I gave this book 5 stars because I did not want to put it down. It was written in a manner that keep me interested as if reading someone's diary. This author is one to watch in my opinion. You will not regret buying this book!

I am actually super angry about this book and at this author. This book focuses highly on a serial killer who is killing women. However, the story in the book, highly resembles the Idaho College killings that happened in 2022. There are multiple large and minor details the author added to this book, about that case.

This book is set to publish in spring of 2025, and the "alleged" killer of the real life Idaho Murders goes on trial in the summer of 2025. I do not understand why this book needed to resemble a real, ONGOING crime. What is the point? Fiction is enough. And to use these victims (Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin) as a plot in her book is actually really gross.

However, I was given an ARC, so I wanted to finish the story. And I was super disappointed. I figured out the big twist about half way through and the story was rather long. The only thing positive I can say is that Winstead is a great writer. She knows the poetry of words and how to develop an interesting idea.

Wow. Wow. Wow. This book took me on a roller coaster and I loved it!!! I could not put it down! I knew Ashley Winstead would not disappoint with the twists. Despite wondering the twist it still had such a good impact.

Already screaming to all my friends to pick this up when it releases!

Thank you Ashley Winstead and Sourcebooks for the arc!

Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before it releases. I was so excited to read this book because I’ve loved this author’s other books. Unfortunately, it fell super flat for me. It started off really strong and I enjoyed it a lot however, I didn’t connect with any of the characters and I felt like the story dragged on. I found myself just wanting to be done with this book and skimmed the last half of the book.

Overall…. This book wasn’t for me but, a lot of people seemed to enjoy it. The only reason I finished it was because I just wanted to be done with it.

In the shadows of tragedy, a young woman's obsession is born. Ashley Winstead weaves a dark, gripping tale of Jane's descent into the world of true crime. Jane, a college student reeling from her father's passing, finds solace in solving cold cases. From the anonymity of online forums to the eerie landscapes of Idaho, Jane's pursuit of truth becomes an all-consuming force.

Exceptional writing, meticulous details, and a singular POV make this a standout in the genre. Highly recommended for fans of psychological suspense. 4.5 stars!

I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

College student Jane Sharp's life takes an interesting turn after her father passes away and Jane moves back in with her mom. In efforts to remember her father, Jane begins to follow a true-crime case and become entangled in the web of arm-chair experts. Jane gets a big break in a case, which catapults her into internet fame. Jane receives an invitation to a more senior level of sleuthing with four individuals who start to become her pseudo family. When a string of murders happens in a college town in Idaho, Jane and team visit to track down yet another killer.

This book did bury me. I loved the fast-paced storytelling, and the switch from narration to chat room dialogue. I read this book in one day, only stopping to have dinner with my family. From the real depth of Jane's grief and the plot twist I didn't see coming, I adored this book. I can't wait for everyone else to read it.

4⭐️
Enjoyed:
- suspenseful, wanted to keep picking up the book
- found family aspect
- text features - the Internet / crime forum
- serial killer mystery
- whodunnit
- portrayal of grief of losing a parent
- criminal minds vibes of looking into the psyche of the killer

Meh:
- was longer than needed, but I didn’t get bored while reading
- lots of clues for big twist, which made it a little too easy to guess in my opinion? Clues could have come a little later and been less obvious
- I didn’t get super into the side plot line about the father, but liked the truth to the grief being portrayed at the beginning and through the story
- some parts seemed too unrealistic
- expected a little more description about the “she who must not be named” parts at the end.

This was a tough read. It was slow at times and a lot of the choices made by the characters didn’t make sense. I like the idea of a web sleuth thriller but wish it wasn’t so close to murders it was based off of. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

Well holy crap! This book had me all over the place and I couldn’t read the ending fast enough!

I love this style of writing - narrator talking to the reader. It is such an entertaining way to read a story. You feel like you are sitting down being told a story directly.

The story follows Jane whose father suddenly passes away. She stumbles upon a group of murder solving sleuths. She becomes full immersed in solving crimes while also trying to navigate her father’s death.

The sleuths gain notoriety after solving a case and then get brought on to solve one of the biggest cases in the country. Things don’t go as planned and you just have to let the narrator take you down the crazy path to the ending.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this psychological thriller.

Wow, Just wow. This Book Will Bury Me is Ashley Winstead at her absolute best. Full of twists, told in a confessional style that draws you in from the first page, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Jane is a relatable protagonist, and her search for belonging after the death of her father really resonates. The book definitely makes you think about the cultural fascination with true crime content and the real people involved.

I have extremely mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the book had me hooked from the jump. IF the reader is unfamiliar with the true crime genre, this is a very intriguing page turner. I figured out the twist pretty early on, but it didn't negatively impact my enjoyment of the story. HOWEVER, the murders were a carbon copy of the recent Moscow Idaho murders (down to very specific details of the case, victims, crime scene, and killer). This is even more insensitive given that justice is still yet to be served in this case given the recency of it. It feels a bit gross that this is basically fanfiction on an active murder case.
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS for the eARC.

Hooked me from the first page! Ashley Winstead at her finest! I love both her romance and suspense ( and truly in awe of the talent it requires to do both SO well). This was right up there with her debut, In My Dreams I hold. Knife for the level of taut suspense and rapid pacing it keeps for the entire length of the book.

I will say I figured it out EARLY, but it did not at all detract from my enjoyment of how it got there. I loved the inclusion of the subreddit threads and also the elements of familiarity from the headlines. A must read for suspense fans!

This Book Will Bury Me is a unique, twisty and slightly dark suspenseful thriller. I had a hard time putting this one down. We are slowing introduced to integral characters through what we believe is an honest narrative. As the pages unravel, we get more and more information in the events of the story.

The narrative is so unique in this one. We don’t know what is happening or what the narrator is alluding to until it unfolds. The character development is so creative and well done. The way Ashley bleeds information slowly helps us to get an understanding of what is happening and how these characters are involved. It was intriguing, it was suspenseful, it was twisty and the ending was great. I honestly loved this on. I think there were some slow parts which is why I rated 4.5, but overall I was hooked and had to finish!

Thank you to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark, and Ashley Winstead for my eARC of This Book Will Bury Me in exchange for an honest review. Pub Date for This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead is 25 Mar 2025. Rated up for 4.5 stars.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead is a twisty, suspense-filled thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The novel follows a group of characters, each hiding secrets that slowly unravel in a maze of mystery, making for a gripping read that’s hard to put down. Winstead masterfully layers the plot with surprising twists and turns, ensuring the tension never lets up. As the narrative unfolds, it’s clear that no one is quite who they seem, and just when you think you’ve figured things out, another curveball leaves you questioning everything. The suspense never falters, and each revelation feels earned, adding depth to the story without feeling contrived.

What really sets This Book Will Bury Me apart, though, is the way Winstead develops her characters. They’re complex, layered individuals whose motivations feel real and relatable, making their actions—and reactions—believable even as the story delves deeper into the dark. There’s an emotional payoff as well, as the conclusion lands with a sigh of contentment, neatly tying up the story while still leaving a bit of lingering mystery. It’s the kind of ending that gives you that perfect sense of closure, without feeling overly tidy. A must-read for anyone who loves a smart, intricately plotted mystery with rich character development.

Wow! Just wow! Ashley Winstead has done it again—this book is nothing short of phenomenal! From the gripping premise to the masterful execution, I was hooked from start to finish.

Jane is such an outstanding main character. Her obsession with true crime, fueled by grief and a desperate need for purpose, felt so raw and relatable. Her relationships with her online sleuthing group, her drive to uncover the truth about the Delphine Massacres, and her parallel search for answers about her father—it all just clicked. I found myself rooting for her, even when I wasn’t sure how deep she’d get pulled into the darkness.

The format of the book was so unique. It’s written like a true crime confession a year after the events, complete with fascinating footnotes that made it feel like I was diving into a real case. Every twist had me second-guessing everything, and I loved how the suspense built with each chapter. The ending was absolutely perfect—so satisfying and chilling!

The writing, the details (and the purposeful gaps), and Jane’s singular perspective made it one of the most gripping thrillers I’ve read in ages. Ashley Winstead has delivered another masterpiece. Highly, highly recommend to everyone!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Actually a 3.75 ⭐️

What a wild ride this book was. The twists were twisty and I loved that it was told like a tell all book from the main characters POV. I could not put it down.

Now for the meh:

I went into this so excited because I LOVE Ashley Winstead books. I read the authors note at the beginning so I knew she was going to be mentioning some real life cases within the book. However, it wasn’t until after I finished it that I came to realize the murders in this book are freakishly similar to the real life Idaho University murders. Like details are creepily similar. And that doesn’t feel “inspired by”.

This would have been a five star book for me but I had to drop it down to a 3.75 because I just think the author could have made up her own murder case and not used such similar details to an ongoing case that hasn’t been resolved yet.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I thought the set up of it being written like a memoir was interesting, but for a book that is critiquing true crime obsessions and a mature sleuths it felt weird to have the main murder clearly be the exact murder that happened in Idaho. I also thought the subplot with her dad seemed a little out of place.

"I had no choice but to write this book. Read the rest, and then tell me who’s the villain."

If you're into books about amateur true crime sleuths or if you're drawn to crime fiction that's inspired by reality, get ready for Ashley Winstead's newest thriller.

"I swear, we started with good intentions. We wanted to play nice."

This Book Will Bury Me a murder mystery told from the perspective of Jane, the online true-crime junkie, who helped ID the perpetrator after she obsessively tracked details of the case. It's a book-within-a-book, as the murders are all in the past, and Jane is now writing her own memoir of what happened. And it's a cautionary tale of what happens when society's collective obsession with crime goes too far.

"Was that really what solved crimes - a hive mind talking?"

I noticed a few significant plot holes that kind of ruined the big reveal in terms of believability for me (primarily that a 12-years-ago murder has remained unsolved because no one was ever able to find a match for the DNA left behind at the crime scene, yet our killer would absolutely have had his DNA on record because (spoiler!) he was a naval officer, and the DOD keeps DNA records of all armed forces personnel in the event of having to identify their remains ..

"Maybe that’s the real definition of fate: when the universe hands you exactly what you want, the one thing you could never turn down, a perfect trap of your own making."

But even though I had to suspend disbelief quite a bit, I still really enjoyed Winstead's ability to craft a story. Her narrative voice was unique and held my attention all the way through. The book was grisly, gory, and compelling, and I loved the way the internet sleuths became real-life friends.

——

A huge thank you to Ashley Winstead, Sourcebooks, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After the tragic loss of her father, young adult Jane is sucked into the world of online sleuthing. Joining an eclectic group on onlines detectives, she becomes completely absorbed in a case that rocks the nation- a possible serial killer slaying co-eds in Idaho. The narrative is told like a memoir of Jane in response to an inaccurate true crime book’s popularity. I loved this framing device, and Jane as a main character is incredibly compelling. At its heart it’s a book about dealing with grief, the ethics of true crime as a genre, and the benefits of community/found family. Ashley Winstead is one of my favorite thriller authors out there, and this is another entry into my favorites list from her. I was in a hellish reading slump when I decided to pick this up and it really did the trick! I loved it!

This review will be posted on my Instagram @boozehoundbookclub closer to the pub date.

I have read multiple books by Ashley Winstead and enjoyed them. This one was good but what I didn't like was how it was so obviously based on the 2022 Idaho students murder. I followed that case hardcore and this was literally the exact story with other things added to it. So it was predictable, and it just felt kinda……not right to me. I can see others that didn't follow the case liking this book and thinking it's entertaining. Personally, I just couldn't get into it like I wanted to, unfortunately!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.