This book takes the well-known case of a notorious serial killer, and turns the commonly held perspective of him upside down. That is, perhaps, one of the greatest strengths of Bright Young Women.

Pamela is the president of a sorority at Florida State University, and a bright young woman who takes her responsibilities seriously. It is that which leads her to turn down an opportunity to go partying with her sorority sisters one night - a decision that most likely saves her life.

She becomes the sole witness to the identity of a man who goes on a killing spree that night, murdering 2 of Pamela's sisters in the sorority house - including her best friend, Denise - and maiming two others. But in the most unlikely coincidence, it is Pamela who spots him leaving the house, and realises that this the attacker is unknown to most of the victims.

Unfortunately, the massacre takes place in 1978, when neither the police nor the general public are given to taking women very seriously- especially not younger women. So Pamela's insistence that the killer is not, as she momentarily thought, Denise's ex-boyfriend, is not initially given much weight by the police, who find him a more likely suspect.

As a result, considerable time is wasted on taking the investigation in the wrong direction, and the ineptitude of the authorities is evident not only in the police failure to follow up obvious leads, but also in the subsequent portrayal in the media and popular culture that lionises this particular serial killer as some kind of irresistibly charming, brilliant psychopath.

As Pamela gradually and painfully shifts from her learned view of the powers that be as competent and caring, the reader empathises with her growing anger and disappointment, even as it sinks in just how paternalistic and misogynistic an era the seventies actually was.

Meanwhile, there is a parallel story underway here about Tina and her lost friend, Ruth, whom Tina is convinced has been killed by the same man who attacked the sorority house. Ruth's disappearance takes place against the backdrop of a serial killer who has been targeting women across the
Pacific Northwest. So, determined to win justice for Ruth, Tina approaches Pamela to try and establish the accuracy of her hunch that it is the same man who's involved in both instances, since Pamela is the only person who actually saw the attacker's face.

This is a very, very well researched story, which is heavy on the procedural content. It is not so much a "serial killer story", as it is an in-depth examination of the impact of a killer's actions on the lives of his victims, the survivors, and their loved ones.

What the book delivers is a slowly-unfolding narrative that leaves you shaken by the depth of a misogyny that not only leads to such sickening violence against female victims, but also does enormous damage through the disrespect and complacency that such attitudes legitimise. A thought-provoking and disturbing read, but a worthwhile one.

I did not realise this was based off of Ted Bundy’s crimes until two thirds the way through reading this book. Once I found that out it was much easier to follow the story and the different timelines.