212:, Copley Eisenberg decided she wanted to write about the county using nonfiction and to "be part of a broader conversation that was going on about the South and Appalachia and gender and class and race and sexual violence." She remembered hearing about the Rainbow Murders and upon researching the topic, found "it was written about so poorly with so many of the stereotypes and offensive, really nasty, violent language." From here, the idea developed to discuss the larger issues within the context of these murders.
367:, too, noted that "The book is more than just another true crime memoir; Eisenberg has crafted a beautiful and complicated ode to West Virginia. Exquisitely written, this is a powerful commentary on society’s notions of gender, violence, and rural America. Readers of literary nonfiction will devour this title in one sitting.”
192:
while completing a school internship, an experience she called "really disorienting and really important." During this time, she heard about the
Rainbow Murders, as well as the overarching narrative that the locals didn't like two outsiders coming to their town and thus, murdered them. As an outsider
196:
The story and her experiences in the county lingered with her, and while she attempted to write fictional stories about the region, they never felt right. She ended up returning, living in the county from the summer of 2009 to the winter of 2011, during which time she served as an
27:
172:. Though no one was prosecuted for the "Rainbow Murders" for 13 years, there were many suspected local residents who were "depicted as poor, dangerous, and backward." A local farmer was convicted in 1993 but was released when
350:
is part of a new wave of books upending true-crime tropes and pushing at the boundaries of the genre. If this is a book about a murder, it is also a book about the history of economic exploitation in
Appalachia, the
897:
744:
873:"Nonfiction Book Review: The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia by Emma Copley Eisenberg. Hachette, $ 27 (336p) ISBN 978-0-316-44923-6"
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373:
gave a negative review, stating, "Copley
Eisenberg tries to cram far too many ideas into one narrative, in turn losing the most important thread contained therein."
694:
219:
and from outside of it to review the material to check whether it told the story clearly, correctly, and portrayed
Appalachians the way they wish to be portrayed.
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confessed to the crime. Throughout the story's telling, Copley
Eisenberg provides insight into the harmful stories told and believed about people who live in
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769:
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herself, the story stuck with her, but parts of it "felt contradictory" to her experience with "a little, loving, connected, interesting community."
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180:. She also discusses how "this mysterious murder has loomed over all those affected for generations, shaping their fears, fates, and desires."
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149:. The book follows the investigation of the murders of Vicki Durian and Nancy Santomero and provides commentary on how people in
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Melissa Del Bosque called it "an unflinching interrogation of what it means to be female in a society marred by misogyny."
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720:"Review: The Third Rainbow Girl commits to history while respectfully detailing the 1980 double murder"
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695:"REVIEWS: 'Hill Women,' by Cassie Chambers and 'The Third Rainbow Girl,' by Emma Copley Eisenberg"
324:" haunting ... book about restless women and the things that await them on the road." Writing for
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898:"'The Third Rainbow Girl' Review | Appalachian murder story goes beyond stereotypes"
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923:"on The Third Rainbow Girl, nonfiction by Emma Copley Eisenberg – On the Seawall"
770:"In True Tale 'The Third Rainbow Girl,' Townspeople Accuse One Another Of Murder"
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member and worked "as a counselor at a girls’ wilderness and empowerment camp."
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follows the true story of the murders of Vicki Durian and Nancy
Santomero in
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The third rainbow girl : the long life of a double murder in appalachia
972:"Emma Copley Eisenberg's Appalachian True-Crime Chronicle Upends the Genre"
482:
215:
After drafting the book, Copley
Eisenberg asked several people from within
636:"Decades After Two Murders, an Appalachian Town Grapples With the Crimes"
309:
251:
944:"The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia"
824:"The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia"
800:"2 Young Women Were Murdered In 1980, 'Rainbow Girl' Tells Their Story"
20:
The Third
Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia
381:
also included the book in its list of notable books released in 2020.
134:
The Third
Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia
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76:
222:
Before the book's publication, she had the book professionally
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487:(First trade paperback ed.). New York: Hachette Books.
363:.” Corrigan referred to the book as "hard-to-characterize."
243:
was positively received by critics, with rave reviews from
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Critics also discussed how the book aligned with existing
584:"A conversation with Philly writer Emma Copley Eisenberg"
558:"A conversation with Philly writer Emma Copley Eisenberg"
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Many critics commented on the book's portrayal of modern
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in June 1980 when the duo had been hitchhiking to the
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1001:"The Third Rainbow Girl: by Emma Copley Eisenberg"
188:In the summer of 2007, Copley Eisenberg lived in
1107:"2021 Lambda Literary Award Finalists Announced"
8:
19:
1081:"Announcing the 2021 Anthony Award winners"
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942:Bamberger Scott, Barbara (2020-01-24).
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531:"Interview | Emma Copley Eisenberg"
277:, as well as positive reviews from
114:Print (hardcover, paperback), Audio
896:Jones, Diana Nelson (2020-06-07).
634:Bosque, Melissa Del (2020-01-20).
16:2020 book by Emma Copley Eisenberg
14:
1140:2020 LGBTQ-related literary works
1061:Edgar® Awards Info & Database
1057:"Category List – Best Fact Crime"
582:Adams, Kiersten A. (2020-01-22).
1175:Pocahontas County, West Virginia
798:Corrigan, Maureen (2020-02-04).
208:in the mid-2010s, including the
166:Pocahontas County, West Virginia
145:, published January 21, 2020 by
743:Macdonald, Moira (2020-02-03).
481:Eisenberg, Emma Copley (2021).
326:The New York Times Book Review,
246:The New York Times Book Review
1:
921:Neilson, Sarah (2020-01-21).
768:Veroff, Rachel (2020-01-21).
718:Ruthnum, Naben (2020-03-10).
693:Miller, Pamela (2020-04-05).
670:Ross, Michelle (2019-11-01).
1105:Gentes, Brian (2021-03-15).
204:Following various events in
1025:"100 Notable Books of 2020"
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1170:Hachette (publisher) books
1165:American non-fiction books
210:Charlottesville car attack
999:Paul, John (2020-06-19).
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206:Charlottesville, Virginia
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1155:History of West Virginia
848:"The Third Rainbow Girl"
588:The Philadelphia Citizen
562:The Philadelphia Citizen
1150:Non-fiction crime books
361:unreliability of memory
357:criminal justice system
298:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
1185:Books about Appalachia
1180:Women in West Virginia
1160:2020 non-fiction books
673:The Third Rainbow Girl
445:Lambda Literary Awards
348:The Third Rainbow Girl
322:The Third Rainbow Girl
241:The Third Rainbow Girl
162:The Third Rainbow Girl
902:The Columbus Dispatch
682:– via Booklist.
529:Kendra (2021-02-10).
143:Emma Copley Eisenberg
41:Emma Copley Eisenberg
948:www.bookreporter.com
877:PublishersWeekly.com
305:, and Bookreporter
174:Joseph Paul Franklin
450:Bisexual Nonfiction
21:
1029:The New York Times
724:The Globe and Mail
640:The New York Times
378:The New York Times
264:The Globe and Mail
749:The Seattle Times
494:978-0-316-44921-2
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333:genre conventions
292:Publishers Weekly
270:The Seattle Times
190:Pocahontas County
170:Rainbow Gathering
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47:Cover artist
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854:. 2019-10-13
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564:. 2020-01-22
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1134:Categories
1116:2022-01-12
1091:2022-01-12
1085:CrimeReads
1066:2022-01-12
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612:Book Marks
593:2022-01-12
568:2022-01-12
540:2022-01-12
503:1153655665
463:References
359:, and the
338:The Nation
217:Appalachia
199:AmeriCorps
184:Background
178:Appalachia
151:Appalachia
73:True crime
69:Nonfiction
1037:0362-4331
980:0027-8378
648:0362-4331
454:Finalist
398:Category
239:Overall,
230:Reception
83:Publisher
51:Roger May
437:Nominee
422:Nominee
365:Booklist
316:. NPR's
310:misogyny
252:Booklist
141:book by
57:Language
804:NPR.org
401:Result
355:of the
346:said, "
320:called
235:Reviews
60:English
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978:
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434:Novel
395:Award
385:Awards
286:Kirkus
273:, and
77:Memoir
37:Author
409:2021
404:Ref.
392:Year
137:is a
65:Genre
1033:ISSN
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275:NPR
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