How does the town of Holcomb react to the murder and what does the murder reveal about the town?

Holcomb was a small town devoid of crime. Its citizens went into a state of shock and were assaulted by fear. They came to mistrust their neighbors, grew increasingly paranoid, and began to question their own values. The murders wreaked havoc and took away the community's sense of well-being.

"The crime confronted the townsfolk of Holcomb with their own isolation. Neighborliness evaporated. The natural order seemed suspended. Chaos poised to rush in. They distrusted and came to suspect not terrible strangers, but themselves."