Morbid Curiosity Book Club

The Third Rainbow Girl by Emma Eisenberg

This book club is not for the faint of heart. Come at your own risk as we discuss the darker side of books. This month we will discuss The Third Rainbow Girl.

Morbid curiosity, or an interest in unpleasant things, is a human reaction captivating individuals across the nation. True crime media consumption, ranging from books to podcasts to documentaries, has grown rapidly in popularity and this book club leans into that. We may also touch on topics of cults, the paranormal and history as we explore the dangerous and more frightening side of the library's collection.

This month we will discuss The Third Rainbow Girl by Emma Eisenberg. In June 1980 two girls were hitchhiking to the Rainbow Gathering festival, but they never made it. The case became known as the Rainbow Murders and for 13 years it went unprosecuted. In 1993a local farmer was convicted, but he was released when a known serial killer claimed responsibility. While an investigation loomed, the truth behind the crime began to slip away leaving the case to go cold.

Eisenberg shows how this mysterious act of violence has loomed over all those affected for generations, shaping their fears, fates and the stories they tell about themselves. She follows the threads of this crime through the complex history of Appalachia, forming a searing and wide-ranging portrait of America--its divisions of gender and class, and of its violence.

Email kkriley@tscpl.org for questions or for a copy of the book.

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