Bright Young Women

by Jessica Knoll

A Saturday in 1978 in Florida: In the middle of the night, a man breaks into a female student dormitory. He goes from room to room and kills several residents. He will soon be known as one of the most famous serial killers in the USA. But he was observed committing his crime.

The survivors, including key witness Pamela Schumacher, will be forever changed by this night. They have all become victims. But they tell their perspectives here, they remain masters of their stories. And they hunt the perpetrator on their own - against resistance from the justice system and the police; against public opinion, which idolizes the serial killer.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Book Club, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

378 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 19, 2023

About the author

Jessica Knoll is the New York Times Bestselling author of THE FAVORITE SISTER and LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE—now a major motion picture on Netflix starring Mila Kunis. She has been a senior editor at Cosmopolitan, and the articles editor at SELF. She grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and graduated from The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and bulldog, Franklin. BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN, her third novel, publishes on September 19th.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bright Young Women is based on the real life murders of two sorority members by Ted Bundy.
Pamela Schumacher is the president of her sorority in 1978 and has chosen to stay home on Saturday night to catch up on paperwork. In the early hours, she hears a noise and goes to investigate and sees a man leaving the House. From there, the story goes back and forth between the present and past. She meets a woman who has flown in from the west, a woman convinced she knows who the killer is. The two team up, doing their own investigation when the Sheriff seems focused on another man.
There’s also a side story about a woman named Ruth, a young woman finding her own identity and becoming comfortable with her true self.
I loved that this wasn’t the typical criminal or psychological thriller. It was much deeper than that. The characters felt fleshed out and real. Knoll has done an excellent job of getting the feel for the period, especially that weird polite mindset of young women not yet caught up in the women’s liberation movement. She’s created a consistent tension, a current of suspense that runs throughout the story, but that never veers into the sensational.
The title is a play on the words of the Florida judge who called Ted Bundy “a bright young man”. Because the story truly is about the young women here who are the bright ones, finally recognizing their own worth and intelligence. But it’s also a story about male incompetence; men wanting The Defendant to be smart to mask their own mistakes. Or in the case of a reporter, to use The Defendant as a stepping stone to his own fame and glory.
My thanks to Netgalley and Simon Element for an advance copy of this book.

[Cindy Pham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does such a good job at showing how famous American serial killers are not brilliant, charismatic, handsome men but are just ugly stupid LOSERS and only got away with their crimes due to incompetent law enforcement and their perceptions of being brilliant are due to media carrying this narrative. This is stuff we know already but it was so satisfying to see a book not hold back on showing how incompetent and ugly and loserish these men are, from the killers to the law enforcement etc and from the POV of sapphic women!

[Sloan MacDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

men are fucking ✨infuriating✨

this is obviously a 5 star book - but full disclosure I had zero fun reading it.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time someone throws shade at Ted Bundy, an angel gets its wings.

[Melissa ~ Bantering Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m taking a cue from the author, Jessica Knoll. I will not call the American serial killer at the center of Bright Young Women by his name. Because names have power, and to bring any further recognition to the monster’s memory is a dishonor to the 30+ women he murdered. Infamy is what he most wanted, this supposedly bright young man.

Instead, and again like Knoll, I will focus on the women in this fictionalized account of The Defendant’s final 1978 killing spree inside a Florida State University sorority house – the women who lost their lives and those who afterward fought to bring The Defendant to justice.

Knoll gives us two narrators: Pamela Schumacher, the president of the FSU sorority house, and Ruth Wachowsky, a missing victim of The Defendant living in Seattle. Pamela and Ruth’s stories are told in an alternating fashion, with the link between the two women being Tina Cannon, Ruth’s intimate friend. When Tina hears of the latest attacks in Florida, she travels there and works with Pamela to catch him, knowing The Defendant is the reason for both Ruth’s disappearance and the Florida tragedy.

Bright Young Women is an intense literary crime novel that combines smart storytelling with propulsive readability. And in it, Knoll knocks The Defendant down a notch by bringing to light his many ineptitudes, including his idiocy, and shows us that he wasn’t the bright young man that a judge once praised him to be. That the positive press attention was misguided and, in reality, a way for the police to cover up the mistakes that allowed The Defendant to twice escape prison and continue killing.

Knoll’s book has fired me up. I’m angry with the press for the erroneous narrative they created about The Defendant. I’m angry with the police for their bumbling mistakes. And of course, I’m most angry with The Defendant, for being the monster he was and for the women whose lives he cut short.

But I’m proud of the women in this story, though a fictionalized account it may be. I’d like to think there actually was a real-life Pamela and Tina doing their best to put The Defendant in prison, their identities anonymous and contributions minimized. In fact, I’m sure there was.

I wish I knew their names. I’d say their names over and over, to myself and all who would listen.


My sincerest appreciation to Jessica Knoll and S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for the physical advanced reading copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

[Brooke Averick · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars (I once again beg Goodreads to add a half star feature.) This was a unique and refreshing take on the T*d B*ndy murders. I really liked how the author flipped the pre-existing narrative of Bundy completely on its head. That being said, something about the book just didn’t work for me. I found the writing style confusing and every sentence felt far more complicated than it needed to be. I also thought a lot of the characters were really annoying (except for Ruth I’d never say a bad word about her.)

[Lisa of Troy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Several years ago, I was enchanted by an extremely famous podcast.

The Accused was declaring his innocence, spending his life behind bars as a result of an unjust and inaccurate conviction.

This was a serious allegation against the legal system, and The Accused sounded so sincere.

Of course, Super Lisa was going to solve this crime. I became obsessed with the case: reading the trial transcripts, pleadings, attorney notes, and reviewing the police file.

Spoiler Alert: The Accused is guilty.

But the thing is…..the thing that moved me the most was The Victim’s diary.

The media gave all of the airtime to The Accused, that The Victim’s voice was lost in the circus of amateur sleuthing and sensationalism.

The Victim’s diary transported me back to my teenage years, back to the exquisite, boundless hope of the future, endless possibilities. The Victim was experiencing all of the firsts of adulthood: getting her first car, preparing for college, waiting for decision letters, planning for her first trip to Europe. She was still enjoying the naïve innocent days of being a giddy teenager before the cynicism of life could creep in.

Not only did The Victim prove The Accused was lying, but she made me realize all that she would miss: going to college, earning a living wage (actually enjoying not being broke as a joke), sharing her life with a partner, holding her newborn baby in her arms, watching it grow up, guiding it, traveling the world.

Bright Young Women is a fictional story which focuses on the victims and survivors instead of the offenders. It proposes taking back the narrative from attention-seeking criminals.

Personally, I love the concept (especially given my above experience with True Crime), but the execution left much to be desired.

The book has two POV’s in different timelines. One follows Pamela, the sorority President who is reeling after discovering four of her sisters were attacked in her own house. The other POV is with Ruth, one of the victims.

This is one of those cases where less is more. If the author had Ruth’s diary and wove in Pamela’s experience of mourning the loss of her friend, the book could have been more moving. It felt like the author was trying to do too much. Even though this book is a bit long for a thriller, I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters—the characters didn’t speak to me. The author spent too much time on backstory, covering what seems to be the entire lives of multiple characters.

Further, the pacing was too slow. The book could use a trim of about 100-200 pages. I wanted to feel Pamela’s thoughts flicking back and forth like she couldn’t catch her breath or still her mind. Some pages I just wanted to skip to the dialogue. Ruth’s part was overly depressing with nearly everyone in her life doing her wrong.

Overall, a good reminder to question the media portrayal of true crime and a perfect book to discuss at a book club.

*Thanks, NetGalley and Edelweiss, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.

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[mimi (depression slump) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“ They will call you hysterical no matter how much dignity you have. So you might as well do whatever the hell you want. ”

There's this thing about serial killers and brutal crimes: the public tends to gravitate towards the killers - who almost always become “famous” -, but only families and friends keep remembering the victims. Their names, their normal lives, their aspirations and dreams for the future, what they were doing and where they were before getting killed… all little details in the killer's great scheme of action. We don't get fascinated by them, we don't want to know more about them; they're not individuals, but numbers.
We study the killer and everything that concerns his life - and don't get me wrong, it's extremely important to do so -, but how about them? All those movies, all those books, they're not about them, about what they've been through in their last hour of life, about what they could become. The story is about the man.
But not in Jessica Knoll’s version.

Call me mysandric, but men can't understand the psychological aspect of this story. They can try and be sympathetic, but they can't understand it as much as our fear of walking alone at night or the uncertainty when being approached by male strangers.
But we feel it, that tingle in the back of our head that reminds us of not trusting anyone, not even a good-looking guy with the best intentions. To not turn around when someone on the street calls us “gorgeous”. To move when on a bus a man is approaching our spot.
And this is what Bright Young Women is also about. Not the story of a man, but the story of his victims and his survivors, the reminder that we could all be them and that that tingle could save our life.

Jessica Knoll did not disappoint with this one. She did her research, she tried a different point of view, she decided to destroy her readers till the last chapter and went for it.
Now I could talk about things like the characters, the pace, the narration, the true details behind the story… or you could just read it.
Also, I loved the way she sneaked spoilers here and there, not only about a future we won't properly read about but even what will happen ten chapters after.
My only note is about the dual POV: I loved Pamela as much as Ruth - and their respective journeys -, but I felt like their voices were too similar; different situations and tempers, and still more than once I thought just one person could be talking.

Part of me wanted Pamela to end up with Carl - the only trustable man for the first half of the book -, but I get that this is not a love story.
On the opposite, Carl is the perfect example of how you should never trust men, not nice men, not men with cute dogs or babies, and not your childhood crush because only a few of them won't end up disappointing you.

A little last-minute warning - since I hope that I’ve now convinced you to read this: Ruth is not an easy character, it's important to remember that we don't know her story till the very end and that it takes time to acknowledge the toxic relationships in our life, and how to deal with them.
And if you are hopeful people like me, be prepared: those last chapters hit me harder than anything I've read in the last couple of months. Was it stupid of me to think that maybe she did it, she survived all along? It is, but what kind of people are we if we don't hope for the best outcome?

Last thing and then I'll let you free: I know some people were shocked when that reference to Zac Efron hit them, but the moment she describes The Defendant - aka, the killer -, I knew who this story was about.
And sure, it's fiction based on some similar true events, but look at this description:

“ But it made for a more salable story if he was portrayed as someone who did not have to kill to get his kicks, who had prospects in his romantic life and his career. […]
The Defendant peered back at me with black vacant eyes. They are scary eyes, don’t get me wrong, but what frightens me, what infuriates me, is that there isn’t anything exceptionally clever going on behind them.
A series of national ineptitudes and a parsimonious attitude toward crimes against women created a kind of secret tunnel through which a college dropout with severe emotional disturbances moved with impunity for the better part of the seventies. ”

Goosebumps.

↠ 5 stars

Thanks to Simon Element and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy publication day and don’t miss out to read my article on medium.com about Jessica Knoll’s writing style, including my extended review: https://medium.com/@niluferyozmekik/b...

Bright Young Women" is a captivating and empowering manifesto that unites a group of brave, intelligent, and resilient women on a mission to confront their biggest fears and bring a serial killer to justice. This thrilling novel delves deep into the truth, challenging societal norms, and shedding light on the mistreatment of women throughout history. It addresses issues such as slut-shaming, homophobia, and various forms of abuse, sparking important conversations and empowering readers to stand up against injustice.

The story primarily follows two compelling narratives. The first centers around Pamela, a driven and ambitious student at Florida State University. As the hardworking president of her sorority, Pamela finds herself gradually growing apart from her best friend Denise, who encourages her to break free from her studious routine and embrace the joys of life. Their contrasting perspectives add depth and complexity to the story, highlighting the struggle between personal ambitions and the desire for a carefree existence.

The second narrative revolves around Ruth Wachowsky, a resilient 25-year-old woman who returns to live with her strict mother after a difficult divorce. Ruth carries the weight of a troubled past, having been forced out of school due to her queer identity. She joins a grief counseling group to cope with the sudden loss of her father, who concealed his own sexuality and passed on a legacy of pain and denial to his daughter. It is within this group that Ruth encounters Tina Cannon, a woman who has recently lost her elderly and affluent husband. Through their deepening connection, Ruth begins to confront her suppressed feelings, gradually breaking free from the chains of societal expectations.

The paths of these two resilient women intersect when they come face-to-face with a serial killer dubbed "The Defendant," who bears an eerie resemblance to the infamous Ted Bundy. The Defendant's interview records, victim age range, and attempts to escape from prison mirror Bundy's own actions, adding an element of chilling familiarity to the story. As Pamela unwittingly becomes the only eyewitness to a horrific crime committed by the Defendant, she is thrust into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Meanwhile, Ruth's disappearance and the similarities between the Defendant's victims raise questions about her fate, adding another layer of suspense and mystery to the plot.

The narrative masterfully weaves between present-day Pamela, who receives a mysterious and potentially life-threatening letter that compels her to seek justice, and glimpses of Ruth's life prior to her disappearance in the 1970s. Pamela, Tina, and a young and eager reporter named Carl form an unlikely alliance, embarking on a quest to uncover the truth and ensure the Defendant faces the consequences of his heinous crimes. The courtroom drama that unfolds during the late 1970s serves as a riveting backdrop to their pursuit of justice, with high stakes and unexpected twists keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

Throughout the novel, the author skillfully explores themes of resilience, sisterhood, and the unyielding spirit of women determined to rise above societal constraints. The book's pages are filled with suspense, dark secrets, and spine-tingling revelations that will keep readers hooked until the very end. It is a testament to the author's talent for crafting gripping mysteries and thought-provoking narratives.

In conclusion, "Bright Young Women" is an extraordinary work of fiction that challenges societal norms, addresses important issues, and offers a thrilling journey through the lives of its courageous and resilient characters. This must-read novel will leave you questioning the status quo, rooting for justice, and applauding the power of women who refuse to be silenced.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley and Simon Element/S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for generously providing me with a digital review copy of this enthralling and thought-provoking thriller in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Whitney · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Bright Young Woman" is a peculiar genre: fictionalized true crime dealing with the Ted Bundy murders. While rife with details one might find in a true crime podcast, a large portion of the book is fiction. While Knoll does her best to focus on the women rather than on the killer in an attempt to keep from romanticizing or glorifying him, while reading "Bright Young Woman" one wonders... why? Why write about Bundy at all, when so much of what you write is fiction to begin with? Why not keep this entirely fictionalized? So no, I was not convinced that this book needed to exist in its present form, particularly when so many of the victims and victim's families are still alive to remember this horrifying time. My distaste at how this book was conceived unfortunately bled into my enjoyment of it; while this was well-written, I did not enjoy it.

[Kyre Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Conflicted on this one because while I like the idea of taking power away from “the defendant” and using the media’s use of calling him a bright young man and flipping it to focus on the “bright young women” who were victims of his crimes, I also can’t help but feel like in attempting to do so the author is still sensationalizing the defendant by writing a fictional story about his victims. I don’t know, it felt wrong. Why not use a completely fictional story conveying this same message instead of using facts of the actual defendant, his victims, and then mixing in fiction as well and blurring the lines between the two.

2 stars because it is well written and I like the idea of the book, if it had been an a completely fictional story I’d probably have loved it, but I don’t know it just doesn’t sit well with me and honestly I found myself bored with it in the middle. I know I’m in the minority on this one but it just didn’t do it for me.

[Dea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. It's billed as a mystery/thriller but is essentially true crime (a retelling of the Ted Bundy murders). I generally hate multiple POVs and timelines as nobody ever gets developed properly, and sadly this is true here - there are just too many people and threads to unravel. The beginning was strong and I appreciate that the catalyst for action (murders) happen quickly and we get into the action immediately; however, given the gripping subject matter, the book shouldn't have felt flat, slow, and monotonous for major portions. I really enjoyed the author's Luckiest Girl Alive and will look for their next effort.

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why I chose to read this book:
I received it as a Christmas gift from my daughter. She sure knows how to pick them!

Praises:
1. part fiction, part true crime, with POVs from an eyewitness as well as a victim of an infamous serial killer, this book kept me invested throughout. I broke down at the end, angry with myself for buying into the media hype;
2. clever writing, never naming the serial killer, but like the court reporter, only referring to him as the "Defendant". This reminded me of a fictional "true crime" that I recently listened to called The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard, where a chapter features a speaker who reads aloud a list of several names that the audience easily recognizes as names of serial killers, but no one recognized any of the names from a second list, which happen to be the names of their victims. So POWERFUL, yet so SAD! How many of us can name at least ONE victim?
3. author Jessica Knoll successfully showcases the incompetence of law enforcement to the "admiration" for the Defendant by the media, groupies, and the presiding judge, enough to sicken me of the societal sexual double standards displayed; and,
4. thoughts, actions, and dialogue were all so believably realistic!

Niggles: None!

Overall Thoughts:
This book really hit me hard and made me think.

It's a must-read for EVERYONE, if only to adjust our mindsets about who really are the "bright young people" in these horrific crimes. These animals are NOT "bright young men". They are narcissistic, unexceptional, misogynistic failures. In essence, they are "nothing men". Society must stop "glamourizing" their names and actions.

Let's honour the victims by remembering them with a voice and a name!

I highly recommend a nonfiction read that would go well with this book (I need to reread it myself!) It's titled The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin de Becker. Trust your gut!

[Kelly Mikolich · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been a 5-star read, but the writing was too jumbled. It jumped back and forth between different characters and four different time periods. It was hard to keep track of it all. While very detailed in some aspects of the book, other parts were lacking (like more detail about Tina and Pamela’s friendship over the many years?) But then the detailed parts just seemed repetitive. The ending seemed rushed and parts were confusing (it said records were destroyed, but then Rebecca had them?). Kind of a confusing mess, when if told chronologically from one persons POV, it would have been a lot better.

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 3 out of 5]

January 1978. A serial killer has terrorized women across the Pacific Northwest, but his existence couldn’t be further from the minds of the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee. Tonight is a night of promise, excitement, and desire, but Pamela Schumacher, president of the sorority, makes the unpopular decision to stay home—a decision that unwittingly saves her life. Startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she makes the fateful decision to investigate. What she finds behind the door is a scene of implausible violence—two of her sisters dead; two others, maimed. Over the next few days, Pamela is thrust into a terrifying mystery inspired by the crime that’s captivated public interest for more than four decades.

On the other side of the country, Tina Cannon has found peace in Seattle after years of hardship. A chance encounter brings twenty-five-year-old Ruth Wachowsky into her life, a young woman with painful secrets of her own, and the two form an instant connection. When Ruth goes missing from Lake Sammamish State Park in broad daylight, surrounded by thousands of beachgoers on a beautiful summer day, Tina devotes herself to finding out what happened to her. When she hears about the tragedy in Tallahassee, she knows it’s the man the papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer. Determined to make him answer for what he did to Ruth, she travels to Florida on a collision course with Pamela—and one last impending tragedy.

Sigh. I wanted to love Bright Young Women. I really did. And part of me did thoroughly enjoy the bright light being focused on the victims instead of the serial killer, but the execution of this book left me wanting. Perhaps thanks to its odd mix of a true crime story and a fictional “thriller,” I found myself having difficulty becoming invested in the plot. After all, the imaginary aspect to this novel lacked any real suspense or sense of foreboding, instead coming off dry and hard to wrap my head around at times.

But let me start with the positives. First off, I loved the two women at the center of this novel and their impactful dual POVs. Both were individuals content on keeping their heads down so to speak, until they were forced to confront the societal norms of the 1970s. Even better, Knoll managed to craft fully fleshed out personas rife with emotional backstories that felt true to the period instead of watered down by today’s standards.

I also enjoyed the brief appearances of true crime that bubbled up throughout the novel. Inspired by the gruesome murders of Ted Bundy, Knoll walked us through the events in a non-graphic manner while also imparting the horrors that happened over four decades ago. At the same time, however, the combination of mostly fictitious characters and very real events made it hard to swallow at times. I would actually have preferred for it to have been one hundred percent made up or honest true crime. But given this book’s ratings, it seems like I’m in the minority with this, so take my opinion with a large grain of salt.

My biggest pet peeve, however, was easily what I initially touched on. Told via multiple timelines and dual POVs, there was great promise for riveting suspense as the tale was unfurled. Instead, I was bored by many aspects of the plot, Ruth’s story arc in particular. I mean, I generally knew what crimes Bundy committed, so those facts were hardly gripping and the made up bits were missing the driving force expected of a thriller. On top of that, though, the way it was all delivered bordered on tedious with its slow pace and definite lack of tension.

All in all, the potential of this premise far surpassed the reality for me. I did enjoy the character building and thick backstories for both Ruth and Pamela, but the lack of anything that kept me spellbound made this nearly 400 page book drag on quite a bit. In all honesty, I felt I had to concentrate way too hard for what could have been one epic thriller had there been more chills and any real twists. Instead it leaned heavily on true crime and delivered a so-so drama of resilience and sisterhood. So if either of those things sound intriguing, this might be right up your alley. If, however, you’re looking for an actual thriller, you may come away disappointed. Rating of 3 stars (thanks in large part to the impeccable characters).

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Trigger warning: loss of a parent, gaslighting, sexism, kidnapping, homophobia, mention of: serial killer attack, rape, mental health problems, grooming, fatal allergic reaction, pedophilia, kidnapping, dementia

*Note on my TW: Nothing was particularly graphic, so don’t let this long list of triggers put you off unless one of the above resonates strongly for you.

**Synopsis provided by the publisher.

[Katie Colson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start out by saying that there are many well-deserved questions to be made over the moral standing and integrity behind publishing a fictionalized account of a true crime massacre.
This is based entirely on the Ted Bundy crimes and court proceedings. The only things fictionalized are the characters. I read this with my book club and heard many different sides and agree with all of them. It's a very detailed and irascible subject and I agree that Jessica Knoll toed a very serious line.
However, my personal belief is that she did an incredible job of giving life to a perspective we had yet to see. Or, at least, had yet to see depicted well.
Knoll took what she could find of a highly upsetting case that was grossly mishandled by law enforcement and news outlets, and tried to give back the voice of countless women who were silenced even in death.
Nevertheless, I can understand how those uncomfortable with the real-life consequences of this novel could find it distasteful. I have my own questions behind the usage of specific names and details.

Unfortunately, even in 2024, it is still as necessary and relevant to bring these issues to light that have been issues for years upon years.
Yes, the police protect themselves above civilians. Yes, the media has and will continue to be paid off to push certain narratives. Yes, news outlets will bulldoze their agenda in order to paint an individual as a killer or a saint. Yes, the judicial system is curated to disbelieve women, to undervalue people of color, and to enable sexual assault.

What has Velcro-ed itself to my memory is the depressingly realistic narrative.

Speaking of narrative, Pamela was so relatable to me that it heightened every emotion I had while reading her story.
Her comfort with routine, her need for normalcy, her desire for rules, and her expectation of rule-following, felt very true to my own life. I especially loved her nuanced perspective of sexuality and her questioning the necessity for heteronormative relationships. Jessica Knoll really leans into female friendships in this book and I salute her for that.


I flipped randomly to a tab within the first 60 pages and came across this beaut...
"Give me twenty minutes alone in a room with him," _____ agreed, in a ravenous, juicy way that churned my stomach. This became something of a Rorschach test over the years. There were men who cracked their knuckles while divulging to me what they would do to the Defendant if they got the chance, thinking this was some how reassuring for me to hear. But all it did was make me realize that there wasn't so big a difference between the man who'd brutalized _____ and half the men I passed every day on the street."

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal!!!

A round of applause and my immense gratitude to Jessica Knoll for writing this story and honoring women and victims everywhere.

“I’ve tried to make sense of how someone who didn’t stalk his victims in advance ended up going after the best and the brightest. And I think that’s it, the thing they all had in common—a light that outshone his. He targets college campuses and sorority houses because he’s looking for the cream of the crop. He wants to extinguish us—we are the ones who remind him that he’s not that smart, not that good-looking, that there’s nothing particularly special about him.”

I'd be lying if I said that this book didn't make me furious. The ineptitude of so many people involved in this case was disheartening to say the least. Bright young women made to look like hysterical unreliable narrators. Why? Because they were women, plain and simple. It makes me want to punch my fist into this unfair universe where women are still treated like this to this very day. Yes, we've come a long way, but we've got a lot further to go.

Nothing I say or write will do this book the justice it deserves. I can only urge each and everyone of you to read this. All. The. Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Allison Faught · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very clearly was a highly anticipated book and one that took me a while to finally get my hands on due to its popularity. It’s apparent in the reviews that this book was a hit and a clear winner in its genre to many readers.

The part I applauded the most in this book was that the killer was referred to as ‘The Defendant’ and was never once called to by name. I live in Oxford, Michigan where my community suffered the devastation of a school shooting two years ago and not only is it extremely faux pas to use the perpetrator’s name around our parts, there are many people using their best efforts to make sure much of the focus in newspapers is on the victims and the missions of the families/community instead of the perpetrator. I LOVED this message in the book and agree that the defendants shouldn’t be given so much notoriety and power as that is what they’ve wished for all along.

Although this novel is extremely brave as well as the many characters in it, I found it slow-moving at times and felt there were beefy portions that could’ve been trimmed down. The timelines jumped around a lot too which could be confusing especially for someone like me who’s got a few kids and can’t always commit to a full chapter without interruptions.

I do believe this is a great book everyone should read as its message is loud and clear even for those in the back.

4⭐️

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars rounded up

Bright Young Women tells about the real-life murders of Ted Bundy. The story begins in January 1978 in a sorority at Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee. The sorority president Pamela Schumacher wakes up at 3 am and finds several of her sisters dead.

In Seattle, Tina Cannon meets and befriends Ruth Wachowsky. Soon after their friendship begins, Ruth goes missing. Tina is determined to find out what happened to her friend and her investigation leads her to Florida and to Pamela.

What follows is the story of two women from opposite sides of the country who become eternally connected in the aftermath of tragedy and their relentless pursuit of the truth.

Bright Young Women changes the narrative of these true crime serial killer cases and instead gives a voice to the women whose lives were tragically cut short and their loved ones left behind.

The title of the book is genius. In case you didn't know when Ted Bundy was on trial the judge called him a ‘bright young man’. Jessica Knoll with her phenomenal storytelling skills proves that Bundy was in fact just your run-of-the-mill creep and proves that the women behind the cameras were the real geniuses. I also loved the fact that they never used his name but instead referred to him as ‘the defendant’.

The story itself is heart wrenching, raw, and very dark. I love it when an author can make me feel something that I typically don’t and Just like all great stories do, Jessica Knoll evokes a plethora of emotions in the reader, at times I felt angry, devastated, and uncomfortable. Bright Young Women will be one of those books that will stay with me long after reading and I highly recommend it.

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
will be available on October 3 from Mary Sue Ricci books. Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for the gifted copy!

[Laura Lovesreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

We need to focus more on victims and not the accused

Bright Young Women although not explicitly said is clearly a retelling of the TB murders. The difference in this book is not only is the accused not referred by his name and instead named as ‘The Defendant’ but the book solely focusses on the victims and survivors of that despicable thing.

It was so hard to rate this book because I enjoy reading and hearing about True Crime stories, but it 90% usually hammers on the perpetrator and figuring out why they did what they did. I loved how with this book we were only paying attention to the women and giving them a well-deserved voice. The issue is I struggled a lot with the writing. It felt very disjointed and confusing at times and that deterred me from connecting as much with the characters unfortunately.

I’m aware of the TB murders and know the story well. This book flipped the story, and I learnt about new things I wasn’t aware of before. The problem with this is I’m not sure if its accurate or not because some of the events/ names of survivors were true but it was also mixed in with fictional characters and this also played a part in confusing me and detaching me from the book slightly.
All in all I’m glad this story was told, vocalizing women’s voices only. The media should take note from this novel and stop glorifying POS!

3.5 ⭐


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⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
I've had this book on my shelf for the longest time!
And the high ratings on here is telling me to finally read it!
Fingers Crossed its a memorable read 💛💗🖤

[emilybookedup · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book!!!!! this highly anticipated fall release hits shelves tomorrow and if you haven’t pre-ordered, this is your sign 🩷💛 pro tip, get the audiobook! 🎧🎧🎧

let me start off by saying i’m really not a fan of true crime fiction. i like my murder books to be totally fiction 😂 but, i love Knoll’s work and this was one of my most anticipated fall releases. let me tell you it did 👏🏼not👏🏼disappoint👏🏼. i had a feeling this would be a great audiobook and i wasn’t wrong. the dual POVs and timelines worked SO well on audio and the two narrators let you get a good feel for each character. usually in dual POV novels, i love one much more than the other but that wasn’t the case here at all. we all know about Ted Bundy but this told the story from the POV of two women closely effected by his crimes—a bff of a victim and a victim herself. it was CAPTIVATING to hear the story from this angle—i cannot imagine the research that went into this book 🤯

as mentioned above, BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN is true crime fiction retelling the Ted Bundy. it was creative, heartbreaking, eyeopening, emotional and so much more. i was thinking about it every time i put it down but wanted to savor it as long as i could!

what i loved most about BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN is how it never mentions Ted Bundy’s name. truly not once… yet you know EXACTLY who everyone is talking about. it’s about the victims and the women that were effected by his crimes. Knoll’s writing and creativity is 100x more elevated here than in LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE (and i enjoyed that book!). this book is a deep, slow burn and very character driven but i was hooked from page 1. (FYI—chapter 1 is very graphic and hard to read,esp. knowing it's based on true events😭)

my only gripe is i wish there was an author’s note with info on her research, what is real/fiction, her process, etc. as this is based on real events. that typically pulls the story together for me so without that, it lands at 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5 for GR).

i hope you add this to your TBR this fall—it’s captivating 👏🏼

👇🏼👇🏼 MY TWO FAVORITE QUOTES:

"And I think that's it, the thing they all had in common--a light that outshone his."

"He wants to extinguish us--we are the ones that remind him that he's not that smart, not that good-looking, that there's nothing particularly special about him."

[Emma Griffioen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bright Young Women is a historical fiction thriller following the case of a notorious serial killer, who is only referred to as ‘The Defendant’ throughout the novel. One POV follows Pamela, who is the sole witness of ‘The Defendant’ the night he broke into her Florida sorority house, brutally beat two of her sisters, and murdered two of other her sisters. The other POV follows Ruth, a previous victim of the same serial killer during his atrocities committed at Lake Sammamish in Washington. The stories intersect when a woman named Tina, who was a close friend of Ruth at the time of her murder, comes to Pamela, convinced their friends were murdered by the same man.

This book was a page-turner, even though I knew how this tragedy ultimately wrapped up, that didn’t take away from my interest in the book. My only complaint is that the names of some of the victims were changed, but the names of others were their actual names, which I found a bit confusing since there did not seem like any rhyme or reason for doing this. I think it should have remained consistent throughout with all of the names being changed since this is a fictional story based on true events.

I enjoyed seeing how the two main storylines intertwined, and although the timeline seemed jumpy at the beginning, it really ended up coming together in the end. It was haunting to read about how dismissive the police were to these women, which I know was the situation in real life for this case, but as I mentioned before, 'The Defendant' remaining nameless (even though it is clear what case this book is about) helped to reclaim these women's experiences and shed no more unwarranted light on the despicable man who did this. I appreciated how Knoll did not sensationalize the story but rather positioned the women and victims as heroes seeking justice, and as the title suggests, bright young women.

This is my book club’s November book! Join us over on Instagram to read along with us: https://www.instagram.com/ejgbookclub/ 💘

[chloé ✿ · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @ page 161 💀

[Lindsay L · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Hard to put down!

A fictionalized story based on the real-life last killing spree of one of the most infamous serial killers in history. The author refused to name the serial killer as this notoriety is what they crave, instead she refers to him as The Defendant throughout the pages of this well-written, well-researched, shocking and fascinating story. I stand with the author in that decision in not naming this monster who was convicted of abusing, brutalizing and murdering 30+ women, and not convicted of the murder of countless other of his victims before he was executed.

This killer’s final spree starts in a Florida sorority house where several women are raped and murdered one horrifying night. Undetected, the sorority president witnesses the attacker leaving the house and is a key witness in the trial that comes to convict the monster who had already escaped prison twice before this final killing spree. The book provides insight into how police failed to keep this killer behind bars and how their failings lead to many more victims.

The chapters alternate between the sorority president and one of the victims leading up to her disappearance. The narratives were strong and powerful. Each perspective sharing insightful detail and layers to this tragic story.

This was a well-written, informative, atmospheric, pulse-pounding account of this horrifying time of history. Highly recommend especially to true-crime fans. I did find that a few parts of the novel were less intense and fast-paced than others which is why I didn’t give the full 5 stars.

Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!

[Tara — on semi-hiatus for health reasons; will check in when possible. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinatingly fictionalized re-telling of the horrors of serial killer Ted Bundy, with a critical difference. The story is told not in terms of the protagonist Bundy himself (who is so insignificant, small and undeserving of our focus in every way that he is not, in fact, even granted a name here (but is referred to simply as the 'Defendant'), but rather from the first person point-of-view of two key women, each of whom had the terrible misfortune to cross paths with a predator on the hunt.

Sticking close to the broad-stroke parameters of real-life crimes, with composite characterizations and new names, the author tells the story of Pamela Schumacher, a University of Florida sorority house leader, who lives through the attack that will see two of her housemates murdered and an additional two severely disfigured. Pam is pre-law, a conscientious and observant student, and an essential eyewitness whose life will be forever plagued with her tormented need to resolve the terrors of what (and whom) she witnessed and do her part to see the perpetrator captured and convicted.

The second main protagonist's story, that of twenty-five-year-old Ruth Wachowski, is perhaps even more chilling, as, unbeknownst to her amidst the ongoing details of the dramas unfolding in her young life, we, the reader, are keenly aware that Ruth is to become the Defendant's next-to-last victim.

This ambitious read is dark, compelling, complex, and meandering and will get under your skin. Crossing periods between the Florida State University attacks in 1978, the Lake Sammamish abductions in 1974, the Defendant's trial, and closure of sorts achieved forty-three years later in 2021, this is an intense and disturbing ride. Whose overarching (and strangely hopeful) message gradually becomes crystal clear.

I also thought the title was a brilliant play on what was said to Ted Bundy at his hearing and how this book never mentions the killer's name once, instead choosing to focus on who should be front and center for these stories- the bright young women who have had their lives brutally stolen away—

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book just did not work for me. This book purports to be a “fictionalized” reimagining of Ted Bundy’s rampage at the Chi Omega house at Florida State University in 1978. Except that it is not. It seems that Knoll wrote this book as a response to the renewal of interest in Bundy’s story thanks to a documentary and film by Joe Berlinger. Her purpose was to debunk the myth of Bundy as a handsome and intelligent lothario capable of disarming anyone who crossed his path. A brilliant mind who would have excelled in the courtroom if he hadn’t been held accountable for his crimes. Unfortunately, in trying to destroy the myth of Bundy, she also succeeds in erasing the stories of several of his victims for her own purposes. The real names of Bundy victims are interspersed with fictional names used to ultimately erase the stories of women who died at his hands. Nita Neary, the woman who witnessed Bundy flee the Chi Omega house becomes Pamela Schumacher, the chapter president who valiantly travels across the country to prove that Bundy is the man that killed her friends. Lisa Levy is forgotten as Denise. Pamela’s best friend who happens to share the same first name as another Bundy victim, Denise Naslund. After the attack on Chi Omega Pamela is approached by Tina, whose lover, Ruth was one of Bundy’s two Lake Sammamish victims. The character of Ruth erases the legacy of her real life counterpart Janice Ott. Knoll’s explanation of what happened to Ruth is so far fetched that you have to wonder if she actually understood the story she was tackling. Bright Young Women would have worked so much better if Knoll had completely fictionalized the story. Making it her own. Instead she picks and chooses facts that suit her while villianizing any man involved in the case. She sticks to the facts of the attack, but diminishes the work of the many agencies involved and on scene for a hick sheriff and his deputy named Officer Pickle. She makes it clear that she is disgusted with Berlinger’s films, especially the casting of Zac Efron as Bundy, but fails to mention that Berlinger based both of his works on the story of Liz Kendall. Bundy’s longtime girlfriend who finally after 40 years felt ready to speak. She also bases a character, Carl, on Richard Larsen. A journalist who actually knew Bundy before his heinous crimes came to light. But like all the male characters in her book Knoll portrays Carl as an opportunistic misogynist who is instrumental in creating the myth of Ted Bundy. Knoll conveniently ignores Ann Rule and her book The Stranger Beside Me because it does not fit into her agenda of destroying the notions of Bundy as a handsome and intelligent person. Bundy is never named in the book. Instead he is referred to as The Defendant. This is meant to diminish the man this book purports to reveal as his true self. To say that the focus is finally on the victims and not their murderer. But, it is wholly apparent who and what this book is about and by ensuring that readers know that this is another Ted Bundy book isn’t it the exact people being condemned that are being implored to read this book? While the author wants to claim that she isn’t cashing in on Bundy’s name and story because she never mentions his name isn’t she doing just that?

[Lit with Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I do not know the ted Bundy case that well so I cannot comment on whether this was simply "inspired" or basically a 1:1 with slight artistic liberties.

I think Jessica Knoll found her calling with one considering her previous two books are poorly rated. I like the angle of this one: knocking serial killers off their pedestal by showing that they aren't as cunning and crafty as they're portrayed.

Do Ruth and Pamela's povs sound the exact same? 100% but their stories are heartbreaking in different ways.

The writing style reminded me of the book within a book in The Nothing Man. Kinda journalistic style. Made it feel more like a memoir. I thought it fit the storytelling.

Overall a solid book, but that may depend on how familiar you are with Ted Bundy and his victims.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked and agreed with a lot of the feminist messages in this book: that male serial killers are often glorified and glamorized with little attention paid toward female victims and survivors, that women are labeled as hysterical and overdramatic for their emotions, and that many men are complicit in rape culture even if they have not perpetrated a rape themselves. On a thematic level, I thus appreciated Bright Young Women for putting the women in these scenarios in the center of attention.

That said I found the writing on the sentence level quite monotonous and predictable, even though the topic itself is important. The book was thus a bit of a drag for me to get through. At the same time, I totally recognize and agree with what Jessica Knoll was trying to accomplish message-wise here.

[Rachel the Page-Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say, this book has me confused. The book itself is not confusing, but I’m confused as to whether I liked it or not. Basically, this is a book about the victims of Ted Bundy, the serial killer whose judge called him a “bright young man”. The author has flipped that, and wrote about the bright young women who were taken from this world too soon. Because I’m conflicted, I’m going to go with pros and the one con with this one.

Pros:
-I love that in this book, we are celebrating both the women who were murdered, and those who survived. Ted Bundy is only known as “The Defendant”, because his name isn’t the important one in this recounting.
-The writing was great!
-This is very different look at the story of Bundy.

Con:
-I wish our main characters were real. This focuses mainly on a sorority house where two women were killed and two horribly injured. Those events did happen, but not exactly how it went in the book. The odd mixture of true crime and fictional characters is what I think totally threw me off with this book.

I’m going with a 3.5 star rating on this one. I enjoyed it, but I think I may have liked it more if the characters were real. I love the idea for this though, and how it takes power away from the small, sad man known as Ted Bundy.

(Thank you to S&S/Marysue Rucci Books, Jessica Knoll and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

[scthoughts · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found the book to be very dull even with it’s subject matter. The main characters, especially Pamela, were insufferable from the dialogue to their inner monologues. A lot of the side characters came across as cartoon villains. I understand they were being written in a certain way to be antagonizing toward the main characters to drive home a point but it became excessive. The writing and already slow pacing in general were disjointed bc of too many timeline and POV switches. It failed to keep me invested in the story.

This book is said to be "inspired by" by the true events (from the actions to the people) and a fictional version of them. Now out of genuine curiosity, why are a couple of the full names of the real life victims being used then?


I know it’s supposed to be focused on victims instead of the killer to "give them a voice" but by the end of the reading experience, it just feels like a cover/excuse to have a clearer conscience about adding another piece of media (a lackluster one at that) to the endless list of ones about Bundy.


Thanks to NetGalley and S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for providing a copy for an honest review.