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

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A beautifully written account of a great American tragedythe unsolved murders of an undetermined number of young women, all by the same serial killer, who got away. The truth is still buried. I couldnt put it down.
John Grisham, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A riveting deep dive into the unsolved murder of two free-spirited young women in the wilderness, a journalist's obsessionand a new theory of who might have done it.

They must have been followed. Thats the thought I return to after all these years . . .

In May 1996, two skilled backcountry leaders, Lollie Winans and Julie Williams, entered Virginias Shenandoah National Park for a week-long backcountry camping trip. The free-spirited and remarkable young couple had met and fallen in love the previous summer while working at a world-renowned outdoor program for women.During their final days in the park, they descended the narrow remnants of a trail and pitched their tent in a hidden spot. After the pair didnt return home as planned, park rangers found a scene of horror at their campsite, their tent slashed open, their beloved dog missing, and both women dead in their sleeping bags. The unsolved murders of Winans and Williams continue to haunt all who had encountered them or knew their story.

When award-winning journalist and outdoors expert Kathryn Miles begins looking into the case, she discovers conflicting evidence, mismatched timelines, and details that just dont add up. With unprecedented access to crucial crime-scene forensics and key witnessesand with a growing sense of both mission and obsessionshe begins to uncover the truth. An innocent man, Miles is convinced, has been under suspicion for decades, while the true culprit is a known serial killer, if only authorities would take a closer look.

Intimate, page-turning, and brilliantly reported, Trailed is a love story and a call to justiceand a searching and urgent plea to make wilderness a safe space for womendestined to become a true crime classic.

Reviews

"Trailed is a beautifully written account of a great American tragedythe unsolved murders of an undetermined number of young women, all by the same serial killer, who got away. The truth is still buried. I couldnt put it down."John Grisham, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Trailedis a beautifully written account of a great American tragedythe unsolved murders of an undetermined number of young women, all by the same serial killer, who got away. The truth is still buried. I couldnt put it down."
John Grisham, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A gripping look inside a tragic, unsolved case.
People

The true-crime book that has stayed with me this year is Kathryn MilessTRAILED: One Womans Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders Miles not only solves the case, she shines a light on the crime rate in the countrys national parks.
The New York Times

"A tragic story of young lovers, gone too soon. A #metoo reckoning, long overdue. A study of traumas ripple effects, extending for decades.Trailedis meticulously investigated, achingly intimate, and doggedly persistent in the pursuit of justice."
Robert Kolker, bestselling author ofHidden Valley Road

Engrossing . . . Miles takes a comprehensive look at police procedures in federal parks and violence against women in rural areas . . . A must for true crime buffs.
Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Riveting . . . Trailed is a fascinating story about the search for justice and for social change.
Apple Books, Best Books of May

Mesmerizing journalism Utterly engaging and always respectful, Trailed is highly recommended for true crime fans.
Booklist (starred review)

Disturbing and provocativeGripping and thoughtful, this book will appeal to those with an interest in true-crime stories and unsettling truths about places deemed safe for all.
Kirkus Reviews

Passionate . . . What starts as a true crime narrative about a single horrific event turns into something much larger. In investigating how and why [Julie] Williams and [Lollie] Winans died, Miles connects the womens deaths to complex questions of who has access to the wilderness, and how the National Park Service, guardians of vast swaths of land, fails to protect those who seek peace in wild spaces.
Lorraine Berry, Boston Globe

"TRAILEDis gripping, immersive, first-rate true crimeengagingly told, respectful in tone, damning in its conclusions. Miles digs deep into investigative records to document the wrong turns and flawed assumptions that produced a dubious suspect and ignored evidence that linked a serial murderer and rapist to the crime scene How can true crime fans resist"
Dean Jobb, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

A gripping, literary account of a spate of unsolved murders, a serial killer on the loose, and a decades-long investigation, and an urgent plea to make the wilderness a safer space for women.
Sierra

A beautiful story about a female journalist seeking clarity and life for two women she never knew, and looking to restore the wilderness as a place of healing and safety for all women in the process.An established backcountry hiker herself, Miles follows a serpentine trail of misogyny and the resilience and joy of women in spite of it.Trailedis also a love story. You will turn pages as fast as you can.
Lacy Crawford, author ofNotes on a Silencing

In an outdoor atmosphere where women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ individuals are working hard for equal footing,Trailedexplores the root of sexism and bigotry in the outdoor community and becomes a rallying cry for moving forward together.
Jennifer Pharr Davis, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and author ofThe Pursuit of Endurance

Beyond an illumination of the murders of two young queer women, this book is a deeply empathetic inquiry into who has the right to venture into the woods and to do so safely. Miles' book is nothing less than a parsing of the forces that have long stood between women and queer people and their physical freedom.
Emma Copley Eisenberg, author of The Third Rainbow Girl

This is a sleepless night of a book, a toss-and-turn story about a double homicide near America's legendary footpath thatwrestles with intimacy, anger, and our ideas of safety. We get the fascinating, uncomfortable opportunity to join an increasingly-obsessed journalist on her quest to puzzle out what happens when a wild and peaceful place is shattered by violence.
Ben Montgomery, author ofA Shot in the Moonlightand theNew York TimesbestsellingGrandma Gatewoods Walk

Miles brings Winans and Williams (and other female victims of backcountry violence) into tender human focus, while shining a light on deficient law enforcement practices that don't fully serve the people they are designed to protect.
Shelf Awareness

It is a thrilling, gripping book, sure to appeal to true-crime fans and backcountry aficionados alike a moving tribute to the inspiring and promising lives of two talented young women whose lives were cut tragically shorttrue crime aficionados and mystery fans will greatly enjoy this book.
The Trek

Far from true-crime sensationalism,Trailedpaints a heartbreaking portrait of two promising young womens lives cut short and a sobering picture of how murderers slip through cracks in the justice systemA page-turner.
Chapter16.org

Trailed offers a thoughtful braided narrative that delves into these devastating murders and the authors own growing obsession with the case, while asking fundamental questions about justice in the national parks and who is safe in the backcountry.
Orion

Miles strikes a good balance between laying out the details of the crime and investigation, and fully developing the stories of the victims lives. Fans of unsolved cases will appreciate this well-researched, compelling story.
Library Journal

The fast-paced and dark story is a remarkable read for true-crime fans.
425 Magazine

One of the most gripping books Ive read this year.
Dana Wilde, CentralMaine.com

While Miless thoroughly researched and rigorous account of Winans and Williamss murders remains the focus of the book,Trailedalso tells the much larger story of how women, BIPOC, and the LGBTQ+ community experience nature. The book ultimately serves as a crucial call to action for how nature must be made accessible and safe for all.Atlas Obscura
A gripping look inside a tragic, unsolved case.People
"A tragic story of young lovers, gone too soon. A #metoo reckoning, long overdue. A study of traumas ripple effects, extending for decades. Trailed is meticulously investigated, achingly intimate, and doggedly persistent in the pursuit of justice."Robert Kolker, bestselling author ofHidden Valley Road
Riveting.Minneapolis Star Tribune
If you are a true-crime fan, or even an investigative journalist, youll like this one.Denver Post
Engrossing . . . Miles takes a comprehensive look at police procedures in federal parks and violence against women in rural areas . . . A must for true crime buffs.Publishers Weekly, starred review
Riveting . . . Trailed is a fascinating story about the search for justice and for social change.Apple Books, Best Books of May
Mesmerizing journalism Utterly engaging and always respectful, Trailed is highly recommended for true crime fans.Booklist, starred review
Disturbing and provocativeGripping and thoughtful, this book will appeal to those with an interest in true-crime stories and unsettling truths about places deemed safe for all.Kirkus Reviews
Passionate . . . What starts as a true crime narrative about a single horrific event turns into something much larger. In investigating how and why [Julie] Williams and [Lollie] Winans died, Miles connects the womens deaths to complex questions of who has access to the wilderness, and how the National Park Service, guardians of vast swaths of land, fails to protect those who seek peace in wild spaces.Lorraine Berry, Boston Globe
A gripping, literary account of a spate of unsolved murders, a serial killer on the loose, and a decades-long investigation, and an urgent plea to make the wilderness a safer space for women.Sierra
A beautiful story about a female journalist seeking clarity and life for two women she never knew, and looking to restore the wilderness as a place of healing and safety for all women in the process. An established backcountry hiker herself, Miles follows a serpentine trail of misogyny and the resilience and joy of women in spite of it. Trailed is also a love story. You will turn pages as fast as you can.Lacy Crawford, author ofNotes on a Silencing
In an outdoor atmosphere where women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ individuals are working hard for equal footing, Trailed explores the root of sexism and bigotry in the outdoor community and becomes a rallying cry for moving forward together.Jennifer Pharr Davis, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and author ofThe Pursuit of Endurance
Beyond an illumination of the murders of two young queer women, this book is a deeply empath

Author Bio

Kathryn Miles is the author of five books. Her essays and articles have appeared in publications such as Audubon, Best American Essays, Best American Sports Writing, the BostonGlobe, the New York Times, Outside, Politico, and Time. A contributing editor at Down East magazine, Miles also serves as a scholar-in-residence for the Maine Humanities Council and as a faculty member in several MFA programs. Her website is www.kathrynmiles.net.