This was just OK for me. I truly wanted to love it. I've stated in past reviews, that at my age (51)/patience level (for reading), I'm no longer a fan of a "young'ish" protagonist where immaturities show, and we need to suspend belief a bit with just how we go from everyday life to a police informant. While I understand that "online sleuths" have gained momentum, it's not that simple. (I expressed this with similar podcast books relating to solving true crime.) For me, it took away from the enjoyment of a story. I like to be swept away or completely intrigued wanting to turn the page, and I was neither for most of this.

At its *core*, I could relate somewhat. And knowing it's Ashley's semi-autobiographical account of going down a rabbit hole after her dad died, I have empathy. It just wasn't my cup of tea, and that's ok. Many loved it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.
(For the record, I do think if there is a sensitive real life case involved in a story, the ARCs should address this to prevent unfortunate early reviews like we have seen on Goodreads.)

This Book Will Bury Me Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So I’m gonna give this 4 stars but I’m basing that off of my own personal enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks landmark for my free copy for review.

I ended up reading and listening to this one simultaneously because I wanted to know what happened and wanted to read it faster so it was definitely bingeable

If you are at all a true crime fan you will clock the case that inspired the cases in this book. Yes details are changed but it’s pretty identical including the same state the case took place in. This didn’t really bother me because as a true crime follower I’m familiar with most major cases and I could tell these inspired this story. However at times I wondered if it was respectful to the victims and their families to use the case as inspiration for entertainment? I’m not really sure where I stand in that matter to be honest.

SPOILER

I literally clocked citizen from the beginning. This twist did not surprise me, how it played out kind of did towards the end. Again, if you followed the Idaho case at all you wonder about citizen.

SPOILER DONE

I think it was really well written and the author really exposed some of the dark sides of the true crime fandom (discussion boards, internet sleuths, fans of true crime getting in the way of real investigations and really tapped into the true crime culture that has become popular over the years.

I think it’s worth the read but if the Idaho case is triggering to you or you don’t like true crime or gruesome descriptions of murder then I would avoid this book since it’s the central topic.

Onto the other plot in this book (because this book was pretty much two stories unfolding at once) I think Jane’s character was interesting. Watching how true crime consumed her in her grief and became her obsession was interesting and at times sad. But I think it spoke honestly about how grief can shatter someone and totally pause their world.

To sum it up, I enjoyed it as true crime fan but some readers may be put off by the use of a famous case and the details about murder.

I’ll admit I wasn’t immediately sold on the premise of this book, and I worried I would struggle to get into it, but I never should have doubted AW. I was hooked from the start. Oh my goodness, the twists and turns this book took. I loooooved the slow reveal and how everything came together. I *did* guess the shocking twist pretty early on, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment in the slightest. This Book Will Bury Me is SOOOO good!

Thank you to Tantor Audio for the ALC and Sourcebooks Landmark @bookmarked for the eARC! Ashley Winstead never fails to surprise and enthrall me with her writing. Her ability to write such captivating yet vastly unique books is not lost on me.

From the start, this book held my attention in a vice grip. I find the topic of true crime sleuths so intriguing, this book takes that topic and expands on it - fictionally, and explores found family, murder solving, and how grief can irreparably alter a person. Magnificently executed, this novel had me in a chokehold. Satisfying and unputdownable, this book is easily at the top of my thrillers read this year so far.

#thisbookwillburyme #ashleywinstead #thriller #thrillerbooks #bookrec #bookrecommendations #audiobooks #bookreview

The loss of a young woman’s father sends her into an obsession with solving crimes through online crime groups. This story was very suspenseful and original. I enjoyed a more modern take on the outside influences that crime junkies offer to murder investigations, and the downsides as well.

I will say that I guessed the killer fairly early on, but it didn’t ruin the story for me. I will also say that I have read other reviewers claims that this is a copied tale of an actual crime case. I do not really follow current events and know nothing of this case and if the claims are true, I can see how this could be looked at as in poor taste. Overall, just looking at the story itself, it was a good read and I would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this advanced readers copy.

What a fun ride! Ashley Winstead has delivered a compelling narrative that I couldn’t put down. I loved the idea of the true crime fandom coming in and helping to solve crimes. I thought the group was perfectly captured and how they all came together was beautifully written. I did have a guess to what happened in the end and I was right so that sometimes makes it less fun. I was definitely immersed and would recommend!

To overcome the grief of losing her father, a young college student becomes obsessed with true crime. She soon finds a forum where she befriends a ragtag group of armchair detectives who hunt from behind their screens.

These junkies become engrossed in the brutal murders of collegiate girls in Idaho. Details are sketchy, the police incompetent, and the internet is a buzz as this group of super sleuths uncover the culprit.

The story is told one-year from the events that left this case reeling in the media. Jane breaks her silence on what truly happened with her group of friends investigating the Delphine Massacres. What happened and the who will blow your mind. This multi-layer, dark and disturbing story is a page-turner.

Thank you, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark

Thank you to Ashley Winstead, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

No, just no. This is too closely related to a real-life crime that isn't even solved yet. No thank. you.

Inspired by real events, the story follows true crime buffs as they pursue a killer. While I didn’t follow the Idaho murder case in great detail, I can understand how some might feel that the events hit a little too close to home. For those sensitive to real-life crimes, a word of caution before diving into this one.

Overall, I really enjoyed the dynamic between the amateur detectives—a diverse group of true crime enthusiasts who form a makeshift family. Jane, our FMC, becomes the newest member after her father's sudden death. Her grief and desperate need for answers feels raw and real. Winstead weaves the themes of loss, healing, and the longing for resolution beyond the mystery itself. As a fan of character-driven stories, I found Jane's journey particularly compelling.

As far as the plot goes, the twists and turns were unpredictable—I suppose I'm not the best amateur detective. 😂 I also appreciate how Winstead explores the darker side of amateur sleuthing and media sensationalism. The damage they can inflict by focusing on the wrong person can have life-altering consequences.

I paired the audio with the digital book. I really loved Leslie Howard’s work. Her narration enhanced the suspense, highlighted the epistolary sections, and made the overall story feel like a podcast or a retelling by Jane. I also found that the footnote sections worked better in audio format than in the digital version. But overall, you can't go wrong with either format.

I think Ashley Winstead is a great thriller writer and I have been looking forward to this novel! When I found out this book was based on a real, unresolved criminal case, I didn't feel great about continuing to read it. I did end up finishing it, but I didn't love how similar it was to the real life case. I think it would've been beneficial to change more details and add more originality to the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story centers on the true crime movement where amateur sleuths take on crime. In this case , some sorority girls are the victims. Janeway Sharp' s participation as"searcher" is influenced by the sudden death of her beloved father. A strong story with some weak moments but a shock ending was that I didn't see coming! This is an author I will watch for.

Copy l provided by the publisher and NetGalley

I’m always on the hunt for a good thriller that will capture my attention and keep me enthralled to the very end. This Book will Bury Me does just that! Ashley Winstead had been on my must read list since her debut novel “In my Dreams I Hold a Knife”. Each of her books bring fun twists within a unique aesthetic,

This time out we find ourselves as spectators in the world of true crime. While I am not a huge true crime follower, I loved how our narrator gets sucked into the world of internet sleuths as a way to process the death of her own father. It’s a great look at how people can wind up down the rabbit hole so deep without even realizing it.

The crimes start out feeling a bit distant, but by the end our amateur detectives become far more embroiled in the danger, all while becoming social media heroes and pariahs depending on the moment.

Some of the crimes used in this book do mirror real cases which has been the focus of some criticism. I’d recommend checking out Winstead’s note prior to reading. Overall the mix of fact and fiction here is thought provoking but understandably problematic at the same time. While I respect those who might feel this flies too close for comfort, Winstead’s book provides us with a nuanced and entertaining way to further explore these very complicated issues.

I love her other books but ummm ripping off a real life story to make a good book is not okay 20% this book sounded to familiar that I won’t entertain it anymore

So excellent! I love our main character and how the book is told as if it's her writing a tell all book. I felt it added some suspense because you knew things were going to go wrong, but not why. While this takes a good amount of inspiration from a real case, I feel Ashley Winstead added some twists and turns that easily made it her own, fictitious story. While yes, this book is about true crime (as both a critique and a love letter in my opinion), it is also deeply about the grief of losing a father. This aspect of the story really helped to add complexity to our main character and make her decisions, both good and bad, make sense. My only criticism is that at times it felt a bit long an bogged down in details of investigation. However, I was still able to read this book quickly and overall the pacing worked for me because those few times didn't last too long. I'm giving it a 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars. It's different than a lot of the mystery/thrillers I have read lately and I love it for that as well!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the eARC. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and think this one was based on a true life event that hasn't even been resolved yet.

One thing about an Ashley Winstead novel is that she's going to hook you from the very beginning, and This Book Will Bury Me is no different.

A deep dive into amateur sleuthing, public crime solving, and true crime message boards, this novel is a slow burn with an intense and satisfying finish. The tension, the mystery, the characters are all so well done that I couldn't put it down.

I'm torn on how to rate this one. On one hand, I loved the writing style that you can always expect with Ashley Winstead novels. On the other hand, I don't love the inspiration behind this novel. None of the characters were very likeable, so I had a hard time connecting with them and caring about them. I did guess the major twist very early on, which took that shock factor away. I did like the message that I think the author was trying to get across regarding the true crime community and how a lot of people in that community tend to get too close to cases.

I was excited for a new Ashley Winstead book but unfortunately this one wasn’t it for me. I wasn’t comfortable with the way her dad’s weight was discussed so then I looked up other reviews. I saw a lot discussing being uncomfortable with how closely this was based on a real life case and I decided to dnf. Thank you to the publisher for the free ebook.

Thank you @bookmarked and @NetGalley for the ARC!

Wow! What. A. Thriller!!! This is Winstead’s best book yet, and my new favorite of hers. It’s been a while since I was gripped by a thriller, and this has everything I love about the genre. It hooked me from the start, there was a sense of dread as you await to discover what the culmination of events are leading to, it was well written, and full of twists you will not see coming. The way I wish I could have skipped work and all of my responsibilities just so I could finish reading this book. It is truly #unputdownable. Add this one to your TBR!

This book was so easy to speed through, I love short chapters! I really didn’t want to put it down during the whole book. I’ve never thought about what the mind of a true crime citizen investigator would be like but I think this book did a great job at providing a realistic account.

The POV always feels different in Ashley Winstead’s books - each character has their own unique voice. And I love that!

I’ve seen other reviews saying this book profits off an actual true crime case but I kind of think that is a major point of the book? To showcase what the true crime community is like and the difference in treatment of an investigation based on the victim’s demographics? It only made sense to use details based off of a real case to me, I think it might have been a bit better to base it off something further in our past but I can’t fault the author for finding inspiration not so much in the Idaho case itself but the media circus and true crime theorist response.

This wasn’t my favorite Ashley Winstead thriller - I think in my dreams I hold a knife and midnight is the darkest hour are tied for that position. But I liked that I didn’t actually feel creeped out the entire time I read this…which probably says enough about me being desensitized to true crime and picking up on the subtle hints to the twist. And even though I could see the ending coming from a mile away, the very ending did surprise me.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.