A riveting, "beautifully written" deep dive into the unsolved murder
of two free-spirited young women in the wilderness (John Grisham, #1
New York Times bestselling author), a journalist's obsession--and a
new theory of who might have done it.
They must have been followed. That's the thought I return to after all
these years . . .
In May 1996, two skilled backcountry leaders, Lollie Winans and Julie
Williams, entered Virginia's 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 didn't 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 don't add up. With unprecedented access
to crucial crime-scene forensics and key witnesses--and with a growing
sense of both mission and obsession--she 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 justice--and a searching and urgent plea to make
wilderness a safe space for women--destined to become a true crime
classic.
