Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

I’m going to keep this brief because I’m still processing but MY GOD, THIS BOOK.

Expertly plotted and researched, this novel inspired by true events was executed with the most gut-wrenching amount of empathy and precise care. Written with astonishing candor in three first-person narratives, every other line deserved to be highlighted and analysed for its power and purpose within the story. The plot lines and perspectives wove together seamlessly, hitting emotional beats and ramping up suspense perfectly. It was a compulsive read, filled with page-turning discoveries as well as compelling, tangible characters I hated to leave behind.

This narrative centres strictly and unwaveringly around victims of violent crime and their loved ones. The Defendant in this particular case is only ever referred to as such, when they’re even mentioned at all. They are trivial, merely an accessory to the stories of all the Bright Young Women explored in this book.

I can’t begin to fathom how MUCH research must have gone in to writing this clever book to make it feel so authentic. I am in awe of this book and so enjoyed the macabre, confronting journey it took me on.

Thank you so much to Pan MacMillan for sending me an advance copy!