In My Dreams I Hold a Knife: TikTok made me buy it! The breakout dark academia thriller everyone's talking about

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Between the alternating timelines and POVs, things are kept mysterious until the moment the author chooses to reveal all that happened on that fateful day during the East House 7's final year of college. Twisty and compulsively readable, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife will have you turning pages late into the night, not just to figure out who murdered beloved Heather Shelby, but to see whether friendships forged under fire can ever be resurrected again.

I recently read and loved The Girls are All So Nice Here, which contains a similar plot and is stellar in its execution. The other thing I loved about this book is well thrown bombs in our laps, sucker punches the author orchestras out of nowhere and the delicious fiery ending sealed the deal. The cherry on top of this deliciously dark read is a cinematic, gut-punch of an ending—the kind of finale that feels built for the big screen, and more than makes up for any slower start that some readers may find this book to have. All of the characters are so fleshed out and it was such a great mystery trying to figure out what actually happened in the past. Both the past and present bring every character under question, and I really enjoyed the classic whodunnit approach with every character having a motive.Ashley Winstead’s immersive debut suspense novel IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE weaves an engrossing tale of murder, love, and obsession set against the backdrop of an elite southern university.

I am amazed that this is a debut novel, the attention to detail is incredible and the writing is absolutely gorgeous, some of the scene toward the end nearly had me in tears? But not everyone has moved on from the murder, someone has been compiling evidence long after the police have given up on the case. They are all in for a big shock when they discover that the reunion is also the opportunity someone has been waiting for- a chance to find out who murdered Heather and get justice once and for all.

The different timelines and perspectives impressively illustrated exactly why these characters were as 'effed up' as they were, making the characters even that much more authentic! Huge thanks to Vanessa and her publisher for giving us this early sneak peek—I can’t wait to read BLOOD SISTERS this fall! I liked going back and forth between different timelines which give enough clues about characters’ motives and perspectives. The character development was superb, as I found myself loving as well as loathing several characters.

Winstead’s clever insights into her characters’ complicated lives and motives will keep readers glued to the page. One of the unique selling points of Ashley Winstead’s debut novel is its ensemble cast, and the riveting glimpse Winstead offers her readers into the inner workings of its central friend group, a clique known as the “East House Seven. Not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather Shelby's murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she'd been closest to since freshman year. Definitely had shades of The Girls Are All So Nice Here with the reunion theme and something terrible happening while they were at school. Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Canada for the digital arc in exchange for my honest opinions.They all gather back at the prestigious Duquette University for their ten year Homecoming reunion, and secrets hidden begin to come to light. The younger brother of the murdered girl has remained at the University for the past ten years and now works on campus. Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of Home Before Dark “Beautiful writing, juicy secrets, complex female characters, and drumbeat suspense—what more could you want from a debut thriller? Kudos to Winstead, as it is difficult to see where the plot is headed before it actually goes there. Fans of The Secret History, Ruth Ware, and Andrea Bartz will devour this dark academic thriller with an addictive locked-room mystery at its core.

Ashley Winstead narrates the story from now and then, from the point of view of Jessica and from who we need to hear. She’s put her life back together since her best friend, Heather was murdered and Jack, one of the East House Seven was accused of the crime. IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE is a strong debut suspense novel from an author whose future work I will be eagerly looking forward to reading. Winstead expertly explores group dynamics through her book’s central characters, delving into the shifting allegiances and closely guarded secrets that can exist within cliques— and exploring the lasting impact these group dynamics can have long after individuals have gone their separate ways.BLOOD SISTERS will be published in September, but thanks to Vanessa and her publisher, we’re able to get an exclusive early glimpse into the book right here in today’s blog post! Welcome to Duquette University, where a 10-year college reunion is about to take a dangerous turn in Ashley Winstead’s dark academia debut, IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE. Alternating between flashback chapters that take place during Jess’ time in college in the lead-up to Heather’s murder, and present-day chapters that follow the increasingly sinister events of reunion weekend, IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE weaves an immersive tale of friendship, betrayal, love, and deadly obsession. IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE is an immersive, atmospheric story of friendship, secrets, and obsession. Reading this book was like wandering solo in some remote, little-known country, not knowing its culture, expectations, or language.