Bright Young Women: A Novel

Written by Jessica Knoll

Narrated by Sutton Foster, Imani Jade Powers, Corey Brill and Chris Henry Coffey

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).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Sep 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9781797154787

Jessica Knoll

Jessica Knoll is the New York Times bestselling author of The Favorite Sister and Luckiest Girl Alive—now a major motion picture from Netflix starring Mila Kunis. She has been a senior editor at Cosmopolitan and the articles editor at Self. She grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and graduated from the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their bulldog, Franklin.

Reviews for Bright Young Women

[Kelly Rasmussen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow. Just wow. This story was so terrible, heartbreaking, and beautifully told. Women everywhere should read it. It was eye opening to read something about Ted Bundy that never said his name. I fell in love with Ruth and Pamela and Tina and Denise.

[De Best · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Compelling. This read was interesting but seemed rushed at the end.

[Dalia Soles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’ve never given “the defendant’s” documentaries the time of day because his praise in pop culture has always felt so foul. This story was written so beautifully about the women and victims who deserve to be spoken about with high praise!

[agnes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

i am never into dual timelines, but the rotation of 3 in this was so well balanced i didn't find myself minding at all. the court scenes were emotionally excruciating to sit through. at one point i had my face in my hands. kind of was surprised how genuinely moving some passages were, the sapphics owned my heart.

[Lynda · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Couldn’t stop listening to this book, it’s so good. So well narrated, too. It’s so well written that I had to remind myself repeatedly that it’s a work of fiction and not an actual memoir.

[Sandy Benemerito Bailey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Action packed and educational. I learned a lot about the real life Ted Bundy through the book’s details that mirrored the actual historical crime spree (but thankfully not as gruesome). An interesting read, though not if you are the parent of a college-aged female.

[Carol Tauer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing! Keeps you hooked from the beginning. Love that they focus on the victims, not the perp.

[Marta Em · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fantastic story, could be a bit shorter, as it was very slow at times but overall fantastic. I really liked that the author decided not to name the defendant and placed the focus on the victims.

[lisa Dorr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book. More than just fictionalized rehashing. Great read

[Sara Eggers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was hesitant to read yet another book about a serial killer, but saw enough reviews to go ahead and give this book a shot. This book is everything I needed in a world of violence and cruelty. Based on the bright young women who were murdered by “Shed Undy,” This book Is the beginning of a new genre, literary crime fiction, in which the author cleverly eviscerates a killer, questions the narratives of the 1970s, and brings the best of women to the page.

[xJENx B · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This came off like “not like a regular thing about Ted Bundy but like a cool thing about Ted Bundy” and as someone for whom EVERYTHING I know about Ted Bundy is something I was forced to learn against my will, this book which I thought was about survivors connected by a traumatic event turned out to be a book where every woman has the worst time and everyone treats them horribly, and Ted Bundy.

What was the reason?

[Deja Green · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I understand the concept, didn’t care for the execution. Not my cuppa.