The Dollhouse Academy

A Novel

By: Margarita Montimore

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Xe Sands

From the NATIONAL BESTSELLING author of GMA Book Club Pick OONA OUT OF ORDER, a novel about two best friends and aspiring actresses who join the Dollhouse Academy, where stars are made and dangerous secrets are hidden

“Deliciously sensational…What could be more fun? As if the wives of Stepford went to the Valley of the Dolls.”—Kirkus

Ivy Gordon is living on borrowed time. For the past eighteen years, she has been the most famous star at the Dollhouse Academy, the elite boarding school and talent incubator that every aspiring performer dreams of attending. But now, at age thirty-four, she is tired of pretending everything is fine. In secret diary entries, Ivy begins to reveal the truth of her life at the Dollhouse: strange medical exams, mysterious supplements, and something unspeakable that’s left Ivy terrified and feeling like a prisoner.

Ramona Halloway and her best friend, Grace Ludlow, grew up idolizing Ivy. Now both twenty-two, neither has made much headway in showbiz until a lucky break grants them entry to the Dollhouse. They’re enchanted by the picturesque campus and the chance to perform alongside their idols. When Ramona begins to receive threatening anonymous messages, it’s easy to dismiss them as a prank from a rival. Her bigger concern is Grace’s skyrocketing success, while Ramona struggles to keep up with the fierce competition. As the messages grow more unsettling, so does life at the Dollhouse. Can Ramona overcome her jealousy and resentment to figure out what’s really going on? Will Ivy finally find her voice, before another young performer follows her catastrophic path?

With dark academia twists and enormous heart, The Dollhouse Academy is a novel about the complexities of friendship, our desire to be seen and understood, and the true cost of making our dreams a reality.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

©2025 Margarita Montimore (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

A Most Anticipated Book (Town & Country, Beyond the Bookends, BookBub)

“Consider this twisty novel dark academia meets the dark side of entertainment—with plenty of references to Hollywood's Golden Age and the studio system.”—Town & Country

“Deliciously sensational…What could be more fun? As if the wives of Stepford went to the Valley of the Dolls.”—Kirkus

“[A] frothy, 1990s-set thriller…Twisted fun…A darkly enjoyable takedown of the entertainment industry.”—Publishers Weekly