Student Jane Sharp suffers a loss and turns to a group of online amateur true crime sleuths. She soon finds herself becoming obsessed with her new friendships and solving crimes from afar. When the news comes about the killings of some college girls, the group take it among themselves to work out what happened, only things aren’t adding up.

I really wanted to like this one as I enjoy the premise of books focused around true crime and online sleuths, having said that I have read a lot of these now so it takes something special to make it unique. The main problem I found was this felt so long! It was a drag to get through and could easily have been cut down a good few pages. It started interesting enough but I soon found myself losing patience and it fell flat. The characters were ok but not hugely memorable and it ended up being fairly predictable.

I have since read that the details in this story were almost exactly the same as a recent crime case, which is no way fiction as it has claimed to be and this doesn’t sit too comfortably with me. 2.5 stars rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

I couldn’t put this down. The concept was so addicting. I loved the characters and the sleuth plot. The twists were fantastic and I didn’t see them coming. I did find it strange that when the group met up they were still calling each other by their usernames. All in all a great story!

I loved this book! That's no surprise because I've loved every Ashley Winstead book I've read so far. I really enjoyed reading about this little newfound family of internet sleuths. It was endearing to read how much they cared about each other. The crime aspect really kept me engaged and was suspenseful until the end. All in all, it was a great book.
A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

It's hard to gather my thoughts on this. For almost half of the book, I was solidly sucked in, despite not being sure how I felt about the writing style. And while I enjoyed the injection of the true crime threads/conversations to move along the story, the main character's point of view felt very different for the author. It was much cheesier.

The last 40% was a quick unraveling, for me. It pains me to say that, but the last part didn't hold up and I found myself less glued to the narrative.

I think Winstead knows how to tell a story! Despite what I just mentioned, I stayed up late to finish this because I (and apparently I'm the minority) did not guess who did it until the "reveal". So, again, I struggle to find where I land, here. This is definitely a bingeable story, and I will still pick up whatever the author writes next, but it wasn't my favorite of hers.

And, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the real life case this was based on is a still open case, which is an odd choice. Much more could have been fabricated.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book! Social media link to come!

‘This Book Will Bury Me’ by Ashley Winstead is a dramatic and engrossing read that explores the notoriety of true crime as entertainment and delves into the motivations of Jane Sharp, who becomes infatuated with a group of amateur internet sleuths after the death of her beloved father. Jane joins an elite team with their hearts set on enabling justice to prevail… but can they identify the perpetrator of a gruesome massacre or will it tear them apart?

Unusually, I’m going to start this review - of a book I absolutely recommend to those who love a good thriller - with two red flags… 1) I didn’t love all of the focus on Jane’s late father’s obesity - I’m not sure that moralising his weight really added to the examination of grief at the heart of the novel, and 2) the fictional case whose horror permeated the pages of the book bears significant similarities to a real crime that has not yet reached its trial, which feels quite uncomfortably raw. While this made me uncomfortable, fictionalised reality is not unusual and the ethical dilemma the book presents feels raw and gripping. Those factors almost put me off, but I was ultimately glad I read this!

Jane was an interesting character and watching her deal with bereavement by taking up an (albeit strange) hobby and forming meaningful connections online was captivating. The reflective structure of the chapters made them totally addictive, and some of the twists were jaw-dropping! I rushed through the pages, the novel feeling much quicker than its 400+ pages. The diverse members of Jane’s investigation group started to feel like family, to her and to me as the reader, and a couple of their stories really resonated with me.

I listened to some of this in audiobook format and was impressed with the narration. Overall, it was a four star read for me.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Aria & Aries and an Advance Listening Copy of the audiobook from Tantor Audio via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What a book! As a big Ashley Winstead fan, I knew I had to read this. And what a title - if that doesn’t sell this one to you.
A captivating thriller, absolute must read for true crime lovers. I was hooked!

4.5 ⭐

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead is an exhilarating, fast-paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. As someone who had heard a lot of buzz about Winstead’s writing but had never read her work before, I went into this novel with high expectations—and I was not disappointed.

The story is an absolute page-turner, brimming with tension, twists, and an intricate mystery that continuously keeps you guessing. From the very first chapter, Winstead does a fantastic job of immersing you in the plot, making it easy to get hooked and hard to put down.

Winstead’s writing style is accessible and fun, making this a perfect choice for anyone looking for an engaging thriller without feeling bogged down by overly complex prose. It’s a book that’s both entertaining and thoughtful, with just the right mix of intrigue, drama, and heart-pounding suspense.

After reading This Book Will Bury Me, I’m definitely going to check out more of Ashley Winstead’s work. If this book is any indication, she’s a writer I’ll be following for a long time. Highly recommended for fans of thrillers and anyone looking for a book that will keep them turning the pages long into the night.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead
I give this book 4.5 stars.

It's the most famous crime in modern history. But only she knows the true story.
Told one year after the astounding events that left the world reeling, Jane tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres.
And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true-crime fans...

This is a chilling story of fiction but inspired by real life cases of crime.The author explores our protagonist Jane dealing with her own loss and wanting to feel less alone becoming involved with the obsession of an online group of amateur sleuths. What follows is a compelling and layered story that makes it hard to put this book down as it hurtles towards its unforeseen conclusion, l was completely drawn into the dark undercurrent this takes and the extremely blurred lines of whether we should observe or contribute and the effects society/medias impact has on true crime cases and the victims families. Truly thought provoking!
With thanks to Netgalley, Ashley Winstead and
Aria & Aries | Head of Zeus for my chance to read and review this book.

A commentary on the rise of armchair detectives and true crime aficionados, This Book Will Bury Me is a twisty and disturbing thriller.

I had difficulty rating this one. I was keen to pick it up, having loved Winstead’s In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. Like Hold a Knife, Bury Me is well written, engaging, fast paced and layered. I found myself interested and keen to uncover new twists. The ending was satisfying, and tied off the story well.

I sat with some discomfort though at knowing at least on of the real life cases was very recent, and still not gone to trial. For me, this pulled me away from the story at times. I understand the authors intentions based on the authors note, but the close parallel to real life didn’t feel necessary to the story.

I read this both as an audiobook and ebook, and both were well done. The audiobook gave a heightened sense of the voyeurism of true crime obsession, capturing the experiences of a wide cast of characters, and having an almost podcast feel.

Thank you Aria & Aries for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

First I wanna thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in advance.
Sadly I have to say I had to DNF it but I wanna explain why. The first chapters with Jane's father's death had a toll on me cause I lost my grandpa in a similar situation but I was at home when it happened. I was getting into the feels yet controlled but when it got to the part where she said "and me curled in their bed, in the last place my father had been alive", I bawled my eyes out. As I lived with my grandparents, now with my grandma, I sleep with her, on my grandpa's side and I was reading that while in bed and it was too much for me. Right after that, Jane continues "What does it feel like to lose a parent? As I stated at his bedroom wall, trying to imagine the last thing he saw in this world" and I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't keep reading more that day.
The last few days it's been a struggle to keep reading the book cause I see myself in Jane's grief, on what I went through when my grandpa died who raised me and was a father to me, and I felt like reading that I was relieving that. I could only make it till chapter 7 when she sees him dead at the visitation and remembered seeing my grandpa dead after being released from the hospital.
I wanted to get to the part of the mistery of the book but I really don't feel like I'm in the moment for that right now.
I'm so sorry to have to DNF it but I'm still gonna give this book 3 stars here for being able to describe and explore grief so well. I know how much it poured out of me and made me remember one of the most painful moments of my life.

This book had me hooked. The beginning was slow but once things picked up I couldn’t put it down.

The story follows Jane, a college student who’s deep in the world of online true crime forums. When three girls are murdered in Idaho, Jane and her friends want to solve the case before everyone else. But the deeper they go, the weirder things get: details don’t add up, the police are acting weird and suddenly they’re becoming part of the case.

I loved how this book explored true crime obsession. The suspense was amazing. Every twist made me question what was real, who to trust and where it was all going. And then… the ending. After all that buildup, I was expecting something huge but it felt flat. Also, some subplots were so unnecessary and added length to the book without any meaning.

This was such an addictive read. If you’re into dark and twisty thrillers mixed true crime then this book is for you.

𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 : true crime, small town mystery, found family, morally grey characters, cat and mouse thriller.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead is a book that I read months ago, but I'm looking to share about it shortly before its publication on the book market. I've read other books of hers and I really like her writing style. In this book, she takes us on a completely different journey and I really like the fact that she can always surprise me.

Jane Sharp suddenly loses her father and is looking for a way to deal with the chilling grief. So she enters the dark corners of the internet and becomes part of a group of amateur detectives. Together they investigate major crimes and even become famous. The investigations lead them into dangerous territory, and the killer is terribly smart. Will they be able to uncover him and will they survive along the way? The story is told from Jane's point of view, one year after the events.

The first thing that touched me was Jane's story itself. Her grief was very familiar to me and these pages really moved me. Losing a parent, no matter what age, is beyond terrible. The author manages to describe her personal feelings, to a certain extent, but from Jane's perspective and I think it's very brave of her to go so deep into her soul.

Beyond that, I really liked the sense of community that these "detectives" have built. Their personal little group was great. Everyone had their own voice and was well-developed as a character. The crime plot was interesting and honestly I really didn't expect the big twist, which is a big plus in this type of book. The story itself is multi-layered and can touch a different chord in every soul. I can't wait to see what's next from Ashley Winstead!

I’m not sure how I feel about this. I’ve loved all of Ashley’s previous books but some things with this just didn’t sit right with me.

Written in the style of a memoir, this is a non-fiction fiction story about Janeway who is dealing with the loss of her father and who gets caught up in the world of online true crime sleuths determined to solve the latest murders first.

Though the authors note does explain that the story is inspired by and largely based on real events, it just hit too close to home with how close she kept the names and the places etc of the Idaho murders.
Whilst I understand a lot of books have been based on real events, it felt in bad taste to make the names of the victims very similar to those in real life, and to keep the location the same.
Especially when this is still an ongoing investigation. I can’t help but think of the victims families and how they would react to seeing this..

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to NetGalley and Ashley Winstead for this ARC!

I was a bit let down by this one. I love a strong narrative voice and this one definitely pulled me in quickly but honestly the book started to feel a bit fetishising of true crime by the end. Especially when the author is writing so closely to real life cases it feels like something that caused actual genuine suffering is being used as creative fodder for a lukewarm book. Wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read but it lost its potential for sure.

Gripping and engaging, I struggled to put this book down and couldn't concentrate on any of the other books I was meant to be reading. Jane is a wonderfully flawed character and I enjoyed the different people we met in this book. Struggling with grief is hard and watching her become obsessed in her journey to cope was fascinating, and as it was inadvisable. The commentary on how the internet sees what it wants to see and flips at the drop of a dime was also well done, and I also enjoyed how Jane addressed why she published the book in her eyes.

All in all, I will be reading from this author again.

This Book Will Bury Me
Ashley Winstead
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

UK release date: 27th March 2025

SYNOPSIS:
After the unexpected death of her father, Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime and solving open murder cases. In the morbid internet forum underground, she befriends 4 online amateur sleuths and finds friendship, a purpose and even a taste of glory. So when the shocking death of 3 college girls shake the world, the group descend on Delphine to solve a crime that might just be a lot more than they expected. One year after the events that left the world reeling, Jane is ready to tell her truth and the events that really unfurled around the murders.

THOUGHTS:
Ashley Winstead always writes about real world controversial topics and This Book Will Bury Me is no different. It centres around true crime and the obsession the world has with true crime and serial killers. I will preface this with saying I'm not a true crime girlie and I really don't understand the fascination with it, but each to their own.

I really enjoyed This Book Will Bury Me and I'm just obsessed with Ashley's writing, I will read everything she writes (and so far I have!) I liked all 5 of the characters within their group and the dynamics between them all.

I will say I did she the twist coming, however I feel like she lays it out there very clearly for you to see, so it's probably something she wants you to pick up on? And I did find a little slow towards the end before it picked back up.

Having looked at some reviews, it looks like there is a bit of controversy around the murders in the book a quite similar to the murders of Idaho college students. I would suggest reading Ashley's foreword before diving into the book, if you are going to pick it up.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to @netgalley @headofzeus & the author for an e-arc.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead is getting some flack given it's partially based on real-life murders and some readers feel Winstead is profiting from real-life tragedy. Winstead includes a preface noting [its inspiration] but assures readers it's not non-fiction. Which is good as I don't read non-fiction. It does however, she explains, reference actual murders and I was reminded of Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll which included reference to Ted Bundy's final murders. Here our narrator is Janeway (Jane) whose father dies of a heart attack while she's at college. They were close so Jane tries to find a reason for his death, becoming part of The Real Crime Network, before splintering off to join a small eclectic group who garner media attention when they help break a case.

This is a cleverly written narrative within a narrative. Kinda. Jane is our narrator, but she's also referencing other accounts (media and books) recounting the same events... some of which vary from her telling. It felt very real as it's written in second person so I initially DID (briefly) wonder if there was a book out there criticising Jane and her fellow amateur sleuths.

I very much appreciated the way Winstead uses Jane's father's death as a motivating factor for her to seek answers

'If, like you've claimed, you want to find the causal roots of what unfolded—the first domino that set the rest in motion—it was this: my father's death and my desperation to do something about it.' (3%)

I also liked that she circles back to that at the end, Jane better understanding her father's life, decisions he made and the role fate plays.

Winstead offers up good character development here, particularly given our characters are just online voices for much of the novel. Jane is somewhat naïve but also fragile and likeable and I felt the need to protect or defend her against her unseen (but often-referenced) critics.

The arc that the group travel here is an interesting one. From heroes to villains to heroes and back again. I appreciated that Winstead is measured in her portrayal of them and fellow true-crime buffs and podcasters. We see the good, bad and the ugly, including the benefits of the 'hive mind' - something the internet and social media has made easier.

'We were using the supercharged method of a hive mind to search and analyze and consider meaning, which allowed us to be in many places at once, think many thoughts at warp speed. To this day, I still believe it's a paradigm shift.' (32%)

In her narration Jane knows she's walking a fine line as she and the other group members become involved in a second series of murders with Jane discovering evidence that links the crime to one a dozen years earlier.

'So I spiraled by sinking deeper and deeper into the screen, forgetting about life outside it, convinced I was chasing seven women, a killer, and my missing dad across the universe.' (52%)

I loved Winstead's writing, and the plot's twisty and quite shocking, but I think the highlight of this book is the way it's told - placing we readers front and centre... embroiling us in the case and in Jane's story. It also reminds us that we deal with grief in different ways. As Jane puts it:

'... the person I was closest to, who'd loved me the deepest, had died, suddenly and unexpectedly, and nothing would ever be the same.' (2%)

NB. I read an electronic copy of this book on kindle so quotes reflect my progress through the book rather than page numbers.

4.5 stars

I had read only one book by Ashley Winstead before, which was just okay for me, but I'm so glad I requested her latest release because I loved it from start to finish.

The book is written as a memoir by Jane Sharp, a young woman who after the sudden death of her father becomes obsessed with true crime, and finds herself entangled in a very infamous case. Since her reputation has been slandered after the case, she decides to write her own version of what happened.

From the beginning I was drawn into the story because of this type of narration. There are footnotes, which work really well, and Jane often addresses the reader, explaining her actions. I always felt sympathetic towards her, mainly because of the representation of her grief over her father's sudden passing. It was very emotional and well written, and it added another layer to the story.

Apart from Jane, I also really liked the other characters, who become a sort of family for her. They are very different people, all drawn to true crime because of different reasons, and I really enjoyed the relationships between them. 

The mystery in itself was quite predictable. It was easy to understand what was going on, especially if you've read many mysteries. Still, the plot was always fast-paced and absolutely engaging, and the suspense was really well done. I never wanted to put the book down, and I was always anxious to see how everything would turn out. Another interesting aspect of the story was the representation of true crime sleuths, and the discussions about how true crime and social media are changing the way crimes are investigated today. I found it all very thought-provoking.

This is definitely a different read. Unique, disturbing, entertaining and full of suspense
I am not sure I liked any of the characters, I found Jane to be rather irritating. Her dad has died u expectedly and she becomes fixated with true crime, she makes friends with a group of sleuths online, they are all a little dysfunctional. Her days become filled with purpose, a distraction from her grief.
When a mass killing occurs at the campus of a small university in Idaho Jane and her sleuth friends become involved, can they find the serial killer.
The story does drag on a little in the middle, definitely a slow burner, there is a big twist as the book comes to an end and the killer is revealed.
Written in a quirky style which helps keep the pages turning.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Aria & Aries Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
My first book by this author and I look forward to reading more.

I totally binged this!! It felt like listening to a true crime podcast or a fast-paced documentary!
I loved the way we were being both told the story through Jane’s book while also talking about her story after the fact and all the little extra tidbits in the footnotes.

It was so fast paced and action packed, which I found surprising given a large quantity of the story is told from Jane’s bedroom. The characters all felt so real to me; I want a hug from Lightly so bad!!

The way the story grapples with the good, bad and grey areas of true crime is a very fun theme, constantly adding a different layer to the events as they happened.
The handling of grief as almost another character itself was great too.

This definitely was heading towards a 4 star for me, but I didn’t love the ending so took an extra star off as it felt a little rushed and didn’t give me the closure for all the characters that I was hoping for after feeling so attached to them throughout the book.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.