I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I could not click the request button quickly enough once this appeared on NetGalley (I kept refreshing every day, hoping for it to be listed!), and I jumped in immediately because I couldn’t wait. After being really disappointed in Midnight is the Darkest Hour, I did worry that I was getting sucked in by all of the glowing reviews again, but happily I *do* feel like I read the same book as everyone else, because I could NOT put this down.

Our main character is Janeway (Jane) Sharp. The premise here is that she’s writing this book as a “real” account of what happened to her and her friends, as sort of counter-programming to the *other* book about this same series of events. It’s presented as though it’s a nonfictional account, footnotes and all. Jane’s main motivation for everything that transpires, she says, is her father’s sudden death. She’s grieving and looking for purpose in her own life, and so she gets sucked into a true crime forum, where she eventually meets a group of “elite” armchair sleuths (is that an oxymoron?). Jane proves herself by helping to crack the unsolved murder of a woman named Indira Babatunde, whose remains are found in a trash bag in a nearby lake, nearly a month after she went missing. Since Jane lives near where Indira lived and worked, she’s able to get real time updates to the hungry keyboard warriors. She also puts herself in extreme danger by actually going face to face with the guy she suspects is the killer.

Given that she turns out to be right on all counts (killer, motive, weapon and its hiding place), Jane catches the attention of a group of 4 other sleuths - Goku, Citizen, Mistress, and Lightly. Lightly is actually a former Chicago PD detective, so he definitely has the respect of the others on the forum. Goku is a hacker, Mistress is a former librarian whose little old lady demeanor is an asset for getting witnesses and cops to talk; and Citizen is a military man with an encyclopedic knowledge of serial killer lore. Jane is something of a people-savant, in that she’s good at reading people. And it also helps that she’s young (only 24), because the next case the crew gets sucked into involves the gruesome deaths of 3 college students, so Jane is ideally placed to help infiltrate.

As a couple of other reviews have pointed out, this book is VERY clearly and not terribly loosely based on the still-untried Idaho college murders. Many of the details are extremely similar, including the mysteriously-spared roommate. It is a little (ok, more than a little) icky, especially since the case hasn’t even gone to trial yet. Minus the original details, Winstead takes a very different track with the outcomes and explanations, but the inspiration is quite clear.

Ickiness of the premise aside, this is a really interesting look behind the computer screen, so to speak, about how all of those keyboard warriors get sucked into these cases, and the real good and real harm that they can do in the process. There’s certainly something tempting about being able to ask the collective hive mind to go digging - like, one single detective doesn’t have all the time in the world to deep dive into all of the victims’ friends’ Instagram pages, but 30 different keyboard warriors can get it done in a day. The downside of this echo chamber, though, is that it can lead to false accusations - everyone gets fixated on one person as a suspect, and people start to go after them…without doing the leg work to check their alibi. Since they aren’t the police, they’re not required to check, and yes, it gets our heroes in trouble more than once.

In the end, this is about the crime, yes, but it’s also about Jane coming to terms with her own grief and her father’s death. At first, joining the forum gives her a sense of purpose, and after she gets lucky enough to solve a case on basically her first try, that high becomes addictive. But I feel like there’s also something dehumanizing about it - you start to view these cases and victims as “characters” rather than real people (which, again, gets our heroes in trouble more than once). And there’s definitely an argument to be made that this is exactly what Winstead is doing - treating the very real Idaho murder victims as characters in a story. I have a feeling this might be a polarizing book when it comes out this spring.

I don’t know that the framing device of this being a memoir was strictly necessary? Including the footnotes feels a little gimmicky, for instance. [technical sidebar, re: the footnotes. It’s been a really long time since I’ve read an ebook with footnotes, because they used to be Kindle kryptonite. I’m not sure if it’s a publisher thing or a software update on Amazon’s end, but for this book at least, the footnotes finally worked in a way that made sense! If you tap the link, there’s just a little popup that you can easily read and X out of (for what it’s worth, I read this on a Paperwhite). No more sending you to some random page that you can’t get back from. No more confusing your Kindle about what position you’re actually at. And given that this is an ARC, it’s even more impressive that it works so seamlessly! Now, are the footnotes themselves strictly necessary here? Eh…]

In This Book Will Bury Me, Ashley Winstead crafts a gripping tale that deftly intertwines grief and obsession through the lens of true crime. Following the sudden death of her father, college student Jane Sharp finds solace in the dark underbelly of armchair detectives, channeling her pain into a fervent hunt for justice. Winstead’s pacing is relentless, with each chapter propelling readers deeper into the mysterious deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho.

Jane’s journey is punctuated by vivid, engaging characters who bring the internet sleuthing community to life, each with their own quirks and motivations. The camaraderie among the detectives offers a sharp contrast to the eerie atmosphere surrounding the unfolding case. As Jane and her friends delve deeper into the investigation, they uncover layers of complexity that blur the lines between reality and sensationalism, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

Winstead expertly builds tension, leading to a conclusion that not only reveals shocking truths but also forces Jane to confront her own vulnerabilities. This Book Will Bury Me is a fast-paced thriller that not only entertains but also challenges the morality of our obsession with true crime, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

I LOVED this one. It was twisty and weird, with surprises around every corner. I loved the peek behind the curtain of amateur sleuthing/reddit. The characters were brilliantly drawn in all their quirky, slightly dysfunctional, glory. The found family concept is one that I truly believe in, and it was very cool to watch the Five come together - and then shatter into a million pieces (so much like real families often do) as the secrets were painstakingly - and painfully - revealed. Winstead's writing grabbed me from the opening pages and really drew me in - and then refused to let me go until I had finished the book. I'll definitely be looking for more from her!

I read this in one sitting!!! Definitely my favorite Ashley Winstead mystery by far. This one for sure has a darker flavor (reminded me a bit of Jessica Knoll's BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN) and a more complicated protagonist, but I really loved all the twists and turns. I couldn't put it down. And that ending! Really loved this one!!

Well, I gotta say, for the first time ever, Ashley Winstead surprised me, in a positive way.
I have very mixed feelings with Winstead's previous mystery/thriller novels, but fortunately this one is a stand out to me.
I actually really liked this one: the vibes, the setting, the characters, the creepy scenes, everything. I did mind a little the length of this book, though. In my opinion, thrillers shouldn't be this long. But I won't hold that against the book or the author.
I can now safely say "I have enjoyed a book by Ashley Winstead"!

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel.

Ashley Winstead’s This Book Will Bury Me is a captivating and timely thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Following a group of internet sleuths investigating the mysterious deaths of three sorority sisters, the story feels eerily relevant given its parallels to the real-life Idaho murder case we’ve all seen in the news. Winstead’s portrayal of modern amateur investigations is spot-on, creating a believable, tense atmosphere. At 480 pages, it’s longer than typical thrillers, but the pacing is perfect—I couldn’t put it down and found myself reading every chance I got. I can’t wait to read the author’s note, which was missing from the ARC, to learn more about her inspiration behind this gripping novel.

Wow... I am actually quite speechless. This book was insane. I felt the beginning and ending was my favorite. As someone who knew a lot of the details of the real Idaho massacre it felt weird reading a fiction that was so closely based on it. I did like how the ending surprised me and the killer was different. This was a really great thriller that I highly recommend if you're not squeamish.

I thought the storytelling of this one was really great, fast-paced and easy to follow, but honestly crime-based novels walk such a fine line when it comes to corniness, and this one felt a little trite. I feel like a lot of the characters were one-dimensional and that a lot of the plot twists were predictable and cliche. that said, it did have me on the edge of my seat a few times anyway, and I really did find the writing so easily immersive!

comes out somewhere around a 3.5 for me, rounded down!

thanks netgalley and sourcebooks landmark for the ARC!

Thank you to Ashley Winstead, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for the ARC of This Book Will Bury Me.

Ashley Winstead has done it again! This book has everything I love. True Crime, quick chapters, loveable characters and a true twist! I absolutely devoured this book. I love how it compared to a true crime case that is very well known so you could understand the media frenzy and how well known this story was but it became its own! This book was a 5/5 and I will be thinking about it for MONTHS to come!!

What a surprise this book was! A truly unique plot, one that I haven’t encountered before. True-crime fans will love this one. This book did a lot of building, and I appreciate it for that. For me, the ending was superb, and the best part of the book as it brought it all together. There were some slow parts in the middle where it seemed to lose a little bit of its steam. Overall, a great read.

I absolutely could not put this book down! A chilling who-done it thriller told by five amateur underground web sleuths who race against time to solve a series of murders that puts them directly into the path of a murderer.

5 out of 5 stars 🌟

Holy crap that was good. I have very complicated feelings on the whole true crime world overtaking social media. This book dives into the complexities of that and so much more. Lightly Mistress and Searcher were such captivating and endearing characters. I have seen a handful of reviews saying this was too long but I didn’t even realize the page count until I finished. It was perfectly paced and the mixed media made it even easier to digest. On the surface this is a cool whodunnit with some twists. Underneath it feels like so much more.

I am glad I requested this book; it literally hooked me from the beginning and before I could figure out what was happening it was over! I love true crime, so this was right up my alley. This book does deal with how people grief or handle the loss of a parent. Being that I like to go down rabbit holes on reddit when it comes to crime, I appreciated the author adding the reddit feeds, and podcasts. It was truly the perfect touch! For me the ending was perfect and didn’t leave me wanting more or wondering what happened

Overall, I really enjoyed This Book Will Bury Me but the use of an actual crime that hasn’t even been to court yet as the obvious inspiration, was off putting. It was fast paced and I did not have it all figured out at the end.

This Book Will Bury Me - Ashley Winstead
Thriller / Mystery
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

“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...”

The first half of this book read like a textbook to me. It was kind of boring and I didn’t love it.
BUT the second half was really good. There were some real suspenseful moments that I enjoyed reading & i feel like those made up for the first part of the book. Also, I did not see the ending coming.

Thank you @netgalley & @Sourcebooks for the advanced readers copy of this book. I will be recommending this author to friends.

Jane (Janeway) Sharp's father dies unexpected. After traveling home and deep in grief, Jane sees that the body of a woman was found in a very deep lake by her house. So begins a true crime obsession that gets her involved with a Bundy-esque massacre that spirals out of control.
I found Jane's character to be likeable and believable, and the character of "Mistress". The others fell flat for me. Father figure, anime obsessed nerd, hunk. It was also easy for me to know who the killer was and found I just kept reading to make sure I was right....I was.

Regardless, I was entertained the whole time I read it, and it even kept me up a few nights. I would recommend this book to true crime fans. Although not super original, it was entertaining.

RUN, don’t walk to preorder this new book by Ashley Winstead!! Seriously, I’m sounding the alarms, raising the flags, calling all thriller lovers because This Book Will Bury Me goes down as one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read. It is always such a privilege to read a book that effortlessly guides you through a story and lets you fully bask in the glories the genre has to offer.

In the same vein as the show A Murder at the End of the World, our perspective is from a sleuth neck deep in the true crime community. Winstead points a microscope at the humanity of those who participate, from the “vultures” with their rubbernecking to the Michelle McNamara’s, even giving them a four sided archetype to choose from. Are you doing it for the heroics? The justice? The curiousity? With a cast of found family, Winstead explores these questions while also still firmly rooted in the thrilling aspect of thrillers.

I’m astounded by the amount of depth that is portrayed here while also still being incredibly gruesome in description. The juxtaposition of stylistic techniques and draws from other genres creates a masterpiece of storytelling. This is the kind of book that has me continuously reading the genre, the diamonds that I know I’ll eventually run into if I read enough. And don’t get me wrong, most thrillers are fun and enjoyable. But the grief, despair, anxiety, and shock I experienced here is only something I can get from a true five star book.

Ashley Winstead has been hit or miss for me in the past but I’m SO grateful for this ARC because this was completely unexpected. I was relatively excited going in and even more excited coming out on the other end. I cannot get over how beautifully written this was and it would excel anywhere regardless of genre. As a trigger warning, this book does get incredibly graphic so please be aware of that going in.

This book had me completely sucked in, by the time I looked up from it I had less than an hour left on my flight. This book deals with a loss of a parent and how people cope with grief. As a true crime connoisseur myself, I absolutely loved the sleuthing and Reddit feeds, the TikTok video references and the podcasts. This is a true crime fan’s perfect book. I also thought the ending was done perfectly! All in all, this was a fantastic read!

This was a huge disappointment. Honestly, terrible. Sorry not sorry. Here are some unorganized thoughts:

There are too many breaking the fourth wall "let me tell the reader" hints for what is to come, but the reveals happen way too slowly. Each chapter ends with one of those little cliffhanger sentences right at the end and it got to just be really annoying because it never led anywhere.

Some descriptions of the crime scenes are very graphic and made me sick to my stomach. I didn't hate this though, it's just worth mentioning it can be graphic in parts.

There's a fatphobic rant about how her father died because he was fat and unhealthy. It literally said he had to die because he was fat. Like how the fuck is that necessary? A character can be fat and die and not have it blamed on his weight. The mother character was also incredibly fatphobic.

I did like how it talks about the many negative aspects of amateur true crime aficionados on the internet. I thought that was done with care and sensitivity towards victims and their families.

And the ending??? Terrible. I kept waiting for a final twist/reveal to change everything but nope, Ashley Winstead really wanted to end her book that way. I was expecting a lot more from the author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife (skip this one and read Knife instead)

I also learned that this book takes a lot of details from a real-life, still untried, murder in Idaho. She didn't even bother to change the state the murders take place in! That seems really disrespectful to me and is sort of an antithesis to what I think the author intended. Again, poor execution.

Overall, a waste of my time and probably a waste of yours.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book will bury me by Ashley Winstead

Thank you NetGalley and source books for this ARC.

Jane Sharp has lost her father and has submerged herself in a True crime group to alleviate the sadness of losing her father. She has dove in head first in solving a crime with her keyboard buddies looking at a massacre that has hit a women’s college in Idaho. This story was compelling and. Intense as you follow these armchair detectives searching for clues to solve this insane murder.

What a trip this book was! I enjoyed it thoroughly and couldn’t put it down! Crazy good book!