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.

As a lover of Shenandoah National Park, this book was incredible. Not only does the author do a magnificent job of highlighting the park's history, Appalachian Trail culture, and the history of the women murdered, but she does so in a compulsively readable manner. I often feel like true crime can get bogged down in the details, but her measured approach to delivery of those details is done in a respectful manner that is deeply engaging. Miles also does a magnificent job of highlighting the complexities of this case. This book is a fantastic first foray into true crime for all readers, as it isn't too parochial.

I really enjoyed this book by Kathryn Miles. We follow the story of Miles as she digs into the decade's past unsolved murders of two women on the Shenandoah Trail. The way the author approached the material was so warm, gentle, and personal. I wasn't familiar with the event and it was a gripping read. Because it is unsolved, the reader must accept that this is not going to all tie up in a neat bow at the end of the book. She explores multiple leads, suspects, and similar crimes as well as delves into violence against women and in particular, gay women. It really is a gripping read and I just pray that one day the families have closure.

From the publisher: In May 1996, Julie Williams and Lollie Winans were brutally murdered while backpacking in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, adjacent to the world-famous Appalachian Trail. The young women were skilled backcountry leaders and they had met—and fallen in love—the previous summer, while working at a world-renowned outdoor program for women. But despite an extensive joint investigation by the FBI, the Virginia police, and National Park Service experts, the case remained unsolved for years. Trailed is a riveting, eye-opening, and heartbreaking work, offering a braided narrative about two remarkable women who were murdered doing what they most loved, the forensics of this cold case, and the surprising pervasiveness and long shadows cast by violence against women in the backcountry.

Trailed by Kathryn Miles is one of the best true crime works I've read recently. I didn't know anything about the murders of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans when I started the book. Author Miles does a really good job helping the reader get to know the two women and understand their passion for life and the outdoors.

Miles also does a good job questioning many of the steps that were taken by law enforcement in the first hours after the bodies were discovered and as the months wore on. This includes the astounding initial suggestion that the deaths were a murder/suicide. Members of law enforcement also continue to cling to a date of death that was four days before the date of death approximated by the medical examiner. Miles makes a good case that decisions were made and minds were made up in spite of much evidence to the contrary.

As a woman who likes to do outdoor things, the author also made me think about my own safety when camping or hiking. “Although the FBI does not keep statistics on gender and backcountry crime, my own archival research finds that the majority of reported murder and rape victims in our national wilderness areas are female, despite the fact that we still constitute the minority of backcountry users and that national murder rates are skewed overwhelmingly towards male victims,” Miles writes (chapter 2 of the advance reader copy). Miles doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable truth that the wilds are a convenient place for predators to look for victims.

Miles tells us that she became obsessed with this case and her book, and it shows. Her obsession may have had a negative effect on her personal life but it pays off in her narrative. Although she visits different points in time, I never felt confused. She immersed herself in the lives of the two women and in the investigations into their deaths, and the book seems exhaustively researched. The author projects a profound sense of “there but for the grace of god go I” when describing the women and their tragic end. The book is deeply personal for the author, which I think is part of why I was so absorbed in the story.

The author sprinkles facts about the Appalachian Trail into her book, which I appreciated. If you like to read absorbing, thoughtful works about true crime, you might want to pick up Trailed.

I read an advance reader copy of Trailed from Netgalley. It is scheduled to be published in early May and the Galesburg Public Library will own the book in print and audio.