The Rules of Dreaming

Awarded the Kirkus Star for Books of Exceptional Merit On the edge of a mental breakdown, graduate student Nicole P. checks herself into the renowned Palmer Institute and is drawn into a tangled web of deception, blackmail and murder. As her doctor's life spins out of control, she must lift the spell of delusion from the people around her to solve the long-buried crime that haunts their lives. "A mind-bending marriage of ambitious literary theory and classic murder mystery.... In this intricately plotted novel, Hartman spins the familiar trappings of gothic mystery together with a fresh postmodern sensibility, producing a story that's as rich and satisfying as it is difficult to categorize.... As Hartman skillfully blurs the lines between fiction and reality, the book becomes a profound meditation on art, identity and their messy spheres of influence.... An exciting, original take on the literary mystery genre." - Kirkus Reviews.