The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Knoll, Jessica. Bright Young Women. Marysue Rucci Books, 2023.

Jessica Knoll's novel Bright Young Women spans over four decades and is set in various cities around the United States. On its surface, the novel is a retelling of Ted Bundy's story through the points of view of the women he victimized. Written from the first person point of view of the protagonists Pamela Schumacher and Ruth Wachowsky, the narrative toggles between the past and the present throughout. For the sake of clarity, the following summary primarily relies upon the present tense and a streamlined mode of explanation.

In 1978, Pamela Schumacher is president of her sorority chapter at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. She loves her role at The House and values her relationships with her sisters. Then one night in January, Pamela wakes up to get a snack and discovers that something is wrong. She hears thuds from upstairs and sees a strange man sneaking out of The House. Upstairs, she discovers that her sisters Eileen and Jill have been brutally injured. Her friends Denise and Robbie are unresponsive. Not long later, she learns that Denise and Robbie died before reaching the hospital.

Pamela meets a woman named Martina, or Tina Cannon, while visiting Eileen and Jill at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. Tina invites Pamela on a drive and reveals that the same man who killed her friends also killed her friend, Ruth. Pamela agrees to pursue Tina's theory in hopes of bringing the killer to justice.

Just as Tina predicts, no one believes Pamela's version of events. The cops and detectives discredit her story, although she is the only one who saw the perpetrator and he is still at large.

After Denise's and Robbie's funerals, Pamela, Tina, and a journalist named Carl Wallace travel to Aspen to pursue other leads. Tina is sure that the killer is the man behind various other disappearances in the Colorado area. The trip only complicates Pamela's understanding of the case. Then she discovers that everyone has been warning her about Tina, because Tina was romantic with Ruth. Tina does not deny her relationship with Ruth, and urges Pamela to think about her life, her relationships, and her culture differently. By the time they return to Florida, Pamela realizes the importance of her new friendship with Tina. Pamela also comes to rely upon Tina after The Defendant is arrested and brought to trial. Tina is particularly supportive when Pamela testifies against The Defendant. They remain close friends throughout the years following.

In 1974, Tina and Ruth meet through a Complex Grief Group. Tina is studying to be a therapist and healing from her late husband's death. Ruth is trying to cope with her father's recent and tragic death. She is immediately intrigued by Tina, because she is attractive, outspoken, and courageous.

After their trip to Aspen for a conference, Tina and Ruth move in together and start a relationship. With Tina, Ruth does not feel ashamed of her sexuality. She is also able to escape her controlling mother through her new relationship.

Then one day, while waiting for Tina on a beach, Ruth meets The Defendant. Because he seems harmless, she agrees to help him load his boat into his car at his parents' house. He lures her to this location, rapes, and kills her.

Tina and Pamela discover the truth surrounding Ruth's death after they secure and listen to The Defendant's confession tapes. For the first time in almost 50 years, they find closure. They travel to the location where Ruth disappeared and plant ferns in her and Denise's memory.