‘The Divorcées’ takes readers to a divorce ranch of the 1950s, where friendship is as treacherous as love

Intrigued, Beaird asked the guide to explain. After learning about the history of Reno’s famed divorce ranches, where midcentury women spent the six weeks necessary to establish Nevada custody and obtain an easy divorce, Beaird says she made a quick note in her phone — “divorce ranch?” “novel?” — and before long, found herself deep into research for “ The Divorcées .” Rowan Beaird was on her bachelorette weekend in Las Vegas when she stumbled upon the idea that became her debut novel. She and her friends were visiting the...