As I wrote a few months ago, with regard to true crime books, "All stories are worth telling well, but especially the difficult ones, when we need the writer's assurance as we walk down the dark passage." As someone who occasionally takes on such stories, I'm interested in how and why other true crime writers approach the work. My lead-off interview is with Kathryn Miles, author of "
I remember very clearly hearing the news about the murders of these young women when it happened, but it's been some time, and this interview unearthed that memory. My first husband's family lived fairly close to where it happened, and all of us did a lot outdoors, so hearing about the murders really affected me. Thanks to you and the author. Getting the book.
Outstanding podcast. Will definitely give this a read. I visited Shenandoah National Park last summer and this is the first I’ve ever heard about this crime. Infuriating that law enforcement will not say if his DNA was upped in CODIS. What is the rationale?... Is there more to the story? ... There is also a documentary on Hulu called Wild Crime that demonstrates functional FBI/Park Ranger collaborative efforts if this podcast piqued interest into park-related crimes. Well done Nancy and Kathryn!!
This is so good - just very interesting to hear the two of you talk about your approaches to delving into these stories and the challenges in writing about them. I both don't want to read about brutal crimes such as this but I do want to come along with the author's journey to understand it. I will get the audiobook+kindle version which I see is just released.
I think this is a great start to the "True Crime Author Interview" section of the "Smoke 'Em" empire! :-)
Reading this book RIGHT NOW!! It's a fantastic piece of work. I'm also writing a chapter on true crime memoirs for my forthcoming book about true crime... shameless plug, sorry! Nancy & Sarah, this podcast has made a podcast convert! I've resisted them for a long time, maybe stupidly, but I am loving listening to you two. Amazing conversations and I'm always chiming in to myself and my dog--thank you!
I just finished the book. Was Darrel Rice ever found? I tried googling it but didn’t see anything. It’s so awful how someone on parole can be put under such crippling counterproductive unnecessary restrictions.
I just finished listening to "Trailed". A worthwhile read (or listen -- I bought the Kindle edition but listened to the audiobook). I have tiny quibbles with some of the book but nothing that takes away from its major themes.. It's a wonderful exploration of the lives of these two young women and a devastating indictment of our judicial system, both the FBI and the National Park Service. I wish I was surprised about the FBI and NPS but I am sadly not. Their actions and inactions do seem to go past mere incompetence into willful ignorance of the facts. Confirmation bias shows up multiple times in the FBI and the NPS, along with the never-ending tendency to protect the image of the bureaucracy. The park service is in charge of such beautiful and unique places, but it many ways it's another (often under-funded) bureaucracy incentivized to protect its image and legacy.
I had a vague memory of this tragedy when it happened, but no real command of the facts, all of which are bought out in great detail in this book. The author put her heart and soul into this book and it shows. I recommend listening to this interview both before and after reading the book.
I am 80% through the audiobook version of this book and I highly recommend it; about 90 minutes to go, so I'll finish it in the next couple of days. It's unfortunately a huge indictment of our justice system (FBI in particular) and also the National Park Service, and I wish that neither of those surprised me. I would love to believe that the NPS is above all of this, but ... they have their bureaucracy to protect. I would love to hear if the NPS thinks they are different today.
I'm going to listen to this podcast again, as I'll have a better understanding of what Kathryn Miles was talking about. In the face of multiple barriers, she has been resolute at asking the questions that remain at the heart of this tragedy. I've a quibble or two with the book, but those are minor compared with the overall effect. I've friends who can relate to or at least associate, with some of the attitudes at the time. We should all be free to walk and camp without fear, anywhere at all, but certainly in National Parks.
Kathryn’s theory that the killer may have been the one to tell the girls about the hidden camp site is totally plausible. Also, I’m going to keep this theory and Nancy’s story about the men suggesting where she and her friend should camp in the back of my mind for when I hopefully get to do some backcountry camping in the future. One question I had for the author though is whether Evonitz was known to be a hiker, camper or otherwise frequent visitor of the Shenandoah. I don’t remember her mentioning this in her background on him.
As a dog lover, the story of Taj wondering until someone figured out who he was and him then shaking when he was safe with Ken broke my heart.
If Miles relating of her interviews with law enforcement and review of the evidence against Rice is accurate, the amount of confirmation bias exhibited by the NP investigators is stunning. I say “if” not because I doubt her reporting in itself but because I know just how stingy law enforcement can be on providing evidence in active investigations. There is always a tremendous amount the public doesn’t know, but still- it’s obvious Miles worked diligently to nail down the time line and dig into Rice’s background and lack of motivation and criminal vs Evonitz. I am very interested in why LE is so focused on Rice.
Just started listening on my ice coffee walk and have to say, yay to the shoutout to the diligent publicist!!! Unsung heroes!
I remember very clearly hearing the news about the murders of these young women when it happened, but it's been some time, and this interview unearthed that memory. My first husband's family lived fairly close to where it happened, and all of us did a lot outdoors, so hearing about the murders really affected me. Thanks to you and the author. Getting the book.
Outstanding podcast. Will definitely give this a read. I visited Shenandoah National Park last summer and this is the first I’ve ever heard about this crime. Infuriating that law enforcement will not say if his DNA was upped in CODIS. What is the rationale?... Is there more to the story? ... There is also a documentary on Hulu called Wild Crime that demonstrates functional FBI/Park Ranger collaborative efforts if this podcast piqued interest into park-related crimes. Well done Nancy and Kathryn!!
This is so good - just very interesting to hear the two of you talk about your approaches to delving into these stories and the challenges in writing about them. I both don't want to read about brutal crimes such as this but I do want to come along with the author's journey to understand it. I will get the audiobook+kindle version which I see is just released.
I think this is a great start to the "True Crime Author Interview" section of the "Smoke 'Em" empire! :-)
Reading this book RIGHT NOW!! It's a fantastic piece of work. I'm also writing a chapter on true crime memoirs for my forthcoming book about true crime... shameless plug, sorry! Nancy & Sarah, this podcast has made a podcast convert! I've resisted them for a long time, maybe stupidly, but I am loving listening to you two. Amazing conversations and I'm always chiming in to myself and my dog--thank you!
I just finished the book. Was Darrel Rice ever found? I tried googling it but didn’t see anything. It’s so awful how someone on parole can be put under such crippling counterproductive unnecessary restrictions.
I just finished listening to "Trailed". A worthwhile read (or listen -- I bought the Kindle edition but listened to the audiobook). I have tiny quibbles with some of the book but nothing that takes away from its major themes.. It's a wonderful exploration of the lives of these two young women and a devastating indictment of our judicial system, both the FBI and the National Park Service. I wish I was surprised about the FBI and NPS but I am sadly not. Their actions and inactions do seem to go past mere incompetence into willful ignorance of the facts. Confirmation bias shows up multiple times in the FBI and the NPS, along with the never-ending tendency to protect the image of the bureaucracy. The park service is in charge of such beautiful and unique places, but it many ways it's another (often under-funded) bureaucracy incentivized to protect its image and legacy.
I had a vague memory of this tragedy when it happened, but no real command of the facts, all of which are bought out in great detail in this book. The author put her heart and soul into this book and it shows. I recommend listening to this interview both before and after reading the book.
I am 80% through the audiobook version of this book and I highly recommend it; about 90 minutes to go, so I'll finish it in the next couple of days. It's unfortunately a huge indictment of our justice system (FBI in particular) and also the National Park Service, and I wish that neither of those surprised me. I would love to believe that the NPS is above all of this, but ... they have their bureaucracy to protect. I would love to hear if the NPS thinks they are different today.
I'm going to listen to this podcast again, as I'll have a better understanding of what Kathryn Miles was talking about. In the face of multiple barriers, she has been resolute at asking the questions that remain at the heart of this tragedy. I've a quibble or two with the book, but those are minor compared with the overall effect. I've friends who can relate to or at least associate, with some of the attitudes at the time. We should all be free to walk and camp without fear, anywhere at all, but certainly in National Parks.
Kathryn’s theory that the killer may have been the one to tell the girls about the hidden camp site is totally plausible. Also, I’m going to keep this theory and Nancy’s story about the men suggesting where she and her friend should camp in the back of my mind for when I hopefully get to do some backcountry camping in the future. One question I had for the author though is whether Evonitz was known to be a hiker, camper or otherwise frequent visitor of the Shenandoah. I don’t remember her mentioning this in her background on him.
As a dog lover, the story of Taj wondering until someone figured out who he was and him then shaking when he was safe with Ken broke my heart.
If Miles relating of her interviews with law enforcement and review of the evidence against Rice is accurate, the amount of confirmation bias exhibited by the NP investigators is stunning. I say “if” not because I doubt her reporting in itself but because I know just how stingy law enforcement can be on providing evidence in active investigations. There is always a tremendous amount the public doesn’t know, but still- it’s obvious Miles worked diligently to nail down the time line and dig into Rice’s background and lack of motivation and criminal vs Evonitz. I am very interested in why LE is so focused on Rice.