A Little Late: In Cold Blood

Yep, read it over a month ago and a couple of years before that and I'm sorry for the late responses. However, this enabled me to start a written series called "A Little Late". Catchy huh? I know, not really. Alright, so about In Cold Blood...

In Cold Blood, for me, was one of my favorite books to read. Ever. Not only did this set the blueprint for the crime novel genre but, in my opinion, it also set the blueprint for some of television's best shows. Criminal Minds, CSI, well all the stuff I like at least.

The book is a re-telling of the story of the brutal murders in Holcomb, KSof a farmer named Herb Clutter,wife and their two children. The book uses early pages going between introducing the reader to the Clutter family and also to the two murderers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. I thought what Capote did, with the brief biographies, was brilliant. We got to know the Clutters and more significantly, the killers.

Throughout the sequence of events, Capote is able to keep tensions very high for his readers. He was able to do this with masterful story arc and the scene sequencing. What is most interesting to me is how the re-telling of the story touches all bases in terms of the impact it had on the little town. We were able to witness the positive and negative reactions of the people who lived theree. Also, we were allowed to see the aftermath of the event between the parties closest connected to the case. Weirdly enough, you also connect with the murderers at times and its amazing how Capote can pull of such a thing.

Overall, I loved it. It's the best book we have read so far (and this is after reading Dillard, Thomspson, Heat-Moon).

PV