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In Cold Blood
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 14 hrs and 27 mins
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Summary
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The most famous true crime novel of all time "chills the blood and exercises the intelligence" (The New York Review of Books)—and haunted its author long after he finished writing it.
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.
In one of the first non-fiction novels ever written, Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, generating both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.
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Overall
- Steve
- 26-01-06
Cool, balanced recounting of brutal event
Capote avoids all the easy options. His book is not a blood and guts horror tale; it's not a socio-pschological tale trying to evince sympathy for the murderers; it's not a who dunnit detective story.
In a sense it's all these and more as he recounts events from multiple points of view - the murderers', the police, the community, the families affected, the judicial system - all are given their place so you have an objective and balanced account where you have to form your own views and decide where your own sympathies lie. Capote's tone is cool (old sense!) and measured throughout.
Well read by Scott Brick
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34 people found this helpful
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- Mrs R Cofie
- 02-08-19
Exploring new grounds
OK, so I am 77, retired and now reading for pleasure, exploring new ground. Classics, Crime, comedy, anything that grabs me but particularly exploring authors I have not ever tried. This, my first book by Truman Capote, has held me bound to the suspense, true, but also to the style of writing, description, vocabulary narration all to class. A fantastic analysis of a true grim crime and all that fed into the mindset of the perpetrators through their short lives, people with nothing left to lose.
This has exercised my mind and my thinking in so many direction. I look forward to finding more of Capote’s work.
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19 people found this helpful
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- Norma Miles
- 02-07-20
I'm not against capital punishment...
... revenge is all it is."
I very recently read Helter Skelter for the first time and decided then to revisit Capote's In Cold Blood, which I first read in print form about 50 years ago, not long after publication. Whilst details of the crime and the search for the killers had faded, the characters had remained with me, as real as old friends, both the victims at the Cutter farm, and the two perpetrators themselves. This true story of a barbaric slaughter concentrates far more on all of the people involved than on the blood and gore, although, of necessity, this too is covered. Taking the crime and the Cutter family as a central point, Capote sends out a search light to focus on everyone involved, from the killers and law offices involved in the crime detection, to friends and townsfolk of the victims, family of the perpetrators and people they met along the way as they evaded discovery, prison contacts, before and after, and the people involved in the trial.
Truman Capote was trying a, then, experimental form of writing, a blend fiction and nonfiction. The murder of the Clutter family provided him with the opportunity to interview numerous people, reconstructing not just the crime, but also the atmosphere, thoughts, fears a nd beliefs by embellishing real conversation with his own in character artistic liscence. Now frequently used 'faction' this was, in the '60s, revolutionary. And Capote's fine writing and excellent presentation make this book as gripping and insightful as it was half a century ago, standing out when compared with more recent similar books. Narrator, Scott Brick (who also read the Manson murders account, Helter Skelter) is, as always, superb, easy on the ear, text beautifully cadenced: a very fine performance.I
This is a book not just for true crime readers but is also a beautifully written, character filled thriller and a tale of a place, time and relationships which reads just like an excellent novel. Highly recommended
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8 people found this helpful
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- Nina Ballinger
- 23-06-19
Fascinating
Brilliantly written, perfectly read. I highly recommend this book. Made more gripping by the fact it’s based on true events
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4 people found this helpful
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- Sam the dog
- 19-04-19
Highly thought provoking.
Scott Brick becomes almost indistinguishable from, at one with, the text - so good is his reading of this text. I think that this audiobook will take some beating. As for Capote's text - stunning literary art at its very best. Who would have thought that a story where the subject matter and ending are already known to the 'reader' could be so gripping? But it is. Of course it works at many levels... you become the omniscient being, fully informed with the detailed facts, able to make the final, informed, judgment on this matter.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Shane canning
- 07-11-23
Boring boring
Cant believe the reviews im 4 hours in and its the most boring true crime book ever overrated
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3 people found this helpful
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- Mauve dreamer
- 08-05-19
Superb Writing at its very best.
Wonderful crafted account. A masterpiece. Narrator was excellent. Always wanted to read this and it certainly lived up to all my expectations.
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3 people found this helpful
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- avagardro
- 12-06-23
one I'd been meaning to read/listen to for years
As a documented classic this was on my book bucket list for a long time and I was wholly underwhelmed.
a compelling tale but the performance was not terribly dynamic and the story itself overly long and often repetitive. felt like a true crime podcast at times. all in all I'm glad I listened but I don't understand what all the fuss is about.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Corsaire
- 17-12-21
A classic, but a little too long
A classic of the true crime genre for its telling of a famous murder in 1959, and its consequences. To the fan of modern true crime, it may seem a little drawn out - but it is beautifully read.
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1 person found this helpful
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- roberta mcpherson
- 24-09-21
utterly Flawless
Un put downable read cover to cover in 2 days. just brilliant. what a writer Capote is.
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