# America's First Serial Killers &  the Dark Side of the Revolution, w/ Katherine Grandjean

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-shorts-6691663/america-s-first-serial-killers-the-dark-side-of-the-revolution-w-katherine-grandjean
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-shorts-6691663/america-s-first-serial-killers-the-dark-side-of-the-revolution-w-katherine-grandjean.md
Podcast: [History Shorts](https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-shorts-6691663)
Published: 2026-06-29T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c.libsyn.com/americas-first-serial-killers-the-dark-side-of-the-revolution-w-katherine-grandjean
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdcn.co/e/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/Granjean_FINAL_AUDIO.mp3?dest-id=4947215
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Duration seconds: 1945

## Resource

In 1798, on the lawless roads of Kentucky and Tennessee, two brothers named Wiley and Micajah Harp unleashed a brutal nine-month killing spree that left dozens dead in gruesome scenes across the frontier. Often remembered in folklore as America's first serial killers, their story is far more complex — and revealing — than simple bloodlust. Historian Katherine Grandjean joins us to discuss her powerful new book Kingdom of Devils: A Tale of Murder in the Shadow of the American Revolution . Through gripping storytelling and meticulous research, she uncovers how the instability, broken promises, and violent undercurrents of the young United States created the perfect conditions for this reign of terror. A haunting exploration of frontier violence, the costs of independence, and the darkness at the heart of the American dream. Don't miss this chilling episode of early American true crime. SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast ADVERTISE : https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/ SPONSORED BY: www.thecollector.com

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