S. F. Prescott

Smart, suspenseful, and fearless.

Jessica Knoll is the New York Times bestselling author of The Favorite Sister and Luckiest Girl Alive—now a major motion picture from Netflix starring Mila Kunis. She has been a senior editor at Cosmopolitan and the articles editor at Self. She grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and graduated from the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their bulldog, Franklin.

Published Sept 19th, 2023.

This book was worth the wait. A heart-wrenching story about the fates of the women targeted by and left in the wake of one man’s destruction. So often, books written about similar crimes are told from a place of misogyny and little empathy but Knoll not only delivers a fresh feminist perspective, but highlights inaccuracies spread by the media during the trial in which ‘the Defendant’ was described as a charismatic, handsome, intellectual law student.

Knoll created characters who I resonated with while keeping me engaged in the suspense of the crimes, particularly in the aftermath. The ways in which law enforcement operated in the 1970s was fascinating to read about, albeit infuriating to learn of their mishandling of evidence and witness testimony. Pamela’s headstrong personality kept me hooked, and I was especially interested in her storyline knowing her character was cross examined by the defendant in real life. (Something that wasn’t legally prohibited until 1996—I learned.) The way in which author underscored the defendant’s incompetencies while acting as his own legal counsel, made possible only by the fact that his female attorney had to guide him through each point of contention, was laughable and disturbing—since it was clear his interests were purely to relive the brutal crimes for his own morbid fantasies. Ruth’s character broke my heart. I loved reading her journey and learning about the strained relationships she had with both family and close friends/lovers. Her relationship with Tina finally allowing her to embrace her authenticity and live how she wanted to. That final chapter when she went to swim in the lake before being approached for help tugged at my heart strings. When she finally met her demise I couldn’t help but feel grief for her, and the loss of life she could have had.

There isn’t anything negative I can say about this book. It’s definitely one I’ll go back to and read again, much like Knoll’s debut. The characters and their journeys flow with little effort, the suspense kept me hooked until the end, and the prose sparkled.

For readers who enjoy suspense, strong female perspectives, and psychological thrillers blended with true crime.

Synopsis:

The book opens on a Saturday night in 1978, hours before a soon-to-be-infamous murderer descends upon a Florida sorority house with deadly results. The lives of those who survive, including sorority president and key witness, Pamela Schumacher, are forever changed. Across the country, Tina Cannon is convinced her missing friend was targeted by the man papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer—and that he’s struck again. Determined to find justice, the two join forces as their search for answers leads to a final, shocking confrontation.