Katherine Grandjean, "Kingdom of Devils: A Tale of Murder in the Shadow of the American Revolution" (Random House, 2026)

The American Revolution’s aftermath fostered a volatile social environment where the pursuit of prosperity often turned violent. *Kingdom of Devils* examines the notorious, largely forgotten murder spree of brothers Willie and Micaijah Harp in late 18th-century Kentucky and Tennessee. These killings, which claimed approximately two dozen lives, reveal the darker, destabilizing consequences of shifting from monarchical subjects to competitive republican citizens. The narrative highlights how the era’s economic insecurity and lack of established order contributed to such extreme violence. By blending true crime with historical analysis, the work challenges traditional, optimistic portrayals of the revolutionary period. Author Katherine Grandjean, an Associate Professor of History at Wellesley College, utilizes court records and local geography to reconstruct this grim chapter, illustrating how the revolution’s promise of individual advancement created both winners and losers in a newly untethered society.