First Edition of In Cold Blood by Truman Capote with the original dust jacket first printing.

In Cold Blood was an instant success and is the second-best-selling true-crime book in history, behind Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter (1974) about the Charles Manson murders.

In Cold Blood has been lauded for its eloquent prose, extensive detail, and triple narrative which describes the lives of the murderers, the victims, and other members of the rural community in alternating sequences.

The psychologies and backgrounds of Hickock and Smith are given special attention, as is the pair’s complex relationship during and after the murders.

In Cold Blood is regarded by critics as a pioneering work in the true-crime genre, although Capote was disappointed that the book failed to win the Pulitzer Prize. Parts of the book differ from the real events, including important details