A Gorgeous Excitement is a historical fiction novel about a young woman’s last summer in New York City before leaving for college. It is loosely based on the “Preppy Murder” case of 1986.

Nina Jacobs is temping at various offices in Manhattan and hitting the local bar, Flanagan’s, at night when she is drawn back into the orbit of Gardner Reed. He’s charismatic and sexy, and Nina quickly becomes obsessed with him. Meanwhile, she’s also navigating her mother’s declining mental health, a new friendship with Stephanie, and a rapidly growing drug habit. What starts as a final hurrah before heading to Vanderbilt University becomes a summer that ends in murder.

For those who remember the Jennifer Levin murder case, this novel brings us back to the mid-80s with its references to the music, fashion, party drugs, and the pretty young women who were attacked in New York City—and then blamed for their own vulnerability. I felt protective of Nina and Stephanie as they floated through the city, oblivious to the dangers around them, and angry all over again at the case that inspired this novel. It’s not a light read, but I recommend it to readers who enjoy gritty coming-of-age stories.