The Belles

By: Lacey N. Dunham

Published by Atria Books, 2025

"Belles Never Tell... It's 1951 at the secluded Bellerton College, and Deena Williams is doing her best to blend in with her wealthy and perfectly groomed peers. Infamous for its strict rules and illustrious prestige, attending Bellerton could be a life-changing experience for Deena-and she refuses to let this opportunity pass her by. She quickly forms an alliance with the five other freshmen on her floor, including Bellerton legacy and natural leader, Ada May Delacourt. Ada May, Deena, Prissy, Fred, Sheba, and Nell are soon singled out by the headmistress as the most promising girls of their class, and she anoints them The Belles. But no sisterhood comes without secrets, and the Belles are no exception. Playing cruel pranks on their housemother and embarking on boundary-shattering nighttime games, the Belles form a sisterhood. They walk the college's haunted halls in unison, matching black ribbons in their hair. Ruled by fear of losing their Belle status, they collect secrets about each other like currency, ready to cash them in for self-preservation at the slightest misstep. But as their night games become more dangerous, the loyalty Deena feels for The Belles and the sinister history of the college collide-with deadly consequences. An atmospheric and seductive coming-of-age story, The Belles is an excavation of the dark side of girlhood, the false security of class and tradition, and our dangerous desires to belong at any cost"--