In Holcomb Kansas, on November 15, 1959, the peacefulness was shattered by the blasts from a shotgun. Ever since the town was in fear. The motiveless crime shook the soul of the little community. This massacre was the main point in the story In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.
Capote’s story starts in Holcomb Kansas, where the slain family lived. The story goes into their lives and the lives of others in Holcomb. The slain family, the Clutters, were prominent figures of the community. They were the perfect people. The father was a farmer and in many things in the community, such as a leader of 4-H. The daughter and son were always helping and doing good things, however nothing is completely perfect. The mother had mental problems and fought with depression.
The killers were not all that bad off people. They were mainly small time thugs with bad backgrounds. The killers, Perry E. Smith and Dick E. Hickock, didn’t seem like murderers, but the thought of riches drove them to that point.
The books major strength was the detail of emotions of everyone in Holcomb. Even when the killers were brought back to Holcomb the people didn’t try to hurt them. The killers even showed some remorse for their actions.
Another major strength was the detail of events. Capote has every detail down and you can paint a picture of what is happening in your mind. Everything from the killing of the Clutter family, to the execution of the killers is so detailed you could almost see it in real life.
Mystery, sadness, hopelessness, and relief are some of the emotions felt by the characters in this book. Reading the book it is suspenseful and moving. The book will fill you with suspense and tug at your heart. The book teaches you there is no such thing as a perfect crime.