In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences by Truman Capote is one of the most famous books of its time. It is a non-fiction novel, and tells the story of a quadruple murder of a Kansas farmer, his wife, and two of their four children. It follows the genre of crime writing.

The book attracted huge amounts of attention when it was first published. In order to write an account of what took place, the author travelled to the place of murder, where, along with co-author Harper Lee, he interviewed the local residents and investigators in charge of the case. They spent six years working on the material gathered to produce the book.

The murderers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock, were arrested six years after the crime. The author tries to explore the circumstances that surrounded the mass murder, and the repercussions that followed. He delves into the complex psychological relationship that the two murderers, for though the murders were committed in cold blood, the two men were, at the heart of it all, still human.

In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences was published by Penguin UK in the year 2000, and is available in paperback.

Key Features:

• The novel is viewed by critics as a pioneering work of the genre of true crime.
• It is considered a milestone in popular culture, and took Capote to the peak of his career.
• Three film adaptations and a television series have been picturised on the book.