Bright Young Women changes the narrative of true crime fiction.

Most of us have heard of the case of Ted Bundy, perhaps through a podcast, a book, or one of the multiple fictionalized biopics about his life story. The title of Jessica Knoll’s new novel references the killer, a play on the words uttered by the Florida judge who later sentenced him to two consecutive life sentences. But if Bundy, according to the judge, was a “bright young man,” then the female protagonist of Knoll’s book is absolutely brilliant.

Bright Young Women follows Pamela Schumacher, a college student who lost four sorority sisters to a senseless attack from an unnamed serial killer. Knoll deftly weaves dual points of view together, giving voices to victims, including those who will forever remain silent. This novel applies a thin layer of fiction to an all-too-real story, clearing away the narrative told for forty years and instead shining a light on individuals the media previously deemed peripheral.

Apart from the broader narrative framing, what truly stands out within this fast-paced thriller is the writing and how Knoll utilizes it to explore the workings of memory and the mind. For example, in several pivotal scenes, she expertly interweaves her characters’ inner worlds with the story’s outer world, which allows the reader to connect with their pain, terror, and determination. Throughout the novel, Knoll’s compelling storytelling captures the dual protagonists’ voices, making their emotions and motivations tangible to the reader.Bright Young Women revisits one of America’s gruesomest true crime stories while refusing to glamourize the killer. Knoll instead reframes the tragic tale as an enthralling character study focusing on victims and survivors, who for so long have had their stories erased and disregarded in favor of learning the sordid details of their deaths or the lives of those who took their own with such ease.