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

Product Information

Now, a decade later, it’s time for the big ten-year class reunion, but only five of the seven will be attending. 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! 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!

I love stories about old friends coming together when there are secrets to deal with, and I thought the characters were so well-drawn. Thank you to Harper Collins Canada, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. A college reunion turns dark and deadly in this chilling and propulsive suspense novel about six friends, one unsolved murder, and the dark secrets they’ve been hiding from each other—and themselves—for a decade.

The pacing is quick, but still gives the reader plenty of insights into the insecurities of the characters and how those same insecurities still haunt them, as their carefully hidden secrets, are brutally exposed one by one. I liked going back and forth between different timelines which give enough clues about characters’ motives and perspectives.

In Jess’ senior year at the university, one of the members of her friend group, Heather, was brutally murdered. This brooding book exemplifies so much of what I love about dark academic suspense: its authentic and immersive university setting provides the perfect competitive, pressure-cooker environment for its compelling cast of characters and increasingly urgent central mystery.Seattle Book Review “Nostalgic and sinister, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife whisks the reader back to college. She’s got the perfect job, perfect looks, perfect everything, and she’s sure everyone will be awed by her perfectness. 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. With its compelling puzzlebox structure and delightfully ruthless cast of characters, this twisty dark academia thriller will have you flipping pages like you’re pulling an all-nighter to cram for a final. As the book progresses, the author’s expert ability to dole out subtle clues and craft convincing red herrings will keep readers fully invested; this is one of those books where everyone has a dark side and seems like they might just be capable of murder.