Pamela Schumacher is President of her sorority and takes the role seriously. She takes everything seriously, from her schoolwork to her marriage prospects. Everyone thinks she can be a bit of a stick in the mud, especially when she decides to stay home. But in 1978, it’s a decision that saved the lives of several young women. Basically, she wakes up to find two girls dead and two others badly hurt – the work of a serial killer. Pamela is the only one who saw the murderer and can help bring him to justice, something Tina Cannon very much wants to see. Tina lives on the complete opposite edge of the country, the widow of a very wealthy much older man. Years ago she formed a friendship with a girl named Ruth. Tina was a safe space for Ruth who was misunderstood and dismissed by her own family. But one day, Ruth goes missing, leaving Tina despondent. When Tina hears of the massacre on FSU’s campus, she is convinced the crimes are connected. She connects with Pamela and, together, they put the pieces together.
Jessica Knoll did it YET AGAIN. This time, she’s factionalized the lore of Ted Bundy to make it feel so deeply personal. For too many decades, society has placed disproportionate emphasis on Bundy and his good looks. Can you name the victims? What were their hopes and buried desires? Remember that scene in Silence of the Lambs where Clarice Starling remarks that the mother refers to her daughter (the victim) by name to humanize her. If Buffalo Bill sees her as a real person, she’ll be tougher to kill. Here, Knoll does the opposite. The killer is never named and instead referred to as “the Defendant” throughout the novel. The effect is to dehumanize him, a shift that was long overdue.
4.75 out of 5 stars.
Pair with: a Harvey Wallbanger
Peaches to Apples 