2 of the bestselling books ever based on true crime are 1974’s “Helter Skelter” & this one from about 10 years before
The Final Jeopardy clue for Monday, July 13, 2026, appeared in the category “Bestsellers” and read: “2 of the bestselling books ever based on true crime are 1974’s ‘Helter Skelter’ & this one from about 10 years before.” The clue points to one of the most influential nonfiction crime books of the 20th century, a work that helped define the modern true-crime genre.
What Is In Cold Blood?
The correct response is In Cold Blood. Truman Capote’s book was first published in 1966, roughly a decade before Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry’s Helter Skelter appeared in 1974.
The clue asks for another bestselling book “based on true crime,” and In Cold Blood is one of the most famous examples. It examines the 1959 murders of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, and the investigation, arrest, trial, and execution of the two men convicted of the killings.
The Crime Behind the Book
The case at the center of In Cold Blood began with the murders of Herbert Clutter, his wife Bonnie, and two of their children, Nancy and Kenyon. The family was killed in their rural Kansas home in November 1959.
The crime shocked the community because the Clutters were widely respected and lived in a quiet farming town. The violence appeared senseless, and the search for the killers became a major law-enforcement investigation.
Truman Capote’s Approach
Truman Capote traveled to Kansas to research the case, accompanied at times by his friend Harper Lee. He interviewed residents, investigators, and eventually the killers, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith.
Capote described the book as a “nonfiction novel,” blending factual reporting with literary techniques more often associated with fiction. That style helped make In Cold Blood a landmark work, though it has also drawn scrutiny over questions of accuracy, interpretation, and authorial control.
How It Compares With Helter Skelter
Helter Skelter focused on the Manson Family murders and was written by prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi with Curt Gentry. Like In Cold Blood, it became one of the defining true-crime books of its era.
The two books differ in style and perspective. In Cold Blood is known for its literary structure and psychological focus, while Helter Skelter is closely tied to prosecution, motive, and courtroom detail. Together, they stand among the best-known true-crime bestsellers.
Why This Final Jeopardy Clue Works
This clue works because it pairs a familiar true-crime title with another major work from the same broad genre. The date “about 10 years before” points back from 1974 to the mid-1960s, where In Cold Blood stands out.
The correct response, In Cold Blood, fits every part of the clue. It is a bestselling true-crime book, it predates Helter Skelter by roughly a decade, and its influence on nonfiction crime writing remains central to the genre.