COEUR d’ALENE — After escaping the clutches of a serial killer in a 2005 murder/kidnapping, Shasta Groene spent 20 years fighting for her life. 

Now, author Gregg Olsen is offering a narrative of events that shifts from nothing but tragedy to hope for the future with his new book, "Out of the Woods: A Girl, a Killer, and a Lifelong Struggle to Find the Way Home."

Olsen is a veteran of the true crime genre, with numerous books making their way onto the USA Today, Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestseller lists.

However, unlike previous works in which Olsen discusses voiceless victims, Groene provided him with the opportunity to speak to a living victim and gave him what he said he believes is the most important context of any true crime novel. 

“It’s her story,” Olsen said during an interview Wednesday.

Mountains of evidence, legal documents and various forms of media could be compiled to learn the circumstances behind the murders of Groene’s family by convicted killer Joseph Duncan, but few of them tell the story of the 8-year-old girl who lived through such traumatic events.

"Out of the Woods" acknowledges the murders of Groene’s family, the assaults — both physical and sexual — that she and her brother Dylan endured. It then moves on to her life after the events that made her famous, with an honesty that people are rarely willing to show when they’ve been so horrifically victimized.

“Shasta’s story is so unique because she should be dead,” Olsen said. “But she was uniquely qualified to survive this. The idea that she grew up with sexual abuse, neglect, lying to the authorities to cover for her parents. She knew how to deal with an adult in a way that would appease them.”

Twenty years later, Groene is ready to present her story, her memories and her truth.

“She’s still here,” Olsen said. “She is able to give us her version. I believe that takes a lot of courage. Some things are out there that are so terrible that we don’t want to hear them. She needed to get it out. We should listen.” 

"Out of the Woods" is scheduled for release Aug. 1. It is already available digitally on Amazon. 

Olsen and Groene will be at the Well-Read Moose from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 8 for a special book signing event.

The Well-Read Moose is at 2048 N. Main St., Coeur d'Alene.

    Shasta Groene
  

    Gregg Olsen