The Ballerinas

One of the “Biggest Mysteries and Thrillers for the Rest of 2021” –Goodreads

“The ways in which women torture their bodies in pursuit of creative dreams make for enthralling fictional drama. This terrain proves irresistible in The Ballerinas, a debut novel set in the hothouse atmosphere of the Paris Opera Ballet academy as three students grow up, compete, forge friendships and embark on a trail of destruction…Kapelke-Dale has thought through the larger picture, and examined how trauma and asymmetries of power derail so many dancers.”–The New York Times

“A standing ovation to this debut.”–E! News

“This highly readable, dramatic look behind the curtains is an unqualified success.”–Booklist

“A well-crafted thriller for fans of Megan Abbott’s.”–Publishers Weekly

“Deliciously observed emotional tangles”–Library Journal

“You’ll never look at ballet the same.”–Book Riot

“Deftly uses the professional dance setting to explore the complexities of female friendships and the lingering impacts of ballet’s patriarchal culture as it hurtles toward the bloody conclusion promised on the first pages.”–Dance Magazine

“Engrossing, deft and insightful, I loved The Ballerinas–from its provocative opening pages, to its blistering climax, to its exactly right final scenes.”–Cathy Marie Buchanan, New York Times bestselling author of The Painted Girls

“Deftly constructed and crackling with tension, The Ballerinas is a stunner of a novel, with electric prose and careful observations on loyalty, ambition, power, and rage within the crucible of intense female friendships. I tore through this unforgettable thriller.”–Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here

“Wonderfully atmospheric, The Ballerinas is a twirling dream of a story.”–Araminta Hall, author of Our Kind of Cruelty

Rachel Kapelke-Dale is the author of THE BALLERINAS, and co-author of GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND (Penguin 2014), a memoir about the significance and nuances of female friendships. Kapelke-Dale spent years in intensive ballet training before receiving a BA from Brown University, an MA from the Université de Paris VII, and a PhD from University College London. She currently lives in Paris.