The Third Rainbow Girl

by Emma Copley Eisenberg

True Crime

Social Commentary

336 Pages

"Eisenberg's investigation goes far beyond the murders to examine the soul of a community and the myths we tell ourselves about justice."

Synopsis

In June 1980, two young women hiking the Appalachian Trail in West Virginia were brutally murdered at a campsite called Rainbow Falls. The case became known as the Rainbow Murders, and for decades, it remained largely unsolved, leaving a community haunted by questions and suspicion. The Third Rainbow Girl follows journalist Emma Copley Eisenberg as she moves to Pocahontas County, West Virginia, decades later and becomes obsessed with understanding not just who committed these crimes, but why the case has been handled so poorly by law enforcement and the media. Through meticulous research and immersive reporting, Eisenberg uncovers how the murders became a symbol of everything outsiders believe about rural Appalachia—violence, backwardness, and danger. But as she digs deeper, she discovers that the real story is far more complex, involving systemic failures, prejudice, and the way communities cope with trauma. This is both a gripping true crime investigation and a powerful meditation on justice, place, and the stories we tell about both.

Our Take

What sets The Third Rainbow Girl apart from typical true crime narratives is Eisenberg's commitment to examining not just the murders themselves, but the cultural and systemic forces that shaped how they were investigated and remembered. Rather than exploiting tragedy for entertainment, she uses the case as a lens to explore broader questions about rural America, media representation, and the failures of the justice system. Her approach echoes the socially conscious true crime work found in I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara and The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich, but with a unique focus on place and community. Eisenberg's background as a fiction writer brings a literary sensibility to the investigation, creating prose that is both beautiful and unflinching. She doesn't just report on West Virginia; she lives there, building relationships and understanding the community from within. This immersive approach results in a book that feels both intimately personal and broadly significant. Perfect for readers who appreciate true crime that grapples with larger social issues and want their investigations served with genuine empathy and insight rather than sensationalism.