In Cold Blood - November Book Selection

Join us to discuss this classic, true-crime novel. We would love to have you join us!

In Cold Blood is a pioneering 1966 non-fiction novel by Truman Capote that reconstructs the 1959 murders of the Clutter family in the small agricultural town of Holcomb, Kansas.
The Crime

The Victims: On November 15, 1959, four members of the respected Clutter family—successful wheat farmer Herb Clutter, his wife Bonnie, and their teenage children Nancy and Kenyon—were savagely murdered in their home.
The Perpetrators: Ex-convicts Perry Smith and Richard "Dick" Hickock broke into the house looking for a non-existent safe filled with cash, after hearing a rumor from a former cellmate that the family was wealthy. Finding no safe, they killed the family and fled with little money or goods.

The Investigation and Trial

The Manhunt: Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) lead agent Alvin Dewey spearheaded the case, which initially lacked clues or a clear motive. The break in the case came from a prison tip by Floyd Wells, who had shared a cell with Dick Hickock.
Capture and Execution: Smith and Hickock were eventually tracked down, arrested in Las Vegas, confessed to the crime, were convicted, and were executed by hanging in 1965 after a lengthy appeals process.

Style and Legacy

Non-Fiction Novel: Capote, assisted heavily by childhood friend and author Harper Lee, spent six years researching the crime, interviewing locals, and developing a deep, complex rapport with the two killers.
Literary Impact: The book helped launch the true-crime genre and New Journalism, blending deep journalistic reporting with the pacing, structure, and psychological depth of a novel.
Controversy: While celebrated as a masterwork, later scrutiny revealed that Capote fabricated certain scenes, dialogue, and narrative details for dramatic effect.

November- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
December - Red Tent by Anita Diamant
January - A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
February- The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb
March- Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
April - Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
May- Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult