Truman Capote was born in New Orleans in 1925. By the age of fourteen he had already started writing short stories, some of which were published. After leaving school at fifteen he worked for the New Yorker, his first - and last - regular job. Following this Capote spent two years on a Louisiana farm where he wrote Other Voices, Other Rooms (1948). He lived, at one time or another, in Greece, Italy, Africa and the West Indies, and travelled in Russia and the Orient. Capote is the author of many highly acclaimed books, including A Tree of Night and Other Stories (1949), The Grass Harp (1951), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958), In Cold Blood (1965), which immediately became the centre of a storm of controversy on its publication, Music for Chameleons (1980) and Answered Prayers (1986). Truman Capote died in 1984.

In "Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences" is considered by many to be the first work of the true crime genre. In this groundbreaking book, Truman Capote reconstructs the murder of the Clutter family from information provided by newspaper articles and interviews. 'Dick became convinced that Perry was that rarity, "a natural killer" - absolutely sane, but conscienceless, and capable of dealing, with or without motive, the coldest-blooded deathblows'. On 15 November 1959, the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, a wealthy farmer, his wife and their two young children were found brutally murdered. Blood all over the walls, the telephone lines cut, and only a few dollars stolen. Heading up the investigation is Agent Al Dewey, but all he has are two footprints, four bodies, and a whole lot of questions. Truman Capote's detailed reconstruction of the events and consequences of that fateful night, "In Cold Blood" is a chilling, gripping mix of journalistic skill and imaginative power. "The American dream turning into the American nightmare. A remarkable book". ("Spectator"). "One of the most stupendous books of the decade". ("Sunday Express"). Truman Capote was one of the most significant American authors of the twentieth century, known for his highly acclaimed books, including: "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "A Tree of Night and Other Stories" and "The Grass Harp". In "Cold Blood" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" have been selected for the "Penguin Essentials" series of books considered some of the twentieth century's most important reads.