Bestselling novelist Marie Benedict, a graduate of Boston College, and acclaimed author Victoria Christopher Murray have written a new historical novel about the singular friendship between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and educator and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. The First Ladies (Berkley/Penguin Random House, 2023) is the story of two different, yet equally formidable, passionate, and committed women, and the way in which their bond helped form the foundation for the modern civil rights movement. Initially drawn together because of their shared belief in women’s rights and the power of education, Bethune and Roosevelt become fast friends confiding their secrets, hopes and dreams—and holding each other’s hands through tragedy and triumph, according to the authors. When Roosevelt receives threats because of her strong ties to Bethune, it only fuels the women’s desire to fight together for justice and equality. This is the second collaboration between Benedict and Murray. They are also the authors of The Personal Librarian, New York Times bestseller and “Good Morning America” Book Club pick about Belle de Costa, a Black woman who was J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian.