Bright Young Women: A Novel

In January 1978, a normal night at a sorority house at Florida State University turns deadly. Sorority president Pamela Schumacher is the only person to see The Defendant leave the house, a man she soon learns has killed two of her friends and injured others. As the nightmare unfolds, Pamela feels responsible for seeking justice for her friends while proving that she is a credible witness. Meanwhile, Tina Cannon appears and reveals The Defendant’s connection to her own friend’s disappearance. Tina then urges Pamela to help her nail the man who has ruined both of their lives.

Bright Young Women was a slow burn and very character-driven, allowing the reader to feel immersed in the stories of Pamela, Ruth, and Tina. The book aims to challenge The Defendant’s depiction by the media as a smart and handsome alleged criminal, instead highlighting how the principal women in the story are more brilliant and resilient individuals. It combines courtroom drama, female empowerment, societal expectations, and exposed secrets into a powerful narrative. Rather than focusing on the grotesque crimes involved, Knoll forces the reader to consider how lives were altered by a man who tortured young women with no remorse. The angle of the story felt original and was well done.