This was a slow burn, but captivating and entertaining. Dark, suspenseful, and somewhat disturbing.

For fans of true crime, this book will keep you busy in a chase of a serial killer before it strikes again.

Synopsis:
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...
So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions, and begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap...
Told one year after the astounding events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, when Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what really happened, she tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans...

Thank you so much Sourcebooks Landmark, Ashley Winstead and NetGalley for this eARC

Definitely recommend.

Ashley Winstead has quickly become my go-to for a dark thriller, and her newest, This Book Will Bury Me, is no exception to the trend! This is Jane Sharp’s memoir on the events that made her infamous, written against the advice of her lawyer and to dispel the rumors that have been following her around. When Jane’s dad dies, she quickly falls down the rabbit hole into the world of true crime and online sleuthing. Befriending other amateur sleuths online, she quickly becomes obsessed with the sorority girl killings in Idaho and now it’s time for her to tell her side of what actually happened.

This book is a page turner, drawing you in immediately by hinting at a darker side of everything. All the foreshadowing was done so well! It’s a fascinating mystery, slowly unraveling from the point of a view of an ordinary woman. Anyone can be a detective and solve a crime, which makes the characters seem more relatable. My only criticism is that for a while the mystery feels awfully similar to a real life 2022 murder, which begs the question of inspiration - how long authors should wait before using real life to inspire their work. Other than that, it’s a truly well written story told using Internet chats and first person point of view, and I absolutely loved it!

4.5 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this novel!

I know this is a controversial book, but I have to say that it is the best thriller I have read in a very, very long time.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞:

• true crime
• a mishmash cast of characters that actually work really well together
• a story that you can’t put down
• want to be an amateur sleuth
• a book that tackles the process of grief
• serial killer storylines

This was a unique read about the true crime world. There’s been a lot of recent thrillers that focus on the true crime podcast but this one is a fresh take on it by focusing on the super sleuths in the true crime forums. We see what drives them and how they fall into a group where they feel welcome. The characters were well developed and the plot was engrossing. It explores why some of these people get involved in the true crime world and how it almost becomes an obsession. The book gets wild towards the end but I couldn’t put it down. It is all written like a tell all book from the perspective of one of the super sleuths. I loved the ending and found the whole book wildly entertaining.

i absolutely devoured this book. consumed by grief for her father, jane abandons her former life and falls down a true crime rabbit hole, accidentally or intentionally (depending on who you ask) making herself part of the story. the portrayal of grief is so well done, the way it strains jane's relationship with everyone and everything around her except the obsession she feels brings her closer to her father felt raw and authentic. jane is a perfect antihero, behaving at times absurdly but never unbelievably. there were predictable aspects of the mystery, but i could never have guessed how the author would fully tie everything together. a nuanced and hypnotic account of true crime, grief, and found family. 5 stars ⭐️

* i received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

“It's the most famous crime in modern history. But only she knows the true story.”

Personal review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Received this book as an ARC, for my honest opinion through NetGalley- it’s a long one, which I didn’t realize in its digital version, just shy of 500 pages. I was consumed by the true crime aspect of this book, and the south Florida setting. Jane as an easily likeable character, as a college senior, at a crossroads after the untimely death of her father and struggling to come to terms with it. She turns to the internet sleuthing groups and through a group of other sleuths gets involved in a college slaying in Idaho. This was the one part that I thought was very close to the actual recent college slaying, but nonetheless I like how the author layed out this book - told in past tense. The characters were well developed and I loved the twists.

Synopsis:

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...

So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions, and begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap...

I kept seeing this one from my thriller friends on bookstagram and I was so thankful to receive in ARC from in exchange for a honest review!

This was a fun read, very true crime heavy and captivating. At first I wasn’t a fan of the writing style and wanted to get to the juicy parts, but as I kept reading and settled in the style grew on me, and the reflection and character development were important parts of the story. By chapter 5 I was completely hooked.

If you like true crime mysteries or binging murder/crime documentaries you won’t be able to put it down! Put on your best arm-chair detective pants, grab a snack, and LETS SLEUTH!

This Book Will Bury Me is written like a tell-all memoir about an internet sleuth who helps with a true crime murder case that is all over the news and internet. But it is so much more than that. Jane explains in detail the events of her life that lead her into the true crime forums. She talks about the cases that suck her in and shows how and why she falls down the rabbit hole. Then we get to the big case of the novel. It’s gory. It’s violent. It’s fascinating. I won’t go any further with plot, but will say there were too many jaw dropping moments to count. I gasped audibly. My heart was racing as I was turning pages as fast as I could.

Be sure to read the author’s note which is at the very beginning of the book. Don’t skip this! Along with content warnings, she talks about the real-live cases she draws inspiration and details from and her own personal experience (partially similar to our main character’s).

This book was SO good. It had so much depth and I loved the behind the scenes look at what went on with Jane and her friends. It was captivating. It’s on the longer side, but I felt there was never a dull moment and every part of it was important to understanding her and who she is and what actions she took and why. I’m still wowed!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This comes out March 24th and I highly recommend it!

I did not like how closely this mirrored the Idaho murders of 2022. Not just drawing inspiration. There were way too many parallels.

Thank you Sourcebooks for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this and couldn’t put it down, it was very original which is rare to find in thrillers lately.

I unfortunately did guess the twist, but that is a more of a me problem. I did think this was too lengthy and could’ve been shorten significantly, I also didn’t *love* the ending.

Could this possibly be my new favorite Ashley Winstead novel?! OBSESSED WITH THIS STORY

And it may be because I’m a true crime girlie, but what an impressive novel.

This story will catch you from the start. The end of every single chapter has you wanting to know immediately what is happening next.

I highly recommend this to all thriller fans who want to read a truly unique novel that is totally fun to read!

This was a DNF for me at 40%. I just couldn’t get past the comparison with the Idaho murders.
I also don’t understand- her dad died of natural causes, so why does she think she needs to “investigate” and figure it out. It would make more sense if he was murdered and then she got so obsessed. But really- I just couldn’t do it with how close this is to the Idaho murders and it was not an easy read to me.. I felt like it was dragging.
Had to put this one down.

80/100 or 4.0 stars

I did not realize until I was a little bit into this, based on reviews, how similar the crimes were regarding the Idaho massacres. I agree with comments/reviews that Winstead could have just made this a true-crime non-fiction book instead, however, she is not the first person to do this, and will not be the last. There are books out there that use real life killers, vicitims, and stories that give the author's monetary gain and attention, and most of the time you wouldn't know it unless the author admitted to it...ie The House in the Cerulean Sea. The author's note at the beginning helps explain why Winstead chose to write a novel instead, but I can agree it is not in great taste to do so. With that being said though, I want to rate this book as a novel with honesty.

This book was well written and engaging. While the killer being within the group was obvious, it was still an interesting read. I enjoyed the writing stlye, and happen to own another book by Winstead that I will be reading when I get a chance.

I usually figure out the twists. This time, I didn’t. And that alone is enough to make This Book Will Bury Me a standout read.

As someone who has been obsessed with true crime podcasts in the past, this book was right up my alley. I loved being immersed in the world of web sleuthing—it felt raw, real, and unsettlingly authentic. Jane’s grief for her father bled through the pages, making her obsession with solving these crimes feel not just compelling, but deeply human. Her motivations extended far beyond her internet investigations, and that made her feel like a fully fleshed-out character rather than just a protagonist driving a mystery forward.

One of the moments that stuck with me was Jane’s realization that, despite how much she’d shared and bonded with her online friends, meeting them in person was a stark reminder that they were still just strangers on the internet. That nuance—along with the complex dynamics between the sleuthing group, law enforcement, and the wider online true crime community—was handled so well.

This book was gripping, emotional, and brilliantly plotted. It burrowed into my mind and didn’t let go. If you love true crime, intricate mysteries, and characters that feel real, this one is a must-read.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm very conflicted with how to review this novel.

I think Ashley Winstead did a great job with her writing and I was very engaged. I enjoyed the quick chapters and enjoyed the online chat component that took place between the main characters.

Before starting this book, I was not up to date on the 2022 University of Idaho Murders. I did read the note from the author at the beginning to have caution when reading if sensitive to these cases but not really knowing any information about the cases, I didn't think it would be a problem. While reading, I did become more curious and started looking into the news reports on the murders and was absolutely appalled that the author's story and details were almost identical to the case. Maybe I should have been prepared for this, but this is a fictional book based on a very true story and that doesn't sit well with me. I feel that it is disrespectful to the victim's family, friends and other survivors to base a fictional novel on a very real case, especially when justice has not been served.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rounding down to four stars as I am still experiencing conflicting feelings over this book. On one hand, the story is immersive and draws you in. Oh the other hand, I have mixed feelings over the Idaho murders parallels. I would still recommend this book to others as I had a hard time putting it down and overall enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A great concept and one I was hoping would be a 5 star, it was just a little too graphic for my loving!

Publishing March 25

TW: This is heavily based on the real life University of Idaho murders.

When Jane's father dies unexpectedly, she immerses herself in an online community of real crime sleuths. Because of her proximity to a case they're "working", Jane ingratiates herself to a group of supersleuths and is asked to join them in their investigation into murders at an Idaho college.

This small group becomes Jane's support system as she grieves the loss of her father.

This started off with excellent pacing and intriguing twists. The middle got a bit slower and less interesting. The ending was not a surprise. Overall, I can understand Jane wanting to distance herself from her loss by becoming overwhelmed instead with the group online, but the idea that her dad's death had any reason for investigation was nonsensical.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Ashley Winstead never misses. I was on the edge of my seat, turning pages, desperate to know how the entire story would fit together. I definitely didn't see the twists coming. I will say the details about Jane's father were a little much at times. Everyone grieves differently, but I just didn't like the emphasis on how Jane's obsession with crimes stemmed from the death of her father. It just didn't all seem relevant enough to me, and I felt like diving so deeply into his past and his own online community -- Star Trek fan fiction -- was just unnecessary.

I'm also seeing early reviews comparing the crimes in the novel to a real-life true crime story. That makes me feel a little icky, but I need to look more into that and hear Ashley Winstead's take on it after publication.

Overall, I am rating it based on the thrill of the enjoyment of reading it and based on Winstead's writing, which is always top tier.

This Book Will Bury You is an ode to true crime and the community it creates. I really enjoyed the characters and the found family aspect. As someone who lost her father very young Jane’s grief felt so real and raw. But then we got to the crime of the story and my feelings began to change. Something felt so off about this book and I couldn’t really put my finger on it till I realized how similar the case was to an actual true crime story. I understand trying to get your point across by adding aspects of true crime to the story but using an entire case feels wrong. I almost wish the author would have just written a true crime book about the case if she was so compelled by it. This book is on the edge of a very dangerous line between fiction and nonfiction. I anticipate this book getting a lot of back lash from the community as well as a lot of people sticking up for it. Maybe that was the author’s intention all along. I’m going to choose not to rate this book because it just doesn’t sit right with me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review.