Book Review - Trailed: One Woman's Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders; Kathryn Miles

 

Trailed: One Woman's Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders; Kathryn Miles

Algonquin - 2022 - (library loan)

Trailed. tells the still unsolved violent murder case of a lesbian couple, Lollie Winans and Julie Williams, two skilled backpackers who headed out to Shenandoah National park for week long camping trip along with their dog. When the couple failed to return home as planned authorities were able to locate their campsite, slashed tent and their bodies.   Although there are several theories of what may have transpired, some (26) years later their murders remain unsolved. 

The author taught at Unity College, a small environmental college in Maine where Lollie was once a student.  A backpacker herself she became consumed with the case and, after interviews with park rangers, law enforcement, forensics experts, friends and family, it became clear that the evidence that there was sloppy investigative work involved: mismatched timelines, bureaucracy and other systematic failures throughout the investigation.

The storyline jumps around a bit and involves discussions of other cases but, it never felt confusing.  An individual by the name of Darrell Rice was charged with the murder but never tried and based on what the author has reported, it seemed unlikely he was the killer of these women.  However, another serial killer, Richard Evonitz, may have been responsible but, that investigation led to closed mouths and several dead ends.

I thought that the author did a good job pointing out the many missteps gathered throughout the investigation which even included contradictions about the date the women died.  Readers who enjoy true-crime stories will likely enjoy this offering.

Rating - 4/5 stars

First chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Trailed: One Woman's Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders; Kathryn Miles

                                                  

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon. I just picked this one up at the library.

                                                        

    

Trailed: One Woman's Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders; Kathryn Miles

Algonquin - 2022

Preface

THEY MUST HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED.  That's the thought I return to after all these years.

They must have been tracked as they left the Skyland lodge and stepped across Skyline Drive, the well-traveled backbone of Virginia's Shenandoah National Park.  He--for murderers are almost always hes--must have been prowling Skyland's Parking lots and public areas, hoping he's find the right target.  Perhaps he studied the two young women as they lounged in the grass outside the lodge, oblivious as they consulted a map or warmed themselves in the afternoon sun.  Maybe he bumped into one of them as she was leaving the restroom or grabbing a drink in the taproom.  Something about their countenance and mannerisms must have caught his eye, made him decide he'd found what he was hunting for.

What do you think - read more of pass? Are you a true crime fan? I am as long as it isn't too gory.

                                                    

Book Review - We Keep the Dead Close; Becky Cooper

 

TITLE/AUTHOR:  We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence; Becky Cooper

PUBLISHER:  Grand Central Publishing

YEAR PUBLISHED:  2020

GENRE: Non Fiction  - True Crime/Memoir

FORMAT:  hardcover  PP/LENGTH: 512

SOURCE:  hardcover sent by publisher

SETTING(s):  Cambridge, MA 

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A true crime memoir about a 1969 murder that rocked Harvard and, a case that remained unsolved for half a century.

BRIEF REVIEW:  Jane Britton was a grad student preparing for her doctorate in Anthropology at Harvard in 1969 when she was found brutally beaten and raped in her Cambridge, MA apartment.  Her murder was unsolved for 50 years although there were several suspects which included faculty.

The author Becky Cooper, became interested in Jane's unsolved case in 2009 when she was an undergrad at Harvard herself. She soon began to immerse herself in the details of Jane's life on campus as well as many of the rumors and speculation about her life leading up to her murder. Included in this was Jane's relationship with a married, tenured, faculty member, a few boyfriends and conversations with former classmates and friends. With each new interview the story grew more complex. Not only was this a story about Jane Britton, it was a story about a prestigious institution and the university's desire to make the speculation and investigations disappear in an effort to protect the school's reputation and that of its faculty members.

The story jumped back and forth in time from the late 1960s to the author's time on campus followed by nearly a decade of research and interviews.  I thought the author did a great job acclimating the reader to Harvard /Radcliffe culture and the way faculty were revered and coverups, at times,  seemed almost commonplace.   This book, 500 pages with sources and photographs, was very good but, I did think it could have been shortened. I didn't think that the author needed to insert so much of her personal story into this effort.  The Jane Britton murder was eventually solved a few years ago as the author was finishing this book.  (DO NOT Google this case, as I did,  if you plan to read this book -- even though I knew the outcome, I still thought the author's efforts were commendable. and I was happy I read this one.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for sending me a finished copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

RATING: 4/5 stars