I Dreamed of Falling - by Julia Dahl (Hardcover)

About the Book

"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"--

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

Praise for I Dreamed of Falling

""A superb character-driven psychological thriller...Dahl skillfully elevates the suspense...Grief, guilt, and an uncertain future punctuate the emotional I Dreamed of Falling." -Oline Cogdill, Shelf Awareness

"The definition of gut-wrenching... I Dreamed of Falling is a perfectly crafted thriller that goes beyond a classic whodunit. Layered with complicated character arcs, unforeseen twists, and well-thought-out details, this novel--and the circumstances surrounding Ashley's death--will be on the minds of readers well after they've finished."--Booklist

"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 skill and compassion, Dahl has created a heart-wrenching drama of family dysfunction and small-town gentrification that makes I Dreamed of Falling a story greater than the sum of its parts." --Los Angeles Times

"I Dreamed of Falling is a tragic story of family, how family can destroy people, and strengthen others. It's a story of family struggle, and the struggle of a community. Well-worth the time to read a difficult novel." --Lesa's Book Critiques

"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

"All the characters here are memorable, but four-year-old Mason and his bottomless, bewildered grief are particularly well drawn. A family and a story to remember." -First Clue

"Julia Dahl's I Dreamed of Falling is both a riveting crime novel and an intimate and wrenching portrait of a family struggling to find its footing, and the tragedy that exposes all the desperation humming beneath. Vivid and haunting and not to be missed." -Megan Abbott

"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

Praise for The Missing Hours

"An adventure thriller . . . a great reckoning with the moment we find ourselves in." -The New York Times Book Review

"A smart, thoughtful, and gripping book. You'll find it hard to put this novel down."--Oxygen

"A provocative and timely standalone novel." --South Florida Sun Sentinel

About the Author

JULIA DAHL is the author of The Missing Hours, Conviction, Run You Down, and Invisible City, which was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel, one of the Boston Globe's Best Books of 2014, and has been translated into eight languages. A former reporter for CBS News and the New York Post, she now teaches journalism at NYU.