Private/Characters

The Private novel series currently consists of thirteen books and two prequels:

• 1. Private
• 2. Invitation Only
• 3. Untouchable
• 4. Confessions
• 5. Inner Circle
• 6. Legacy
• 7. Ambition
• 8. Revelation
• 9. Paradise Lost
• 10. Suspicion
• 11. Scandal
• 12. Vanished
• 13. Ominous
• Prequels:
  • Last Christmas (Set a year before the events of the first book and Reed's arrival at Easton Academy)
  • The Book of Spells (Set in 1915 and follows the ancestors of three of the main Billings girls. When they find the titular Book of Spells the trio decide to form their very own coven. But they soon find that magic is not to be messed with when tragedy strikes their midst...)

Main Characters

Reed Brennan

The main character of the Private series. She transfers to Easton Academy from a state school in the hopes of eventually getting into an Ivy League college when she graduates. As soon as she arrives she becomes obsessed with joining the Billings Girls-the most elite clique at the academy. Several things seem to conspire to prevent this happening however and Reed soon finds that it is a ruthless climb to get to the top.

• Damsel in Distress
• Fish Out of Water: Reed is a lower middle class freshman student suddenly plunged into a world of insanely rich and privileged upperclassmen students.
• Jerkass Woobie: Your Mileage May Vary however.
• Naive Newcomer
• Preppy Name
• Scholarship Student: Transfers to Easton Academy on a scholarship programme.
• Secret Legacy: Not only do she and Noelle Lange share the same father, they are both both descendants of witches. This goes double for Reed who discovers that not only is she a descendant of Eliza Williams on her father's side, she is also a descendant of Helen Jennings on her mother's side. This, according to Noelle's grandmother, makes her potentially the most powerful witch of the new coven.
• The Smart Guy: Is a gifted academic student and is also a keen lacrosse player.
• TookALevelInRuthlessness: Poor Reed discovers she has to do this in order to become top dog at Easton Academy.
• TwoLastNames

Noelle Lange

The (unofficial) leader of the Billings Girls sorority on campus and the coolest girl in the Academy. Extremely rich and confident she is or was the best friend of Ariana Osgood and something of an Alpha Bitch in her first appearance. She gradually shows a softer side when dealing with new initiates into Billings House although those who get on the wrong side of her can still expect to receive a vicious tongue lashing. She is also very loyal to those she considers friends.

• Cool Big Sis: For most of the Billings House clique as well as Reed.
• Deadpan Snarker
• Ensemble Darkhorse: One of the most popular characters with Private readers. Even some of her more cruel actions have not dampened this, see below.
• Kick the Dog: Forcing Reed to publically break up with a boy Kiran Hayes was secretly dating as part of Reed's initiation into Billings House. All because the boy Kiran liked was part of a house at Easton Academy that is seen by the other students as lower-class. Noelle remains one of the most popular characters in the fandom despite this.
• ReedIAmYourSister
• Make Way for the Princess: Not an actual princess by any means, but on campus her status is second only to Paige Ryan's.
• MysteriousScar: Has a three inch long red scar along her hip bone the origin of which she refuses to reveal.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: It was her idea to kidnap Thomas in order to get revenge for what he did to Reed. The original plot was to strip him, blindfold him and leave him tied up somewhere remote to shame him. However Ariana later snuck out to free him after the prank was over. A confused and disoriented Thomas blamed her for the prank and threatened to go to the police leading Ariana to lose her temper and murder him with a baseball bat. After the prank goes horribly wrong, the stress of keeping their involvement a secret almost leads to the break-up of the Billings Girls sorority and Reed nearly being killed.
• The Nicknamer: Dubs Reed the "glass-licker" after catching her staring after her group in Billings House.
• Rich Bitch: At first until she warms up to Reed and increasingly becomes a Lovable Alpha Bitch.
• Secret Legacy: Not only are she and Reed half-sisters through her father, it also turns out that they are both witches- the descendants of Eliza Williams.
• Tall, Dark and Bishoujo

Paige Ryan

The queen of Billings House and the only person considered cooler than Noelle Lange.

• Alpha Bitch: Becomes this after the events of Paradise Lost.
• BigWomanOnCampus: She is considered the 'queen' of Billings House because her great-grandmother Theresa Billings was the namesake of the house.
• Rich Bitch
• Secret Legacy: She is also a witch through being a descendant of Theresa Billings.

Ivy Slade

A later newcomer to Easton Academy. Initially presented as the Foil to Reed, becoming the only person in the Academy's history to turn down an invite into Billings House; she eventually becomes one of Reed's closest friends.

• Aloof Ally: At first.
• Second Love: She was this for Josh Hollis until they break up in Suspicion.
• Shiny Midnight Black: Has long, jet-black hair down to her waist. When she joins Easton Academy, her aloofness makes Reed initially distrust her.
• Tall, Dark and Bishoujo
• We Used to Be Friends: With Cheyenne Martin.

Taylor Bell

One of the members of Noelle Lange's original clique. Has a photographic memory and is a gifted student. One of the nicest and most innocent characters in the series.

• Blue Eyes
• Commuting on a Bus: after she leaves Billings following the murder of Thomas and her emotional breakdown she shows up for a few parties and vacations the gang goes on.
• The Cutie
• Everyone Loves Blondes: Described as being a "cherub" with messy dark blonde hair and big blue eyes.
• Moe
• NiceGirl
• Put on a Bus: After the prank on Thomas goes horribly wrong both she and Kiran have a hard time keeping things a secret. She eventually decides to transfer out of Easton when everyone finds out about the prank, citing that she could never willingly be in a school which could allow students like Thomas Pearson to be enrolled. It eventually comes to light that Ariana forced her to leave Easton.
• Smart People Wear Glasses

Supporting Characters

Ariana Osgood

The first person to befriend Reed when she transfers to Easton Academy. A bookish and studious girl with masses of wavy blonde hair she appears to be the least snobby of Noelle Lange's clique at Billings House.

• Breakout Character: Gets her own spin off series called Privilege.
• CharacterTrait: Is very observant about minor details and people's appearances almost to the point of Super OCD.
• Child Of Divorced Parents: In her backstory.
• Daddy's Girl
• Ensemble Darkhorse: Definite YMMV but the fact that she is currently starring in her own spin-off series of novels should tell you something.
• [[spoiler: Love Makes You Evil: She and Thomas were dating in secret before Reed arrived at Easton. In Last Christmas more of her and Thomas's backstory is revealed. She believes herself to be so in love with Thomas that she'd do anything for him, even murder. When Thomas dumps her for Reed she snaps. and recruits Reed into Billings House so that she can spy on her and eventually kill her.
• Horrible Judge of Character: The reason behind many of the things she does, especially in the Privilege novels.
• The Ingenue: Played with.
• In the Blood: The novels hint that her mother being mentally ill is the cause of her own insanity. The novels Ominous and The Book Of Spells also hint at a supernatural cause.
• MommasGirl: She is very close with her mother although she also resents the fact that her mother is so dependent on her.
• Opposites Attract: The reason why she and Noelle are best friends.
• Poisonous Friend: What she eventually turns out to be.
• Psycho Ex-Girlfriend: For Thomas. She murders him when he tells her he never loved her and that he is now in love with Reed.
• Murder the Hypotenuse: Tries to murder Reed at the climax of Confessions. Luckily Noelle arrives and knocks her out with a lacrosse stick before she can succeed.
• Secret Legacy: Is the descendant of witches through her ancestor Catherine White. It is implied in both Ominous and The Book of Spells that her enmity with Reed has a supernatural angle to it (as well as romantic rivalry over Thomas Pearson) due to the demon possessed Catherine White cursing all the descendants of Helen Jennings, Theresa Billings and Eliza Williams.
• Serial Killer
• The Smart Guy
• Team Mom: For the Billings Girls and Noelle Lange's clique.
• White-Haired Pretty Girl: Has very pale blonde hair.

Josh Hollis

Reed's on and off again boyfriend. She begins dating him after Thomas Pearson is murdered but they do not become the Official Couple until mid way through the novels.

• Blond Guys Are Evil: Averted. Definitely one of the nicest characters in the series.
• Dark-Skinned Blond: Described as being blond and tanned.
• Green Eyes
• Nice Guy
• Official Couple: With Reed.
• Second Love: For Reed after Thomas's death. Also Ivy Slade briefly becomes this for Josh until he and Reed reunite late into Suspicion. This puts tension between the two girls until the events of Scandal.

Thomas Pearson

• All Girls Want Bad Boys: He is Easton Academy's resident drug dealer.
• Black Sheep: Of the Pearson family because of his drug dealing ways. He is terrified of being cut off financially if he is caught and expelled from Easton Academy.
• Cain and Abel: Turns out his relationship with his older brother is like this.
• The Corrupter: It is implied that the reason he chases after Reed and Ariana is because they are typical "good girls" and he enjoys the chase.
• Jerkass: Though Your Mileage May Vary.
• Redemption Equals Death: He was going to come clean about everything with him and Ariana, his drug dealing and more to Reed after his kidnapping until Ariana decided to silence him permanently.
• Serial Romeo
• Tall, Dark and Snarky
• Took a Level in Jerkass: His characterisation in between Reed's narration and {{spoiler|Last Christmas is very different}} to say the least.

The Twin Cities (London and Vienna)

• Dumb Blonde: Averted. They are Dumb Brunettes.
• Popular Is Dumb
• Single-Minded Twins

Missy Thurber

• The Rival

Lorna Gross

Natasha Crenshaw

• Schoolgirl Lesbian: With her former roomate

Sabine Du Lac

A new transfer student originally from Martinique. She becomes quick friends with Reed.

• EveryoneIsPrettierIfFrench
• The Reveal: She murdered Cheyenne Martin and made it look like a suicide to frame Reed, whom she blames for the downfall of her sister.
• Secret Legacy: she's Ariana's half-sister through their father.
• Shiny Midnight Black

Cheyenne Martin

• Alpha Bitch: And how!
• Blondes Are Evil
• Killed Off for Real
• Rich Bitch
• The Rival
• Spoiled Brat
• With Friends Like These...: The reason why she and Ivy Slade can't stand each other.

Upton Giles

• BlondGuysAreJerks
• The Casanova
• The Hedonist
• Mrs. Robinson: Had an affair with Paige Ryan's mother in the past. She does not take it well when he dates other women, something which Reed finds out almost too late.
• Preppy Name: A double whammy.
• Serial Romeo: A notorious womanizer at Easton until he met and started dating Reed. On a vacation to St. Barths.

Kiran Hayes

• The Alcoholic
• Fiery Redhead: Subverted.
• Green Eyes
• Put on a Bus: Either left Easton Academy to go to Europe or was murdered by Ariana in the spinoff Privilege. Confirmed murdered
• World's Most Beautiful Woman: Frequently described as being the most beautiful and glamorous girl in Billings House.

Dash Mc Cafferty

Noelle's long-term boyfriend and a senior at Easton Academy.

• Blond Guys Are Evil: A second aversion of the trope.
• Out of Focus: After he graduates from Easton.
• Your Cheating Heart: He and Noelle have something of an "open relationship" despite being in a steady relationship for a long time. Despite this Noelle can sometimes be jealous of him being with other girls and this fact becomes a side plot in Legacy and Revelation.

Lenora "Grandmother" Lange

Noelle and Reed's grandmother. She does not make an appearance until Ominous but she remains an important background character as Reed's entrance into Easton Academy turns out to have been overseen by her.

• Evil Old Folks: Not so much evil as manipulative.
• Manipulative Bitch: She manipulated things so that Reed's mother would spend time working late nights with her son, knowing of his cheating heart tendencies in the hope that they would conceive a child- Reed. On the Lange's side of the family Reed is descended from Eliza Williams but on her mother's side of the family she is also descended from Helen Jennings. Knowing this, Noelle's grandmother hoped to create a doubly powerful witch to be used for the Lange's own ends. We are yet to know what else Grandmother Lange is planning, but we do know by the end of Ominous that she is part of a larger conspiracy.
• Meddling Grandparents
• Vitriolic Best Buds: With her granddaughter Noelle. It appears that there is a thin line of love and hate between members of the Lange family in general.