A Devil Went Down to Georgia Race, Power, Privilege, and the Murder of Lita McClinton

2025 Edgar Award finalist

Oprah Daily ranked #1 of the “best true crime books of all time.”

Some crimes refuse to stay buried. In the affluent Atlanta suburb of Buckhead, 1987, socialite Lita McClinton Sullivan was gunned down at her doorstep by a man delivering roses. The murder sent shockwaves through a neighborhood where such violence simply didn’t happen—especially not to women like Lita.

Lita was brilliant, accomplished, and stunning. Her interracial marriage to white millionaire Jim Sullivan made headlines in 1970s Georgia, but behind the glamorous facade lay a controlling relationship that finally drove her to pack a U-Haul and leave. As their divorce battle intensified and Jim’s finances crumbled, he met a smooth-talking ex-con who promised to “take care” of his wife problem.

Award-winning writer Deb Miller Landau unravels this tragic American crime with the precision of a legal thriller and the heart of a family’s decades-long fight for justice. A Devil Went Down to Georgia exposes the shocking lack of evidence, the racial bias that plagued the investigation, and the international manhunt that followed.

This is the first complete account of Lita’s story—a riveting exploration of race, power, and privilege in the Deep South. Full of unexpected twists and the McClinton family’s unwavering determination, this book proves why Oprah Daily calls it essential reading. Perfect for fans of true crime that digs deeper than headlines, revealing the human cost of violence and the long road to justice.

Additional information