I hate writing bad reviews, it makes me feel so bad.

Let's just say this book is not for me and I am sure lots of people will enjoy it.

While the beginning of this thriller pulled me in, at 35 percent, I abandoned the book. The story begins with a brutal attack in a sorority house, and as the strong, independent sorority president begins to process the events of that fateful night, she meets Tina who claims to know more about the alleged killer. At this point in the story, a third character, Ruth, is introduced, and that’s when my struggle with engagement began. Tina was involved in Ruth’s story, too, but I found myself looking for connection between the two stories. I’m sure the connection comes, but I was not engaged enough to wait for it.

The Idaho Murders that just happened were fresh in my mind as I read this book because the newspaper articles were similar to what was described in the sorority house scenes. I was already a huge fan of Jessica Knoll so I was glad her newest book was just as amazing as Luckiest Girl Alive. This book is coming out on the height of the Ted Bundy craze so I can already see true crime junkies snapping this book up especially because it is a modern take on the true crime genre. Overall I liked the alternating view between Pamela and Ruth and jumping between the past and present. The author has mastered changing timelines and this book kept me on the edge of my seat without leaving me confused which some thriller novels do with too many characters. I like the note in the beginning that we as a society have notorized serial killers but we don't remember the victims names and I can see this book becoming a big book club read.

I'm a huge fan of Jessica Knoll's writing and I think her style has grown stronger over the years. I loved the different POVs in this story. The pace of the opening was outstanding - I was on the edge of my seat. I think she did a great job taking a well known story (Bundy) and making it wholly through the perspective and emotions of the women involved.

Difficult, but in that good good way you only encounter very occasionally. The tone of the thing is near perfect, but also, I mean: I could do with watching it all burn to fucking cinders.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this thriller from one of my favorite authors .There has been a horrible violent crime on a college campus sorority house and one young girl is the only potential witness. She goes on a journey to uncover the truth, and the story takes us on many twists and turns along the way. I loved the collegiate setting and the strong female characters. A great page turner!

"Bright Young Women is the story about two women from opposite sides of the country who become sisters in their fervent pursuit of the truth."

Personal Review: 4 Stars

First things first, this book had my hooked from the first chapter. A serial killer on a college campus, who is also tied to other killings and disappearances throughout the country! How late 70's! But the misogyny that the female characters had to endure often times made my blood boil- again, how appropriate for the late 70's in America. The author researched this book well and included common landmarks from my state, as the majority of the novel takes place in North Florida. This book had a full cast of characters, but each were well defined and easy to move from character to character, the end was predictable, but I don't think unpredictable was what the author was going for. This book is one of those that is easily able to be binged and keep you invested throughout the whole journey.

Synopsis:January 1978. A serial killer has terrorized women across the Pacific Northwest, but his existence couldn’t be further from the minds of the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee. Tonight is a night of promise, excitement, and desire, but Pamela Schumacher, president of the sorority, makes the unpopular decision to stay home—a decision that unwittingly saves her life. Startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she makes the fateful decision to investigate. What she finds behind the door is a scene of implausible violence—two of her sisters dead; two others, maimed. Over the next few days, Pamela is thrust into a terrifying mystery inspired by the crime that’s captivated public interest for more than four decades.

Bright Young Women tells the tale of two women who, despite coming from different corners of the country, become like sisters in their unwavering quest for the truth. The book challenges the prevailing narrative that has overshadowed evidence for decades in favor of sensationalist headlines. It posits that the notorious Seattle serial killer, once thought to be brilliant and charismatic, was actually quite ordinary, while the women whose lives he brutally ended were the truly exceptional ones.