Really interesting premise - the book is a fictionalized account of some of the victims of Ted Bundy (although his name is not used in the book to take the power/focus away from him) and debunks the myth that he was intelligent and charming. It was very character driven and you connected with Pamela and Ruth intensely towards the end. The way the women in this book were treated (by the police, their families, etc.) was abhorrent but true to that time period.

Bright Young Women is a thriller told from different point of views and following a timeline. The book could be difficult for some women to read based upon the subject matter, but was very well written.

“Bright Young Women” by Jessica Knoll is a novel inspired by Ted Bundy’s serial killings. The story opens in Florida State University’s Chi Omega sorority, and follows Pamela through the terrifying events of her sister’s murders. Ruth, a friend of the Seattle victims becomes determined to help Pamela and find the man who killed these girls. Books often focus on the killer, but this novel chooses to look at the women who have been affected by the actions of this killer, and how their promising lives have been cut short.

Ted Bundy is not actually mentioned in the novel, so this book isn’t about him. It is inspired by real events. I love how the focus is on the perspective of the victims. At a time when our nation glorified the “All American Sex Killer”, our protagonist is able to see that “The Defendant” is just a nose-picking law school drop out. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and S&S / Marysue Rucci Books for the DRC of this novel. “Bright Young Women” will be published on September 19th, 2023.

I thought this was a well-done true crime book! The back and forth was excellent, and I appreciated the dual timelines.

I enjoyed this, but it wasn't quite what I was hoping for, suspense-wise. I appreciate the pivot toward a focus on the victims and survivors rather than the bizarre hyperfixation on serial killers that most true crime perpetuates, though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this.

Wow I loved this. This gave me similar feeling that I got when I read Notes on an Execution-- Although very different.

I think this novel was written in a unique way. I liked the time stamps and the jumps and the timing of the novel to really draw me in.

I think this will end up on a lot of best of lists!

I devoured this book. Jessica Knoll does an incredible job of taking the bones of a real life story and threading a captivating fictional story around it. Knoll keeps the real locations, victim’s names, and deaths tied to Ted Bundy and weaves three fictional women’s stories together opening up the book with the sorority murders in Florida.

The book focuses on sisterhood, strong women who push against societal views, who feel grief but find ways to push forward against adversity, women who are determined to lift each other up and get the justice deserved for the women gone from their lives too quickly. The alternativing POVs and three separate timelines are easy to follow and the characters are so well developed I never wanted to put this book down.

I really appreciated that Knoll has the character, Pamela, consistently refer to the Ted Bundy inspired killer only as “the defendant” and minimizes the myth surrounding him and his actions. It’s too often in society we focus on the serial killer and mythologize them and make them to be more than they really were. Knoll consistently reminds us her killer (and subsequently Bundy) was nothing extraordinary. Even though the book is fiction, it’s something we should consider doing to all offenders moving forward. The true crime community always wants to place more emphasis on the victims and perhaps this is the best way to do it. I also appreciated that she named the book “Bright Young Women” in defiance to the judge in the real Bundy murder trial calling him a “bright young man” once again Knoll places emphasis on the victims and the lives that should never have been lost.

Thank you to Simon Element for this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

We all know of The Defendant. We’ve heard his story, we’ve watched endless hours of documentaries, spanning decades. We’ve heard his voice, listened to his own words, watched his interviews, marveling that the dapper man in the turtleneck was such a vicious monster. He is notorious. Only recently, in the last five-ish years has there been a push to remember the victims. Remember their names. Make them into human beings, whose lives were stolen. Taken. All of the Bright Young Women. All of their potential, all of their futures. All of their everything.

Bright Young Women was astounding. It was a difficult read. It was staggering, sobering, heartbreaking. It was a reminder of what it is like to be dismissed because you’re a woman. To be questioned because you’re a a woman. To be diminished because you’re a woman.

Jessica Knoll has only gotten better with time. The writing in this book was strong. Strong doesn’t seem fair enough to describe it. It was one of the most impactful books I’ve read this year.

Bright Young Women was my kind of book. It’s a slower burn, crime (almost true crime as it’s based on the Ted Bundy killings) fiction story that might not be for everyone. I say that because it reminds me of other slow burn crime stories that I loved that others found “boring.” To me, it was anything but. If you were a fan of I Have Some Questions For You, this WILL be for you. I was captivated just being pulled along in the seventies setting, which is a time period that I always love reading about…especially if it’s a crime story. For some reason, those stories always have a strong sense of time and place, and this was no exception. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for my advance copy of this book.

Pub date: 9/19/23
Genre: suspense, fictionalized true crime
Quick summary: Pamela and Tina are connected by their experiences with the All-American Sex Killer - this is their story of reckoning with his crimes and trying to bring him to justice.

Too often, true crime focuses on the perpetrator rather than the victims and those they leave behind. I really liked that Knoll chose to focus on Pamela, a member of the sorority house where an attack took place, as well as Tina, a friend of a presumed victim. The story moves between their two perspectives across various timepoints as they look for the truth.

Unfortunately, there were a few too many time and perspective shifts for me to keep track of, and they kept me from being fully immersed in the story. That being said, the ending was very strong, and I think this is a worthwhile read for fans of true crime!

Thank you to Simon Element and S&S/Marysue Ricci Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not being someone who is into true crime, this did keep my attention and I loved that it gave the side of the story that should be told. Who were the victims, what it was like to be a witness to something like that, especially at the time. I found the topics infuriating, knowing that we have come so far but also knowing that we still have a lot of work to do.
Similar to the book, Know My Name, a book that should be required reading, they talk about the defendant's sex appeal, intelligence, and charm. Bright women know better and deserve justice and for the initial narratives to change.

Thrillers are a new genre for me as I continue to read some amazing books on NetGalley from fantastic authors. I won't lie when I tell you I had no idea who Jessica Knoll was, but I'm sure glad I found out. This book had me on the edge of my seat from page 1.

I appreciate so much that Jessica Knoll has written a book about survivors of a crime, with focus on the victims. We need more books like this. However, the writing style was not for me. Some authors have a style that my brain does not like, necessitating me rereading sections, making the experience unpleasant. Since I was simultaneously reading another book (a classic thriller) and had no trouble, I can only assume that my reading preferences do not mesh with this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Marysue Rucci Books for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Element/Simon & Schuster for this Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for my honest review.

Bright Young Women is a fictionalization of the Ted Bundy serial killings. The story bounces between the store of Ruth, a woman killed in Washington; Pamela, the President of a sorority in Florida, where several of her sisters were attacked, and Tina, the woman who ties the two others together.

The story is a perfect mix of true crime and women's fiction. The story shows strong women and has clear themes of determination, sisterhood and sheer will.

I appreciated that this dark story was made more relatable by the characters and their reasons for continuing to seek justice. The author also showed respect to the victims of the real crimes by never once using the real killer's actual name. The character of Pamela was likeable and added so much to the overall story. The story itself is dark and heavy, but Bright Young Women made it more palatable.

I found the multiple narrators and bouncing of timelines to be a tad bit hard to follow at times but overall enjoyed this book and found that it picked up in the second half of the book.

I would recommend this book to my fellow "Murderinos" out there or those that like historical fiction with a true crime twist.

I loved this book! I will definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Wow, this is a complex, intense thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Very well written, it tells the story of the real life murder of 2 sorority sisters in the late 70s by the notorious Ted Bundy. Without naming the killer, the author focuses on the victims, how smart they are (thus the title), and how they come together to try to solve these murders. I would call this a feminist retelling of the Bundy murders, and by not giving name to the 'defendant', the women are highlighted here and portrayed not as victims, but as resilient sisters driven to catch the man that murdered their friends.

The timelines alternated between present day, 1974, and 1978, when the trial takes place. There are no graphic details describing the crimes, but it was sometimes challenging keeping up with the pacing, timelines, and various points of view.

This so reminded me of the movie 'Promising Young Woman' starring Carey Mulligan. This is the authors 2nd book , and I look forward to seeing what she will do next!

WOW! What an amazing book from Jessica Knoll! I could not put this book thriller down. Super impressed with how she weaved the story over several characters and timelines. Definitely add this book to your to be read pile! You will not be disappointed!

Bright Young Women is fantastic. The dual POVs work really well. I love the fresh perspective on the Bundy murders.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital arc.

A fictionalized retelling of a serial murders in the 1970s. This novel centers the victims rather than sensational if the killer. The story is maddening not only for the killing of innocent lives but also for the gross disregard for the victims and the way the murderer charmed so many.

Initially, I didn't understand the purpose of retelling the Ted Bundy story, but as I got into it the impact of not saying his name and telling the story from the perspective of the women became more apparent. The more I think about it, the more I feel how significant it is to finally have the story of the women told, even if it is fictional. And a stark reminder of how incredibly low the bar is for men. A mass murderer was still complimented and praised by the judge sentencing him. Wild.