As someone who loves true crime, I was immediately sucked in. Jane and her online sleuthing friends are determined to outwit the police and help solve media-frenzied crimes across the country. Jane was just looking for a way to cope with her father’s death but ends up having her life changed forever. There were some great twists and turns that I did not totally expect. I just love Ashley Winstead’s writing.

4.5 stars! There were a lot of parallels with the Idaho 4 case and it makes me wonder how much online conspiracies and armchair detectives really affect (or maybe even harm) the outcome of a case.

Thank you to Ashley Winstead, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy in exchange of my honest review.

Janeway Sharp was just another college student, partying on a Saturday night, when a single phone call changed everything. Her beloved father had suffered a fatal heart attack.

Consumed by grief, Jane searches for answers. How could this have happened? Why did her father leave her like this? She isolates herself in her room, creating a shrine around his ashes, and soon becomes fixated on an unsolved murder in her area—a woman’s dismembered body found in a garbage bag with no leads.

That’s when she discovers the Network, an online forum for true-crime enthusiasts eager to solve cases they believe authorities have mishandled. Jane’s obsession leads her to make reckless choices, but ultimately, those choices result in a breakthrough—the arrest of the killer.

Drawn deeper into the world of amateur sleuthing, Jane is invited into an exclusive group of dedicated Network members. They take justice more seriously, pushing past the boundaries of online speculation. When news of three murdered girls in Idaho surfaces, the group launches its own investigation. Something about the case feels off—the stories don’t add up, and law enforcement is withholding information.

Determined to uncover the truth, the group takes matters into its own hands. Their pursuit leads them to Idaho, where they find themselves entangled in a dangerous game. The killer they’re chasing may be far more experienced—and far more cunning—than they ever imagined.

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This book has sparked strong reactions—some readers loved it, while others outright despised it. Personally, I fall somewhere in the middle. If you separate the Idaho storyline from real-life events, it becomes a solid, if unsettling, thriller. However, the fact that it draws so directly from the still-unresolved Moscow, Idaho murders makes it undeniably controversial. Bryan Kohberger has yet to stand trial, and incorporating such a fresh, painful case into fiction is bound to raise ethical concerns.

That said, the true crime genre has always borrowed from reality. Jessica Knoll’s Bright Young Women offered a fresh perspective on the infamous Chi Omega murders linked to Ted Bundy, providing a compelling look at survivors left in the wake of tragedy. In contrast, "This Book Will Bury Me" leans into the darker side of true-crime obsession. Jane’s journey serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of becoming too entangled in online communities and real-world investigations. She not only builds relationships with strangers but also uproots her life to chase a killer, all while navigating the unresolved grief over her father’s death. That emotional depth was, to me, the most compelling aspect of the book.

Given its premise, this novel is bound to stir debate. Readers should take time to read the author’s note and reflect on their own relationship with true crime. After all, every thriller has a real-life inspiration—sometimes, that inspiration is closer than we’d like to admit.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

You can never go wrong with Ashley Winstead Books. This one did not disappoint one bit. I was hooked from page one and I was super invested in this story. It was a fun journey going along with Jane and her coming across a new passion she grew to love which was in the true crime area. After her dad passed away she really didnt know what to do with herself. She heard about a murder that happened and came across some sites that involve true crime and other people who were into that sort of thing and she wanted to be a part of it. More events started happening which was another horrible case involving the murder of 3 College student females and now with Jane being involved with this true crime network, she was determined to help try to solve the case with her new friends.

I dont want to give away too much of the story but so much more happens in this book, with more murders and more crazy twists that happen that will make you not want to put this one down and be in shock!

This was my 4th Ashley Winstead book and it had me hooked from the get-go! This Book Will Bury Me surrounds Jane Sharp, a 24 year old college student whose father passes away at the beginning of the book. This sets Jane into a spiral causing her to drop out of college, lose her job, and lose herself deep within an online forum of sleuths for a distraction. Jane becomes "Searcher" who helps put the pieces together to a local murder which sets off a chain reaction catapulting her to internet fame and making her an essential piece to this core group of sleuths- Lightly, a retired detective from Chicago, Mistress, a stereotypical grandmother and retired librarian, Goku, a tech-guru who works for Amazon, and Citizen, a Marine who has a rough upbringing and sympathizes with Searcher.

This novel had me gripped from the very beginning. I loved the premise, I loved the execution, I loved every minute of it. I thought the entire thing was genius! Did I guess who the ultimate killer was? Yes. Did that upset me or spoil it for me? No! I was still invested and kept reading. I appreciate how everything was wrapped up neatly at the end and that we were given answers for everything, even if they did give us some wiggle room to fill in the blanks. 5 stars for This Book Will Bury Me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

This Book Will Bury Me follows a strangers-to-family group of internet sleuths who jump into the dangerous and addictive world of crime-solving, particularly focusing on the murder of six college students who’s killer effectively left no trace to follow. The police and the FBI are both at a loss, and so it is up to this group of underdogs to infiltrate, investigate and uncover. Each of these amateurs have not only secret online identities, but well crafted and distinct personalities: Jane Sharp, the young college student and novice; kind and protective Mistress (I couldn’t stop picturing Lin Shaye); the genius hacker with a heart of gold, Goku; retired, by-the-book former law enforcement Lightly; and military charmer Citizen. Winstead wins over and over again with This Book Will Bury Me, showing her undeniable craft and talent for creating something that has a heartbeat of its own.

Reading like non-fiction, partially because of its method of storytelling (a “tell-all” confession), and partially because of the attention to detail, This Book Will Bury Me is a non-stop, exhilarating mystery that surprises and scares. I’m a sucker for a “found family” dynamic, and by the time these five get off the internet and step into the real world, I was rooting for them to not only solve the murders, but find something perhaps equally necessary: connection, purpose, belonging. As with most true crime, there’s an inherently human aspect. It’s the catalyst for many who remain fascinated despite its heartless nature. Whether it’s justice, discovery or morbid curiosity, the need to know is strong and prevalent. I was tethered from the very beginning, and felt that all too familiar empty ache when I closed the book and was left both satisfied but crestfallen it was over.

Also, shoutout to Morristown, TN! Having recently lost both my grandparents who hailed from Morristown, Jane’s grief over her father felt especially poignant. Life is a beautiful and fragile thing.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

This is the second book I've read by this author and while I liked In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, I really enjoyed this one. In my opinion, the author's writing and craft improved, not that they were ever bad. I liked the entire premise of this, even though I'm not a true crime girlie. Winstead captured the true crime craze perfectly. Out of all the characters, there were very few that I didn't like, which I feel weird saying considering the subject matter. They were fleshed out so well that I could see where each one was coming from and why they did the things they did. The pace of the story was so smooth and natural, I was never bored. It was full of tension, and I felt like I was on the edge of my seat often.

I'm excited to find out what Ashley Winstead puts out next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for feedback.

I struggle a bit with where to rate this book. There were times I really enjoyed it and others when it felt like I was reading a completely different book.

True crime and internet sleuthing seems to be the trend right now and I’m seeing a lot of books come out with that as a premise. What I liked the most about this book is that it felt like the main character(s) were actually capable of solving the crimes they were investigating and didn’t just accidentally stumble upon a crime that needed solving. There was thought and logic behind how they approached the clues that made this feel a little more elevated than your average thriller.

I also liked that the chapters were fairly short and rolled right into one another. It was difficult at times to pull away from the story. That being said there are a few parts of the story that did feel a touch slow and I think could’ve been trimmed more or removed altogether but even they weren’t enough to completely turn me off the book.

Now, this books main murder takes place in Idaho and if you’ve paid attention the news in the last 2 years I bet you can guess which crime it’s modeled after so trigger warning if that case upsets you. I agree with other reviews that the murder in this book does resemble that crime a little too closely and I think more could have been done to set the fictional crime apart. That was part of the book that kind of lost me because I had read a lot of what was in the book already just from reading the news.

The big plot twist was also easy to see coming if you paid attention to the beginning of the book. It didn’t make it any less satisfying for me but if you’re expecting so huge plot twist you might be let down.

Solid 3.5 stars

This has an intriguing premise. Jane unexpectedly loses her father and is overwhelmed by grief. She leaves college and then connects with a group of online sleuths who investigate true crime. A high-profile case of college students murdered in Idaho has Jane's group searching for clues to help solve the case.

This was well-written with short chapters, and it starts with a moderate pace but picks up as the action builds and becomes suspenseful.
Jane and her online group develop a bond via chats in a true crime forum, which adds a fun epistolary element to the book. The characters are quirky and memorable. I rooted for Jane and felt like her personal storyline, working through her grief and trying to learn more about her father, was raw and compelling.

While I enjoyed many elements of the book, and have loved this author's previous books (and will continue to read her books) it does very very closely mirror the real-life 2022 Idaho murders of four college students, and this was hard for me to read. It is too soon for me. But, I think that true crime fans will really enjoy this one.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the gifted ARC.

I am really sad that I did not like this book as much as I could have. I really loved Ashley's book In My Dreams I Hold a Knife so I was looking forward to her new release!! For most of the first half of the book, when we are learning about the death of Jane's dad and her obsession that begins over true crime and sleuthing, I was really enthralled by the book and loved where it was going. My problem was that once we got to the halfway point and started getting more in depth on the main murders that were the subject of the book, I started to realize the similarities to the University of Idaho murders of the 4 students that happened less than 2 years ago. It wasn't that this book just took inspiration from that event, most of the details around the murders are copy and paste, all the facts from the real events that occurred. Given that the Idaho 4 murders happened not too long ago, the trial is ongoing and investigations/due process is being carried out, and the families have had less than 2 years to grieve the losses of their children, I just got an icky feeling reading the rest of the book.

It is a shame because this book had a lot of potential and I really enjoyed a lot of it. If the author would have decided to use a lot less identical facts of the Idaho 4 murders in writing the main murders in her book I would have rated this book higher. But it feels too soon, and for a book that is trying to be a dialogue on the true crime community, using the Idaho 4 murders as the main subject of the book just didn't fit well.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the free book!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark Publishing for the opportunity to read and review This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead. All opinions are my own.

First off, I need say that Ashley Winstead is an auto buy author for me. I loved In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, The Last Housewife, and Midnight is the Darkest Hour. I was so ready to read a new one from Ashley Winstead. Unfortunately, I had trouble with it from the get-go. First, I had trouble getting attached to any of the characters and it seemed slow. Second, once the story got to the Idaho murders, I was shocked how much this novel seemed to be taking from the real crimes that did happen. Crimes that are still in litigation. This just didn't sit well with me, so I made the decision to DNF at the 35% mark. I'm sure there will be a large portion of readers who don't have a problem with it and will enjoy the book, but this time I'm not one of them. Will I continue reading from Ashley Winstead? Absolutely, most of her writing is a complete hit with me. Looking forward to what she puts out next. This book will be available at all major book retailers on March 25.

This book is difficult for me to rate. I loved Jane and her pursuit for answers. However, there were parts of this book that dragged and parts that just didn’t seem believable. Overall a good thriller with a very different storyline!

I’m a big fan of Winstead’s books and her unique voice. This Book Will Bury Me defies genre or formula. It’s a true crime novel, a tell-all, a grief journey and a story of found family. And it all works so well!

Jane is faced with the sudden and unexpected loss of her father. Grieving and searching for answers about who he was and what led him to certain lifestyle choices, she turns to the internet - and finds a true crime forum. Jumping in with a few questions and observations, she is taken in by an established sleuth group. What unfolds from there is the start of a new search, distraction and all consuming obsession.

What a ride! I would recommend going in not knowing more than these basics. Buckle up!

I feel quite conflicted here. For starters, I really enjoyed the main character and the “tell-all” style of the book. I was fully into the storyline. Janeway is a little gem. I had no qualms with the writing style, it was quite good.

However, the main case in the story is wayyyy way wayyy to similar to the *actual* idaho murders from 2022. it feels wrong to write and profit off a case with an active trial, idk. Also, I called the “twist” so early on, i really wanted to be wrong, but it kind of took me out of the story a bit.

I hope the author addresses why they’ve focused on and kept details almost identical to the real life idaho murder case.

Some context: I'm not a true-crime fan. I don't listen to any true-crime podcasts, watch the documentaries, etc. So I have no clue how accurately this book portrays that 'fandom'. But I did really enjoy This Book Will Bury Me! As much as I liked it, there were enough instances of characters (mostly the main character) making decisions and doing things that required a bit too much suspension of disbelief to keep this from being a 5-star book. Despite that, it sucked me in pretty early on; any time I had to take a break from reading, I was eager to get back to it.

This one sucked me in from the very beginning and didn't let go. While I'm not generally a huge fan of the social media/true crime forum format of the some of the material, I got over that pretty quickly, as the story started to flow. I struggled with the reason for Jane's initial involvement in the investigation--the connection seemed a bit tenuous. I get that she needed a distraction from her grief, but I just never understood why she chose that particular rabbit hole to fall into. That being said, I thought the character development as a whole was very well done and the pacing was excellent. I loved the twists and turns and how it all came together.

ARC 📖 Review: This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead
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This one started off so strong for me, but I thought it really began to drag about halfway through. I even guessed who the murderer was—and I NEVER do that, lol. I think it could have been about 100 pages shorter. I still enjoyed the serial killer aspect and the Internet forum structure, but overall, this was definitely middle of the road for me. It publishes on March 25th, and I can’t wait to see what others think of it!

Thank you @netgalley and @bookmarked for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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After the unexpected death of her father, college student Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who teach her how to hunt killers from afar. In this morbid internet underground, Jane finds friendship, purpose, and even glory...

#arcreader #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #reader #bookish #booklover #booknerd #bookworm #bookaholic #bookaddict #books #netgalley

Ashley Winstead’s This Book Will Bury Me is a masterfully crafted thriller that delves deep into the world of true crime and the complexities of human emotion. The novel introduces us to Janeway Sharp, a young woman grappling with the recent loss of her father. In her quest for solace, she becomes immersed in an online true crime community, where she and a group of amateur sleuths embark on a mission to solve a chilling murder case. Winstead’s portrayal of Jane’s grief is both raw and authentic, making her journey profoundly relatable.

The narrative structure is particularly engaging, blending traditional storytelling with forum discussions and footnotes, which adds depth and realism to the plot. This innovative format invites readers to become active participants in the investigation, heightening the suspense with each chapter. The camaraderie among the group members introduces a heartfelt found-family dynamic, providing warmth amidst the novel’s darker themes.

Winstead’s writing is both evocative and compelling, capturing the reader’s attention from the very first page. The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. The author’s ability to balance character development with a gripping storyline is commendable, making this novel not just a thriller but a poignant exploration of loss, obsession, and the human desire for connection.

This Book Will Bury Me is a testament to Winstead’s storytelling prowess, offering readers a thrilling ride that is as emotionally resonant as it is suspenseful. It’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and true crime narratives alike.

First off, Ashley Winstead is an auto-buy author for me. I will continue to read anything she writes. I do agree with a lot of the other reviews when they said that the similarities of the case in this book and the Idaho College Murders were astounding. My ARC copy unfortunately didn't have the Author's Note, so I'm not sure what the author has commented about this, but I do agree it's slightly in poor taste for an actual true crime case that is still very recent.

HOWEVER, this book was so much more than just that story. It's about the dark underbelly of true crime forums, the internet sleuths that do help bring justice to cases, how grief can take over your life and how you can let an obsession consume you. The internet forum parts were so fascinating to read, and the 'found family' trope was so sweet I love Mistress so much she was my favorite! Ugh and watching Jane go through her depression and talking about how she's always been labeled as "sensitive" and "empathetic" really hit home for me. The main mystery was a little predictable but the journey to get there was still a very well-written and entertaining read.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC copy.

This book was really good but could've been perfect. I really liked the suspense and the overall story but the ending fumbled. Serial killers don't feel empathy, so some of the actions taken by the SK in the chapters at the end were full of unlikely actions. FBI fumbling so band and sleuths being recruited by the FBI without vetting is absurd.

This book was a fun thriller. I loved the true crime vibes and the twists had me on my toes. I really enjoyed this read and definitely recommend this read!