Bright Young Women

By Jessica Knoll

Book Overview

Don't miss this "breakneck thriller" examining "our culture's obsession with serial killers and true crime" (Harper's Bazaar) following two women on the pursuit of justice against all odds. "A fascinating look at true crime and tabloid culture that's as thoughtful as it is gripping" (People).

A New York Times Notable Book of 2023
New York Times Editors' Choice
Instant New York Times Bestseller
A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist
Named a Best Book of the Year by NPR, The Washington Post, Harper's Bazaar, Kirkus Reviews, CrimeReads, Booklist, and more
An Edgar Award Finalist for Best Novel

Masterfully blending elements of psychological suspense and true crime, Jessica Knoll--author of the bestselling novel Luckiest Girl Alive and the writer behind the Netflix adaption starring Mila Kunis--delivers a new and exhilarating thriller in Bright Young Women. The book opens on a Saturday night in 1978, hours before a soon-to-be-infamous murderer descends upon a Florida sorority house with deadly results. The lives of those who survive, including sorority president and key witness, Pamela Schumacher, are forever changed. Across the country, Tina Cannon is convinced her missing friend was targeted by the man papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer--and that he's struck again. Determined to find justice, the two join forces as their search for answers leads to a final, shocking confrontation.

Blisteringly paced, Bright Young Women is "Jessica Knoll at her best--an unflinching and evocative novel about the tabloid fascination with evil and the dynamic and brilliant women who have the real stories to tell" (Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me); and "a compelling, almost hypnotic read and I loved it with a passion" (Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of None of This Is True).

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1501153226
• ISBN13: 9781501153228
• Release Date: September 2023
• Publisher: S&s/ Marysue Rucci Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

3.5 stars

BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN by Jessica Knoll I have mixed feelings. I appreciate that the focus was on the women (Pamela, Ruth and Tina) instead of the perpetrator (The Defendant/TB). We get to know and memorialize the victims and survivors who are often overlooked and forgotten. This story highlights how they are often gaslit, disparaged, dismissed and disrespected. However, the book itself feels a little disconcerting. Especially when the memoir of one the real-life survivors (Kathy Kleiner Rubin) has not received as much attention as this novel. This was supposed to be fictional, but why use real names for some characters and exact details of the crimes? In any case, this story does have some merit. I hope that after reading this, people will seek out perspectives from survivors and remember that the victims are ultimately more important than the perp who committed the crimes. Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️