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Kingdom of devils : a tale of murder in the shadow of the American Revolution Cover Image Book

Kingdom of devils : a tale of murder in the shadow of the American Revolution / Katherine Grandjean.

Grandjean, Katherine, 1977- (author.).

Summary:

In Kingdom of Devils, historian Katherine Grandjean examines the terrifying crimes of the Harp brothers, often considered America's first serial killers. During the late 1790s, Wiley and Micajah Harp carried out a brutal series of murders across the frontier regions of Tennessee and Kentucky, leaving communities terrified and authorities unable to stop them. Beyond recounting the crimes themselves, Grandjean explores how the upheaval and economic hardships following the American Revolution created anger, instability, and violence in the young United States, offering a deeper look at the darker side of early American history.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9780593729939
  • ISBN: 0593729935
  • Physical Description: 335 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm
  • Edition: First edition.
  • Publisher: New York : Random House, [2026]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 259-323) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:
Prologue: The shaving glass -- Introduction: "The backwoodsmen" -- East Tennessee. Liberty and property ; Unrest ; The quarter race -- Kentucky. No want of hells ; The wickedness of the heart ; Cane ; The pursuit -- Mississippi. The trace ; The two faces of John Setton -- Epilogue: The ashes of the grave.

Search for related items by subject

Subject:
Harpe, Micajah, approximately 1768-1799 > Biography.
Harpe, Wiley, approximately 1770-1804 > Biography.
Serial murderers > United States > 18th century.
Violence > Social aspects > United States > History > 18th century.
Frontier and pioneer life > Tennessee.
Frontier and pioneer life > Kentucky.
United States > History > Revolution, 1775-1783 > Influence.
Genre:
True crime stories.
Biographies.

Available copies

  • 12 of 17 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
  • 1 of 1 copy available at Madison County Public Library.

Holds

  • 1 current hold with 17 total copies.
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Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Madison Main Library 364.152 GRA (Text) 30229101449311 Adult New Nonfiction Available -

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MARC Record

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24510. ‡aKingdom of devils : ‡ba tale of murder in the shadow of the American Revolution / ‡cKatherine Grandjean.
250 . ‡aFirst edition.
264 1. ‡aNew York : ‡bRandom House, ‡c[2026]
264 4. ‡c©2026
300 . ‡a335 pages : ‡billustrations, maps ; ‡c25 cm
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336 . ‡acartographic image ‡bcri ‡2rdacontent
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337 . ‡aunmediated ‡bn ‡2rdamedia
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504 . ‡aIncludes bibliographical references (pages 259-323) and index.
505 0. ‡aPrologue: The shaving glass -- Introduction: "The backwoodsmen" -- East Tennessee. Liberty and property ; Unrest ; The quarter race -- Kentucky. No want of hells ; The wickedness of the heart ; Cane ; The pursuit -- Mississippi. The trace ; The two faces of John Setton -- Epilogue: The ashes of the grave.
520 . ‡aIn Kingdom of Devils, historian Katherine Grandjean examines the terrifying crimes of the Harp brothers, often considered America's first serial killers. During the late 1790s, Wiley and Micajah Harp carried out a brutal series of murders across the frontier regions of Tennessee and Kentucky, leaving communities terrified and authorities unable to stop them. Beyond recounting the crimes themselves, Grandjean explores how the upheaval and economic hardships following the American Revolution created anger, instability, and violence in the young United States, offering a deeper look at the darker side of early American history.
60010. ‡aHarpe, Micajah, ‡dapproximately 1768-1799 ‡vBiography.
60010. ‡aHarpe, Wiley, ‡dapproximately 1770-1804 ‡vBiography.
650 0. ‡aSerial murderers ‡zUnited States ‡y18th century.
650 0. ‡aViolence ‡xSocial aspects ‡zUnited States ‡xHistory ‡y18th century.
650 0. ‡aFrontier and pioneer life ‡zTennessee. ‡0(CARDINAL)309975
650 0. ‡aFrontier and pioneer life ‡zKentucky. ‡0(CARDINAL)309996
651 0. ‡aUnited States ‡xHistory ‡yRevolution, 1775-1783 ‡xInfluence. ‡0(CARDINAL)256760
655 7. ‡aTrue crime stories. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)340776
655 7. ‡aBiographies. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)326681
901 . ‡a15787739 ‡bOCoLC ‡c15787739 ‡tbiblio