Such a good book! Even though I grew up in Wa State I didn’t realize how closely this book paralleled Ted Bundy’s murder spree. Especially the attack in a sorority house! Being from Washington and working locally in a PNWbookstore I can’t wait to recommend this to my customers. This was so well written and I loved the strong female characters throughout the different timelines.

Bright Young Women, the latest novel from Jessica Knoll, is a fictional account of a true life event. Almost everyone remembers/is aware of the serial killer, Ted Bundy but do people remember the names of the girls he killed? Bright Young Women focuses on the story of a surviving witness as well as a young woman who did not survive her encounter with The Defendant, as Bundy is referenced in the novel (never is he named).

Pamela is a pre-law major and president of her sorority at Florida State University, a sorority made up of smart women. She encounters The Defendant at 3 AM as he is leaving the sorority house after committing heinous acts. Ruth is a young woman from Washington state, making changes in her life that bring her happiness. Bright Young Women intertwines their stories as well as moves from past to present day, resulting in a well-paced, engaging read. The reader also learns how the incompetence of those in authority helped create the myth of The Defendant as a clever, charming man.

Not only will those with an interest in true crime stories enjoy the refreshing perspective of this novel, those who are interested in great writing and compelling characters will also want to read Bright Young Women.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read the digital ARC.

DNF at 58%

I went into this book blind, so it took me quite a while to realize that this is a fictionalized account of Ted Bundy's murder spree, told through the lens of the women involved. At first I liked the focus being on the female victims and survivors, but once I realized the Bundy connection and that the author was fictionalizing actual murder victims (which included changing their names, the exact opposite of bringing awareness to the real women) I started feeling uncomfortable with it. That, combined with the slow pace and lack of flow, made me decide to DNF.

WOW. I LOVED "The Luckiest Girl Alive," so I was SO excited to read this one, and a little nervous that it wouldn't live up to my expectations and hopes, but it ABSOLUTELY did. The story, told from a multi-timeline, multi-pov perspective tracks a suspected serial killer through his victims and survivors. "The Defendant" has allegedly been on a spree across several states, had escaped from prison, and went to Florida where he allegedly murdered two sorority girls and a neighbor, while injuring two others. Pamela is the only witness to that crime, the only one tying him to the murders. The problem? No one believes her, and thinks that it was one of the victim's boyfriend--because of COURSE that's who it would be, it's the 70's afterall. But Tina believes her, because Tina has been trying to stop him for awhile. But who really is Tina? Who is "The Defendant"? Who can Pamela trust? Who IS Pamela?

This book also touches on what it was like to be a lesbian during that time, and it broke my heart and infuriated me--it was so well written and indicates that we've come a long way but at the same time, not a lot has changed regarding how we treat women who love women.

"Bright Young Women" is the PERFECT title for the book, and I think at least one of the characters will resonate with any woman who reads it. Ruth, Tina, and Pamela are all such interesting characters, all so different. Tina is what Pamela secretly wants to be, but she can't shake her good-girl image and stop people pleasing to live for herself, even after tragedy struck. Ruth and Tina just wanted to be free and found different paths--and different endings. My heart ached for all of them, and for all of the women in my life who have had similar experiences. This was such a compelling read with so much heart and feeling behind it. This is a book I wish I would have had when I was starting my college years. Even now, there are things I needed to read and see that resonated with me to the point I had to walk away after finishing a few chapters and reflect. Absolutely phenomenal story!

I don't want to say too much about the plot ,as that needs to be discovered as it goes. I enjoyed this , although it wasn't exactly what I imagined from the synopsis
I love the themes of sisterhood, justice , and perseverance that shines through our main characters.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Jessica Knoll made a name for herself with the novel (and Netflix movie) Luckiest Girl Alive, and will cement herself as one of the best crime novelists of her generation (really any!) with the publication of Bright Young Women. While the story is sensational (literally and figuratively), the characters riveting, the writing first class, what Bright Young Women does best is give a voice to the victims of the true life killer Miss Knoll refers to as The Defendant. In solidarity with Jessica, and those whose lives were cut short or forever altered by his evil acts, I will also refrain from identifying him. That The Defendant's reign of terror occured fifty years ago does not diminish the horror you feel at reading a fictionalized account of his actions. Set mostly in Florida and Washington State, Bright Young Women is more about what could have been had these women not crossed paths with The Defendant, but also what should have been-their names and stories the headline making news, not the supposed good looks and charisma of their killer. Bright Young Women is terrific, and will leave an imprint on anyone who reads it, which is truly the best way to honor them. The Defendant may have tried to extinguish their light, but thanks to Jessica Knoll these young women will shine bright forever.

Fictionalized retelling of the Ted bundy murders. Wasn’t sure what was fact and what was fiction and where the lines blurred. I do like the story being told from the women’s side.

I don't even know where to begin! This book is a masterpiece of stories woven together until they come together in the very last pages. I was hooked the moment I began this book and the tension throughout the book kept me invested, trying to figure out all of the small mysteries where Easter Eggs where left throughout the story. It's a mystery and also a coming of age story and also a story of friendship being stronger than all other things. The characters were flawed as humans generally are, but characters you wanted to root for. The ending tied everything up and left me satisfied in leaving the characters behind in this book. Highly recommend!

I devoured this book! It was so compelling. I liked the going back and forth between the murders, the present and the aftermath. I could not stop reading. It really was one of my favorite books of the year. I thought the pacing was good, everything made sense timeline-wise and it hit on a lot of topical issues.

First of all, I am obsessed with this book cover! It immediately drew me in, even before knowing who wrote this story, or what it was about, so major kudos! Secondly, I really enjoyed the setting of a sorority house, and the home of the alumni who took them in after the attack. Pamela’s POV and the harrowing journey from that night, to taking the stand at trial kept my attention. The chapters about Ruth, the other girl from before, kept me wanting to go back to Pamela’s story. Ruth didn’t keep my attention. Overall, enjoyed the premise, but felt like there was an imbalance between character stories that led me to not be completely sucked into the overall story.

Jessica Knoll has written another page turner.Thought provoking told through different timelines I was completely drawn in read late into the night.#netgalley #brightyoungwomen

I have been (im)patiently waiting for Jessica Knoll's next novel, so I was truly thrilled to get my hands on an ARC of Bright Young Women. I'm embarrassed to admit how many chapters it took me to realize that this was a book about the victims and survivors of Ted Bundy. That being said, I loved the concept of writing from the point of view of the survivors and those most impacted by his horrific killings. In a world that is true crime/serial killer obsessed, the victims and survivors are the most overlooked by society. Knoll has a great writing style that really resonates with me as well -- there's a bit of snark and sarcasm to cut to the chase. However, she adds exceptional detail when necessary, such as her descriptions of various outfits, locations, etc. Overall, I thought this was a great, moderately paced novel. Definitely a must read for 2023!

Thanks to Simon Element, S&S / Marysue Rucci Books for the copy of this ARC and Book Club Favorites / Simon Audio for the ALC!

Based on the real-life murders of Ted Bundy, Bright Young Women is a perfect fictional read for true crime junkies. Told in dual POV, we hear Pamela's story as head of a sorority where two sisters are murdered, and Ruth, whose disappearance leads Tina to fly across the country in an attempt to find the man responsible. As Pamela and Ruth intersect, the stereotypes of women are tested and the mystery unfolds.

One of my favorite parts of this book is that the "Defendant" remains nameless. Ted Bundy was the first "celebrity" serial killer, and let's be honest - most people can identify his name and not those of his victims. I love that this is reversed in this book. This is dark subject matter, but really well written!

I actually never read Jessica Knoll's uber popular debut, but jumping into Bright Young Women was really interesting--it's an excellent book. Jessica did many things incredibly well, simultaneously shedding light on sexism and the way we treat true crime in America. I love how she turned the serial killer trope on its head, and the alternating timelines and characters made me unable to put the book down. This will no doubt be another bestseller!

A fictionalized novel based on an infamous true crime, this book asks the question, why do we tend to forget the victims, while elevating the perpetrators to infamy?

In 1978, Pamela Schumaker, studying at Florida State University and president of her sorority, awakes in the aftermath of a horrific crime in which four of her sisters are brutally assaulted, resulting in two deaths. Catching a glimpse of the perpetrator, she becomes the sole eye witness able to identify the assailant, whose crime spree spans states. Across the country, in Washington state, Tina Cannon believes that her missing friend Ruth, was a victim of the same killer four years earlier. The women are drawn together in their pursuit for justice.

Written in dual timelines, the past when the crimes occurred and forty years on when the repercussions are still echoing, this book is a remarkable work that casts a harsh spotlight on the treatment and marginalization of women by law enforcement officials, the media and society at large, as well as an indictment of the justice and political systems that allowed the perpetrator to escape numerous times, resulting in the last crime spree.

If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. Highly recommended.

Despite never being a true crime junkie, fictionalized true crime novels have really been working for me. BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN was inspired by Ted Bundy’s last spree at an FSU sorority. I was equally horrified and fascinated by his multiple escapes from jail and the ways in which he charmed the public and members of the judicial system.

We follow two women from across the country in past and present timelines who were both connected to Bundy’s crimes. The novel is less about the heinous actions of “The Defendant” (Ted Bundy is intentionally never named) and more about the females who had the great misfortune of crossing paths with this notorious serial killer. The story shines an unflinching light on the leniencies offered to The Defendant compared to the female victims and witnesses of his crimes.

This is a lengthy character-driven story but one that I was eager to get back to. It is not gory or gratuitous; rather, a celebration of the strength of the indomitable female spirit. It is rumored to be a September Book Of The Month Club selection, so be on the lookout!

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: September 19, 2023

Many thanks to Mary Sue Ricci books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bright Young Women is a fictionalized telling of multiple women who were impacted by a serial killer across state lines. It's strongly inspired by Ted Bundy. I didn't realize this when reading the book and thought it would be more of a thriller/Guess Who? mystery. Once I went back and read up on Ted Bundy, the theme and plot of the book made sense.

I enjoyed the writing and the story of the girls who survived and were impacted by the murders; however, I wouldn't categorize this as a thriller.

A super slow burn, compelling and thought provoking, very character driven. While this dragged in the middle a bit, I am very glad I kept reading.

“Why do we know the names of the notorious serial killers and not the names of the victims whose lives were cut short?”

Billed as “an antidote to ‘Dahmer’”, Bright Young Women tells the story of two women whose lives are changed forever by America’s first celebrity serial killer.

This is a slower paced novel that I would classify as literary crime fiction (aka not a thriller) and it will surely be a longtime favorite of mine.

The thing I loved most about this book is that while real names of actual victims are used throughout, Knoll never once calls the serial killer by name👏🏼.

We all know who this “handsome”, “charming”, “charismatic” man is… he doesn’t deserve any more attention or notoriety. This book is about the women. It’s about victimhood and sisterhood. It’s about realizing that in paying so much attention to this evil person (described by the New York Times as “terrific-looking” and called a “bright young man” by the judge in Florida) we have glossed over the women affected by him. We can’t name any of the victims, but we know the color of this guy’s eyes?

Bright Young Women proposes that this man was incredibly average and not, in fact, a diabolical genius. He was a “run-of-the-mill incel”, whose grades were in the bottom 5th percentile, and was caught picking his nose in the courtroom multiple times. It’s the women in this story who are the impressive, smart, exceptional ones. And it’s the women whose lives were cut short.

Some other things I loved/stood out to me:

•This is obviously a dark story due to the subject matter, but I appreciated that it wasn’t terribly graphic. It is emotional and touches on a lot of heavy themes, but it doesn’t go into too much detail about the killer’s crimes.

•There is some really interesting discourse surrounding “complex grief”. This is a personal one for me - you can hold two things at the same time; you can be grieving AND angry. I truly love Knoll’s characters. They might not always be the most “likable”, but these are three-dimensional women with complicated relationships and emotions. (That being said, I more than liked all three characters in BYW).

•The scene where The Defendant is questioning the president of the sorority about his crimes had me feeling physically ill. Pamela was such an incredible character (who ironically reminded me a lot of the president of my own sorority) and I felt like I was in the courtroom with her throughout that line of questioning. I was so proud of her confidence and poise.

•The story is set in the 1970s, which was clearly a complicated time to be a women. It was so frustrating to read about how much effort these VICTIMS put in to making sure they didn’t come across as “complainers”. The girls could be upset about the events, but god forbid they get “too emotional”. They had to be smart, but not smarter than their boyfriends. They couldn’t have too many “relationships” or be too “friendly” with men. I wish I could say we’ve come a long way, but looking at SA cases from recent years would sadly suggest otherwise.

Overall, the writing and the pacing and the timeline jumps probably earned this one four stars, but my visceral reaction to the plot and storytelling has me bumping it up to five. This is very different from Knoll’s previous work and it left such an impact on me.

I think if you read or watch true crime you need to give this a chance. It would be a great book club pick because I guarantee no matter how you feel about it, you’ll want to discuss it with those close to you.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I am familiar with Ted Bundy and the crimes he committed from watching multiple documentaries but I found that this retelling, although a work of fiction, helped give a much different perspective by giving the victims & their loved ones a voice. Jessica Knoll clearly did a lot of research on Bundy & the women he killed/attacked, which made this seem as if it could have been the true story. I would definitely recommend Bright Young Women to anyone interested in true crime.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this book.