THE WITCHES OF BELLINAS

Tansy Black and her husband, Guy, are newly arrived in Bellinas, an idyllic Northern California town, having left New York behind.

Invited into the coastal oasis by Guy’s cousin Mia, once a famous model, and Manny, her tech-mogul husband, they find a reclusive, spiritual community of creatives dedicated to pursuing wellness. But underneath the impeccable facade of Bellinas’ lush gardens, stunning architecture, and perfect climate lies a web of deceit that Tansy can’t stop herself from trying to unravel. Guy can’t understand Tansy’s misgivings, and as their relationship begins to disintegrate, Tansy attempts to silence her qualms and recommit to the Bellinas way of life. She joins the disciplelike group Mia and Manny have assembled for long dinners and beach bonfires, accompanies the women in their daily rituals and various art practices, and enjoys the company of their children even as she desperately yearns for her own. She never succumbs to the group’s cultish devotion to Manny, though; she finds him threatening and dishonest. The cynical, knowing tone of Tansy’s narration speaks to the instinct women have for danger—those suspicions that persist despite reassurance: “Women are taught to listen to everyone except themselves.” Her earlier study of ancient cultures enables her to draw parallels between her situation and the women of classical mythology, and Jones skillfully weaves together her contemporary tale and myriad myths. Silenced, abused, disbelieved, Tansy finds herself consumed by rage. When she stumbles on the shocking truth one day in the woods, her eyes are opened to the bargain the women of Bellinas have made, and the secret power they wield. Jones has authored a fierce, timely indictment of movements masquerading as enlightenment, cautioning women especially against things that seem too good to be true.

A rich, piercing novel that cries out for women to trust themselves above all others.