Hard Revolution is a crime novel written by George Pelecanos and set in Washington, DC. The main character of the book is Derek Strange, a black rookie police officer. The story is a prequel to other novels featuring Strange as a private detective. The book begins in 1959 when Strange is a child, setting the stage for the moral paths that the characters take as Pelecanos shows their evolution. The story then jumps to 1968 just after Strange joins the police force.