Jessica Knoll combined two of my favorite things in this book; true crime and fiction. Although I usually dont chose books that are based on a true story, I knew that Mrs. Knoll would do this time period justice. I loved how this story centered around the victims and the victim's family and friends and didnt focus as much on the killer. This point of view was great and made the book stand out. Great overall!

This was nothing short of incredible. Of course it was refreshing to have the story told from the victims’ POV, but the way the story unfolded was also addicting. The choice to refer to him as The Defendant was brilliant.

Holy Hades! I absolutely could not stop reading this book. It was absolutely gripping. I loved this so much and Jessica's writing style was a winner for me as well. I will so be reading more from this amazing author and this I LOVED this storyline. I am a true crime fan and I love watching specials on serial killers and I have watched a ton on Ted Bundy and so this book is perfect. 6 stars if I could.
I just reviewed Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll. #BrightYoungWomen #NetGalley

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for my review copy!
I was a little hesitant to start this book (see: serial killing) but it ended up being a fantastic 5 star read for me. It was an interesting take on Bundy & his crimes, and it really made me think about how we idolize these terrible murderers based on their looks (usually white), wealth (mid-upper middle class) and body count (v. disturbing). We are a culture that glorifies & begs for more violence, and the media just keeps fulfilling that need. It's about time that we stop trivializing the death of so many women, just because the media continues to feed the masses lies about how smart Bundy was, how great of a lawyer he was & pushing this sex appeal narrative. They're all lies and I love that Ms. Knoll didn't just regurgitate a book about some girl catching a serial killer even though he was so smart & handsome (read that book many times). So yeah, if you're on the fence on this one, check it out! Even if you aren't a fan of the fictionalized aspects of the story, you will learn many new facts about Bundy that the media failed to report. 5/5 stars.

This is a fictionalized retelling of Ted Bundy’s attack on a Florida State University sorority. The main character is Pamela Schumacher, the rigid sorority president. On the night of Jan. 15, 1978, Pamela is jolted awake at 3 a.m. She hears running footsteps and sees a man heading for the front door. He can’t see her in the shadows—a fact that turns out to save her life, rendering her the only eyewitness to a horrible crime and a notorious criminal, “a man who murdered thirty-five women and escaped prison twice.”

The story follows several alternating timelines: From Pamela’s perspective, it builds from the day of the sorority murders and also follows her return trip to Tallahassee more than 30 years later. These chapters are interspersed with the 1974 story of Ruth Wachowsky, believed by her girlfriend, Tina Cannon, to have been one of the killer’s earlier victims.

The author’s talent for writing gripping mysteries and thought-provoking narratives is evident in this book. It addresses important issues, and offers courageous and resilient characters. The novel is a testament to the power of women and their ability to overcome adversity.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. This is an excellent book. I think I had a hard time reading a story with fictional characters that is actually true. Looking at these women instead of the person who brutally murdered them was such a wonderful way to tell this story. I do recommend the book, however, it is better to read if you do not know the true story.

I really appreciate Jessica Knoll's writing and her attention to details and character development. This is a long story, and though a bit slow at times, still an engaging read. I loved the focus on the victims, rather than the "defendant." This was a challenging read knowing that it was loosely based on true crime. I think fans of true crime and/or character-driven books will like this one.

I’m feeling very middle of the road on this one. There are things that I loved and things that didn’t work so well for me.

The writing is very visceral and raw. Knoll has a skill for letting readers get inside the minds of these characters. The story really shines a light on how the media treats victims and our morbid fascination with serial killers. It also delves into the corruption, coverups, and police ineptitudes during the investigation. It also touches on the expectations of women in the workplace and education and the freedoms for choosing their own ways of life. I really enjoyed these aspects of the story and I found it to be a unique and necessary perspective to the events.

Parts of it can be really slow, which isn’t my favorite reading experience. I wish the pacing had more momentum throughout. I also sometimes got confused with the different timelines and perspectives. There was a lot of jumping around that made it difficult to follow. Ruth and Pam’s voices blended together for me as well, which muddied the storylines even further. I wanted them to sound a little more distinctive.

Overall, I thought it was a good read, and an important one. It’s a solid three star experience for me. I’d definitely recommend it to thriller readers who want a fresh take on such harrowing true events.

Wow. I FLEW through this book. It was wholly captivating and fascinating. I felt disgust, anger, claustrophobia, enough that I’m conflicted writing this review. The first 50% was a five star read for me. At about the 70% point, it took a bit of a turn. The ending did confuse me a little bit and I did have to go back and reread. I’m still feeling conflicted, but I don’t think I’ll be able to get this book out of my head for awhile.
Likes:
Solid likeable characters, with an obvious exception
Wide range of feelings evoked
Interesting travel between timelines (references to future in the past, etc.)

Dislikes:
Multiple timelines were hard to keep straight
Ending was confusing and it feels like there are things missing/left unfinished
The time jump about 70% in, it threw me and that’s where I started to feel lost

Overall, a solid read just shy of five stars. I will be thinking about it for awhile.

I received a digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is so good!

Don’t get me wrong some parts are very hard to read but Knoll has written this book SO well. I enjoyed this different perspective on a story we all know. The dual POV was also something that worked so well for this story.

If you can handle reading this sensitive material I highly suggest you do.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.

I listed to this book on audio narrated Sutton Foster. The fictional story imagines what may have surrounded Ted Bundy’s victims. It was smart and clever with compelling characters and a page-turning trial. An interesting read for lovers of murder mysteries and historical fiction.

3.5
A retelling of a few of the victims and other girls that were affected by the Ted Bundy killings. Bundy is never mentioned by name in this book which I thought was cleverly done-don't give him a voice.

The book started off with a bang with a couple murders at a university. We then follow the women through the alarm, fear, grief and criminal process.

There are two timelines that we follow and I have to say one was much stronger than the other. I got to a point where I didn't much are for the Ruth timeline. The middle took an intermission for me where I had to push through.

I also found the multiple lesbian relationships introduced were an interesting choice, from my research I don't know that was accurate for these women, but perhaps I'm wrong.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Element for the complimentary e-book.

I thought that this book had a very interesting concept and a great start, but the execution just sort of dragged on. We were halfway through and being introduced to so many new characters, and I found myself not really caring about some of the storylines or details happening with some of the characters.

I do think that the timelines were weaves together very nicely and seamlessly — the plot itself never felt clunky despite dragging on for quite some time.

Overall, I found it a quite enjoyable read, although somewhat slow paced at times

Although the subject matter was tough to read, this was a great read. I liked the aspect of the main character trying to solve the murders of her friends and bringing the killer to justice, while letting the world know just how brilliant and amazing her friends were, without giving the killer the attention he/she wants. Heartbreaking and inspiring, with a wonderful ending.

Bright Young Women is based off the 1978 sorority murders committed by Ted Bundy.

The protagonist, Pamela Schumacher, is the sorority president and the lone eyewitness to the murders.

Men are freakin infuriating. Even the ones who don’t murder. Jessica Knoll does a fantastic job highlighting that. She does a brilliant job at elevating these strong, incredible women who put the Defendant away at all costs. May he rot in hell.

4.5/5

This was a really well written tale.

The author tells us the tale of one of America's most famous serial killers, putting us squarely in the mind of one of the victims as well as a friend of another.

I was riveted.

The only thing that kept this read from being a full five stars for me is that sometimes the messaging became heavy-handed and took me away from the story. Don't get me wrong - the messaging was important and absolutely needed to be there. I just found that it took me away from what I wanted to read about.

Nicely written book about a horrifyingly sad story.

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.

This novel is a thoughtful examination of the true crime genre and critiques how the media often glamorizes murderers and trivializes victims, especially young women. It's a searing indictment that's also a twisty, compelling read.

Genre: True Crime Fiction

Format: Audio

4.5🌟 - I really liked it!

Thank you @marysueruccibooks and @simonandschuster for the #gifted ARC and audio copy!

This was such a powerful true crime retelling of Ted Bundy and his stop at a sorority house at Florida State University. There is something even more chilling about a true crime inspired novel, and especially with a personal connection to FSU where I spent my undergrad in college.

A gruesome story of survival, the resilience of women, and sisterhood. A gripping story that places more emphasis on the stories of the victims than giving power to the unnamed defendant (which was done with very much intention).

The dual timelines and POV’s especially through audio was done so well. This is a very character-driven book, and is unique to any other thriller I’ve read before.

This story is captivating and compelling from the start, and this is a book to add to your fall TBR!

Bright Young Women breaks the cycle of only hearing about the serial killer perpetrator. The purposefully unnamed killer takes a back seat in this novel about the 1978 Chi Omega sorority house murders at Florida State University.

Her fictional protagonist, Pamela, is responsible for 40 women as the sorority house president. She witnesses the Defendant as he leaves the house, not yet knowing this man attacked four of her sisters, killing two. The journalists, the police, the legal system, the current and ex-boyfriends all try to ignore that each of these Bright Young Women were wronged, as were many other missing women, presumed or discovered dead. Jessica Knoll does NOT stand for that.

Pamela is shown to be intelligent, successful, and charming, things the media emphasized about the killer instead of the victims. Pam works with mysterious and fascinating Tina, a therapist and widow who strongly believes her girlfriend Ruth was one of the killer's earlier victims. Tina is also ignored by the police who denigrate her due to her queerness, and the fact that her former, much, much older husband died under suspicious circumstances.

Ruth's story, Pamela's story after the murders, and her story at current day weave together in this stunning examination of what it means to be female. Brava!