In My Dreams I Hold a Knife is an intriguing, slow burn whodunnit/coming-of-age story set within an academic backdrop with an interesting character focus.

Ashley Winstead’s psychological thriller has a murder mystery at its heart, but it is clearly more of a character-driven novel that slowly reveals the close bond, secrets and deceptions of a group of university friends. This group of friends first met during their first weeks at Duquette University and instantly became inseparable and were soon known on campus as The East House 7. But by the end of their four years at Duquette, one will be murdered, another will be accused, and their friend group irreparably damaged.

I enjoyed the use of multiple POVs who tell the story as it jumps between the group’s years at school and their 10th reunion in the present. I found some of the switches between the timelines a bit choppy and some of the pacing to lag just a bit in the middle, but the red herrings and the well-developed characters more than made up for it.

This is an impressive and twisty thriller about obsession, friendship, ambition, and rivalry, and shows just how far someone is willing to go to get what they think they deserve out of life. Put your hold on either our print or eBook copies today at wpl.ca!