Third Rainbow Girl

In June 1980, two young women, Vicki Durian and Nancy Santomero, were murdered while hitchhiking to the Rainbow Gathering in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. For over a decade, the "Rainbow Murders" remained unsolved, casting a long shadow over the rural Appalachian community. Emma Copley Eisenberg delves into this enduring cold case, not merely as a true crime narrative, but as a lens through which to examine the complex history and persistent stereotypes surrounding Appalachia.

Weaving in her own experiences living in Pocahontas County, Eisenberg explores how the unsolved crime shaped generations, influencing fears, fates, and desires within the community. The book investigates the systemic biases of the criminal justice system, the unreliability of memory, and societal notions of gender and violence, moving beyond the sensationalism of the murders to offer a portrait of a region and its people. This work presents a complex narrative about the fractured legacy of a decades-old double murder, encouraging readers to consider the broader implications of violence and the stories communities tell about themselves.