I recently read Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll.
I loved it because I’m a fan of true crime. Why? The criminal brain is fascinating to me: why do they do what they do?
Jessica does a FABULOUS job of telling a semi-fictional account based on the true story of the Chi Omega murders/attacks at the hands of Ted Bundy.
Also, the author is GREAT at putting her readers IN the life of the main character, a survivor of the Chi Omega crime.

There were some grammatical errors:
1, Pg. 270: should read “how do you know…” but it reads “how do know…”
2. Pg. 327: Ted didn’t give his name with the main character, Ruth, introduced him as Ted in her internal dialogue.
3. Pg. 333: Day 14,970 is repeated twice.

If you’re looking for a spooky read for this Halloween season, Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll is a good go-to. You can request it on NetGalley now.

Extremely thought provoking, well paced, slow burn thriller that I couldn't stop reading.

The focus on the women, and the diminishing of the killer was fantastic. I was growing up in the time when the real Bundy had escaped and grew up in a world that felt surreal; so many seemingly so impressed with him, while the women he had cut off the lives of were rarely mentioned.

I was impressed with Bright Young Women, and recommend it.



Thank you to S&S / Marysue Rucci Books and NetGalley for the DRC

I just finished it & overall I enjoyed this. I had some issues (changing pov was confusing at times), but I thought it was really unique and full of discussion topics! It’s not a thriller at all though . More of a slow burn character driven literary novel. One I will be thinking about for a long time nonetheless

“Why do we know the names of the notorious serial killers and not the names of the victims whose lives were cut short?” BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN is an extraordinary story about the survivors of one of the first “celebrity” serial killers. It's a victim-centered, slower paced literary crime fiction, not a traditional thriller or serial killer trope.

Bottom line up front: I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I finished it a couple weeks ago and I haven't stopped thinking about it.

Jessica Knoll’s writing is brilliant. I don’t think I went an entire chapter without highlighting at least one sentence. Some of the imagery that her words created are indelibly imprinted in my memory. The way that she articulated a horrific and traumatic event from the survivors’ perspective was some of the best (and most accurate) I’ve ever read. It gave me chills! It perfectly encapsulated her intentions with this story – to be the “antidote to Dahmer” – and she succeeded.

She showed us a world that amplified a serial killer, found fault with the victims, and subjected women to rampant sexism and unrealistic expectations. And in the midst, she alluded to how this world helped open the door to a societal true crime obsession and a newer generation’s critique of it. She wrote an impactful and effective story without being heavy-handed or ever losing sight of the victims. It was incredibly thoughtful and well done.

Huge thank you to Simon Element Publishers, NetGalley, and the author for the arc. It’s easily one of my favorites this year.

I’ve loved all of Jessica Knoll’s books so far, so I had a feeling this one would go right along with the others. Although, I didn’t love it as much as Luckiest Girl Alive, I still enjoyed it.

I’m a sucker for a good serial killer story, especially when it’s set in the 70s like this one is. Jessica Knoll always writes a good complex female MC; one that you root for throughout. She does a great job at setting up the story and following through the entire time, leaving me wanting more.

I loved Luckiest Girl Alive, which was written by Jessica Knoll so I had a feeling this would make me feel the same and Knoll didn’t disappoint! Knoll does such a great job telling women’s stories. They may not be pretty but she does it well. I love that her female characters are so complex and there’s no black or white. It’s all grey. Also, I think this book is releasing at the perfect time where stories like Ted Bundt’s are being adapted for the screen. All these stories are being sensationalized and Knoll does a great job bringing us back to center.

BOOK REVIEW: Bright Young Women x Jessica Knoll
💀 💀
Goodreads Rating: 4.03/5
My rating: 5/5 ☠️ ☠️ ☠️ ☠️ ☠️
Read this if you’re interested in a new story to Ted Bundy
💀 💀
I *loved* every aspect of this book. I loved that the title was a changed direct quote from when the judge told Ted Bundy he was a “bright young man” and the author changed it to focus on the people who really mattered. I loved that this book focused so much on the misogyny during this time period, even when addressing something as horrific as what Bundy did. I love that the protagonist wanted to ensure that Ted be remembered for the monster he was versus what popular culture made him out to be. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars, I LOVED it and will definitely reread in the future.

I loved this book, it was so welcome as a way to reframe how we have talked about serial killers versus victims. Jessica Knoll deftly explores a needed feminist take on a sorority murder by an infamous person and gives the experience to the women involved, gives readers voices and important insights and themes to delve into.

All I can say is that this was a wow this was good read for me, it is engrossing, well paced, thoughtfully researched and well written, and a powerful and still timely story about how we treat women and violence against women.

I thank Simon and Schuster, Book Club Favorites, and Simon Element for the review copies, I was fortunate to receive this on NetGalley but also as an audiobook and physical book. The audiobook is particularly great with narration from Sutton Foster.

I finally DNF'd around 40%- I was pretty bored TBH. The premise sounded interesting but the 2 timelines/storylines hadn't yet come together really and I was slightly confused at the timeline and also it just dragged. I felt like not much was happening and I was apathetic towards the characters.

Suspenseful, yet beautifully written. I wanted to continue picking up the story to see how the character’s lives played out over the timeline.

I loved Jessica Knoll's first book, so I was excited to read this new book. This seems to be a larger trend right now - serial killer books from the voice of the women victims. The publisher called this book an "antidote to Dahmer," which really drew me in. I loved that this wasn't the typical serial killer thriller. Instead, this book changes the narrative of the true crime trope, giving voice to the women who were brutally killed (and this book had many violent scenes that were tough to read). Overall, really fantastic book. You could tell how much research went into the novel, and the tension felt real, raw and dark. It definitely made me uncomfortable, and any book that does that is a must-read in my world. Thank you Net Galley for the early copy.

Bright Young Women is a loosely fictionalized retelling of the Ted Bundy murders. It follows Patricia Shumacker, Chi O president, as she navigates the time of the murders and life after the murders.

I was taken off guard by how similar this fictionalized story was to the real events. So much so that Kimberly Leach and Caryn Campbell's real names were used. Lake Samamish made an appearance, too. Some of the names were changed and, while it was an intresting book that kept me engaged and reading, it felt icky. It felt strange not knowing what was actually true and what was actually fiction. I had an ARC so I am unsure if these facts are addressed in the actual publication but it just felt wrong to use the victims real names in print. I know I will more than likely be the minority in this. As an avid true crime reader, it felt like she did her research and then just changed it for whatever suited the story in the authors brain and not what actually happened. If you are going to base a fiction book off real events then at least change the locations and the names of the victims. Let the audience know that is real and what is not. Again, it just felt icky to me.

Bright Young Women is based on the murders at a sorority house by one of the most well known serial killers in America.
Pamela is the chapter president of her sorority. She decides to stay in one evening when the rest of her sisters go out. When she awakes, she finds two of her sisters killed and two more seriously injured. Pamela is pulled into the middle of a media circus and is left with so many questions.
I did really like the beginning of the book, but I really started to lose interest after the second narrator was added. I also wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. However, over all it was interesting to learn more about these real life events an I enjoyed the premise.

I'd consider myself someone pretty familiar with "The Defendants" crimes, so that could potentially be why this one fell flat for me. I was looking forward to this different angle to highlight the victims and how their loss affected the lives around them. Unfortunately, we get the reality of the media grossly misrepresenting Ted Bundy's integrity based on his looks and how it affected his overall trial & public perception.

This story goes between one of Ted Bundy's last crime sprees at Florida State University in 1978, back to 1974 to a previous crime he commits, and present time. We meet Pamela in 1978, the sorority house president who witnesses his attack. Earlier in 1974, Tina is introduced with her friend who also goes missing, Ruth. The two stories intersect in the "present" day as Pamela & Tina hope to see justice for the victims they do, and don't have connections with. 

They describe this as a thriller, but I'd call it more psychological suspense if you have no previous Ted Bundy knowledge. They do build a lot of tension with the courtroom scenes, but overall this didn't build as much emotion in me as I thought the nature of the subject would. It is shocking to read a lot of the logistical steps that occur directly after a crime and how quickly the ones involved are expected to go back to life as they know it. 

Overall, gave this 3.5 stars, as I did think this was a littttle click-bait-y for the author to use Ted Bundy, a notorious serial killer that continues even now to get true crime notoriety via podcasts, Netflix specials, etc. I was hoping the intertwined plots would lead more to the "thriller" plot description taking a different angle, though these events are also based in truth so it's a delicate line. 

I got through this pretty quickly and do like this author, I remember loving Luckiest Girl Alive way back when & wouldn't be discouraged from her Jessica Knoll's future work.

Expected publication: Sep 19, thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC. 

*SPOILER*


Pamela realizes she went missing herself for several days when she was a child in Florida?? Alludes to some outstanding trauma from that & "feeling the connection" to coming back to Florida, but I thought that was an odd addition that could make for another whole story.

We are always so fascinated with a serial killer and his motives, what drives him to commit these horrific murders. They live long in our memories. This book makes us stop and think of the victims and their lives and stories. Told from three womens perspective, Pamela, Tina and Ruth. The book focuses on the infamous Ted Bundy and his killing spree but really gives a back story on some of the women that are caught in his path. He is never mentioned but the reader knows. A masterpiece.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Despite what click-bait articles would have you believe, true crime has been popular entertainment for centuries. What is new, is the more nuanced look at why and if we’re focusing on the right parts of true crime. Bright Young Women fits perfectly within this new conversation. Told from the perspective of the victims and loved ones of one of pop culture’s most popular serial killers, the book makes the point, quite effectively, that he is not the interesting part of the story - the women are.

In fact, I found the parts about the actual crimes the least engaging, perhaps because I’ve heard the story so many times already, and was much more interested in the parts that examined the other ways women are routinely disregarded.

This author always delivers with some intense thrillers, and I loved the premise of this one. As always, I enjoy her work and look forward to more!

Three women's lives intersect across decades of time in this thought provoking story that examines evidence often overlooked in relation to one of America's most infamous serial killers.

Pamela is the president of her sorority at FSU in 1978 when a man breaks into their house in the middle of the night and brutalizes three of her sisters. On his way out the door, Pamela catches a glimpse of his face and becomes dedicated to helping the police hunt him down.

On the other side of the country, Tina and Ruth meet each other in a grief support group, and when Ruth goes missing, Tina is determined to find her.

Tina crosses paths with Pamela after the attack on her sorority, and together their bonds strengthen each other as they do what they can to have justice brought to the attacker.

This book is a heart wrenching look at the gender politics of the 70s, the complexity of grief, and the revitalizing power of sisterhood. It's worth knowing that it's emotionally heavy, slower paced, literary story more than it is an action packed thriller. It's still an incredibly powerful story, but if you're a mood reader, plan accordingly.

Knoll never uses the name of the serial killer, so I kept it out of my review as well, but she was inspired to write this story after she saw how incompetent law enforcement's approach to tracking Bundy was, and the severity of those consequences are felt heavily through fictional women who were affected by his crimes. The characters are loosely inspired by women who were near the real life case, which effectively conveys an unforgettable lesson about the ramifications of women not being heard.

A killer strikes a sorority house on the Florida State campus and Pamela sees the killer as he leaves. Pamela is prelaw and smart- a leader and a detail-oriented person, President of the sorority. But she must beg for the police to listen to her. When her path crosses with Tina, they make the connection that the killer may be the same man who killed Tina's best friend, Ruth, and others. But making the police and the press believe them and not make The Defendant out to be a brilliant mastermind instead of just a product of bad policework is next to impossible.

This book is told from Pamela, Tina, and Ruth's perspective and never calls the serial killer by anything other than The Defendant (aka Ted Bundy). I was riveted by this fast-paced book, and it took great restraint to finish it before going on a google spree. If you like fictionized true crime, this action packed but character driven book is for you. It is in the vein of I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai, but this book is faster, and the two mysteries and main women seem to make this a richer book. I really enjoyed its cross section of true crime serial killer and a look into how crimes against women and how the police (and their families) treated women.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review. This book is going to be everywhere this fall and deserves it.

This was a wonderful book. A great Thor ill er that kept me guessing the whole time. I would recommend this to all thriller lovers!