The Secret Circle is a series of novels created by L. J. Smith. The series revolves around twelve teenage witches who form an infamous coven known as 'The Secret Circle'.
Cassie Blake is a beautiful and mild-mannered sixteen-year-old girl who moves to New Salem, New England, with her strong-willed mother, Alexandra. During her residence in New Salem, Cassie befriends the kind and warm-hearted Diana, who welcomes Cassie into her “clique”. Throughout the series, Cassie discovers her family’s lineage of magic and the darkness that threatens both her and her coven.
Adam Conant
Adam Conant is a handsome, kind, loyal and strong-willed young man. He is described as having red hair and striking blue eyes. Cassie and Adam meet on a beach in Cape Cod and feel an intense connection described as a silver cord. Adam returns to New Salem after Cassie has moved there and he becomes even more attracted to her. He is torn between the new girl and the love of his life, Diana. Throughout the series, Adam tries to remain faithful to Diana and swears a blood oath with Cassie that they will not give in to their feelings for each other. Adam lost both of his parents in a mysterious accident a few months after he was born.
Diana Meade
Diana Meade is a caring, kind, and compassionate girl. She is described as being tall with blonde hair and green eyes. She saves Cassie from Faye, and they instantly become good friends. She welcomes Cassie into their "Clique" and encourages the others to accept her. Diana is powerful, level headed and very intelligent. Like Adam, Diana lost her mother in an accident.
Faye Chamberlain
Faye Chamberlain is the opposite of Diana Meade, her cousin. She has a darker complexion, raven hair and honey gold eyes. She is cruel, boisterous and manipulative. However, she changes throughout the series. She has a talent for pyrokinesis and uses it blatantly. She sets her eyes on the mortal Jefferey Lovejoy, much to his girlfriend's displeasure. She craves power and uses Cassie to do her bidding. Faye's father was among the parents who died in a mysterious fire/hurricane.
Deborah Armstrong
Deborah Armstrong is a hard, brash sixteen-year-old girl. She is physically strong and likes to settle arguments with her fists. She rides a motorcycle and gives Cassie her first ride. She is disdainful of Cassie but warms up to her over time and even stops following Faye. Both of Deborah's parents are still alive, but it's said that they fight a lot. The coven eventually finds out that this is because they were not with the other members of their coven on the night of the fire/hurricane.
Laurel Quincey
Laurel Quincey is a kind and warm-hearted sixteen-year-old girl who is friends with Diana and Melanie. Laurel is described as very down to earth and good-natured. She welcomes Cassie into her life and teaches her about herbs and roots, which is her forte. Laurel's parents perished the night of the fire/hurricane.
Melanie Glaser
Melanie Glaser is a straightforward, no-nonsense, intelligent girl. She is wary of Cassie at first, but like Diana and Laurel she accepts Cassie and she helps Cassie understand her specialty--crystals. Melanie was raised by her great aunt Constance after her parents died.
Nick Armstrong
Nick Armstrong is a dark and brooding young man. He is described as being tall and lean, with black hair and brown eyes that are cold and unfeeling. At first Nick brushes Cassie off, but later he develops feelings for her. He blamed his parents for leaving him alone and despises being a witch, but with Cassie's help he discovers that his parents were extremely brave and died trying to save him and the coven.
Sean Dulany
Sean Dulany is a short, slight teenager who is often described as creepy. He is easily bullied by Faye into doing what she wants. He wears a hematite stone on his belt that is a conduit for mind control. It is through him that Black John does his dirty work. Sean's mother died with some of her coven members, leaving Sean with a deadbeat dad.
Christopher and Douglas Henderson
Christopher and Douglas Henderson are sixteen-year-old twin brothers who reside in New Salem with their family. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, Christopher and Douglas agree to help Faye taunt Cassie in exchange for Faye convincing her friends, Deborah and Suzan, to go out with them. In The Initiation, Cassie met Kori Henderson, Chris and Doug's sister. Shortly afterward, Kori died on her fifteenth birthday due to a broken neck. Chris and Doug's parents are both still alive.
Suzan Whittier
Suzan Whittier is a kind and warm-hearted sixteen-year-old girl who resides in New Salem with her family. She is described as a blonde bombshell who cares only for boys, food and soaps. She is dismissed as a dumb blonde but has great insights which have helped the coven. Throughout the series, Suzan becomes a good friend of both Cassie and Diana, despite Faye’s disapproval. Susan was raised by her father, who out of guilt gave her anything she wanted. He is also described as being strict and doesn't talk about her mother.
Cassie Blake is a beautiful but shy teenager who moves to New Salem to be with her ailing grandmother. Within the first few days at her new school, she becomes the target for a group of mean girls. One day she is saved by a beautiful girl, Diana, and they become friends. She then becomes part of the in crowd, a club that is revered by the whole school. After a terrible tragedy, Cassie finds out that she is the 13th witch of a circle of witches who are descendants of the witches of Salem. She also finds out that the boy she met over the summer is the boyfriend of her new best friend. She must fight her attraction towards him, learn her craft and uncover the truth behind the many strange occurrences that are happening.
Cassie becomes a pawn in Faye's power struggle when Faye learns something about her and Adam. The coven also begin to realize that whenever the crystal skull is used, a murder takes place. Tensions run high and finally, on the night of the leadership vote, Diana is ousted when a distraught Cassie votes for Faye. Faye uses the crystal and lets out the darkness.
The power picks up immediately after the horrific events of The Captive. Cassie, tired of Faye's games, tells her that her blackmailing ends. In a fit of rage, Faye tells the coven that Adam and Cassie are in love and were going behind the backs of everyone. The other are shocked but allow Cassie and Adam to explain. The coven accepts Cassie and Adam, and all is forgiven. Faye storms off and is not heard of for a few days. At the funeral, they realize that Black John is back and he has taken corporeal form. Within a few days, the witch hunters return and the coven is targeted. Cassie must unite her coven and drive off the evil forces that threatens to destroy them.
