its reputation rests on both its literary technique and its reconstruction of a highly publicized American crime.

Key facts

  • The book recounts the 1959 killings of four members of the Clutter family in Kansas.
  • Capote presented the story using novelistic techniques while treating it as nonfiction.
  • The work first appeared as a four-part series in The New Yorker in 1965 before being published as a book in 1966.
  • The central figures in the crime were Perry Smith and Richard Hickock.
  • The book is often cited as a pioneering work in the modern true-crime genre.
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Canadian context

The book is studied in Canadian schools and universities as a major example of true crime and narrative nonfiction.

Frequently asked questions

What is In Cold Blood about?
It is about the 1959 murder of the Clutter family in Kansas and the investigation, trial, and execution of the two men convicted of the killings.
Who wrote In Cold Blood?
It was written by Truman Capote, an American author.
When was In Cold Blood published?
It first appeared in The New Yorker in 1965 and was published as a book in 1966.
Is In Cold Blood fiction or nonfiction?
It is generally described as a nonfiction novel, meaning it uses literary techniques to tell a real-life story.
Who were the killers in In Cold Blood?
The convicted killers were Perry Smith and Richard Hickock.

References

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/In-Cold-Blood-novel-by-Capote
    Supports: Author, genre, publication history, subject matter, and literary significance.
  2. LitCharts — https://www.litcharts.com/lit/in-cold-blood/summary
    Supports: Plot details including the Clutter family murders and the killers' identities.