A Novel
by Julia Dahl
In acclaimed author Julia Dahl's new standalone, the death of a young mother triggers an avalanche of secrets in a small Hudson Valley town.
Roman Grady is the sole reporter for the local newspaper in a tiny Hudson Valley town - a town so small that every store opening and DUI is considered newsworthy. But when Roman's longtime girlfriend, Ashley, the mother of his four-year-old son, is found dead, he realizes he had no idea what was really going on in her life.
And when he starts asking questions, he's not prepared for the answers.
What was Ashley doing at the cliffside home of her troubled ex-girlfriend? How did no one in a house full of people see what happened to her? And why does it seem like everyone in town suddenly has something to hide? As Roman and his mother dig into Ashley's last few months, the truths they uncover threaten to expose painful secrets. The kind of secrets that can get you killed.
A gripping thriller and a moving portrait of a family struggling through tragedy, I Dreamed of Falling showcases Julia Dahl's talent for using crime fiction to tell an immersive and unforgettable story. Dahl's unflinching novel asks hard questions about love, regret, inequality, and the possibilities and the perils of forgiveness.
"Dahl's gift for suspense will keep readers flipping pages, but in the end, it's her finely wrought characters they'll remember. It's an impressive leap forward from the author's previous, more plot-driven efforts." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The devastating crime novel will appeal to readers who appreciate tragic family stories and fans of Julia Keller's Bell Elkins books." ―Library Journal (starred review)
"With this suspenseful, poignant book, Julia Dahl delivers not only an intricately crafted thriller, but also a profound portrayal of generations of life in the Hudson Valley, and of the making and unmaking of family. Its characters will stay with you for long after you're done reading." ―Clemence Michallon, internationally bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant
"I Dreamed of Falling is one of those rare novels in which you feel the pulse of every single character down to the mail carrier. It's an uncompromising look at love and its complications, and a frank, sometimes burning story about the tricky business of learning how to be a grownup. Oh, and it's all wrapped up in a blistering mystery. With I Dreamed of Falling, Julia Dahl proves she's simply one of the best thriller writers working today." ―Gillian Flynn
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Julia Dahl is a journalist specializing in crime and criminal justice. Her first novel, Invisible City, was named one of the Boston Globe's Best Books of 2014, won the Macavity, Barry, and Shamus Awards, and was a finalist for an Edgar Award and a Mary Higgins Clark Award. She lives in Brooklyn, NY and writes for CBSNews.com.
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