I believe that true crime writing, in which the victims are women, typically has greater depth, nuance, and sense of responsibility to the lives and life stories of the victims when the author is also a woman. Miles' treatment of the Shenandoah murders of 1996 reaffirms this belief with an interwoven personal narrative and respectfully considerate approach to the storytelling. As a resident of Northern Virginia and frequent visitor to Shenandoah National Park, I was already familiar with the generalities of this crime. I was, however, unfamiliar with the contextual criminal environments of, in, and around America's wilderness spaces and Shenandoah specifically at the time. And, I was unprepared for the deeply emotional response I had to this book - a side-effect of the author's deep and broad research, compelling and well-paced writing, and what felt like an underlying sense of duty to inform other women about crime statistics and give voice to the stories and experiences of other women, in addition to those of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams. Trailed is also a bit of an indictment of the criminal justice system and the paralyzing red tape and patriarchal culture of federal agencies. I was reminded of Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone in the Dark while reading Trailed, and am certain I'll see Shenandoah - and other wilderness areas - through different eyes in the future.

I generally like true crime best when it’s written by a woman, especially if the victim(s) are women.

That is the case in Trailed so I felt like I was predisposed to like the book and for the most part, I did.

Kathryn Miles certainly put a lot of effort and thought into solving the case. Almost too much effort as she describes the rabbit holes she goes down (looking up uniforms from local places in the late 1990s, watching hours of disturbing pornography because of some strange picture of an imprint at the crime scene) and her mental health really seems to suffer. She decides to learn how to shoot a gun and seems to worry people are going to break into her home. She talks a lot about how people can hide their criminal activity and how she wouldn’t know if someone close to her was a serial killer.

My main issue with the book was that it was sort of disjointed. It takes to the 75% mark to get a retelling of the events leading up to the death of Julianne Williams and Laura Winans (aka Julie and Lollie as she referred to them through the book). Why wasn’t this earlier in the book? She sprinkles information about the women throughout the book, the unusual, outdoorsy college they attended, their interest in hiking, and encouraging other women hikers but takes a very long time to get a full picture of the women and what happened at the time they went on their last trip together. I hadn’t even realized they had been separated at some point and apparently using the trip to reconnect in some way.

A lot of the book is about miscarriages of justice and how certain pieces of evidence against the main suspect seemed to have been taken completely out of context. His lawyers truly believed he was innocent. It also tells the background of some hate crime legislation and how it was politically important to have the murder of two blonde, white lesbians not only be solved but considered a hate crime. He ultimately had charges dropped because of other DNA evidence in the scene but the police did not seem to have tested it against who the Innocence Project people feel is a better suspect.

A minor quibble but I don’t think she ever talked about how anyone would know these two women were gay. I would think many people in heteronormative 1990s America would assume they were just two friends hiking together as that is very common. Women often hike in pairs because we are told it is safer. But unless they told people about their sexuality, I would think that most people they randomly encountered wouldn’t think about it at all. They were hiking; not staying in one place or socializing to any great degree. A small point but one that points to how odd their murder was swept up in the “wave” of awareness of anti-gay violence in the late 1990s. When she finally gets to what was going on in their lives and their relationship leading up to the trip it doesn’t even seem clear that they went on the trip as a couple. Yes, hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community happen and are horrible but two women having been in a previous romantic relationship together is not something that is always readily apparent during a brief chance encounter with strangers. These women only had the tiniest contact with strangers on their trip. It seems strange that it was so fixated on as a motive and I would have liked to have seen more reflection on that.

She was very upset by the murder rate in these large parks and maybe it’s the Baltimore in me but the numbers didn’t see that unexpected if you consider the millions of people who visit these parks and how remote many of the areas in these parks are. I honestly think the number must be artificially low. Not that any murder is acceptable but when you have many people in very remote and isolated areas, it does seem prime for crime. She said we wouldn’t accept a similar rate of murder at Disneyland and maybe not but Disneyland has more security and every corner in monitored. You can’t expect that level of surveillance at a rural public park. She also talked about how park numbers were artificially high because if you left a park and came back the same day, you are counted twice. How many people actually do that? Many national parks have caps that wouldn’t allow you to return anyway. In my experience at state and national parks people pack meals/supplies and plan to stay at least the day. Are people really coming and going multiple times a day and driving up the rates? She really focuses on this in a strange way.

There were just a few details and leaps in logic (or lack of logic) along these lines that stood out to me. She spent a lot of time dwelling on things like a possible indent in a sleeping bag but doesn’t think too deeply about other details she includes yet dismisses for what seems like no reason. Early on in the book she shares a story of a park ranger tearfully remembering seeing a “pot” of uneaten couscous filled with rainwater at the scene and dog food–clearly distressed at the idea that these women and their dog were probably getting ready to have a meal when they were attacked. She then says that says their meal wasn’t in the crime scene photos so he must be confused. She makes the point of the fragility of human memory and sort of condescendingly discredits him a bit but later she talks about waterlogged macaroni spilling out of a bag and upturned dog bowls being on the scene. Isn’t it obvious that is what he was talking about? Macaroni and couscous are both small white shapes of pasta that would have been sitting out in the rain for days. Dogs get fed in bowls. It had been decades and I can’t imagine he spent a huge amount of time studying their food to figure out the exact shape of the pasta when the cause of death was readily apparent. How many murder victims could this man have come across as a ranger? It was not a leap in logic to think that if the women had food out and the dog bowls out they were getting ready to eat. The point of sharing the couscous memory was, I would think, to illustrate the distress of the man who saw the crime scene. Why be so dismissive of that by saying he’s misremembering that, throwing the whole firsthand account into doubt only to talk about uneaten pasta and dog bowls being on the scene later?

I don’t think the very jumbled and nonlinear format did the book any favors. It read like the author’s research journal and I had the strong feeling things were written about when they happened or occurred to her rather than in a way that made sense and provided a narrative anyone outside of the case could follow. I ended up having to Google various aspects of the case to connect some pieces and clarify some details. I’ve never had to do that in any book I’ve read before. I truly think she was writing the book as she investigated and didn’t go back to make sure it made sense or was the best way to present the information. It felt like she only knew the broad strokes at the beginning and then finally was able to interview people about their life leading up to their deaths about 3/4 of the way into her investigation. Where are the editors?

She did do a good job of pointing out some of the bizarre missteps of the park service investigator including their odd insistence on a particular death day despite witness testimony that seemed solid. The waitress who said their food came with breakfast meats that the women said they didn’t want but asked if it could be wrapped up for their dog was discredited by an investigator because the women were vegetarian despite the waitress’ clear description of their quirky appearance and apparent discussion of their vegetarianism. He thought she was influenced by posters, which does seem less than likely. The investigator also quibbled over odd details like dark blue vs royal blue for a jacket or the shade of jeans or the weight of their dog. So strange and a good point to how odd the investigation was. All of this was important because of the waitress had seen the women then their suspect couldn’t have done it because he was in Annapolis.

I do think the book gave back some humanity and depth to the women and eventually, we do get a picture of who they were. I liked how she showed how broken the justice system is and how people can be accused and imprisoned for crimes that they didn’t commit. I also think a stronger editor was needed to make sure the story was readable. I really had to press through parts and started to be tempted to take notes myself, information was so scattered in the book.

All in all, well worth it if you are interested in the case and failures of the justice system.

This is an in depth, heartbreaking book about the murders of two young women who were back packing, and about the issues all too common in the American justice system.

I had of course heard of one of the murder cases mentioned in this book, but not of the deaths of Julie and Lollie. Their story, and the story of how a tangle of jurisdictions and bias on the part of the investigators was both moving and rage inducing. I think the author did a great job of bringing Julie and Lollie to life for readers as well as moving through the investigative processes and mis-steps without undue bias herself. It was a journey for the author, not unlike a backpacking trip where you deal with unexpected conditions, come upon hidden vistas and find moments of clarity.

Violent acts perpetrated in wilderness areas is a terrifying concept, and cases like this one, where the killer was not caught, has a massive impact on everyone's ability to enjoy wild spaces.

This book was sent to me electronically for review…it is a book of mystery and intrigue…two women lost…a murderer…a placid nature park…what really happened? This book was sent to, me electronically for review from Netgalley. The book moves slowly at times but eventually what happened is revealed…at least what the author has discerned and learned from research…innovative writer…

Trailed will captivate you from the first page. It is heartbreaking and well researched as you follow a journalist's story of trying to solve the Shenandoah Murders that occurred in 1996. This book is going to be one that true crime readers will want to add to their shelves. Trailed will have you questioning if it is safe to venture out alone.

In 1996, Julie Williams and Lollie Winans were murdered while backpacking in the Shenandoah National Park. Although the case was handled jointly by the FBI, the Virginia police, and the National Park Service, it remained unsolved for years.

They then linked the murders to Darrell David Rice - who was serving time in prison for attacking a woman in Shenandoah Park. But the DNA evidence in this double homicide case didn’t hold up against Rice and the case was dismissed.

Twenty years after their tragic deaths, Kathryn Miles, a journalist who had been a professor at the college Winans had attended, begins her own research into the murder of these young women, who were now presumed to have been lovers.

Although I don’t typically reach for true crime, Kathryn Miles’s investigation sheds light on some chilling facts about the safety of our National Parks. She also lays out some evidence that women and those in diverse groups are at especially high risk of being victims of violent crime.

Told with passion and respect, this is a very well-researched book. I appreciated her attention to detail on the case itself and the lives of two women whose days were cut short.

Thank you, @algonquinbooks and @kathryn_miles1 for this ebook and @librofm for the gifted audiobook.

My interest in Kathryn Miles’s Trailed: One Woman’s Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders was piqued for two reasons. First, I lived very close to the setting since 1994—in 1996, when the murders happened, I was in college close by but was somehow only vaguely aware of their happening. Second, I saw comparisons to Emma Copley Eisenberg’s The Third Rainbow Girl, an absolutely brilliant blend of memoir and true crime investigation that I loved.

Of course, Trailed is a quite different book than Eisenberg’s, but it does still blend those genres successfully. Miles dives into an investigation of the murders of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams. Despite proclamations by the authorities that they know who did it, Miles isn’t so convinced. She wades through years of horrific police interviews, faulty conclusions, and denial from groups who don’t want to admit that this type of violence happens in national parks as often as it does.

As Miles learns more about Lollie and Julie, she reflects on attitudes about women in the outdoors and explores organizations like the Woodswomen—a group that gave Lollie and Julie a feeling of belonging—that try to make a difference, trying to understand why so many people have an opinion about whether women should hike or enjoy nature at all without men.

One of the most illuminating parts of this book is the way that Lollie and Julie’s sexuality and close relationship was handled by the press and by prosecutors and the impact that their relationship may—or may not—have had in the way their murder unfolded. There are some horrible decisions made regarding this part of the women’s lives, and while some of those mistakes come from the best of intentions, others definitely do not.

This is a fascinating book that is about more than these murders. It’s about the way the truth can be hidden because of dishonest motives, about the way it can be revealed for similarly disingenuous reasons. This is also about Miles’s own identity and how her growing understanding of Lollie and Julie’s tragedy shapes the way she sees herself and her place in the world.

A large portion of the book does deal with the prime suspect and whether he is guilty or not. While I’m sure this will draw in many readers, it was the larger considerations of everything leading up to the crime and of the way it was handled afterward that were more fascinating to me.

I alternated reading between the ARC and the ALC and recommend both formats—Gabra Zackman, who narrates the book, is excellent. I think Trailed will appear to a variety of readers: true crime fans, readers of memoir, and those who like nature or outdoor books as well.

I think one of the reasons that the true crime genre is so appealing to me is that I love the feeling when a case is solved. There is so much gratification in seeing a mystery tied up and (hopefully) justice being carried out. So, there’s something that feels a tad unsatisfying when there isn’t a clear answer to a true crime puzzle. Alas, with “Trailed,” as fascinating as the case is, the lack of a distinct resolution is both frustrating and saddening.

The book follows the horrifying 1996 murders of hikers Lollie Winans and Julie Williams in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park and the country’s attempts to solve the case over the years. At one time, it was heralded as one of the first times our government pursued hate crime charges (because Winans and Williams were a couple). But at the end of the day, because the missteps of many, the case has never been completely solved. Kathryn Miles has worked the case for years as a fellow wilderness lover who became intrigued (or maybe obsessed is the better word) with the two women’s gruesome deaths. Normally I’m not a fan of writers who insert themselves into their stories, but Miles’ connection to the events ended up lending itself to an insightful and deeply personal look into the case.

I was completely drawn into this book because Miles did so much incredible research into who these two women really were (aside from their tragic ends). The background that went into creating a fully crafted story of both their lives and their deaths was really admirable. One small downside to this book is that there was so much information that sometimes I would forget about key pieces later on. For example, there were several assaults and murders that took place in the surrounding Shenandoah area over the same time period as the deaths of Williams and Winans. When these events became more important at the end of the book, I had already forgotten a lot of the names, details, etc. So many different grisly acts took place that it became a little tough to remember each one and its significance.

This book was almost a five-star read for me because you can tell Miles poured every ounce of herself into writing it and because the case is one that has so many haunting aspects. It just lost me a little bit with the amount of detail at times and the lack of a true resolution (which felt a tad disappointing). Definitely not for people who feel squeamish when reading about violence or forensics, but true-crime fans will enjoy trying to solve the case on their own (even if we’ll never know for certain what happened in that park).

Algonquin Books sent me this book for free in exchange for a review through NetGalley. I have been a true crime fan for many years now, and I've become aware of the increasing challenge to solve cold cases due to lack of resources, lack of personal, and lack of general awareness. For Kathryn Miles, the case that stuck out in her mind was the one of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans due to the overlaps in their life and hers.

Julie and Lollie were two wilderness-loving, college women who were cruelly murdered in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Miles, a journalist, becomes increasingly involved with the case because of the similarities she shared with the women. As a result, this book is a mixture of interviews with detectives who worked on the case, conversations with friends and family, news reports as facts develop, and personal reflections on safety, backpacking, and love.

Miles herself admits that she crosses the boundary of being a journalist simply reporting on a case. This is a huge asset to the book. Miles brings so much humanity and spark to the lives of the women which reminds readers why it's so important to never give up on these cold cases. Through the factual sections, we learn how fallible investigations and the justice system is. Through Miles's interest in the case, a new light is brought to how much entire communities are affected by violence against women. This is a crucial story to be told and shared.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was fortunate enough to listen to Kathryn Miles on a Mystery Authors panel at the Public Library Association (PLA) Conference this past March, and she read the beginning of this book. Her own story of why this particular cold case combined with her vibrant storytelling made for an engaging hook. The sheer amount of research, detail, time, and effort that Miles puts into this work is staggering. You can tell that as far as her research goes, she is confident that she has left no stone unturned. The book jumped around a bit for me, and I kept getting confused about when things were or had occurred, but a story this involved seems inevitable to jump around a bit. Well done Kathryn Miles.

This case had a huge impact for me, something I've written about in my own creative work, so I was equal parts excited and nervous to see this book. But I needn't have worried as the author did a great job of research including lots of boots on the ground time at the crime scene and with key personnel. The author laid out a clear personal connection to the victims and connected the case to the ways women and LGBTQ people continue to feel unsafe while providing lots of background/context on the real reasons for this. I came away from the book with a renewed appreciation for these two women and a sense of the lost potential resulting from their murder. I would definitely recommend to true crime and outdoors fans.

Excellent, thoroughly researched, and engaging. Although this book tackles horrific crimes, Miles does so with humanity and grace. I couldn't put it down.

Trailed captured me from the very first page. The story and tragedy of Lollie and Julie grabbed my attention and kept me reading. The story isn't terribly different from other unsolved murders except that it happened in a national park to two vulnerable women. There were many twists and turns to the story, including the fact that Lollie and Julie were lesbians, the crime scene wasn't found immediately, not processed correctly, and never solved. The author devoted most of her life for a period of time to solving this case, but was unable to do so.. This book brings to the forefront many issues with the park service (lack of funds, lack of personnel, lack of knowledge and experience with crime scenes, etc etc) and our criminal investigations in general.

A gripping investigation into the 1996 Shenandoah murders. Incredibly well-researched and well-written, the author poses a question especially to LGBTQIA+ and POC folk: are we safe in the wilderness?

Kathryn Miles who is a journalist dives into the unsolved murders in Shenandoah National Park. At the 20 year anniversary Kathryn tries to find out what could've happened to Julie Williams and Lollie Winans in 1996.

I'm a huge true crime fan and have read most of the favourites that are talked about. I really enjoyed this book as much as I could with the kind of book it is. I was extremely frustrated with the police and how the murder was originally investigated.

Thank you to Netgalley and Algonquin Books for the ARC.

TRAILED is the kind of true crime book that goes beyond the oft expected 'let's talk about the seedy details of a terrible tragedy', and looks at the bigger picture and complexities within the genre. I liked how Miles was sure to give a lot of time and energy to give voice to the two victims, Lollie and Julie, and to show what wonderful and joyful people they were before they were brutally murdered. It's not hard for a true crime novel to objectify the victims and to instead focus on the perpetrator, even if unintentional, but Miles is very careful to not go there. I also liked how she showed the difficulties and flaws that went into the investigation, and how various factors like hesitancy, fear of causing a panic, prejudice towards LGBTQIA+ people, lack of resources in our public lands, and then just plain old legal system and justice system stubbornness has enabled this case to go unsolved. Miles also makes a VERY good case for why the person the authorities wanted, Darnell Rice, probably didn't do it, and how the accusation, charge, and then quiet dropping of the case still managed to do significant damage to his life after he was released from jail for an unrelated crime (he's gone missing, by the way). In fact, she even makes a pretty good case for who probably did do it. Her research is well done and well laid out, and her pursuit of the truth, while noble, is blockaded by government and justice system tape and roadblocks. I don't know if this case will ever be solved because of all of this. But Miles definitely brings a lot of information and light to it.

TRAILED is some very well done and complex true crime reporting. I recommend it for a memorial to two women, as well as an examination of how justice sometimes isn't served because of a faulty system.

Trailed: One Woman's Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders by Kathryn Miles is a nonfiction account that reads like a modern-day thriller. I could not put this book down. As an avid National Parks enthusiast, I found the details of this murder investigation almost as disturbing as the murders themselves. The background statistics about violence against women in our National Parks is sobering, as is the rate of those crimes which remain unsolved, including the ones which are the main focus of this title. The author skillfully balances unbiased, factual reporting with her own personal history and questions regarding the failure of law enforcement officials to adequately solve the murders of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans. The depth of the author's research is astounding, and the information on DNA analysis alone is worth the read. This book also does what so many true-crime accounts fail to do: focus on the victims. Learning about these courageous women and the organizations that support women in outdoor pursuits gave this story depth and humanity. A must-read for anyone who loves our National Parks, especially women venturing out alone in the great outdoors.

“Trailed” by Kathryn Miles focuses on the Shenandoah Murders. In May of 1996 Julie Williams and Lollie Winans were brutally murdered off the Appalachian Trail. On the 20th anniversary of the murders, Miles dives into the case, wondering if the man authorities want to convict is actually the killer. A study of the safety of minority groups, crime scene investigations, and the hiking culture, “Trailed” is a must read for true crime readers.

This book was immensely interesting if you’re into crime scene investigations. This case seems to be riddled with mistakes and lack of correct procedure. Miles covers the case thoroughly and without bias, but even she can see the missing links between the case and the accused.

Overall, I gave this book 4 stars. I think stories like these are important to share and create a better view of why women and other groups of people can feel unsafe doing normal, everyday things- like hiking or simply going somewhere alone. It’s sad that this case still remains unsolved, even with new technology and techniques.

Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! This book hits the shelves May 3rd!

In 1996, Julie Williams and Lollie Winans—a young couple, newly in love—were murdered while hiking in Shenandoah National Park. The tragic crime remains unsolved. When journalist Kathryn Miles digs into the details, she uncovers a mishandled investigation, local efforts to keep the crime quiet and a probable suspect to pursue. Fast paced and dark, “Trailed” is a remarkable read for true crime fans.

I really loved this book. I learned so much about hiking, wilderness, the hierarchy of national parks as well as the people they employ. The author did an excellent job of reviewing the story, the women’s lives, her interest in the case as well as the channels she went through to try and uncover the murderer. I sincerely hope there will be a follow up book because the time, energy and money devoted by the author to solve the case seems open and shut to this reader.