On June 25, 1980, Vicki Durian and Nancy Santomero were murdered in in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. They were on their way to a festival called the Rainbow Gathering but never arrived. For years no one was charged with their murders (or the “Rainbow Murders” as it was pegged) until 1993. A farmer was wrongfully convicted and released when a serial killer took responsibility for the murders. I love this genre and looked forward to reading this true crime/memoir book. Emma Copley Eisenberg digs deep into these murders and she seems to relate very well with all the events and details surrounding this mystery that stretched out for years. I have to admit that it was hard to follow at times, but I feel the author was dealing with a complex case with a lot of unanswered questions, so it was understandable. I really appreciated how well researched this book was and I enjoyed reading it because it’s not written in the usual style that other books reflect.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. A full review will be posted on Amazon and Goodreads

This book was labeled as true crime story that was linked to some of the most famous crimes but the blurb was a little misleading. This book story was a bit of a struggle for me to follow but the over all plot was good.

A true story about the murders of Nancy and Vicki also known as the Rainbow Girls. That Author writes a story with incredible detail. She takes her information from actual people, but also reports and documents.
A story written in a way that puts you in that place at that time. You get to know the attitude of the people in Pocahontas County. You get to see the close camaraderie of the men of the area.
You also learn of the bias of some people that puts an innocent man in prison for six years. Finally you will see the actual killer be sentenced and executed.
The long years that it took to solve this crime plays havoc on the girl's families. These young women were innocent and just wanting to attention a hippie gathering. They were not part of the Rainbow group but were called the Rainbow murders because that was their destination.
Written in a raw, truthful and heartfelt way!

This book could have been so good but it just wasn't. I wanted to hear about the victims, their life, what happened to them and what went wrong in the investigation. I had a hard time pushing myself to finish the book, there was just too much that wasn't needed. I really wish this book had been half as long and focused on the murders. This was truly the oddest true crime book I have ever read.

I was really excited to read a true crime novel about the “Rainbow Murders” and learn more about this case. The first chapter was great, as I felt like it was the only chapter that truly focused solely on the murders without being muddled by the authors personal experiences and ties to the town and her coming to learn about the murders. I felt myself skimming over pages of this book and almost chapters as well because I had very little interest in the history of Pocahontas County and truly wanted to just focus on the true crime aspect of this book. A little let down that this wasn’t what I expected. This very much read like a memoir than a true crime novel 🤷🏻‍♀️ The author is definitely talented, but it just felt a bit confused and muddled while reading. Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this one.

Gosh, I wish there had been resolution in solving the murder of the two girls, but this book isn’t a fantasy. The author, a New Yorker who came to the mountains of West Virginia as a VISTA volunteer, may not have solved the mystery, but in her telling, the reader learns that there’s lots more to West Virginia than most of us realize. I’ve always stuck up my nose at wanting to visit backwards, hillbilly West Virginia. And learning about the variety of people in Virginia was the highlight of the book for me, the murder of the two girls who came for a hippy Rainbow Family gathering was secondary. I think I’d like to visit West Virginia after reading this book.

This was a fantastic memoir/true crime mashup! I really enjoyed learning about some of the history of West Virginia. I enjoyed the memoir part but was hoping for more on the true crime part - the 1980s disappearance and murder of two girls on their way to a peace festival known as the Rainbow Gathering.
Thanks to Emma Copley Eisenberg, Hachette Books and ARC of this great book!

When I heard this book was set in my home state of West Virginia, I had to read it and was not disappointed. The author's research was obvious as the little details in the story put you right there alongside the people in the interviews and scenes about what took place. This definitely left a chill down my spine and is a book I will not soon forget!

I had a lot of feelings while reading this.

First and foremost, I would not necessarily call this a true-crime investigative book. While it does cover a true crime event in depth, I wouldn't say the author necessarily discovered or investigated anything, but rather did research on the already existing investigation. That said, this read to me much more a memoir, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Part an account of her time as a volunteer in West Virginia, part coverage of an old cold case, Eisenberg wrote with a lot of empathy. I was hesitant in the beginning as she described her situation as an outsider from the East Coast who moved to Appalachia to "help" those who lived there, but as the book progressed, the author used a remarkable thoughtfulness in the approach to how Appalachia was discussed.

Rather than a savior story, Eisenberg was able to capture the scenery of this complicated, fraught, confusing, diverse place with a careful hand, which I truly appreciated. Eisenberg also acknowledged the difficult dichotomy in today's Appalachia, the old vs. the new, the racist, transphobic, scary past that in parts, still exists, but also its collision with the present, the fact that more transgender teens live in West Virginia per capita than any other state, and the passion of young Appalachians to not leave, but instead work to make their towns what they want them to be.

This book will not stick with me because of its crime coverage, but because of the way my home was portrayed and the challenges I faced growing up were on these pages, treated carefully. There were a few moments that gave me pause, but the author did a really excellent job acknowledging her privilege and stepping back when needed.

I was very intrigued to read The Third Rainbow Girl after reading the summary, but quickly realized that it was not what I was expecting at all. So much so that I went back to read the summary again to see why I was so thrown off. I guess the summary isn't all that off or wrong, it is just how I interpreted it, I think. It is more of a memoir but with heavy data and facts mixed in. The topic is very interesting to me, as is the background, but it was a little too dry for me. I feel bad scoring a low rating because it is a memoir and my feelings have always been to rate memoirs higher, but this is not the typical memoir in my opinion.

This book is messy. This book is messy and doesn't quite fit together right.

But it's messy in an interesting way, and the way it does fit together is like an improvised song played in front of a live audience.

The author embarks not only to tell the story of a decades old double murder, how it affected the communities adjacent to the murders, and how it has and likely will remain without a definitive resolution, but also her own story, and the story of the place where it happened.

She explores what it meant for her and some others to be queer in the time and place she and they lived there, and how we are all shaped by the decisions we've made but that we can still make new decisions, now.

I thought a lot of different things about the book, and the author, at different points, and while it's not perfect and it's not pretty, maybe it's the better for it. Very thought provoking read.

You know I like a good true crime. Also, having grown up on the edges of a "hippie" community, I find books involving that lifestyle very intriguing. This book did not disappoint in either category. What I was not anticipating was that the author would weave her own story into the narrative of the murders. But I was not mad about it. Both the author's life story and the story of the murdered girls were fascinating. She uses one of my favorite structures, going back and forth between the present and the past, to keep the reader's interest.

Initially, the cops are convinced they know who murdered the girls and they bring that person to trial and get a conviction. Case closed. But is it? It seems that almost all the residents of Pocahontas County have some kind of a connection to someone involved. Suspicions are everywhere and leave the community reeling for years afterward.

In my opinion, the author has done an excellent job of investigating the murders all these years late, and of conveying the facts and the fiction of the killings to her readers. I also appreciate the way her status in the community enabled her to convey, with and inside perspective, the ways that people's lives were impacted by this event. This book is definitely worth the read.

Emma Copley Eisenberg looks back on her time in Appalachia, in West Virginia’s rural Pocahontas County, and the connection to a notorious unsolved double murder of two young women that took place in the region in 1980.

The women, Vicki Durian and Nancy Santomero, were hitchhiking en route to the Rainbow Gathering, a sort of hippie festival taking place in the mountains, but were found shot in a clearing. A local man, Jacob Beard, eventually went to prison for the murders for years but was released after a serial killer confessed. The crime story is a complex one, involving rumor, police misconduct, and a mess of interconnected threads, and I’m not sure I can make much more sense of it than that.

An interesting aspect of this is the culture that Durian and Santomero embodied, and the idea that’s coming more to the fore in recent true crime narratives — that of interrogating why some victims are more sympathetic than others. Eisenberg examines that here in connection to why this case isn’t better known, and it’s a fascinating analysis.

Vicki and Nancy were not ideal damsels then – a narrative problem, likely why the story of their deaths never became a consuming national media sensation.

But there’s a second major narrative here, and that’s the memoir. Eisenberg was young but seemingly burnt out on life, and left New York to work at a camp for young women in Pocahontas County. Through her time there interacting with the local community, she learned the story of the infamous Rainbow murders and became curious about the strange developments in suspects and the investigation’s knotty course over the years. So that’s the connection between the personal and the crime, but the book does feel very much like two separate entities, both in writing and subject.

Where it works is as sociological study. Eisenberg does great justice to location, revealing something about the mysterious, misunderstood workings of Appalachia by examining stereotypes, perceptions, and misconceptions.

The hick monster story has deep roots in the history of West Virginia and is wound around the story of American industrialization and capitalism. Before you can dispossess a people from their own land, you must first make them not people.

I was on board through approximately the first half, but then this goes off the rails as the memoir portion comes more strongly into focus and the crime story becomes harder to follow and not as well structured. There are moments of brilliant, achingly lovely writing. There’s also some worthwhile reporting. But there’s an overplay in form and style and the navel-gazing memoir is patience-testing.

There are also some, if not ethical, then at least uncomfortable, moments that emphasize the lack of journalistic background. At one point, she uses the bathroom at an interview subject (and former suspect’s home) and comments on a tube of Preparation H. So much for any kind of journalistic respect for one’s subject. It’s mentioned to make a point about the juxtaposition of the very young and the very old in the man’s house, but it’s not a point that needs making so ends up feeling like a tasteless invasion of privacy.

She also includes so much peripheral information in the memoir portions that isn’t relevant to any part of the story, and sometimes is downright upsetting. Like how she abused her cat by locking it in a cold room away from its food and listened to it crying. Even if this is meant to demonstrate the extent to which her life was falling apart and how she was unanchored and hurting for unspecified reasons that sound like a case of the common being-in-your-twenties, that behavior is gross and describing it wholly unnecessary.

The idea to write about both the Rainbow Murders and my own time in Pocahontas County, together, came most perhaps when I found out about Liz — a woman who was both a part of this story and not a part of it. I cared about the women who died, I knew, and I cared about the men who suffered because two women happened to die where they lived, in a place America prefers to forget exists. Writing this story became real to me when I realized a story could–must–encompass both.

That makes sense, but it feels like justification for the navel-gazing. The author’s only real connection to the story is that she visited the location where Durian and Santomero were found, and of course heard about it through her work in the region. It’s not deeper or more meaningful than that, which means that having half — or more — of the book as memoir just feels weird.

There’s way too much going on: diary-like confessional ramblings covering the author’s queerness and sex with a local man, her quarter-life crisis, social history of Pocahontas County, the camp program and culture, the complex history of the murders, the titular third rainbow girl who ostensibly would’ve also been a victim but parted from her traveling companions. Her role in this entire narrative — and why the book is named for her — was underdeveloped and felt irrelevant.

The foundation for a good true crime book was in here somewhere, but it was easily lost to an overpowering memoir.

Literally everything interesting in this novel, The Third Rainbow Girl, is spelled out in the first chapter.

Two girls were shot to death, but not sexually assaulted, in the summer of 1980 in West Virginia while on their way to a outdoor peace festival called the Rainbow Gathering. Thirteen years later, in 1993, nine local working men were suspects. Two confessed to the the girls’ murders. But another man was charged based on evidence given by some of the suspects, in exchange for the dropping of the charges against them. However, nine years prior to the trial, a prisoner confessed to the crime but was not believed by police. But when the man discovered that a man had been convicted of his crime, he confessed again. His confession forced the man who had been convicted to be given a new trial, where he was found innocent.

The Third Rainbow Girl is marketed as true crime. While it does have the story of the girls’ murder within it, the focus of the book is the author’s memoir of her time working in the area as a VISTA volunteer. Both would be interesting separately but together they make for a muddled mess. I spent my time skimming the memoir and racing to read the true crime. I’m sure other readers will do the exact opposite. Therefore, I can’t recommend this book as written, though there are intriging stories lurking within this book if you are willing to work to ferret them out. 2 stars.

Thanks to Hachette Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book combines the true crime story with a memoir to become something truly unique: a portrait of a region that's often misunderstood, stereotyped, or overlooked altogether.

So, two women are killed and one man is the accused. Problems arise when some wonder if the evidence fully supports his guilt? Honestly, no- no, it doesn't. However, this book does expose the shady workings of a small town and how once enough fingers point to someone, surely they must be guilty? If not, the story could totally be twisted to encourage witnesses to come forward with "their version" of events. This book is written in alternating POVs by the author who also included her own story in the book. Her story shares why she found the murders so interesting and why she felt compelled to write the book. Not to mention she interviews those that were directly involved. Plus, there is a lot of history that is shared about West Virginia, most of which I had no clue about.
The story itself is pretty slow moving, but well done. I was easily able to paint a vivid picture of the characters and the surroundings. Over all, it was a good book. It was just a little slower paced than what I typically go for.

I am a massive True Crime fan. I find books and movies centered on real cases to be highly fascinating and the more I learn about a particular case, the more I want to know. You can always tell when I am in the throes of a new crime bender because I am constantly on my phone or computer, getting in as much research as possible because I need to know EVERYTHING! I really hope someone clears my search history if anything ever happens to me because….wow.

The big problem with the True Crime genre today is that everyone only talks about the same cases. There is so much focus on the Manson, Bundy and Zodiac cases (to name a few) that eventually it just gets boring. The same information is passed around from book to book, from documentary to documentary and there’s next nothing left to learn. This is why The Third Rainbow Girl interested me. The murders of two young women during an outdoor “peace festival” in Pocahontas County, West Virginia in 1980 was not only intriguing due to the fact that this case had gone unsolved for many years in a small county but also because, to me, it was new. This is a case (known as the Rainbow Murders) I knew absolutely nothing about and the prospect of digging my teeth into something fresh gave me something to look forward to. I couldn’t wait!

As this was something fresh for me, I decided to go in blind – no Google for this one. I felt I could give this book and this case the attention it deserved if I wasn’t constantly fact checking while I was reading. I was excited and wanted the full experience of learning as I went. Unfortunately, by the time I was finished I really didn’t know any more about the Rainbow Murders than I did when I started.

From the very beginning pages of The Third Rainbow Girl, Eisenberg goes right into sharing some facts about this case; the victims, the suspected killer, results from the trial, etc. That’s fine. This isn’t some thriller or “Whodunnit” where the reader is supposed to make guesses on who pulled the trigger – this is real life. We’re supposed to know already. Right after these basic facts, however, the author dives right into the history of this small Appalachian county. I mean deep history, not just the very basics. Pages of it. I’m confused already.

Honestly, this book goes on and on in a similar style; mention of case, history lesson, mention of case, talk about the author, mention of case, repeat. This style of writing, especially at what I had assumed was essentially a true crime book, makes it very difficult to read and stay interested in. The author spends so much time on her personal journey and how she feels connected to this town that the murder of these two young women ends up being filler in the story of Eisenberg’s life. As I’m typing this, I couldn’t even tell you the names of these two women and if I’m reading a book that surrounds your murder…you name is the very least I should know.

The Third Rainbow Girl could be a memoir or it could be a history lesson, but True Crime…it most definitely is not.

I’m off to the internet to do some research on these murders because these girls deserve to have their story told and this book did not do them justice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my own, honest opinion.

Two women were found murdered -Nancy Santomero and Vicki Durain. One was twenty six the other nineteen. There was a festival called The Rainbow Gathering for peace. A third girl was with them Called elizabeth but she decided to return home and therefore lived. The women were found by Tim a local man on his way home it was a rugged lane and he didn’t think two much until he realized something looked wrong and he went to the women and had been shot . They had been close to their destination in Pocahontas County West Virginia. Some locals were not happy with having all the outsiders coming in for the festival. It was figured a local or men had murdered the two women. Thirteen years went by and no one was prosecuted for the murders. In 1993 West Virginia convicted jacob Beard to a life in prison for the two murders. Thought it was also brought in the fact that a serial killer already in prison claimed to have killed the women. Emma Copley Eisenberg is the author of this book. She spent five years investigating these two murders. Ms. Eisenberg brings in how she had lived and worked in this area and often came to visit. Also how she was gay but slept with a man while in Pocahontas County. This book also goes into West Virginia’s history as well as The back To the Land Movement. Than it is not until the ending the third girl Elizabeth that had started off with Nancy and Vicki is brought in yet she was the third rainbow girl and the one this book was named after. That she had lived because ashe never went to Pocahontas County.
I couldn’t really get into this book. I got it thinking I would be reading A True Crime book. But a lot of this book is actually about her memories of her time in Pocahontas County. Than it brings in the author was gay it really has nothing to do with this book. So I was a little baffles why this was considered a true crime yea it happened but I didn't think that is what this book is mostly about. This just wasn’t for me. I am sure others will like this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book covers the murder of two young women in West Virginia, while they were on their way to the Rainbow Gathering. The author spent years in Pocahontas County investigating the murder and interviewing those involved. While an interesting case (still officially unsolved), I struggled with this book. It dragged where I wanted it keep me on the edge of my seat and withheld information that I thought was imperative to understanding the case.

The focus of this book was on the case but also talked a good bit about the history of West Virginia and the perception of those who live there. And while I lived in North Carolina and understand Eisenberg's take there, it slowed the book down too much, in my opinion.

Emma Copley Eisenberg spent several years researching the murders of Vicki Durian, 26, and Nancy Santomero, 19, on June 25, 1980 as they were traveling in West Virginia to the Rainbow Gathering. The Rainbow Gathering (a festival which drew wanderers, hippies, and back to the earth proponents) was held somewhere different each year. In 1980 it was held in southeastern West Virginia. Because of the girls were traveling to the Rainbow Gathering, their murders were called The Rainbow Murders. A third girl, the title's Third Rainbow Girl, Elizabeth Johndrow, had been hitchhiking with Vicki and Nancy, but was not with them at the time of their deaths.

I selected this book because it was advertised as a true crime book. To my dismay, the author decided to write about her own experiences and thoughts, and spends more time on her personal musings than on the murders which were supposed to be the focus of the book. What?!?!? Why are they in there? Big disappointment.

It is very rare that I do not finish a book I start, but this one made that short-list. Beware the bait and switch!!

My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for allowing me to read a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.