I haven’t read true-crime before, and I don’t listen to podcasts on it either. I tend to prefer fictional crime, like Collins or Christie. You can enjoy the thrill of crime, while knowing that no one was actually hurt because it never really happened. In Cold Blood is my first foray into this genre, and it was honestly very gripping but also very creepy. If you’re a true crime fan, this is probably a good one for you.
Plot summary
In Cold Blood is a nonfiction true crime novel. Capote follows the story of the Clutter murders from the day before the murders through court cases to ‘The Corner’ in Lansing Prison. I don’t want to spoil this for anyone who hasn’t read it, so I won’t go into the details.
Capote, who wrote Breakfast at Tiffany’s, spent four years interviewing people involved with this shocking crime, to paint a complete picture of the people involved, as well as the ins and outs of the crime itself. Capote’s good friend Harper Lee (author of To Kill a Mockingbird) also assisted him with the research, befriending the wives of people he wanted to interview.
Interestingly, there have been claims that large parts of this work are fictional, added by Capote for dramatic effect. From my reading, this is entirely possible. the book flows so perfectly, I find it hard to believe that such meaningful and dramatic conversations or scenes occurred so consistently in a real life situation. But, taking this book with a grain of salt, it’s still a fascinating read.
Maybe don’t read this true crime novel before bed
If you’re the person who is lulled to sleep by true crime podcasts, you might be fine. I am not. I made the mistake of curling up with this before bed and lets just say I did not sleep well that night. Because it’s a true story, I found it particularly chilling. As the book progresses, it does become less creepy, so I did end up reading it at night once we were part the murder-y bit. But just a word of warning there for those who have good imaginations.
With that said, this is absolutely a gripping read. I kept reaching for it, wanting to understand how such a terrible thing could occur and whether the perpetrators would be brought to justice. Capote has a great skill for creating portraits of people that leap off the page. I felt like I knew the Clutters deeply, but also the killers.
True crime raises questions about our relationship to violence
It’s no secret that humanity tends toward a fascination with violence. We’re uncomfortable with it, but it’s true. While we might consign such interest to the days of the Romans and their gladiatorial games, there are daily reminders that we’re not so far above their bloodlust. Not only do we read and listen to stories of violence and crime, but we also watch it too. Live streamed beheadings from the Middle East are watched by millions of people on YouTube and news sites. We’re not as far above this base interest as we think.
Reading true crime has made me think about our relationship with violence. Are we just titillating ourselves with gory stories? Should we even be reading them, if it gives some sense of glamour to true and degrading events? I’m not really sure, and I don’t want to condemn outright an entire genre out of hand. But it is an interesting consideration. If we are what we read, should we read this sort of thing? I can see how reading or listening to a great deal of true crime could have detrimental effects. On the other hand, I can see that a small amount could deepen your understanding of the complex nature of crime, and avoid naivete about the reality of the world.
The truth is, I did enjoy this book. It was fascinating to see the crime unfold and the fight for justice begin. I was creeped out at times, but I also didn’t want to stop reading until I’d got to the end. Perhaps it’s particularly gripping because much of it has been fictionalised for dramatic effect. In Cold Blood is certainly a note-able work of journalistic writing, getting to a depth not reached before. But is true crime an uplifting genre?
