In this unique, illustrated collection, Literary Witches co-creator Katy Horan resurrects the real and fictional women (and men) of twenty traditional murder ballads, exploring their legacy in modern American music and culture.

Murder Ballads is a guide to the origins and cultural impact of murder ballads as a music genre, covering its roots in patriarchal violence and white supremacy, as well as its contemporary relationship to true crime.

From “Delia's Gone” to “The Death of Queen Jane,” each of twenty carefully chosen ballads is accompanied by one of Horan’s beautifully macabre illustrations, a brief but thoroughly researched reflection, and suggestions for further listening.

Mysterious and alluring as the songs themselves, Murder Ballads will delight history enthusiasts, armchair musicologists, true crime fans (and critics), as well as anyone who appreciates the darker side of folk music.