Someday, I’d like to write a book. It’s been on my goal list since I was young. I’ve tried a couple of times but I haven’t found the right story yet. Until then, I’m honored to have a story I wrote—”In a House by the River,” which was published in Outside in 2011—included in a new anthology of true crime stories compiled by the editors of Outside Magazine. The book, titled “The Darkest Places: Unsolved Mysteries, True Crimes, and Harrowing Disasters in the Wild,” was published in May, and you can buy it here. Here’s what Outside editor Chris Keyes wrote in his introduction about my piece:

Consider, “In a House By the River,” in which Megan Michelson researches the murder of her stepfather at a kayaking lodge in a remote pocket of Northern California. Only fourteen at the time of the tragedy, Michelson was kept in the dark about many of the details. Her mother was understandably trying to protect her young daughter. But once Michelson became an adult, her desire to make sense of the murder was no longer possible to suppress. Her story is a devastating reflection how of tragedy can alter one’s life and a commendable illustration of bravery in reporting. Toward the end of her investigation, Michelson shows up unannounced at the killer’s worksite for an interview. “Hi, I’m Megan,” she rehearses to herself in the car. “You killed my stepfather. Got a minute to chat?”