Bright Young Women, based around Ted Bundy's killings, gives us the viewpoint of what the smart women centered in this story went through as well. Hearing both Pamela and Ruth's viewpoints really makes us feel as though we were there and can feel what they were going through.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

To all the girlies who love fiction based on real true crime, here's another one!

So this follows the women affected by Ted Bundy's crime spree. There's Pamela, the sorority house president who managed to catch a glimpse of him on the night he murdered two sorority sisters and brutalized two more. And there's Ruth, a woman who went missing from Lake Sammamish.

The author makes the choice to only refer to him as 'the Defendant' throughout the novel and strip him of the things people love to romanticize and glamourize about him, pointing out that he was nothing more than an average man who went on to do unspeakable things. The judge that handed down Bundy's death sentence complimented him and called him a 'bright young man'. So I love that just the title of this book makes a statement about what's inside. This is really about the women who were affected and whose lives were cut short.

Without even using the horrific details of his crimes to disturb the reader, this book is just as hard hitting and thought provoking. These women are so well written they come alive on the page. It's not hard to connect with them and feel for what they're going through.

If you're familiar with the cases at all, there's not any new information to found here, just a new perspective. A pretty powerful perspective in my opinion. Well worth the read.

Inspired by true crime and the Ted Bundy murders, this psychological suspense novel is a fictional retelling that explores the resilience and strength of the victims who survived the terrible attacks in the face of a human monster who the press seem to be fascinated with.

The book begins in January 1978, when a Florida sorority house is the target of a calculated act of violence at the hands of a man who later came to be referred to as the "All American Sex Killer." (Ew) Later, that same despicable human will go on to attack again across the country and will lay the groundwork for two women to come together seeking justice. The novel flashes back and has alternating timelines.

I love that a synopsis described this as "a novel that flips the script on the oft-perpetuated glorification of a sadistic but ultimately average man and instead turns the spotlight on the exceptional women he targeted.” I appreciate that attempt. I don't think this a book I would read again, as I am not really a fan of true crime and something about fictionalizing actual murders still made me a bit uncomfortable. If you're a true crime fan that wants it in fictional format, I would recommend this novel for you.

This book was disturbing, heartbreaking, and filled me with rage.
It was such unique spin on the typical serial killer stories with such a strong emphasis on the victims. There was so much truth and reality to how media, gender stereotypes, and society negatively impact female victims. This book was more true crime than thriller but there were so still many bone-chilling and heart-racing moments.
The main characters were strong, relatable women fighting for justice in a society stacked against them. There is a lot to unpack and digest about this book and I will be thinking about it for awhile.

Definitely one of the top 5 books I've read this year. I can't stop thinking about it and I'm sure it will probably be on my mind for quite a while. Highly recommend to anyone that's interested in the true crime genre. The author put quite a spin on a well known story

This was amazingly written. I adored the focus the author put on the women, and also on their loved ones. Pamela and Tina’s perseverance knows no bounds, and I really admired how far their search for justice took them. Even as their lives were forever changed, they fought for their friends, for themselves, and for women everywhere. An absolutely incredible read. *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent story of two women who are profoundly affected by a serial killer who has alluded law enforcement for several years. Pam and Tina met each other under the worst of circumstances. Pam has survived a sorority house attack that left two girls dead and two girls brutally beaten. Tina has lost her girlfriend whom she is extremely close to. What follows is a heartbreaking story of these two women’s fight for justice when the justice system failed them and their communities many times over. Definitely one of the best books I have ever read.

This is my favorite book of 2023 so far. I loved the characters so much: their passion, their uncertainties, their growth, and their strengths. Others doubt these women and second guess them, but their power triumphs, even amidst tragedy. This was a profoundly moving and engaging read.

Great book, I really enjoyed the tale. The story follows a young woman at a sorority as a tragedy occurs during her time there. The book was very well researched, the characters were extremely well-thought out and the timelines were well done. I enjoyed the way the story would explain to you where you were in reference to the tragedies by using Day 1, etc. I have read other books by Jessica Knoll and this is no different. Bringing a very obvious and clear individual who we all know at least a little about to life is a tall order, but it was very well done.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 stars

As a huge fan of "Luckiest Girl Alive" and true crime, I was thrilled to get to read this in advance. And it did NOT disappoint!

Pamela is the president of Chi Omega at Florida State in 1978, and the only one to see the face of the man who broke into the house and brutally murdered and assaulted her sorority sisters. If you, like me, have a guilty pleasure true crime obsession, you think you know exactly where this is going. We've all heard so much about this man. How good-looking he was, how charismatic, how intelligent--such a "bright young man".

But if you take a closer look, as Jessica Knoll did in this story, you might wonder, why did he only get into one law school, and with falsified records? Why was his spoken and written English below high school level? Did he actually engineer two escape attempts because of sheer genius, or because of lax security? Were all these claims of his greatness accurate, or merely strategy by more mediocre men to cover for their own incompetence?

And besides that, what of all the bright young women whose lives he cut short or otherwise impacted? This is a story told from 3 perspectives--Pamela in present day and in 1978-79, trying desperately to get justice for her fallen friends, and Ruth in 1974, leading up to her disappearance that same year.

I read a lot of horror, and this is marketed as a thriller/mystery (IMO it had a strong women's fiction slant), so I didn't expect for it to scare me, especially considering how familiar I am with the real case. But there were some scenes in this that genuinely chilled me--particularly the deposition scene.

I loved Pamela, and overall, this was a really compelling read that brought out some #femininerage and made me reconsider what I thought I knew about an infamous American serial killer (if you were still unsure, yes, it's Ted Bundy). I definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll is an eye-opening take on the Florida State sorority murders from 1978.

"On a night full of promise, a killer invades a sorority house on the campus of Florida State University. Two girls are killed and two are seriously injured. Pamela, the chapter president, sees the killer as he exits the house and is the only eye witness. Law enforcement is slow to believe her. She teams up with Tina, a woman who believes the killer targeted a good friend of hers. Together they look for answers and justice for all of the girls."

This is a great perspective from Knoll. What effect did the assault and murders have on the friends and families of the victims. The killer is never named but everyone knows who it was. Knoll takes away some of his mystique by refusing to name him and also telling the full story about his background and true capabilities.

Pamela is in shock and her behavior afterwards make you wonder what she was thinking. There was no PTSD in the 70s and she was dismissed as a woman. I liked the woman that she became.
I liked Tina because she was determined to be herself and find justice for her friend.

This is a great story for putting the attention back on the victims - the ones who really matter in this story

Great story from Knoll

I recently had the pleasure of diving into the compelling world of Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll, and I must say that it left quite an impression on me. Combining suspense, ambition, and a powerful dose of female empowerment, this book managed to keep me hooked from beginning to end.

Knoll’s writing style is sharp and evocative, effortlessly bringing the characters and their stories to life. The plot revolves around a group of driven and fiercely intelligent women who navigate the cutthroat world. Their desires, secrets, and struggles are beautifully intertwined, creating an intricate web of relationships that kept me guessing until the very last page.

All in all, Bright Young Women is a thought-provoking and captivating read that explores themes of ambition, secrets, and the resilience of women. If you’re looking for a book that combines a compelling plot with deep character development, I highly recommend giving this one a try. Jessica Knoll’s storytelling prowess shines through, making this a worthwhile addition to your reading list.

I loved Luckiest Girl Alive and was hoping I would fall in love with this book, but it fell extremely flat for me. The Ted Bundy concept is so over done and honestly so irrelevant. Nothing in the book felt original or compelled me to read on. I had to force myself to get through this initially thinking oh maybe it’s a reading slump… nope it’s just not that good.

This book was different than what I was expecting but in a good way. It gave me a true podcast feel reading the novel while following Ruth and Pamela’s timelines.
I enjoyed the multiple viewpoints that followed Pamela who was trying to solve her friend’s murder, and Ruth who was a victim of the serial killer.
The end had me bouncing on my toes waiting to see how it all unfolds.
I would definitely recommend this book to all my thriller loving friends.
In my opinion, the book was a bit heavy at times which had me taking longer to finish it than normal. Not a bad thing but just an observation.

“Bright Young Women” is a novel inspired by the brave, heroic women that survived the horrific murderous spree of a serial killer, haunting a sorority at Florida State University in Tallahassee. Pamela Schumacher, sorority president, finds herself in the middle of the mysteries, doing whatever she can to bring justice to her sisters.

As a separate, yet intertwined storyline, Tina Cannon meets a young woman, Ruth Wachowsky, and the two are immediately connected. When Ruth goes missing, Tina finds herself in the middle of this mystery, while also connecting the story to the FSU murders.
Tina and Ruth work together and build a bond over the friendships they’ve lost, and horrifying traumas they’ve endured.

Knoll does an incredible job of interviewing the two stories and building to the final trial. While subject matter is sensitive, I enjoyed how the story focused on the women impacted by horrifying experiences, rather than the killer himself. It was refreshing to see a story from the lens that truly matters, rather than a glamorized serial killer tale. The novel addressed important issues and built weaving storylines that made me want to know more. In the beginning I felt slightly confused by the back and forth, but caught on quickly once I felt more attached to the story, specifically Pamela’s.

Tina and Ruth prove to be “Bright Young Women”, fighting for justice, sisterhood, and truth. Would recommend!

📚: Pretty Young Women by Jessica Knoll (@jessicaknollauthor)
⭐️: 4.25/5 (rounding down on #goodreads)

This book was excellent. Truly excellent. And completely different from Jessica Knoll's previous work with Luckiest Girl Alive. 

With dual narrative POVs (and a time jump), we meet Ruth, present day Pamela, and 1970s sorority girl Pamela at FSU. A fictional retelling of Ted Bundy's final killing spree, we meet the girls that were - and women that are - impacted by his serial killings. Taking the angle of personifying (and humanizing) those that were killed and witnesses to it, Bundy's name isn't mentioned until a whisper of a mention in the final few pages. 

A heavy read that is absolutely not an #inonesitting (not a bad thing!), minus one star for a lagging middle section of the book, but otherwise shows incredible storytelling. (Two narratives, a time jump, and zero confusion for the reader as to what is going on and when - phew!) This read was empowering and moving - I only wish it was a work of non-fiction rather than fiction. 

Big thanks to @_simonelement via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Bright Young Women is out next week, September 19th!

Bright Young Women shares the story of how two young women from opposite sides of the country are brought together by two terrible acts of violence committed by an infamous serial killer whom they refer to as "The Defendant".

The story is a telling from different points of view of a woman gone missing believed to have succumbed at the hands of The Defendant in 1974 in Washington State, the telling for the hours prior to and days following a horrible massacre at a sorority house in Tallahassee Florida given by the president of the sorority from 1978 to current times. It's a perspective from the victims and those closest to the victims and their efforts to seek justice and truth for their friends.

I found Bright Young Women to be an interesting read! It gives a rare perspective into the psyches of the victims versus focusing on the psychosis of the accused. The only draw back was the story could jump a little too much resulting in confusion for the reader. Overall, one of the better non-fiction, true crime books that I've read and good development of the subjects of the story for the reader to develop a compassion and interest in their stories.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon Element for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bright Young Women exceeded any and all of my expectations. Initially, there was apprehension that the novel may over dramatize or fictionalize things that occurred in a way that would not honor the victims; however, Jessica Knoll took such care in preserving the victims and absolutely annihilating The Defendant as the scum he was. As an avid true crime consumer, I already had some knowledge of his crimes, but this novel truly delivered on giving his victims and their loved ones their chance to tell their story.
I was often infuriated with the aspects of the truth on how these women were cast aside by people in positions to protect them. Whereas they had lives and futures to be cherished, a murderer was branded as charming, intelligent, and a “bright young man.”
Knoll fed me the fuel to be angry about these injustices while simultaneously galvanizing my hope for the future of womankind.
For sure a 5 star new favorite.

I was born in Utah the year Ted Bundt was arrested, released, and then eventually tried and convicted on kidnapping charges before being extradited to CO to face murder charges there. Ted Bundy and his eventual serial killer status were part of the vernacular of my childhood. This book was eerily similar to Bundy’s reign of terror and sent me back to the campfire horror stories of my youth. I loved the alliance between the MCs and their determination to see justice served. It was an engrossing and entertaining book from beginning to end.

Bright Young Woman had me HOOKED from the beginning and is sure to be something true crime fans will like.

It's a Saturday night in 1978 and Pamela is set to have a fun night with her friends. She's soriority president and ready to set an example for the women of the house. What she doesn't think is how she will navigate two deadly murders that night. Or what happens when she is the only woman to see the man, presumed killer.

On the other side of the United States is Tina. Tina is sure her missing friend, Ruth, was taken by wanted All-American Sex KIller, and that he is Pamela's guy. The two, Pamela and Tina, join forces to find exactly who is doing the killings and how to stop it for good. Especially since the justice system doesn't seem to give a care.

Jessica Knoll's latest, Bright Young Women, is a page turner! With short chapters and multiple points of view, this one kept me on my toes (even though I knew it was the story of Ted Bundy). I even did some research between readings about the killer himself and WOW was Jessica's writing very much the same to what happened. However; she paints the focus on the woman, not ever naming the man in question. A move that I consider fantastic because of the history uncovered about the infamous serial killer.