The Belles - by Lacey N Dunham (Paperback)

About the Book

"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"--

Book Synopsis

In this richly atmospheric, dark academia debut novel, a young woman with a secretive past will risk everything--including her life--to fit in.

Belles never tell...

It's 1951 at the secluded Bellerton College, and Deena Williams is an outsider doing her best to blend in with her wealthy and perfectly groomed peers. Infamous for its strict rules as much as its prestige, attending Bellerton could give Deena the comfortable life she's always dreamed of.

She quickly forms an alliance with the five other freshmen on her floor, and soon they are singled out by the president's wife as the most promising girls of their class, who anoints them: The Belles. They walk the college's halls in menacing unison, matching velvet ribbons in their hair. But no sisterhood comes without secrets, and the Belles are no exception. Playing cruel pranks on their dormitory housemother and embarking on boundary-shattering night games, the Belles test the limits of the campus rules.

But as Deena begins to piece together the sinister history of Bellerton, her own past threatens to come to light, forcing her to make a dangerous choice. A chilling and seductive coming-of-age story, The Belles is an excavation of the dark side of girlhood, the intricacies of privilege, and the unbridled desire to belong at any cost.

About the Author

Lacey N. Dunham is the author of The Belles. She has received support from the Elizabeth George Foundation, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Sewanee Writers Conference as a Tennessee Williams scholar, and Catapult as a merit scholar. Her writing has appeared in Ploughshares, The Kenyon Review, and more. She lives in Washington, DC. Find out more at LaceyNDunham.com.