Book Review by Alexandria Martinez
No Saints in Kansas – Amy Brashear
YA Novel
Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2017
Page Count: 320
ISBN: 978-1-61695-683-7
Publisher: Soho Teen
No Saints in Kansas is a gripping reimagining of Truman Capote’s non-fiction novel In Cold Blood and the brutal murders that inspired it.
This book is a fictional take on the real murder of the Clutter Family with no obvious motive that had occurred on November 15, 1959.
*Please take note that the details in this book are true, only fictional insert is Carly Fleming.*
Author Amy Brashear puts a fictional twist on this infamous murder by inserting into the plot a fictional friend of Nancy Clutter, Carly Fleming, who secretly tutored Nancy. Carly Fleming is new in town, a New Yorker who is in desperation to fit in with the small town life. Shortly after the murder, Nancy Clutter’s boyfriend, Bobby Rupp was suspected for the murder being he was the last one who saw the family alive. Carly didn’t believe he was guilty.
Due to her determination of finding the truth, Carly dives into the investigation of the murder, eventually landing herself into trouble with the authorities. Now that Bobby is seen as an outsider also, their bond grows stronger than ever as they try to make sense of the brutal murder. After all, they were the only ones who truly knew Nancy Clutter.
To me, this book was truly a riveting and interestingly gripping read. I couldn’t get enough. After reading, I was taken aback to learn that this was based off of a true story. I did a little research and found a Wikipedia page, if anyone is interested in the original story of the case; here’s that link.
Additional details on the original story can be found at: https://www.gcpolice.org/about-gcpd/history/famous-cases/clutter-family-murders