In 1978, a man enter's Pamela's sorority and kills two of her housemates. Weaving between past & present, we see how Pamela- and others' impacted by crimes of the same perpetator- work together to bring this killer to justice.

This book made me mad for all the right reasons. The way that Pamela and these other women were treated made me want to jump out of my chair and scream. I'm not usually a fan of true crime fiction, but I enjoyed this Ted Bundy murder retelling with themes of misogyny, sisterhood, and resilience. Thank goodness it's not the 1970s anymore... As always, Jessica Knoll hammers home the feminist lens of real life events with her fictional twist, as she did in Luckiest Girl Alive.

I also thought the title was a brilliant play on what was said to Ted Bundy at his hearing and how this book never mentions the killer's name once, instead choosing to focus on who should be front and center for these stories- the bright young women who have had their lives brutally stolen away, I highly recommend.

This was outstanding! I love the title and the inspiration of the book. It was so well done and unlike anything I've read in the genre (albeit it was a bit long).

Bright Young Women immediately drew me in, giving me the feeling of diving into a true crime story rather than a work of fiction.

Set against the backdrop of the 1970s, the book unravels the chilling tale of a notoriously well known serial killer. It is narrated through the eyes of two pivotal women: Pam, a witness to the horrors, and Ruth, who tragically crosses paths with the killer. An element that struck me as truly significant is the author's deliberate choice to exclusively refer to the serial killer as "the defendant," avoiding any form of recognition or fame. This choice underlines a powerful message: the focus should remain on the victims, honoring their memory, and reminding us of the true nature of the monster they faced.

One thing I wasn't aware of is that during Ted Bundy's trial, the judge referred to him as a "bright young man." I appreciate how Jessica Knoll took this opportunity naming the book "Bright Young Women," reclaiming the narrative from him.

The book did jump around a bit and had moments where it dragged, but I found it to be an enjoyable read, and would recommend especially for those who love thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest

TW; sexual assault, rape
I honestly didn’t really like this book. I did read an advance copy, and found parts very choppy (and even a few mistakes that I hope got caught before publication). Although the story had great importance and potential, I just feel like it fell significantly short. I have read books that cover similar topics that were frankly, better written.
I was also disappointed with “Luckiest Girl Alive” by Knoll, so maybe her books just aren’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC of this novel.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

In Bright Young Women, the story of a famous American serial killer is told in a new way. Instead, we are getting the perspective of one of the witnesses and one of the victims of this monster. Pamela sees a strange man leaving her sorority house in the middle of the night; when she checks on her friends, her life is changed forever. Ruth is a young woman trying to find her life path and accept herself despite familial and societal pressures until she is murdered in cold blood.

I enjoyed this book. I’ve liked murder mysteries and suspense novels lately. This one stood out because the name of the murderer isn’t even mentioned. It is solely focused on the lives affected by his choices. It was a risky choice that hugely paid off. The suspense is palpable, and there are just enough gruesome details to make the readers cringe and feel sympathy for the victims.

The book is filled with strong women trying to pave their way in a changing world and fight for what is right. I enjoyed reading both storylines, and I appreciated the time jump. In Pamela’s story, we see things after the murders; with Ruth, we get to know her before she meets her end. It was a great way to enthrall the reader in both narrative pieces.

It’s a relatively long book but it reads quickly. Some of the subject matter may be challenging, but I think there is much more to gain in reading this novel. I highly recommend it!

This was an ok read. I wasn’t quite sure where the storylines were going and how some stuff was related ? (The purpose of Tina’s character or Pamela going missing 4 days?) The two main girls were very similar and I often had to check to see whose chapter it was and what year we were in.

anyways, I like how the author was trying to give a voice to the victims of Ted Bundy without saying his name, but they were only fictionalized victims? True crime but not exactly true?

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC !

Jessica Knoll expertly crafted Bright Young Women which combines fiction with real life events; I loved and devoured this novel! The multiple POV and timeline between Pam in 1978 and Ruth in 1974 was compelling and an interesting and fascinating take.



I’m a huge true crime fan so the future I read, the more exciting it was. If you aren’t into true crime or know the story, it would have more of a thriller vibe but, as I caught on very quickly, it took away the thriller vibes. I’m not spoiling anything so I love that he was called “The Defendant” to keep the mystery going but also, focus on what's important.


Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and netgalley for this ARC.

This book was unique. I don't read much true crime, and while this isn't true crime, it feels more adjacent to true crime than thrillers. This is a fictionalized story about Ted Bundy, though I didn't realize that going into it. He is not named until almost the very end of the story, only referred to as The Defendent. The book follows three women whose lives are impacted by his crimes, focusing on the victims and the sexism of the era that led to this man being able to commit so many crimes. The story is compelling and while the main characters are invented, they pull from the actual victims' lives and present them with dignity.

i loved this. brilliantly done. Knoll focuses on the women affected from the first page and steadfastedly maintains that focus throughout. i love how he is only referred to as the defendant and all of the patriarchal, misogynistic views are pointed out. so good!

Seething with a quiet feminine rage.

I loved this book, and completely supported the narrative as the antidote to shock value series like Dahmer. Why is it that we know the names of the men who serial murder women and not the names of the women themselves? This book followed the women whose lives have been irrevocably changed in the wake of the Bundy murders; their trials and tribulations, and life moments both cut short and seemingly extended. A sorely fascinating look into patriarchal legal and social systems in 1970s USA and the parts that still permeate todays culture. Knoll delicately handled indelicate material with a gritty gravitas that belayed the importance of the events at hand and the choice to never once name Bundy by name was a resonant call to the powerful identity inherent in a name, and how identities and life stories of these women are lost when we fail to remember their names.

While on vacation, I barely read. That said, this book kept me company on my 12 hour flight home. Have you read this one?🤔

Bright Young Women is a fictional account of a real serial killer in the 1970’s. It tells the story through the eyes of the women - both one who survived as the sole witness and one who did not. The story is about the women and importantly, the challenging society of the 1970’s - shaming, sexism and mistreatment. What you learn is what should be the reality - that serial killers should rename nameless monsters and the victims, their strength and power should take centre stage.✨

I wasn’t sure about this book at first as I’m not a fan of true crime. However, this was an interesting and creative book. I did find that the story jumped around a lot in timelines and perhaps it was harder to follow on an e book. I don’t follow true crime so I’m not sure how close this book is to the actual case it is based on. Overall, I enjoyed it and recommend for those that love more character driven stories.⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks to @simonschusterca for a copy of this book to review.

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A fascinating fictionalized re-telling of the horrors of serial killer Ted Bundy, with a key difference. This story is told not in terms of the protagonist Bundy himself, (who is so small and undeserving of our focus in every way that he is not in fact, even granted a name here, but is referred to simply as the ‘Defendant’), but rather from the first person point-of-view of two key women, each of whom had the terrible misfortune to cross paths with the killer.

Sticking close to the broad-strokes parameters of the real-life crimes, with composite characterizations and new names, the author tells the story of Pamela Schumacher, a University of Florida sorority-house leader, who lives through the attack that will see two of her housemates murdered and an additional two severely disfigured. Pam is pre-law, a conscientious and observant student, and an essential eyewitness, whose life will be forever plagued with her tormented need to resolve the terrors of what (and whom) she witnessed, and do her part to see the assailant captured and convicted.

The second main protagonist’s story, that of twenty-five-year old Ruth Wachowski, is perhaps even more chilling, as, unbeknownst to her amidst the ongoing details of the dramas unfolding in her young life, we the reader are keenly aware that Ruth is to become the Defendant’s next-to-last victim.

This ambitious read is dark and compelling, complex and meandering, and will definitely get under your skin in a way that’s hard to shake off. Crossing time periods between the University of Florida attacks in 1978; the Lake Sammamish abductions in 1974; the Defendant’s trial; and a closure of sorts achieved forty-three years later in 2021, this is a dense and disturbing ride, whose overarching (and strangely hopeful) message gradually becomes crystal clear.

“Things grow differently when they’re damaged, and it is within us to make use of strange new ground to bloom red instead of green. We carry on, brighter than before.”

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

I’ve always really liked Jessica Knoll’s writing. She has an ability to hook you in right away. And while I don’t think that anything can beat Luckiest Girl Alive for me, this was fantastic. I think my favourite thing about this was how the murderer was only referred to as The Defendant. Really put the whole true crime consumption into perspective.

Bright Young Women changes the focus in a serial killer story.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my eARC for review!
Based on the Ted Bundy killings, though he is deliberately referred to only as The Defendant throughout.
IRL, Bundy was referred to in court by the judge as a "bright young man". This story, per the title, is from the female's POV.
Events take place at Florida State University and the Pacific Northwest. Told in chapters from Pamela in 1978 and present-day, and Ruth in 1974.
Bright Young Women features longish chapters, an unconventional narrative, and fascinating characters.
This non-traditional mystery combines not only events of crime, but the processing of grief and previous traumas.
Recommended!
Released on Sept. 19.

Inspired by the real life sorority that was targeted by one of the most infamous American serial killers in the 1970s. Pamela Schumacher, president of a Florida State University sorority wakes up in the middle of the night to find a horrific discovery with the other sorority sisters – 2 dead, 2 maimed. On the west coast, Tina Cannon is trying to get authorities to care about the disappearance of a young woman, Ruth. Tina and Pamela’s paths cross as their fight for justice and answers spans decades.

From Goodreads: It proposes a new narrative inspired by evidence that’s been glossed over for decades in favor of more salable headlines—that the so-called brilliant and charismatic serial killer from Seattle was far more average than the countless books, movies, and primetime specials have led us to believe, and that it was the women whose lives he cut short who were the exceptional ones.

The synopsis alone had sold me on this novel but what a compelling story. Knoll blends together real life elements from the actual crimes with fictionalized people to flesh out a unique perspective. I admittedly wasn’t super familiar with all the details of the individual that this was based off of as I haven’t watched any of the major documentaries about it yet. I loved that Knoll chooses to tell this tale from the women’s side, not giving any more direct attention to the average man that has been seemingly built up to be some kind of icon. She doesn’t even name him throughout the book – only referring to him as The Defendant. (Except for one chapter near the end, where his first name is suddenly used throughout. However, I’m not sure if that was intentional or accidental as I had read an advanced review copy of the book.)

The chapters alternate between three points in time: Pamela’s in 1978, Pamela’s several decades later, and Ruth’s. This was a fairly effective way to see the narrative play out, though at times I did have to try and keep straight which year of Pamela’s POV I was reading given that it’s the same people that appear in both. There are women named in this book that, I looked up afterwards, were the actual victims, and others with fictional names but similar scenarios. While these women were assaulted in horrific ways, Knoll tries to provide a bit more depth to who these women were.

There’s an underlying theme throughout, a sisterhood of women bonding together and looking out for each other in both obvious and more subtle ways, in spite of the misogynistic attitudes they faced. On the flip side, it also tackles some challenging family dynamics and the secrets that are forced to stay hidden.

This was a very compelling story, and I loved the perspective that Knoll took to tell it. The opening of this book on the night of the attacks is a heart-racing account of the confusion and chaos that could have ensued. While this novel is inspired by true crime, and there are mentions of what happened, it’s less about the actual details and more about the women trying to get justice for their friends, against a system that continues to be charmed by the Defendant.

A fictionalized take on Ted Bundy’s crimes, Bright Young Women shines the spotlight not on the murderer, but on the brilliant women whose lives were cut short.
Full review posted at BookBrowse: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/reviews/index.cfm/ref/pr300736

I absolutely adored this book! It's a highly anticipated fall release hitting shelves tomorrow, and if you haven't pre-ordered yet, consider this your sign. I'd also recommend the audiobook!

Now, let me begin by saying that I'm not usually a fan of true crime fiction. I prefer my murder mysteries to be completely fictional, but I'm a huge fan of Knoll's work, and this was one of my most anticipated fall releases. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I had a feeling it would be a great audiobook, and I was absolutely right. The dual POVs and timelines worked incredibly well in audio format, and the two narrators allowed you to really connect with each character. Typically, in dual POV novels, I tend to prefer one character over the other, but that wasn't the case here at all. We're all familiar with Ted Bundy, but this story is told from the perspective of two women profoundly affected by his crimes – a close friend of a victim and a victim herself. It was absolutely captivating to experience the story from this angle, and I can't even fathom the amount of research that went into this book.

As I mentioned earlier, "Bright Young Women" is true crime fiction retelling the Ted Bundy story. It's creative, heart-wrenching, eye-opening, emotional, and so much more. I found myself thinking about it every time I had to put it down, but I also wanted to savor it for as long as possible.

What I loved most about "Bright Young Women" is that it never mentions Ted Bundy's name, not even once. Yet, you know exactly who everyone is referring to. The focus is on the victims and the women affected by his crimes. Knoll's writing and creativity here are on a whole different level compared to "Luckiest Girl Alive" (which I also enjoyed!). This book is a deep, slow burn, very character-driven, and it had me hooked from the very first page. (Just a heads up, Chapter 1 is quite graphic and tough to read, especially knowing it's based on true events.)

My only small gripe is that I wish there had been an author's note providing information on her research, what's real and what's fiction, her writing process, etc., given that this is based on real events. That kind of note usually ties the story together for me, so without it, I'd rate it 4.5 stars (but I'll round it up to 5)

I sincerely hope you add this to your to-be-read list for this fall – it's absolutely captivating!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jessica Knoll and Simon & Schuster Canada for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This author isn’t my favourite, but I couldn’t help but check this one out with its subject matter. This is probably my favourite book from this author based on the writing and the different perspectives we get to see the story from. I loved that the defendant was his name until the very end. I love that this is about the victims and not the killer.

I liked the concept of this book, that it’s based on true events, and I liked how things wrapped up in the end.

I don’t even feel like I can articulate why but this book just bored me to bits. I felt like I was trudging through mud and reading it was a chore. I contemplated DNF’ing it on many occasions but ultimately decided to finish.

If you decide to pick this one up, I do hope you enjoy it! Just because I didn’t doesn’t mean you won’t!

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I made it over 30% but could not connect with the story or characters.