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Kingdom of Devils: A Tale of Murder in the Shadow of the American Revolution
The chilling account of America's first serial killers, whose brutal string of murders on the post-Revolutionary frontier reveal the violence at the heart of the young United States
No one knew Wiley Harp’s name in 1797 as he stood in line at the Knoxville Courthouse to register the deed for his new farm, and no one could have imagined how horrifyingly his life would unravel from there. Less than two years from that orderly day, Wiley and his brother, Micajah, having spiraled into debt, would commit a series of murders, their grisly scenes scattered over hundreds of miles of Tennessee and Kentucky countryside. Bodies turned up along roadsides, stuffed into brush. They floated to the surface of muddy brooks. For nine terrifying months, from late 1798 to August 1799, as the Harps rained hell on society and confounded sheriffs, hillsides and rivers kept coughing up the dead.
The Harps killed dozens that year, but why they did it has eluded folklorists and historians for generations. Almost every story imagines that they were motivated by pure bloodlust, but to historian Katherine Grandjean, that's too simple an answer. In Kingdom of Devils, Grandjean uses the story of the Harp murders to scrutinize the triumphant spirit of the early United States and reveal that independence did not make every man a winner. There were dark sides to the country's recent victory. The Revolution was deeply destabilizing, politically and socially, shaking people free from their families and villages. Even as it built up hope for every man’s success, it stacked the deck against them with the combination of volatile markets and the absence of any safety net for those who fell on hard times, fueling anger and resentment. Unspooling the mystery of what sent the Harps reeling exposes the hidden, violent legacies of the American Revolution.
For decades, the Harps lived on in folk songs and stories--until the Civil War exploded American society once again, and their names faded to history. But, in Kingdom of Devils, the Harps are revived as a cautionary tale about the darkness at the heart of the American dream.
No one knew Wiley Harp’s name in 1797 as he stood in line at the Knoxville Courthouse to register the deed for his new farm, and no one could have imagined how horrifyingly his life would unravel from there. Less than two years from that orderly day, Wiley and his brother, Micajah, having spiraled into debt, would commit a series of murders, their grisly scenes scattered over hundreds of miles of Tennessee and Kentucky countryside. Bodies turned up along roadsides, stuffed into brush. They floated to the surface of muddy brooks. For nine terrifying months, from late 1798 to August 1799, as the Harps rained hell on society and confounded sheriffs, hillsides and rivers kept coughing up the dead.
The Harps killed dozens that year, but why they did it has eluded folklorists and historians for generations. Almost every story imagines that they were motivated by pure bloodlust, but to historian Katherine Grandjean, that's too simple an answer. In Kingdom of Devils, Grandjean uses the story of the Harp murders to scrutinize the triumphant spirit of the early United States and reveal that independence did not make every man a winner. There were dark sides to the country's recent victory. The Revolution was deeply destabilizing, politically and socially, shaking people free from their families and villages. Even as it built up hope for every man’s success, it stacked the deck against them with the combination of volatile markets and the absence of any safety net for those who fell on hard times, fueling anger and resentment. Unspooling the mystery of what sent the Harps reeling exposes the hidden, violent legacies of the American Revolution.
For decades, the Harps lived on in folk songs and stories--until the Civil War exploded American society once again, and their names faded to history. But, in Kingdom of Devils, the Harps are revived as a cautionary tale about the darkness at the heart of the American dream.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 9, 2026
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June 29, 2026
I picked this book up because it involves a place and time of the U.S. that is rarely written about today. Beyond the social and cultural reasons why the largely cosmopolitan and urban scholarly community looks past places like early American Appalachia, the dearth of sources from the era make writing about the early frontier quite difficult. Nonetheless, this book shines in how it brings to life the precarious world of the early frontier. This is microhistory done right: a narrative of one family that enables readers to grasp how their world shaped the people of the era and how they interacted with it in turn. Grandjean artfully demonstrates how the seemingly aberrant Harps can be understood in the context of their disappointment with an early republic that promise opportunity and prosperity but lacked the controls to ensure those in the backwoods of its frontier. It is a book about crime, but it doesn’t gawk at the gore and horror of murder like many true crime books do. Instead, it breaks down why the crimes were a raging reaction to the fraudulent land claims, imperfect surveying, and predatory debt practices of the frontier and how they preyed upon and redefined the hospitality of the area. While more could be made of the brothers’ activities during the American Revolution to further illustrate how veterans (and especially loyalists) adjusted to life after the conflict, the book brings in many aspects of early America to enable readers to understand the Harps, their victims, and their government. The book also connects the Harps and similar highwaymen to surviving cultural traditions in Appalachia, including ballads and legends. Overall, this is a fast-paced story that makes an otherwise-obscure time and place approachable.
June 27, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this book. I'm so grateful to have received an email about this book and an opportunity to read it. Katherine Grandjean is an incredible historian and one I had not yet had a chance to read and learn from. This book reads like a crime thriller but Grandjean artfully weaves her research and research process into the narrative to let the reader better know and understand how she learned what she did about the Harps. She builds historical context about the time period as well as connecting the story of the Harps to the bigger picture of US history. Grandjean will be an autobuy author for me moving forward and I look forward to using her writing to help my 8th graders see how historians can effectively share their learning with others. I also had a chance to listen to the audiobook version and absolutely adored the narrator as well as the musical interludes that were included. Overall an incredible book for anyone who loves history and true crime.
July 2, 2026
I first read about the Harpe family over fifty years ago in a collection of horror stories that combined both fiction and true crime. Widely considered the first serial killers in American history, Wiley and Micajah Harpe and their three (yes, three) wives terrorized early settlers in several states, killing dozens in the closing years of the 18th century and opening years of the 19th century. Although largely forgotten today, they once were considered the living embodiment of the boogie man. Their names can be found in the works of Herman Melville and William Faulkner, and if you have seen “How the West was Won” you may remember the river pirates who lured unsuspecting pioneers to their camp to rob and kill them. Those characters were based largely on the Harpes.
Katherine Grandjean, an associate professor of history at Wellesley College specializing in violence in Colonial America, teaches a seminar on Crime and Punishment in Early America, which makes her an ideal candidate to reprise the legend of these historic killers.
Dr. Grandjean’s experience as a historian, the comprehensive footnotes, and the massive amount of research she did in her hunt for these historical fugitives gives her an easy ‘A for effort’. As an amateur genealogist, I am in awe of the time and effort that must have gone into this project. Unfortunately, after 225 years, the paper trail for this story appears to have grown pretty cold. There weren’t any police departments as we know them and federal law enforcement was still more than a century away from its inception. At that time, newspapermen were little more than gossips with printing presses so hearsay largely ruled the day. The best sources of information were land, tax and court records, but many of those have long since fallen victim to wars, fires, floods and the general ravages of time. In short, despite her Herculean efforts, much of the information needed for to compile a complete narrative of the Harpes lives no longer exists. As a result, Grandjean’s research turned up a plethora of things that might have happened, but very few certainties, leaving the readers with many paragraphs like this one.
All in all though, I enjoyed the book and was happy to read an account of these men that, although a bit sparce, did reassure me that what information was there was reliable. I appreciate Dr. Grandjeans efforts and look forward to reading more of her works in the future.
*The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appear in the final published edition.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star – The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
Katherine Grandjean, an associate professor of history at Wellesley College specializing in violence in Colonial America, teaches a seminar on Crime and Punishment in Early America, which makes her an ideal candidate to reprise the legend of these historic killers.
Dr. Grandjean’s experience as a historian, the comprehensive footnotes, and the massive amount of research she did in her hunt for these historical fugitives gives her an easy ‘A for effort’. As an amateur genealogist, I am in awe of the time and effort that must have gone into this project. Unfortunately, after 225 years, the paper trail for this story appears to have grown pretty cold. There weren’t any police departments as we know them and federal law enforcement was still more than a century away from its inception. At that time, newspapermen were little more than gossips with printing presses so hearsay largely ruled the day. The best sources of information were land, tax and court records, but many of those have long since fallen victim to wars, fires, floods and the general ravages of time. In short, despite her Herculean efforts, much of the information needed for to compile a complete narrative of the Harpes lives no longer exists. As a result, Grandjean’s research turned up a plethora of things that might have happened, but very few certainties, leaving the readers with many paragraphs like this one.
He might have heard…of Jefferson’s purchase of Louisiana. …. He surely heard about the bounty on his head—the reward money now totaling almost a thousand dollars. Maybe he found it flattering. Maybe he even joked about it at fireside. Maybe John Setton was there, listening.
All in all though, I enjoyed the book and was happy to read an account of these men that, although a bit sparce, did reassure me that what information was there was reliable. I appreciate Dr. Grandjeans efforts and look forward to reading more of her works in the future.
*The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appear in the final published edition.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star – The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
June 6, 2026
Probably a 3.5, but I'm rounding up, mostly because I learned about a part of history that I didn't know much about.
Grandjean combines two of my areas of interest--true crime and early American history. Brothers Wiley and Micajah Harp went on a killing spree in Tennessee and Kentucky at the end of the 18th century, killing almost indiscriminately in what was then the country's frontier. The story of the brothers, who might be America's first serial killers, remained ensconced in the lore of that part of country, though many of the details are sketchy. Grandjean goes beyond the passed-down stories to go after the facts of the killings, while also connecting the murder spree to the mindset of America during George Washington's Presidency.
Grandjean dug through the records to find the historical Harp brothers--court cases, legal documents. She inserts herself throughout the narrative, which I have mixed feelings about; as a history major, I enjoy learning about her process. At the same time, though, I don't necessarily want that in the story; that's what introductions or afterwords are for.
Ultimately, though, I got frustrated at Grandjean coming up a hypothesis for why the Harps did what they did and then state motivations as given: "The Harps were just the sort of men who Kentucky's gentry feared were coming for their share. And maybe that was the point" (loc. 2047).
Her theory is that the Harps tried to do things right--buy land, get married--but that they lost what they had due to much larger forces than their own actions. In response, they killed a bunch of people. Brutally. She writes about them as America's losers (in a way that makes me think of Sondheim's Assassins), about how the Revolution turned the world upside down and made men think they were equal and get upset when they don't realize the American dream:
(I also don't love the "In way that historians have not quite grasped" here.)
It's not that I don't think she's right; losing everything does drive people to extreme acts of violence. It's the connections to the ethos of the American Revolution that I'm not sure of: "In America, men compete. That is the basic ethos. To be American is to cherish the idea of material success, which, you understand, will be chased by everyone, competitively. But what happens when men fail to realize the dream? Or worse, when they feel it has been robbed from them, or withheld unfairly?" (loc. 1500).
Grandjean is honing on something that is still very much talked about today, with the talk of the male loneliness epidemic and similar. I think she's right, in that the Harps saw their dreams of owning land and living presumably quiet lives with their families being taken away from them. And I'll say that I really appreciated Grandjean going into details about the fickleness of land ownership and deeds at the time, and the relations with Native Americans and their relationships with early American governments, and that while the Revolution may have changed how men saw each other, that didn't particularly change how women were treated. There's a lot of detail and narrative about the early United States that was really interesting and is why I rated this book as high as I did.
I guess it comes down to whether the various storylines in the early American period percolating in the background really affected the Harps. Grandjean mentions at one point a study that showed violence increasing during times of political turmoil in the country, so maybe people are affected. I guess the question for me is, how much of "The world screwed me over, so I'm going to go on a killing spree?" is actually political? And I don't know that it is. In that vein, how political are the murders of Sweeney Todd?
I will say that this book provided a lot of food for thought.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced reader copy of this book.
Grandjean combines two of my areas of interest--true crime and early American history. Brothers Wiley and Micajah Harp went on a killing spree in Tennessee and Kentucky at the end of the 18th century, killing almost indiscriminately in what was then the country's frontier. The story of the brothers, who might be America's first serial killers, remained ensconced in the lore of that part of country, though many of the details are sketchy. Grandjean goes beyond the passed-down stories to go after the facts of the killings, while also connecting the murder spree to the mindset of America during George Washington's Presidency.
Grandjean dug through the records to find the historical Harp brothers--court cases, legal documents. She inserts herself throughout the narrative, which I have mixed feelings about; as a history major, I enjoy learning about her process. At the same time, though, I don't necessarily want that in the story; that's what introductions or afterwords are for.
Ultimately, though, I got frustrated at Grandjean coming up a hypothesis for why the Harps did what they did and then state motivations as given: "The Harps were just the sort of men who Kentucky's gentry feared were coming for their share. And maybe that was the point" (loc. 2047).
Rampage killing, almost always, is about revenge. It isn't about savoring violence. It isn't about any of the perverse, sadistic pleasures that we associate with modern serial killers. It isn't usually about worldly or material things to be gained once the victims are dead. The gains are mostly psychological: It is about having the last word, about vengeance against those who have caused the killer's unhappiness. Others must be made to suffer "as he has in the past," criminologist James Alan Fox writes of the typical offender. (loc. 2261)
Her theory is that the Harps tried to do things right--buy land, get married--but that they lost what they had due to much larger forces than their own actions. In response, they killed a bunch of people. Brutally. She writes about them as America's losers (in a way that makes me think of Sondheim's Assassins), about how the Revolution turned the world upside down and made men think they were equal and get upset when they don't realize the American dream:
In ways that historians have not quite grasped, some of the murders of Wiley Harp's era are tied to the very core meanings of the American Revolution--the defining features of the republic itself. Appalachia's disease may only have been a more severe case of something that infected men across the United States in the wake of the American Revolution. Everywhere, in the new republic, men struggled. Shaken free of traditional safety nets, loosed into new places without family, and drunk on a giddy cocktail of new markets and new expectations, they stumbled. Then they fell. (loc. 1404)
(I also don't love the "In way that historians have not quite grasped" here.)
It's not that I don't think she's right; losing everything does drive people to extreme acts of violence. It's the connections to the ethos of the American Revolution that I'm not sure of: "In America, men compete. That is the basic ethos. To be American is to cherish the idea of material success, which, you understand, will be chased by everyone, competitively. But what happens when men fail to realize the dream? Or worse, when they feel it has been robbed from them, or withheld unfairly?" (loc. 1500).
Murder was its own kind of treason. An affront to the state itself. An affront to the people, as it tore at the very foundations of society. That was how it stood in American law and in American minds, and that is how best to understand Wiley and Micajah Harp. American society--with all its promises--had not worked for them. . . . So in 1798, he decided to step out of society and levy his own little war on its people. . . . Murder, in the end, is social protest. (loc. 2745)
Grandjean is honing on something that is still very much talked about today, with the talk of the male loneliness epidemic and similar. I think she's right, in that the Harps saw their dreams of owning land and living presumably quiet lives with their families being taken away from them. And I'll say that I really appreciated Grandjean going into details about the fickleness of land ownership and deeds at the time, and the relations with Native Americans and their relationships with early American governments, and that while the Revolution may have changed how men saw each other, that didn't particularly change how women were treated. There's a lot of detail and narrative about the early United States that was really interesting and is why I rated this book as high as I did.
I guess it comes down to whether the various storylines in the early American period percolating in the background really affected the Harps. Grandjean mentions at one point a study that showed violence increasing during times of political turmoil in the country, so maybe people are affected. I guess the question for me is, how much of "The world screwed me over, so I'm going to go on a killing spree?" is actually political? And I don't know that it is. In that vein, how political are the murders of Sweeney Todd?
I will say that this book provided a lot of food for thought.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced reader copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy of this history that looks at America just after the American Revolution, a time where a country was still finding itself, a country whose growing pains would soon lead to dissent, disillusionment and even America's first serial killers.
When I learned about the history of the United States things also seemed rosy, and fine. Americans seemed to agree on so much. We learned about Shay's Rebellion, but not the reasons why, nor the resolution. Nothing about bloody Kansas. And of course suddenly we had a civil war, but everything after that was fine. Turns out there were a lot of problems right from the beginning. When George Washington the Father of our Country, went home after his second term, he left a country that was broken in quite a few ways. To his replacement Adams, only force seemed to way to solve this problems. From people talking bad about the government, spreading sedition, to those who had placed homes deep in territory owned by indigenous people. Force seemed the law of the land. Two brothers, suddenly lost in this new world, force seemed to be the only solution, and a bloody track soon followed across two states. Kingdom of Devils: A Tale of Murder in the Shadow of the American Revolution by Katherine Grandjean is a history of life after war, set in the years after the American Revolution, a time of uncertainty for many, and a time where two men, decided the only solution they had was violence, and America's first serial killers were created.
The 1790's in America was a difficult time. The bloom had faded from the rose that was Revolution, and reality was settling in. The country was broke, was still coming off a contested election for a president and there was a feeling that maybe government was a little too powerful. Land was the currency of the times, but even that couldn't be trusted as schemes with powerful backers sold almost double the size of the states the land was based in. Expansion into lands controlled by indigenous people were causing problems, so much so that American troops were burning homes found there. This crushed the dreams of many, including the Brothers Harp. Wiley and Micajah Harp shared a farm, given by Wiley's father-in-law, who had hit hard times. Bad investments, bad bets and bad drinking caused the Harps to lose all that they had, and flee their Tennessee home. And to lose their inhibitions. Soon bodies were being found on lonely roads, mutilated and stripped of wealth, left at the bottom of streams, or deep in the woods. People began to fear strangers, and for nine months their crimes filled the early newspapers of the day. Until they made their final mistake.
A fascinating history that also has some true crime elements. Just for the history alone I would recommend it, as I knew little about the time in the South between the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Grandjean is a very good writer, with a really good style that makes the pages fly by. Also Grandjean is a really good researcher digging through old court records, finding out things that have been lost to history, until now. A great mix of crime, history and also cultural studies. One can see the rage, the feeling that I am owed, so I am gonna kill things to make things right. Something very familiar to most Americans now.
I really can't recommend this book enough. The writing, the history even the crime writing, something I am not a fan of, was fascinating and I leaned so much from. A book really for so many readers. True crime fans for the serial killer aspect, history readers for a really in-depth view of life in Early America, something that most classes in history gloss over. Also for readers who love books that make one think, teaches a reader new things, and are really well done. I look forward to more books by Katherine Grandjean.
When I learned about the history of the United States things also seemed rosy, and fine. Americans seemed to agree on so much. We learned about Shay's Rebellion, but not the reasons why, nor the resolution. Nothing about bloody Kansas. And of course suddenly we had a civil war, but everything after that was fine. Turns out there were a lot of problems right from the beginning. When George Washington the Father of our Country, went home after his second term, he left a country that was broken in quite a few ways. To his replacement Adams, only force seemed to way to solve this problems. From people talking bad about the government, spreading sedition, to those who had placed homes deep in territory owned by indigenous people. Force seemed the law of the land. Two brothers, suddenly lost in this new world, force seemed to be the only solution, and a bloody track soon followed across two states. Kingdom of Devils: A Tale of Murder in the Shadow of the American Revolution by Katherine Grandjean is a history of life after war, set in the years after the American Revolution, a time of uncertainty for many, and a time where two men, decided the only solution they had was violence, and America's first serial killers were created.
The 1790's in America was a difficult time. The bloom had faded from the rose that was Revolution, and reality was settling in. The country was broke, was still coming off a contested election for a president and there was a feeling that maybe government was a little too powerful. Land was the currency of the times, but even that couldn't be trusted as schemes with powerful backers sold almost double the size of the states the land was based in. Expansion into lands controlled by indigenous people were causing problems, so much so that American troops were burning homes found there. This crushed the dreams of many, including the Brothers Harp. Wiley and Micajah Harp shared a farm, given by Wiley's father-in-law, who had hit hard times. Bad investments, bad bets and bad drinking caused the Harps to lose all that they had, and flee their Tennessee home. And to lose their inhibitions. Soon bodies were being found on lonely roads, mutilated and stripped of wealth, left at the bottom of streams, or deep in the woods. People began to fear strangers, and for nine months their crimes filled the early newspapers of the day. Until they made their final mistake.
A fascinating history that also has some true crime elements. Just for the history alone I would recommend it, as I knew little about the time in the South between the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Grandjean is a very good writer, with a really good style that makes the pages fly by. Also Grandjean is a really good researcher digging through old court records, finding out things that have been lost to history, until now. A great mix of crime, history and also cultural studies. One can see the rage, the feeling that I am owed, so I am gonna kill things to make things right. Something very familiar to most Americans now.
I really can't recommend this book enough. The writing, the history even the crime writing, something I am not a fan of, was fascinating and I leaned so much from. A book really for so many readers. True crime fans for the serial killer aspect, history readers for a really in-depth view of life in Early America, something that most classes in history gloss over. Also for readers who love books that make one think, teaches a reader new things, and are really well done. I look forward to more books by Katherine Grandjean.
July 20, 2026
In late-18th century Appalachia, Tennessee and Kentucky convulsed with paroxysms of violence perpetrated by who some call America’s first serial killers. In Kingdom of Devils, Katherine Grandjean relates the story of Wiley and Micajah Harp, a pair of brothers who terrorized locals and travelers by committing heinous murders. This biography traces more than just their actions, however; Grandjean embeds the Harp brothers in the emergent chaos inherent with new political, cultural, social, and economic realities in the aftermath of the American Revolution.
Like many early American folklore and legends, the grainy truth resides among the more elaborate fabrications. And, again like many tales, there's a scarcity of real evidence to help us discern facts from fiction. In the case of the Harp brothers, Grandjean, Associate Professor of History at Wellesley, has scoured through archives and dusty books to find scraps of the truth. From Wiley's marriage bond to local court records, the sources point to a likely disaffected pair of young men who - perhaps disgruntled by lack of or failed opportunities - meted out punishment on those they perceived to have harmed them or simply possessed what they didn't.
Historians estimate the Harps killed anywhere from 39 to 50 victims. In a time when local policing took the form of sheriffs, deputies, and townsfolk, it's likely the Harps committed more crimes than we know. Their victims were mostly men, but their final crime involved the deaths of a young woman, her infant son, and a boarder. It was then that their reign of terror eventually ended.
Kingdom of Devils reflects that America didn't just become a cohesive unit after its separation from England. Instead, the new country roiled and grappled with changes. Some met the challenges head on and succeeded while others, like the Harps, struggled to find their bearings and perhaps engaged in nefarious deeds in response.
Where the book falls in some aspects is when the author makes blurry hypotheses and generalizations about the Harp brothers’ motivation and Appalachia as a whole and its alignment with the creation of identity and ethos after the American Revolution.
Writing about Wiley Harp, Grandjean remarks, “But with [the pattern of someone trying to win but losing] in view, he represents the origins of something distinctly American—the ethos of individualism, liberalism, and the power of the market colliding with the realities of failure and loss of face” (loc. 1506).”
The Harp murders occurred only about a decade after the official conclusion of the American Revolution. Therefore, I think it's a stretch to emphatically but perhaps preemptively apply such emerging patterns, something “distinctly American”, to two people and one crime spree when there little existed a true “American” identity and culture at that point in time.
Overall, Kingdom of Devils offers readers a fast-paced, deeply-researched, and well-articulated look into the early American past and a crime with victims who should not be forgotten.
Thank you to the author and Random House for a NetGalley copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Like many early American folklore and legends, the grainy truth resides among the more elaborate fabrications. And, again like many tales, there's a scarcity of real evidence to help us discern facts from fiction. In the case of the Harp brothers, Grandjean, Associate Professor of History at Wellesley, has scoured through archives and dusty books to find scraps of the truth. From Wiley's marriage bond to local court records, the sources point to a likely disaffected pair of young men who - perhaps disgruntled by lack of or failed opportunities - meted out punishment on those they perceived to have harmed them or simply possessed what they didn't.
Historians estimate the Harps killed anywhere from 39 to 50 victims. In a time when local policing took the form of sheriffs, deputies, and townsfolk, it's likely the Harps committed more crimes than we know. Their victims were mostly men, but their final crime involved the deaths of a young woman, her infant son, and a boarder. It was then that their reign of terror eventually ended.
Kingdom of Devils reflects that America didn't just become a cohesive unit after its separation from England. Instead, the new country roiled and grappled with changes. Some met the challenges head on and succeeded while others, like the Harps, struggled to find their bearings and perhaps engaged in nefarious deeds in response.
Where the book falls in some aspects is when the author makes blurry hypotheses and generalizations about the Harp brothers’ motivation and Appalachia as a whole and its alignment with the creation of identity and ethos after the American Revolution.
“Appalachia’s disease may only have been a more severe case of something that infected men across the United States in the wake of the American Revolution. Everywhere, in the new republic, men struggled. Shaken free of traditional safety nets, loosed into new places without family, and drunk on a giddy cocktail of new markets and new expectations, they stumbled. Then they fell.” (loc. 1405)
Writing about Wiley Harp, Grandjean remarks, “But with [the pattern of someone trying to win but losing] in view, he represents the origins of something distinctly American—the ethos of individualism, liberalism, and the power of the market colliding with the realities of failure and loss of face” (loc. 1506).”
The Harp murders occurred only about a decade after the official conclusion of the American Revolution. Therefore, I think it's a stretch to emphatically but perhaps preemptively apply such emerging patterns, something “distinctly American”, to two people and one crime spree when there little existed a true “American” identity and culture at that point in time.
Overall, Kingdom of Devils offers readers a fast-paced, deeply-researched, and well-articulated look into the early American past and a crime with victims who should not be forgotten.
Thank you to the author and Random House for a NetGalley copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Nonfiction about Wiley and Micajah Harp, two brothers who killed at least thirty people in the borderlands of Tennessee and Kentucky in the late 1790s. Katherine Grandjean documents (as much as is possible, since records were scanty at the time and what did exist has frequently been lost over the subsequent 230+ years) the Harp's world, their possible motivations, and the conditions that allowed them to escape law enforcement for so long.
The end of the American Revolutionary War left a lot of people happy, but it left many others destitute. Those who chose the 'wrong' side, those who were permanently injured or lost their land or belongings during the fighting, the families of those killed in battle, and so on. In addition, many people found the new government turning out to be not what they'd envisioned, and they joined minor rebellions that were quickly crushed, again ruining those who'd participated. Finally, land scams were numerous in the new states: selling the same piece of land to four or five different people, selling land that the seller never had legal ownership of, selling land that belonged to the Cherokee Nation. Huge numbers of people lost their entire life's savings, or ended up with farm too small and on too poor of land to support themselves. Grandjean theorizes that the Harp brothers may have been one of those who ended up in inescapable debt, and that they committed the murders as a way of lashing out at an unfair society.
The part of Kingdom of Devils that's about the history of debt, scams, and disappointment in the post-Revolutionary period is excellent. Unfortunately, the part of the book that focuses on the Harp brothers is comparatively threadbare. There just isn't enough information out there to really get at their biographies or their reasoning. Grandjean does her best, and what she does have is well-written and compelling. But she can't make up facts that don't exist, and the lack of answers about the Harps is disappointing.
Overall, I recommend this if you're interested in the general history (which I am!), but not if you're only curious about the true crime angle.
I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.
The end of the American Revolutionary War left a lot of people happy, but it left many others destitute. Those who chose the 'wrong' side, those who were permanently injured or lost their land or belongings during the fighting, the families of those killed in battle, and so on. In addition, many people found the new government turning out to be not what they'd envisioned, and they joined minor rebellions that were quickly crushed, again ruining those who'd participated. Finally, land scams were numerous in the new states: selling the same piece of land to four or five different people, selling land that the seller never had legal ownership of, selling land that belonged to the Cherokee Nation. Huge numbers of people lost their entire life's savings, or ended up with farm too small and on too poor of land to support themselves. Grandjean theorizes that the Harp brothers may have been one of those who ended up in inescapable debt, and that they committed the murders as a way of lashing out at an unfair society.
The part of Kingdom of Devils that's about the history of debt, scams, and disappointment in the post-Revolutionary period is excellent. Unfortunately, the part of the book that focuses on the Harp brothers is comparatively threadbare. There just isn't enough information out there to really get at their biographies or their reasoning. Grandjean does her best, and what she does have is well-written and compelling. But she can't make up facts that don't exist, and the lack of answers about the Harps is disappointing.
Overall, I recommend this if you're interested in the general history (which I am!), but not if you're only curious about the true crime angle.
I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.
July 4, 2026
Some true crime books focus solely on the horror. Others dig into psychology or courtroom drama. *Kingdom of Devils* does something far more unsettling—it asks what kind of country creates monsters in the first place.
Katherine Grandjean takes the terrifying legend of the Harpe brothers—often considered America’s first serial killers—and transforms it into something bigger than a historical recounting of violence. Set against the chaos of post-Revolutionary America, this book is as much about a fractured nation as it is about murder. And honestly? That’s what makes it linger.
The story begins with a chilling string of deaths scattered across Kentucky and Tennessee in 1798. Bodies abandoned in ravines, children murdered without mercy, travelers disappearing into wilderness roads—it reads with the tension of a thriller while never losing sight of the historical reality beneath the horror. Grandjean’s research is meticulous, but she never allows the narrative to feel academic or distant. Instead, she builds atmosphere with sharp detail and haunting storytelling that makes the frontier feel wild, lawless, and deeply vulnerable.
What stood out most to me was the way Grandjean pushes beyond the familiar folklore surrounding Wiley and Micajah Harpe. Rather than reducing them to mythical villains driven purely by evil, she examines the instability of the era: war trauma, social collapse, economic uncertainty, and the violent aftershocks of revolution. It adds layers to a story that could have easily become sensationalized.
That said, this isn’t a fast-paced, traditional true crime read. Readers looking for nonstop action or forensic-style investigation may find the historical context heavy at times. But for those who love narrative nonfiction that blends history, psychology, and crime, this is incredibly compelling.
Dark, atmospheric, and deeply researched, *Kingdom of Devils* feels like true crime wrapped in early American gothic. It’s disturbing not only because of what happened—but because of what it reveals about the foundations of the country itself.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Katherine Grandjean takes the terrifying legend of the Harpe brothers—often considered America’s first serial killers—and transforms it into something bigger than a historical recounting of violence. Set against the chaos of post-Revolutionary America, this book is as much about a fractured nation as it is about murder. And honestly? That’s what makes it linger.
The story begins with a chilling string of deaths scattered across Kentucky and Tennessee in 1798. Bodies abandoned in ravines, children murdered without mercy, travelers disappearing into wilderness roads—it reads with the tension of a thriller while never losing sight of the historical reality beneath the horror. Grandjean’s research is meticulous, but she never allows the narrative to feel academic or distant. Instead, she builds atmosphere with sharp detail and haunting storytelling that makes the frontier feel wild, lawless, and deeply vulnerable.
What stood out most to me was the way Grandjean pushes beyond the familiar folklore surrounding Wiley and Micajah Harpe. Rather than reducing them to mythical villains driven purely by evil, she examines the instability of the era: war trauma, social collapse, economic uncertainty, and the violent aftershocks of revolution. It adds layers to a story that could have easily become sensationalized.
That said, this isn’t a fast-paced, traditional true crime read. Readers looking for nonstop action or forensic-style investigation may find the historical context heavy at times. But for those who love narrative nonfiction that blends history, psychology, and crime, this is incredibly compelling.
Dark, atmospheric, and deeply researched, *Kingdom of Devils* feels like true crime wrapped in early American gothic. It’s disturbing not only because of what happened—but because of what it reveals about the foundations of the country itself.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 ⭐️ I started this intending to skim the prologue & go to bed, I blinked I found myself 100 pgs in! This book is structured more like history than true crime but it’s an incredibly easy to read. There hasn’t been any exhaustive research done on these murders in over a century which is truly surprising given the brutality and large number of victims. The author uses previously undiscovered information from census data, county petitions etc to shed new light on the Harps. These men were nightmarish legends of the south but as the Civil War consumed the nation’s attention the Harp brothers faded from discourse and they were forgotten. It’s wild that multiple books & articles were written about them for 80 years after they died but it took another 150 years after the Civil War for them to receive scholarly attention.
The Harp brothers are typically viewed as Americas first serial killers but this research shows they fall more into the category of spree killers or mass murderers. There’s a ton of conflicting information online about everything from their age, to their crimes but the author is careful to cite all sources & tells you when she’s making an educated guess based on the information available.
While she traces the brothers through history, the author also highlights Americas early history. She shows that larger national pressures helped create an environment ripe to trigger these men towards violence. In particular, that during the revolutionary war, gangs of boys & men would destroy homes, loot property and rape/ slaughter families ostensibly in the name of either the king or early revolutionaries. Post war families who supported the British (like the Harps) again were victims of violent retribution. As adults they were living on the literal boarder of Tennessee & Cherokee territory. This area was lawless with raiding parties from both sides slaughtering civilians and stealing property. Is it any wonder that it was easy for them to slide into criminal activity and then further into mass murder?
The Harp brothers are typically viewed as Americas first serial killers but this research shows they fall more into the category of spree killers or mass murderers. There’s a ton of conflicting information online about everything from their age, to their crimes but the author is careful to cite all sources & tells you when she’s making an educated guess based on the information available.
While she traces the brothers through history, the author also highlights Americas early history. She shows that larger national pressures helped create an environment ripe to trigger these men towards violence. In particular, that during the revolutionary war, gangs of boys & men would destroy homes, loot property and rape/ slaughter families ostensibly in the name of either the king or early revolutionaries. Post war families who supported the British (like the Harps) again were victims of violent retribution. As adults they were living on the literal boarder of Tennessee & Cherokee territory. This area was lawless with raiding parties from both sides slaughtering civilians and stealing property. Is it any wonder that it was easy for them to slide into criminal activity and then further into mass murder?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Quick, what do you think of when I say what happened after the American Revolution, and before the Civil War? The Louisiana Purchase? Yes! Ratifying the Constitution? Perfect! America's first spree killers? Oh, didn't see that coming did you? Well, don't feel bad. Katherine Grandjean surprised me too with her excellent Kingdom of Devils.
The main characters are the Harp brothers. They are a couple of down-on-their-luck young men looking to make their way in the new America. They were also horse thieves, failed gamblers, and probably a bunch of other less-than-honorable things. What they certainly became was killers. They cut a wide swath through what would become Tennessee and Kentucky. They would murder at random in vicious and seemingly uncontrolled ways. Their spree would echo uncomfortably close to many more contemporary incidents we deal with today. And just like the most engrossing true crime stories, this one comes with more than one big twist.
Grandjean does an excellent job piecing together the Harps' lives and their crimes. This is historical true crime, so the reader is warned that it does not follow the same formula of contemporary crime stories. Much of the book is taken up with explaining the setting and major events around the Harps in order to give the reader an idea of the "why" of their story. That said, the author tells a heck of a story. Make no mistake, Grandjean has to work damn hard to make this narrative hold together. She succeeds more than I thought was possible considering how spotty the records were for this time and place. A must-read for anyone who loves historical true crime, and highly recommended for everyone else.
(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and Random House.)
The main characters are the Harp brothers. They are a couple of down-on-their-luck young men looking to make their way in the new America. They were also horse thieves, failed gamblers, and probably a bunch of other less-than-honorable things. What they certainly became was killers. They cut a wide swath through what would become Tennessee and Kentucky. They would murder at random in vicious and seemingly uncontrolled ways. Their spree would echo uncomfortably close to many more contemporary incidents we deal with today. And just like the most engrossing true crime stories, this one comes with more than one big twist.
Grandjean does an excellent job piecing together the Harps' lives and their crimes. This is historical true crime, so the reader is warned that it does not follow the same formula of contemporary crime stories. Much of the book is taken up with explaining the setting and major events around the Harps in order to give the reader an idea of the "why" of their story. That said, the author tells a heck of a story. Make no mistake, Grandjean has to work damn hard to make this narrative hold together. She succeeds more than I thought was possible considering how spotty the records were for this time and place. A must-read for anyone who loves historical true crime, and highly recommended for everyone else.
(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and Random House.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this book courtesy of NetGalley for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
Overview: It's late in the Eighteenth century. John Adams has recently been elected as the United States' second president. But there is trouble on the horizon. There are a pair of brothers, Micajah and Wiley Harp, who have hit upon a solution to their problems. They will declare war on all of humanity. How long will it be before they get caught? Let's find out.
Dislikes: Accusing the Harp Brothers of being rampage or spree killers is a bit disingenuous at best. Both styles of killers are not necessarily separate from being serial killers. This is because many serial killers can easily devolve into spree or rampage killers.
Also, just having a hard life, or to make mistakes in financial matters, does not excuse murder. No one held a gun to Wiley Harp's head and made him get a loan that he would struggle to pay back. No one made him gamble to strive to pay the loan back even quicker. And no one forced him to steal. Wiley Harp made those choices, and he forced the world to pay the consequences.
Likes: Many people tried to bring these men to justice.
I do believe that a higher power was trying to take away the fame that these boys wanted. You might call that power God. Either way, there's a reason that it was so hard for Mrs. Grandjean to find this information.
There are many who did try to bring peace to the frontier.
Conclusion: This is an interesting book. If you are interested in the odd and darker parts of American History, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.
Overview: It's late in the Eighteenth century. John Adams has recently been elected as the United States' second president. But there is trouble on the horizon. There are a pair of brothers, Micajah and Wiley Harp, who have hit upon a solution to their problems. They will declare war on all of humanity. How long will it be before they get caught? Let's find out.
Dislikes: Accusing the Harp Brothers of being rampage or spree killers is a bit disingenuous at best. Both styles of killers are not necessarily separate from being serial killers. This is because many serial killers can easily devolve into spree or rampage killers.
Also, just having a hard life, or to make mistakes in financial matters, does not excuse murder. No one held a gun to Wiley Harp's head and made him get a loan that he would struggle to pay back. No one made him gamble to strive to pay the loan back even quicker. And no one forced him to steal. Wiley Harp made those choices, and he forced the world to pay the consequences.
Likes: Many people tried to bring these men to justice.
I do believe that a higher power was trying to take away the fame that these boys wanted. You might call that power God. Either way, there's a reason that it was so hard for Mrs. Grandjean to find this information.
There are many who did try to bring peace to the frontier.
Conclusion: This is an interesting book. If you are interested in the odd and darker parts of American History, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.
July 10, 2026
In this fascinating new history book set in the years after the American Revolution, Katherine Grandjean explores a series of murders that sweep across 1798 Kentucky and terrorize the settlers. Wiley and Micajah Harp killed dozens across the countryside and left bodies in strange places over nine months and hundreds of miles, yet why they committed these crimes remains unknown. Grandjean, instead of looking into their motives, explores the dark side of American independence and the instability across the region -- particularly in less structured regions like Kentucky and Tennessee. Immersive and absolutely packed with details, readers who like true crime and history alike will absolutely love the narrative flow that Grandjean brings to the book. It is truly packed with a fascinating level of research and historical documents, and Grandjean’s take on paralleling their crimes with the state of post-Revolution America is particularly interesting and offers an interesting counternarrative to the historical record readers may be more familiar with. The depth of research and detail keeps readers engaged with the narrative, and history readers of all kinds will definitely appreciate the narratives Grandjean weaves together. Informative, unique, and immersive, this is a thought-provoking and complex new title set during the aftermath of the American Revolution.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Since I love history and true crime genres, I was so hoping to be approved to receive this ARC. I dropped everything except for building a fresh pot of coffee and feeding my dog, cat and chickens.
This is a nonfiction account offering a chilling perspective on early American history, concentrating on the dark, tragic true crime case of the first known serial killers. In 1798 a series of horrific murders unfolds.
Over nine dreadful months, these killings extend to a distance of hundreds of miles across Kentucky and Tennessee. Two brothers, Micajah “Big” Harpe and Wiley “Little” Harpe, with mysterious backgrounds, commit these heinous acts. They didn’t pursue wealth or act in moments of passion. They killed men, women, children, and any unfortunate individual who crossed their path, seemingly for the thrill or a deeper, festering rage. It’s estimated that they confirmed approximately 39 victims, with potentially 50 or more in total.
A book that took years to create, this compelling true crime narrative is backed by extensive background information and in-depth research with a multitude of footnotes.
**I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review. #ARC #NetGalley
#KingdomOfDevils
This is a nonfiction account offering a chilling perspective on early American history, concentrating on the dark, tragic true crime case of the first known serial killers. In 1798 a series of horrific murders unfolds.
Over nine dreadful months, these killings extend to a distance of hundreds of miles across Kentucky and Tennessee. Two brothers, Micajah “Big” Harpe and Wiley “Little” Harpe, with mysterious backgrounds, commit these heinous acts. They didn’t pursue wealth or act in moments of passion. They killed men, women, children, and any unfortunate individual who crossed their path, seemingly for the thrill or a deeper, festering rage. It’s estimated that they confirmed approximately 39 victims, with potentially 50 or more in total.
A book that took years to create, this compelling true crime narrative is backed by extensive background information and in-depth research with a multitude of footnotes.
**I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review. #ARC #NetGalley
#KingdomOfDevils
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kingdom of Devils: A Tale of Murder in the Shadow of the American Revolution by Katherine Grandjean is about two brothers—Wiley and Micajah Harp—who wrought a reign of terror in the last years of the 18th century. They operated in Kentucky and Tennessee, killing an untold number of people as they crossed the landscape.
There are a lot of suppositions in this book and uncertainty, such as who the Harps’ parents were, where they lived for certain, and what their lives were like when they were younger. It makes it more difficult for the author to try to assemble a picture of the men from the barest threads, but she certainly put in the effort with research.
Katherine Grandjean has a beautiful way of writing. Often historical texts get so bogged down technically and are written in a way that is dry and hard to keep one’s attention, but not here. It was engaging to read about the turmoil after the war and the chaos westward expansion caused. The way she provided evidence that the violence of the new country was prompted by expansion and economic instability was interesting.
I recommend this book for anyone curious to find out about the fledgling United States as well as rediscover two men behind sensational murders that made national news and is now buried by the past.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There are a lot of suppositions in this book and uncertainty, such as who the Harps’ parents were, where they lived for certain, and what their lives were like when they were younger. It makes it more difficult for the author to try to assemble a picture of the men from the barest threads, but she certainly put in the effort with research.
Katherine Grandjean has a beautiful way of writing. Often historical texts get so bogged down technically and are written in a way that is dry and hard to keep one’s attention, but not here. It was engaging to read about the turmoil after the war and the chaos westward expansion caused. The way she provided evidence that the violence of the new country was prompted by expansion and economic instability was interesting.
I recommend this book for anyone curious to find out about the fledgling United States as well as rediscover two men behind sensational murders that made national news and is now buried by the past.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Fascinating historical true crime book about murders and violence at the beginning of America’s democratic experiment.
Between 1797-1798 two brothers, Wiley and Macjah Harp, murdered over two dozen people in a crime spree that covered Kentucky and Tennessee. In an age of no social media this event, however, did not go unnoticed. The brothers were eventually found - you will have to read the book to find out all the details (you won’t be disappointed) - but the real story is the “why” of all these crimes.
The author did a spectacular job of researching these two brothers concerning how poorly documentation was during this time. What she uncovers is a period of post Revolutionary War letdown. The country was just coming aware of financial needs for expansion of the country but with limited funds for same. Plus what you sense is that this area of the country was lawless to begin with. That a sense of individualism was stronger than a sense of common good.
This is a great book for expanding understanding of our country and exposing realities that should be known. History nerds and true crime aficionados will love this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me access to this ARC.
Between 1797-1798 two brothers, Wiley and Macjah Harp, murdered over two dozen people in a crime spree that covered Kentucky and Tennessee. In an age of no social media this event, however, did not go unnoticed. The brothers were eventually found - you will have to read the book to find out all the details (you won’t be disappointed) - but the real story is the “why” of all these crimes.
The author did a spectacular job of researching these two brothers concerning how poorly documentation was during this time. What she uncovers is a period of post Revolutionary War letdown. The country was just coming aware of financial needs for expansion of the country but with limited funds for same. Plus what you sense is that this area of the country was lawless to begin with. That a sense of individualism was stronger than a sense of common good.
This is a great book for expanding understanding of our country and exposing realities that should be known. History nerds and true crime aficionados will love this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me access to this ARC.
June 15, 2026
In 1798, a series of brutal murders terrorizes the Kentucky and Tennessee frontier as two brothers, Wiley Harp and Micajah Harp, leave a trail of bodies across hundreds of miles of wilderness. Rather than accepting the traditional view that the Harps killed out of simple bloodlust, historian Katherine Grandjean investigates the social and political forces that may have shaped their violence. Through the mystery of the Harp murders, she reveals the darker consequences of the American Revolution and the instability that marked the young United States in its earliest years.
Why would they kill? That is the question every true crime book, film, and TV show asks. I had never heard of the Wiley brothers before, but I do like true crime. It was interesting to learn about them, especially since I recently read about the beginning of the country.
I found it fascinating the links that the author made about what may have influenced these two men to take multiple lives. The end of the American Revolution was not all sunshine and celebration. I appreciated the nuanced look at the time.
Readers who enjoy true crime will enjoy this one! I received an advance reader copy via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.
Why would they kill? That is the question every true crime book, film, and TV show asks. I had never heard of the Wiley brothers before, but I do like true crime. It was interesting to learn about them, especially since I recently read about the beginning of the country.
I found it fascinating the links that the author made about what may have influenced these two men to take multiple lives. The end of the American Revolution was not all sunshine and celebration. I appreciated the nuanced look at the time.
Readers who enjoy true crime will enjoy this one! I received an advance reader copy via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.
July 6, 2026
It's the best and worst of times for American Revolution historians. Publishers were certainly seeking new titles to mark the country's 250th. But finding something relatively new to write about must have been tough. Katherine Grandjean's "Kingdom of Devils" is a good case in point. On one level this is a very good book about the seldom-covered dark days after all the shooting (well, most of it) was over. On another, Grandjean has set herself a difficult narrative task that is only somewhat met.
"Kingdom of Devils" focuses on the exploits of a pair of serial-killing brothers haunting Kentucky and Tennessee in the 1790s. Despite Grandjean's relentless efforts to research this terrible saga, there simply isn't enough available info to fill out her narrative. A great deal of "one can imagine" and "it's likely that" make for a good detective story but can be frustrating as history. At the same time, the book is a fascinating read about the lawless conflicts that swept these territories as settlers fought the Native Americans who were there first, an indecisive government that didn't help much and, well, each other.
Fans of late 18th-century U.S. history will certainly enjoy this book. True crime readers will likely be disappointed.
"Kingdom of Devils" focuses on the exploits of a pair of serial-killing brothers haunting Kentucky and Tennessee in the 1790s. Despite Grandjean's relentless efforts to research this terrible saga, there simply isn't enough available info to fill out her narrative. A great deal of "one can imagine" and "it's likely that" make for a good detective story but can be frustrating as history. At the same time, the book is a fascinating read about the lawless conflicts that swept these territories as settlers fought the Native Americans who were there first, an indecisive government that didn't help much and, well, each other.
Fans of late 18th-century U.S. history will certainly enjoy this book. True crime readers will likely be disappointed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When I think of true crime, my mind immediately goes to the 20th century. I have read about and delved into a few cases from before the 1900s, but not often. When this book showed up in my inbox and I saw that it discusses America's 'first' serial killers around the time of the American Revolution (some time after), I was intrigued.
The book focuses on brothers Wiley and Micajah Harp, their lives, and their crime spree across the American South. The author discusses the popular 'folklore' surrounding the brothers during their time and in the years that followed, but mainly she takes an educated look at the brothers' story through a modern lens. More specifically, through modern psychology.
Being wildly unfamiliar with this era and these figures, I was glad that I didn't struggle to jump right into the story and learn as I read. There was quite a bit of general history and politics of the time, which helped. Although I can't say I was drawn in enough to fall down a rabbit hole and start looking up more information about this era, I'm glad to have read it and learned something new.
Thanks to Random House for inviting me to read a digital ARC of the book through NetGalley!
The book focuses on brothers Wiley and Micajah Harp, their lives, and their crime spree across the American South. The author discusses the popular 'folklore' surrounding the brothers during their time and in the years that followed, but mainly she takes an educated look at the brothers' story through a modern lens. More specifically, through modern psychology.
Being wildly unfamiliar with this era and these figures, I was glad that I didn't struggle to jump right into the story and learn as I read. There was quite a bit of general history and politics of the time, which helped. Although I can't say I was drawn in enough to fall down a rabbit hole and start looking up more information about this era, I'm glad to have read it and learned something new.
Thanks to Random House for inviting me to read a digital ARC of the book through NetGalley!
June 25, 2026
Wiley and Micajah Harper are brothers living in Kentucky at the end of the 1700s, just a few years after the Revolutionary War. While it's unclear from the history the exact details that happened, it seems that the brothers ran into some financial trouble and ended up going on a killing spree throughout Kentucky and Tennessee with their wives and small children. This book attempts to tell the story of the brothers, who are a long forgotten part of early American history.
What I liked about this book was that it was a combination of a true crime story and a history of the time in the "west" during the infancy of the country. I'm not normally that into history from that time period, but I found this book to be done in a way that made it very interesting. The author had to really piece things together to be able to tell as much of the story of the Harp brothers as should could, so there are definitely more questions than answers. But all in all, it's a compelling story and a good way to learn more about that time in history.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What I liked about this book was that it was a combination of a true crime story and a history of the time in the "west" during the infancy of the country. I'm not normally that into history from that time period, but I found this book to be done in a way that made it very interesting. The author had to really piece things together to be able to tell as much of the story of the Harp brothers as should could, so there are definitely more questions than answers. But all in all, it's a compelling story and a good way to learn more about that time in history.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 23, 2026
This book genuinely had me interested the entire time. It's probably just the part of it taking place right after the Revolutionary War that helps add some of the unstable chaotic tone of the overall book. Katherine really puts in a lot of work into detailing all the different aspects of life, especially how they affect our focus of the Wiley Brothers. Given the drastic changes of both the government, and overall dynamic with society, it really shows the desperation and tightness that the brothers lived in. Even with having prospects of a family right there, neither really showed genuine care towards their loved ones, or at least that's what we can tell from the documents Katherine painstakingly gathered from several government buildings and records. The storyline is very well structured and communicated, and I appreciate how much detail she goes into explaining exactly the situation the Wiley brothers find themselves in across the book, during childhood, during lockup, or even while being on the run. Katherine has done an incredible job of communicating their lives, as well as her thoughts and speculation.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Long before H.H. Holmes terrorized the World's Fair, there were Wiley and Micajah Harpe whose 18th century killing spree makes them America's first documented serial killers. Little biographical information is known about the brothers beyond their terrible crimes. They left no written journals, no manifesto. The few witness accounts that exist were written postumously and are possibly (likely) unreliable.
Despite those hurdles, Katherine Grandjean has managed to write a riveting nonfiction book. This is more than a recounting of crimes. It is a look at the 18th century socio-and economic conditions that may have helped push two brothers from being smalltime thugs to violent psychopathic killers. So much of the post Revolutionary history she discusses was new to me - it's rare that I come away from a true crime novel having learned a substantial amount.
Grandjean also managed to uncover details that, if not for her meticulous research, might have become lost to the past. From old IOUs to trial transcripts, she brings a three-hundred year old crime to life.
Despite those hurdles, Katherine Grandjean has managed to write a riveting nonfiction book. This is more than a recounting of crimes. It is a look at the 18th century socio-and economic conditions that may have helped push two brothers from being smalltime thugs to violent psychopathic killers. So much of the post Revolutionary history she discusses was new to me - it's rare that I come away from a true crime novel having learned a substantial amount.
Grandjean also managed to uncover details that, if not for her meticulous research, might have become lost to the past. From old IOUs to trial transcripts, she brings a three-hundred year old crime to life.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a great non fiction work and has a wonderful narrative style. The exploration into Wiley and Micajah Harp as America’s first documented serial killers is fascinating. The author does a lovely job highlighting and explaining relevant associated historical events that are related, and led to, to the brothers’ situation, along with providing a character analysis of each brother as far as historical record allows. The broader exploration of what larger forces can drive an individual to violence is another insight into the human psyche.
The author gives possible explanations for the brothers’ motivations and behavior while acknowledging that nothing can be definitively proven and weaves this together with the growing pains of a developing country. One of the final threads highlights how the brothers inadvertently influenced/altered the interpretation and formation of the federal judicial system. A really great read for anyone with an interest in the early formation of the United States and/or serial killers.
The author gives possible explanations for the brothers’ motivations and behavior while acknowledging that nothing can be definitively proven and weaves this together with the growing pains of a developing country. One of the final threads highlights how the brothers inadvertently influenced/altered the interpretation and formation of the federal judicial system. A really great read for anyone with an interest in the early formation of the United States and/or serial killers.
June 28, 2026
I liked this book because it's about one of those near forgotten, dusty corners of US history that gives one a glimpse into our ne're do well past. While most of the Europeans who mass-migrated to North American shores in the 17th and 18th centuries were the stereotypical god-fearing, hard-working folk of legend, there were plenty who were not. Enter the Harp brothers, Wiley and Micajah. Blazing a bloody trail through Kentucky and Tennessee in the early days of the Republic their infamy gained them some short-lived notoriety.
To an elderly American citizen, such as myself, the Harps tale conjured up a dim memory of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate's murder spree in Nebraska and Wyoming when I was seven-years-old. Even though we lived miles and miles from the killings epicenter, my family, getting the news from Omaha, NE television stations, became wary of any wayward stranger.
And, as author Katherine Grandjean notes, the truth of the Harps is clouded in legend as many of the original source material, court records etc., were destroyed during the Civil War.
To an elderly American citizen, such as myself, the Harps tale conjured up a dim memory of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate's murder spree in Nebraska and Wyoming when I was seven-years-old. Even though we lived miles and miles from the killings epicenter, my family, getting the news from Omaha, NE television stations, became wary of any wayward stranger.
And, as author Katherine Grandjean notes, the truth of the Harps is clouded in legend as many of the original source material, court records etc., were destroyed during the Civil War.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kingdom of Devils
By Katherine Gandjean
This is the true story of two brothers – Wiley and Micajah Harp(e) – who may have been the first serial killers in our American history. But behind their atrocities and random deprivations is a question which has remained unanswered to this day. Why did they do it?
The author has done much research into the life and times of these men. The country had still not resolved many issues which were created at the end of the Revolutionary War and the following years. Banditry and murder were prevalent. And a feeling of personal failure being caused by others (thus making these others targets) seems to have permeated the minds of many of the less successful revolutionaries.
The story of the Harps, while interesting, is only a part of the story the author presents. It provides a much darker picture of life following our revolution.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.
By Katherine Gandjean
This is the true story of two brothers – Wiley and Micajah Harp(e) – who may have been the first serial killers in our American history. But behind their atrocities and random deprivations is a question which has remained unanswered to this day. Why did they do it?
The author has done much research into the life and times of these men. The country had still not resolved many issues which were created at the end of the Revolutionary War and the following years. Banditry and murder were prevalent. And a feeling of personal failure being caused by others (thus making these others targets) seems to have permeated the minds of many of the less successful revolutionaries.
The story of the Harps, while interesting, is only a part of the story the author presents. It provides a much darker picture of life following our revolution.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC on NetGalley!
This was a really interesting read about an otherwise obscure case. I was initially drawn to the title because of its comparison to 'In Cold Blood'. While Grandjean certainly uses narrative elements to fill in some gaps in the story, it was not as true a comparison as I might have hoped.
I also think its particularly timely that the Harp brother's story be told around the time of America's Bicentennial. Seldom do we hear about the dark side of revolution on our home turf. France had their bloody Reign of Terror, but America also had a sinister post-revolution period that Grandjean aptly describes through the Harp's eyes.
Overall, if you're interested in early American history and true crime, definitely give this a try (although it leans more heavily on historical context than "crime"). I commend the author for her research!
This was a really interesting read about an otherwise obscure case. I was initially drawn to the title because of its comparison to 'In Cold Blood'. While Grandjean certainly uses narrative elements to fill in some gaps in the story, it was not as true a comparison as I might have hoped.
I also think its particularly timely that the Harp brother's story be told around the time of America's Bicentennial. Seldom do we hear about the dark side of revolution on our home turf. France had their bloody Reign of Terror, but America also had a sinister post-revolution period that Grandjean aptly describes through the Harp's eyes.
Overall, if you're interested in early American history and true crime, definitely give this a try (although it leans more heavily on historical context than "crime"). I commend the author for her research!
July 2, 2026
"Kingdom of Devils" reads like a thriller, with incredible historical insight into the societal and psychological ingredients that created two spree killers in the wake of the American Revolution.
Grandjean paints a bleak picture of a nation after war, coming to terms with its independence -- and with a rash of crime and lawless land-taking. In this setting we meet the Harp brothers, Wiley and Micajah. It's believed that these two alone killed dozens of people within the span of nine months in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Author Katherine Grandjean does a phenomenal job of bringing together what pieces were available to paint the clearest picture of tale that has been little-represented in the modern space. This is an excellent book for people who love true crime and history.
Thanks to NetGalley for advanced copy.
Grandjean paints a bleak picture of a nation after war, coming to terms with its independence -- and with a rash of crime and lawless land-taking. In this setting we meet the Harp brothers, Wiley and Micajah. It's believed that these two alone killed dozens of people within the span of nine months in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Author Katherine Grandjean does a phenomenal job of bringing together what pieces were available to paint the clearest picture of tale that has been little-represented in the modern space. This is an excellent book for people who love true crime and history.
Thanks to NetGalley for advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
Kingdom of Devils tells the story of the Harp brothers, who are likely the first serial/spree killers in American history.
I thought this gave several interesting insights; into early law enforcement in America, into early American society, and of course, into why people kill. I found the book to be well researched and well written for the most part (there was a little bit of jumping around in spots that made it difficult to follow at times). I liked that it read sort of like a crime book, rather than like a historical non-fiction book.
I do feel like the ending was rushed, unsure if this was due to lack of information about the Harp brothers, or if there was just too much information at the beginning of the book, which in turn made it seem like the ending was rushed.
This is a great book for lovers of American history.
Kingdom of Devils tells the story of the Harp brothers, who are likely the first serial/spree killers in American history.
I thought this gave several interesting insights; into early law enforcement in America, into early American society, and of course, into why people kill. I found the book to be well researched and well written for the most part (there was a little bit of jumping around in spots that made it difficult to follow at times). I liked that it read sort of like a crime book, rather than like a historical non-fiction book.
I do feel like the ending was rushed, unsure if this was due to lack of information about the Harp brothers, or if there was just too much information at the beginning of the book, which in turn made it seem like the ending was rushed.
This is a great book for lovers of American history.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC -- I very much enjoyed this account of some of the earliest serial killers in America, told alongside history of the United States. I had never heard of the Harp brothers or their rampage through Tennessee and Kentuckey before this title appeared on NetGalley, but I appreciate the way Grandjean told the story of the murders, victims, relatives, and Harps through the lens of wider American life and society of the period, branching to different regions and historical figures to add context where the actual historical record of the Harps or their victims or trials ran thin due to loss or lack of documentation. Definitely worth a read for fans of American history, Revolution history, or true crime.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’d only the vaguest recollection of a pair of murderous brothers during the late 1700s before reading this book. First of all, this author has done her homework and it shows. The bibliographical notes are massive and widely varied. The author’s knowledge of the time period is vast, almost to a fault. It’s hard to remain focused on Kentucky politics when wanting to know more about the victims and killers. I wish we knew more about their motives and thoughts during the span of murders. I suppose the Harp women were never interviewed? I’ll definitely be looking into the Harps and reflecting on their case. Well done!
July 4, 2026
This is a great book. It explores an underexposed era in US history. Rarely is the hangover of the permeating violence of the post American Revolution ever studied. This book crafts a page turning story with historical accuracy and illuminates the residual effects of the turbulence the American Revolution had on its immediate aftermath. The country lived in a hotbed of violence, this book helps us understand that era and points out how important it is not to brush over the effects of violence in and on society. This is a great combination of history, sociology and a great read. I most highly recommend it. Bravo Professor Grandjean.
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