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Being a fan of the general true crime genre, I had heard of In Cold Blood, but really knew nothing about it. I decided it was time to go ahead and listen to the audiobook, and it's clearly a classic for a reason. With gorgeous writing and a compelling story, In Cold Blood is a fantastic book.

One of the things that stands out most to me about this book is the incredible descriptions of the Kansas farmland and life that was so familiar to the Clutter family. Capote has a gift for setting the scene and really creating a sense of place for his readers. His work in showing the life that the Clutters would have lived and who they knew really helps set the scene for their tragic story.

The book is divided between the story of the murders — and the subsequent investigation — and what the killers did while on the run from the police. Capote got access to not only the investigators and townspeople for this book, he spend hours interviewing the killers themselves. The result is a deep and intricate narrative that should be taken with a grain of salt (there is a huge amount of manufactured conversations, for example), but the facts of the case are there as far as I can tell.

This 'non-fiction' novel is a gorgeous and brutal read that will be perfect for true crime and literary readers alike. I'd highly recommend picking up the audiobook!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Content warnings: misogynistic and racist language, murder, gore