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Bright Young Women cover art

Bright Young Women

By: Jessica Knoll
Narrated by: Chris Henry Coffey, Corey Brill, Imani Jade Powers, Sutton Foster
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Summary

January 1978. Tallahassee. When sorority president Pamela Schumacher is startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she’s shocked to encounter a scene of implausible violence – two of her friends dead and two others, maimed. Thrust into a terrifying mystery, Pamela becomes entangled in a crime that captivates public interest for more than four decades . . .

On the other side of the country, Tina Cannon has found peace in Seattle after years of hardship. When Ruth, her best friend, goes missing from Lake Sammamish State Park in broad daylight, surrounded by thousands of beachgoers on a beautiful summer day, Tina devotes herself to finding out what happened to her.

When Tina hears about the tragedy in Tallahassee, she suspects the same man the papers refer to is responsible. Determined to make him answer for what he did to Ruth, she travels to Florida on a collision course with Pamela – and one last impending tragedy.

From the author of the New York Times bestseller and #1 Netflix movie Luckiest Girl Alive comes Jessica Knoll's extraordinary novel inspired by the real-life sorority targeted by America's first celebrity serial killer in his final murderous spree.

©2023 Jessica Knoll (P)2023 Simon and Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

Bright Young Women is a fearless and intoxicating ride into the aftershocks of a series of brutal murders. Knoll explores in vivid, pointillist prose the effects on the ‘bright young women’ of the title, both the victims snuffed out in their glorious prime, and those left behind in their wake. It's a compelling, almost hypnotic read and I loved it with a passion. (Lisa Jewell, Bestselling author of None of This is True)
Knoll sets about dismantling every last Bundy myth with a controlled but palpable rage. I already loved how she writes, but this book is extraordinary. Genuinely can't rememebr the last time a novel moved me so much. Don't miss it. (Catherine Ryan-Howard, author of Run Time)
[A] huge summer read . . . one of those great stories that you can't put down! (Reese Witherspoon, InStyle on Luckiest Girl Alive)

What listeners say about Bright Young Women

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Complex and intriguing

I took me a while to get into the sway of jumping from person to person, and time to time but once I did, it was great. Narrators were fabulous and differentiated the characters from One another perfectly. Clever book with intriguing characters. Loved it!

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Listen to this…

I started this with no clue or understanding that it’s a story written within a factual timeline. To listen to a crime book with such a great lean towards the victims and survivors, loved ones and friends was brilliant. Belittling the killer and the myths. Superbly written and up there with best book Iv heard in a while. 5/5 from me.

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Staggeringly good!

Written from perspectives we never usually hear when we hear ‘serial killer’, this is a captivating book. Hard to put down and speaks to a wider view of women’s lives and condition. This book shocks and appalls but yet there’s so much more in it that every woman will recognise and identify with. Such astute observations of character and beautifully written. The narration is perfect too. Probably the best thing I’ve read this year. Read it, read it!

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Voice well worth hearing

Interesting insight and liberating to give female in this a voice. They are often silent but this way is effective. Bit hard at points as it jumps back and forward with quite a lot of people but quick read

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Gripping story, easy listening performance

Very good performances from the 2 main voice actors for the main 2 characters meant I was pulled into the story immediately. A couple of "oh damn" moments towards the end meant this was an excellent listen!

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Powerful and moving

An insightful retelling of a famous story from a different angle which, really hooked me in. This book really made me consider my previous listening to true crime in a new way which, I am thankful for.

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The story we all need know

TBH the story of the defendant in this story has always nauseated me. This is the story we should all care about. It was told so well, the beautiful details of the young women’s relationships with those they were closest to will stay with me for a very long time.

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We need more books like these!

We tend to focus on killers but forget the victims. I know that this is a fictionalised version of events but really felt enlightening.

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A refreshing and moving take on a well-known story

A really enjoyable listen. The narrators were very good and the switching between Pamela and Ruth’s stories worked well.

I found the characters believable and the story very moving. It is refreshing to hear a version of this well-known story that is told from the women’s POV, instead of trying to get into the mind of “The Defendant”.

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A really important book. Sad but a great listen. Could not put it down.

Would 100% recommend this to all to read. Elements explaining context and the world we, I want to say did live, but the truth is how we still live, are so vital for all to understand.

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