Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Publication Date October 2023
This is the first novel I read by Jessica Knoll, and I went into it without any previous knowledge about the story and inspiration behind it, apart from the summary at the back. I realised early on which serial killer the author was referencing to by the crimes described and their persona, but throughout the book the killer isn’t named and is referred to only as The Defendant. By stripping them of their identity, the reader goes in without preconceived notions fed to us by the media in the past. Instead, we are presented with a more truthful perspective, one that debunks the myth of a so-called criminal mastermind and exposes this false narrative as the result of sensationalised reporting and corrupt investigating.
The story focuses on bright young women whose lives were either taken or affected by the aftermath of heinous events. Although this is a fictional account inspired by true events, it gives a voice to the women, the way it should have been all those years ago. The story also weaves in the backstory of the women’s lives and highlights a variety of social issues that women were confronted with during that era, and in many ways still face today.
There was a seamless mix of fact and fiction in this story and at many times, I found myself curious and stunned and more than unsettled. Knoll does such a brilliant job weaving together actual details of the crimes and investigation with the character stories that I found myself wondering where does reality begin to blur.
We are confronted with the main incident pretty early on, but the author introduces the characters with enough character details and engagement prior that made me bond with the women right away. As such, the events which unfolds was hard to bear and put me right there with them. From then on, we journey with these women as they face ordeals in their personal lives and their hunt for justice told through three timelines. The pace changes between Pamela’s and Ruth’s stories, and at times I felt there was maybe too much backstory when it came to Ruth, but I think that was because I was desperate to return to Pamela and the investigation that was unfolding. When it came to certain issues and criminal details including violent acts, these were handled with care and sensitivity. However, the book isn’t without horrifying aspects and some unsettling scenes.
After I finished this book, I was left wondering so many things about the victims and the investigation of the true crimes that took place, and I think this is exactly how we should all feel. Everyone, especially true crime enthusiasts, should definitely read this!
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