True crime · Literary
In Cold Blood
Truman Capote reconstructs the 1959 murder of the Clutter family in rural Kansas, and the investigation and trial of the two men who killed them. It reads like a novel but is built from his reporting.
Facts last checked 2026-10-17
- First published
- 1959
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 370
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a classic of true crime written with a novelist's eye.
Skip this if you want a fast whodunit, since the killers are known early and the focus is on them.
The feel
Content warnings
Also reported by Hardcover readers:
Quick answers about In Cold Blood
- What is In Cold Blood about?
- Truman Capote reconstructs the 1959 murder of the Clutter family in rural Kansas, and the investigation and trial of the two men who killed them. It reads like a novel but is built from his reporting.
- Who should read In Cold Blood?
- Read it if you want a classic of true crime written with a novelist's eye. Skip it if you want a fast whodunit, since the killers are known early and the focus is on them.
- How long and how fast is In Cold Blood?
- It is a medium-paced, medium read of about 370 pages, first published in 1959.
- Does In Cold Blood have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Violence, Death, Gore, Child death.
- Can I borrow In Cold Blood for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends In Cold Blood; the borrow button above searches it for you.
Your shelf
Saved in this browser only. Open my shelf
Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Bookshop.org | Check price | Buy new from Bookshop.org |
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Libro.fm | Check price | Buy audiobook from Libro.fm |
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
Prices appear here as retailer feeds are connected. Where none is shown, check the store. Links open the store in a new tab.
Some store links, including Kobo, are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Library links are never affiliate links. How this works
Share this pick
True crime
