When true crime bleeds into fiction - 4.5*

I've been consumed by this book. Truly, I have. I don't feel I can fully explain this book and before I get into the true waffle, I just want to say - if you're a fan of true crime: you watch the Netflix adaptations, read the books or listen to the podcasts, then this is for you.

I first want to thank Winstead for the introductory letter before the novel begins because there's trigger warnings and for me, they're very much needed. I found the description of the death of a parent difficult - I understand why it was needed but I found that very hard. I had to take time away from the book to process that. I completely get the reason for it; it springboards Jane(way)'s obsession into true crime.

I absolutely loved the structure of this novel. It was suffocating, tense and dramatic. I truly was desperate to know what happens next. It was truly thrilling. I hope this book receives all the hype it deserves in March 2025.

This Book Will Bury Me is an interesting read. I didn't know going into it that a lot of it would be based on a real life ongoing murder case and that did make me uncomfortable. I don't see why the author couldn't have written a fictional scenario. Having said that the way that Jenna gets so sucked into the world of true crime to part-escape and part come to terms with her grief over the loss of her beloved father was fascinating to me. I can see how making friends within the community and then trying to help solve these cases could appeal and become somewhat addictive. I enjoyed reading about Jenna and the people in her private true crime group but it was obvious very early on what the reveal was going to be. There is something of a twist but on the whole it is quite clear where the story is going. I did find this to be quite a page turner for the most part but I'm still not sure how I feel about it now I've finished reading it.

I love this author and I was so excited to be approved for this arc, I really enjoyed this book and it did not disappoint! I’m going to get this to be the book of the month once released as I know so many people who will love this just as much as I did.

It’s no secret that I absolutely adore this authors writing style and she has me hooked in all of her books. Based on the synopsis this should’ve been my absolutely perfect book- I’m a sucker for true crime and this was told through forum chats, footnotes and in the style of a memoir. I absolutely loved the first half and was really engaged but would say I wasn’t a huge fan of where the story went in the last 25% or so. This is still a fantastic book, just not my favourite from her. 4 stars.

I read this book weeks ago and am still not sure if I’ll be able to do it justice in my review. First of all Ashley Winstead can do no wrong in my books. I love her writing style, her imagination, her characters. And most of all, I love that her stories never blend into the sea of other thrillers. I find her plotlines and characters memorable and This Book Will Bury Me is no exception.

So why did I love this book so much?! Yes it’s interesting and entertaining. The world of amateur sleuths and people’s obsession with true crime is fascinating. But most of all this book felt very personal and emotional and dealt with grief and loss in a way that brought on so many emotions for me. I urge you to read author’s afterward because so much of it will make sense.

I really enjoyed the format and all the forum chats. I did guess who but not why or how and that was the fun part. This was such a page turner but also had so much material for discussion (hint: this will make a great book club pick). If you’re already a Winstead fan, you’re in for another treat. If she’s a new to you author, I don’t know what you’re waiting for!

A huge thank you to Head of Zeus/Aria & Aries for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This mystery drew me in with its intricate plot and emotional layers. I read it alongside my best friend, taking our time to discuss every detail and analyze each twist as we progressed through the story.

The narrative follows a group of characters who connect on the internet, uniting to solve a murder and ultimately pursue a serial killer. Their interactions and shared experiences kept me engaged, allowing me to invest in their journeys.

The story explores themes of connection and the human experience, showcasing how relationships evolve through adversity. The author skillfully navigates the group dynamics, highlighting how their bonds strengthen through shared challenges.

The plot was filled with unexpected twists and turns that kept me guessing. The pacing was expertly crafted, transitioning from a simple online connection to a gripping investigation. I often found myself reflecting on the complexities of human relationships and the impact of trauma as I read.

While I enjoyed the overall experience, I wished for a more detailed exploration of certain character arcs and motivations, especially toward the conclusion.

The best aspect of the book for me was the villain, whose portrayal left a lasting impression. I was surprised by my feelings toward this character as I delved deeper into the story. This mystery provides a fresh take on the genre, skillfully blending suspense with deeper emotional themes. I will never forget this book and wholeheartedly recommend it for its captivating journey that lingers in your mind.

I couldn't put this book down for the first 50%, I love a book with something to say and I felt like this was really going to. When the 'investigation' in the second half began being unpicked I realised the author had used a very real true crime case and made it fictional. The morals behind this to me are icky. Whilst authors definitely draw inspiration from real life events I would like to think there is a certain respect for families when profiting off a fictional version of a real life case that actually didn't happen that long ago.

Firstly thank you to Netgalley & the publishers for this arc. One of my favourite reads of 2024!

Heartbreak, loss, thrilling crime, new found family & true crime all wrapped up in an exciting but heartbreaking story that I can’t put into words how much I loved! My first book by this author and I was blown away. It kept me HOOKED more than I can remember any other book doing. It kept me on the edge of my seat with so many twists and turns I was utterly speechless when the last twist landed. There were many options (but not enough to make it hard to read, it was easy to follow once you get over being put in the middle of a already happening story) that distracted the reader & kept them guessing in clever ways.

The characters, the plot, the setting & the twists were just all so well thought out and crafted. It is one I will be thinking about & recommending for a very very long time. I absolutely love true crime so when I found this arc I just had to request it.

It was so well written I felt like I was an amateur sleuth, reading what was going on and being part of the action. It was a bit slow to get into and wrap my mind around reading something where you had to pretend you already knew what was going on, so could be confusing esp around she who should not be named but if you stick with it, you won’t regret it!! & I can definitely see why it was written that way at the start. Best thriller I have read in a very long time and I just want to tell everyone I know to read it! I need more books like this.

Even though it was a thriller/true crime book I also teared up at the end?! The thoughtfulness regarding Jane’s dad was so touching and I felt like it really resonated with me. It was so beautifully written & heartfelt. Additionally, while the beginning was very realistic and it kept this stance for a lot of the book, the ending was a little unrealistic but to be honest, with the way things are going, I wouldn’t find myself surprised to hear the same story on the news in the end. And what is a good book if theres not some unrealistic element that entertains & makes it 10x better than a boring well wrapped up realistic story?

If you’re a fan of thriller books & true crime and there is 1 book you put on 2025 list, it HAS to be this one. I’m blown away

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟒.𝟓 ⭐️

Wow 👏!

This book sucked me in immediately. It’s about grief, how you deal with it, how it uninvitingly shows up on your doorstep and you have to carry it around like the baggage it is.

This book resonated with me, our main character, Janeway, loses her father. I lost my dad when I was 20 and reading the words about her father’s death and how she deals with it… it broke me.

You get caught up in being busy to stop thinking and with Janeway she does this by becoming a sleuth. She joins an online community to help solve murders.

I really liked the mixed media throughout and how her online sleuths became closer than online friends. Sometimes this book felt more of a true crime piece than fiction!

100% recommend it you like:
-True Crime
-Gore (some crime scene descriptions)
-Likeable characters
-Found Family

Thanks so much to @netgalley, @headofzeus & @ashleywinsteadbooks 🖤

It is released 25th March 2025!! So preorder it now 🥰
#bookstagram #books #bookworm #netgalley #thisbookwillburyme #ashleywinstead #thriller #horror #thrillerbooks #bookish #booksta #bookblog #netgalley #netgalleyuk #2025books #book #bookstauk

Ash’s rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summed Up: A Chilling Thriller

- - -
Holy serial killer. This book was epic!

Let’s start with the unique writing style. Presented like a non-fiction memoir, it felt as though the audience already knew the ending. The inclusion of footnotes and extra details gave it an eerie authenticity and by the end, even I found myself questioning if the events were real.

I thought the main character was compelling and the friendship group bonded by a fascination with researching crimes was unexpectedly sweet, despite the dark subject matter.

The narrative’s ‘retelling’ style, assuming readers knew the conclusion also really upped the suspense and kept me glued to every chapter.

I thought I’d cracked the case partway through and I was half right but the constant twists kept me on my toes. I wasn’t even a little disappointed by guessing part of the killer’s identity because the plot kept evolving in ways I never expected.

After finishing this novel, I now appreciate that some parts of the book were inspired by real-life crimes. Being based in Australia, I’m not familiar with many of the referenced cases, so the story felt unique to me but I would add a trigger warning for this.

If you’re a true crime/serial killer fan, you are going to want to add this one to the top of your reading list when it lands on shelves in March 2025.

Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the sneak peek.

This book had me gripped the whole time.
As someone who watches/reads true crime related content I was intrigued how this book would go. Especially being inspired by cases I knew about.
I have to say I was wowed. I think Ashley had shown a side of Internet sluths, where they become so obsessed it becomes their life. But also that sometimes we look past or don't want to believe the red flags a person is showing us until it's too late.

I really enjoyed the authors previous work Midnight is the darkest hour that I couldn’t wait to get stuck in.
After the death of her father College student Jane Sharp turns to join a group of truth crime enthusiasts that she meets online to get over the grief of losing her father. The group solves murders that law enforcement unsuccessful solve. So, when four college students are murdered Jane gets totally invested in the case. Even dropping out of her college course and is soon recruited with the rest of the team to assist the FBI to solve the murders.
Firstly, I am not a fan of true crime and the new novel from Ashly Winstead I found completely different to her other book. I think that has an interesting storyline but for me found it a back story of information too much and overwhelming at times I felt like giving up. It just didn’t grab me for me personally. My also concern that has been pointed out in other reviews is that this story is very similar to a real case in Idaho that 4 college students where murdered. It was like the author just copied what happened. 3 stars

Ashley winstead knows how to carve out a story and draw you in!
This book will bury me was a wild ride! I had no idea where things were heading and was pleasantly surprised by the ending!
Five amateur internet sleuths hunt for an elusive killer turns
Jane Sharp is grieving the loss of her father, and finds an Internet forum dedicated to solving murders, to distract her from the grief she makes friends with an interesting group of sleuths. As they work the case clues lead them to the scene of the crime, can Jane uncover the true story and set the record straight?


This was such an interesting story! Especially as it’s written as a tell all to set the story straight about what happened. I really enjoyed Janes character and you could feel her grief through the pages. This was a very captivating read and I cannot wait to read more by Ashley Winstead!! Thanks to netgalley and Aria&Aries for the arc

Wow I couldn't put this book down! Totally compelling and obsessive, I loved this modern take on the serial killer trope. Perfect for those of us chronically online, but still accessible to the general reader! Really enjoyed the plot and characters. Will read more of her books for sure.

<i> This Book Will Bury Me</i> tells the story of a girl, Janeway Sharp, who has a hard time dealing with her father's sudden death, so she buries herself in true crime.

The book mostly focuses on a serial killer who kills several college students in a quiet university town, a murder so gruesome it sends the entire country into a frenzy. Several details about the murders take inspiration from reality, as Ashley Winstead notes in her Author's Note. There are many similarities between the Idaho murders and the ones from the book, which take place in Delphine, Idaho.

However, the book is so much more than that. There are many twists and turns I didn't see coming, and, although it was longer than I would've liked (there were many details that could've been edited out like longer conversations between the sleuths on the website, the ongoing references to the book about her which only makes sense later on, and Jane's search to find more about her father, and the eyerolling fatphobia), but overall, I was hooked.

The killer in the book is different from the one in the real case, and there are many other details that she drew from her own life and other popular cases. I loved the book, I just wish it was a bit shorter, as a more fast-paced tone would've fit the book better. The main character was mostly likable, and the side characters were fully fleshed out and likable.

I enjoyed this book. Light fun reading. The story moved at a great pace and even though a bit predictable, very enjoyable and I can't wait to read more from this author

I've never read anything by this author, but I will in future. It is gory, suspenseful, chilling, and I was hooked from the very start. I am so glad to have read this book, it will stay with me for a long time.

... Off to find more Winstead books now...

It all starts on 31st of August 2023 at a 90s throwback party for students at the University of Central Florida in Orlando – perhaps this is the last time that our narrator Janeway (hello, Star Trek) Sharp is truly innocent. She receives a call from her mother with the news that her father has had a heart attack. Jane rushes to the hospital to receive the worst news, her life would not be the same again as her father means everything to her and she unravels. To distract herself from her grief she starts going down the rabbit hole of true crime forums, sparked by a gruesome discovery of a body in a bin bag discovered in a Floridian lake. She becomes involved with the RealCrimeNetwork, acquiring the handle of Searcher, along with other members Goku, Mistress, Citizen, and Lightly. This group becomes central to an investigation into a mass killing of female students at the University in Delphine, Idaho. Each member has a different reason for their true crime passion but for Jane it becomes her eulogy to her father. The million dollar question is what direction will the eulogy take?

This is an intense slow burner of a read with a complex, constantly changing, well thought out plot which despite the books length keeps me riveted throughout, indeed, cliffhanger endings have me on tenterhooks. It’s suspenseful, brimful of tension and has so many twists and turns that you might be in danger of whiplash. There’s high risk, plenty of shocks, navigating the truth from lies or misdirection and bravely stepping up despite the dangers of what you might encounter and so at times it’s quite an adrenaline rush.

One of the things I enjoy most is the tone the author strikes in this very well written novel. There are a different shades of dark and some light, night and day with the mood often on the greyer end of the spectrum. There’s the occasional injection of humour but as the crimes investigated are of a violent nature clearly the pitch is dark. I enjoy how things are in constant flux with all the plot directions beginning to connect.

The storytelling has multiple layers to it, central is the puzzle of Jane herself and how to categorise her, what her grief leads her to but also the value of the group to her personally. All of them are obsessed and that leads to flaws in the murder investigation alongside several major breakthroughs. There are many questions to be asked about the true crime networks. How far is too far in the quest of the truth? Who are the villains of the piece? How culpable are they when things get out of hand? I find this a fascinating aspect of the plot and the rivalry between the different true crime groups is an intriguing element too. This feels very current and fresh as there is most certainly terrific interest in true crime.

As it builds to a cracking ending there are a number of scenes that are very moving. Overall I find this a compelling read from the tantalising start to the very end. It’s completely engaging, it’s very powerful in places with aspects that will resonate, especially if you have lost someone that you love. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Head of Zeus/Aria and Aries for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I'm not familiar with social media platforms and the whole setting and characters of this story is overwhelmingly light and young. Despite that it is a fun and enjoyable read. Jane Sharp is one of these characters who struggles to fit in, and her involvement with real life crime networks and online forums after a personal tragedy pushes her into the stereotypical "misfit" pigeon hole. Along with fellow misfits, they seeks to sleuth their way to answers when three college students are cut down. It is a shocking revelation that students with their heads down scrolling don't make good witnesses, and it is a sign of our times, sadly, that the real world takes a back seat. This is a great fun read, with lots of tension and twists.

Like a lot of other people here, I am torn. I didn't know until just before reading it that the author has used a current real-life case, dubbed 'the Idaho 4'. A case which still has a trial next year.

Putting that aside for a moment, I think this is a three-star solid crime thriller about how we view dead women and our fascination with true crime (either via playing amateur detective or podcasts). Unfortunately the supposed twist was pretty predictable early on, and, at times, I found the pacing of this book slow-going. I think the strengths of this book was the found family Jane falls into and how she realises her grief for her father fed into her desire for answers.

So why 1 star?

My issue is that, for a book that is making statements about violence against women being entertainment, it contributes to trivialising the death of three young women (and one man) by using real details from the Idaho 4 case. These details easily could've been changed (for starters, why not change Idaho to Oregon and some of the key details about the victims whereabouts?). Given the trial hasn't started, surely this is also plain irresponsible, even if the book changed the outcome?

For the lack of due diligence, I have to give this 1 star.

Thanks to Aria & Aries/Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to Aria & Aries/Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the ARC.