This was one of my highly anticipated reads of the year and I really loved it. A fictional true crime tell-all style narrative, This Book will bury me follows Jane, an amateur sleuth pulled into a high profile murder investigation, all the while making peace with the death of her father from a sudden heart attack.

This book was awesome from start to finish. The author has based the book off The Idaho murders of 2022 which made me go down the Google rabbit hole and I felt some events closely resemble those of the actual case. However, I suggest reading the author's note at the beginning as she explains the why and how she used these real and horrific events as part of this book and it will make a lot of sense.

I enjoyed the short chapters that ended in cliffhangers and created a slow sense of foreboding. I particularly liked how Jane became a part of the online sleuthing group to cope with the grief of losing her father and the other characters became the support group she needed. While I had an idea of the big twist I couldn't figure out the motivation behind it.

It is a thought-provoking read about how armchair detectives can be helpful in carrying out an investigation but can also cause terrible damage.
Ashley highlights the growing fascination with true crime and people's obsession with actually inserting themselves into the investigation.

It is dark, it is gritty and it is a page turner as there are more murders and more crazier twists. Smart, sophisticated and utterly bingeable this is a perfect book for true crime lovers.

Thank you @headofzeus @ashleywinsteadbooks and @netgalley for a digital ARC to read and review.

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!

This Book Will Bury Me is a clever and gripping thriller. The author skillfully avoids glamorizing serial killers, instead offering a fresh and timely perspective that feels very relevant. This modern take breathes new life into a genre that can sometimes feel too mainstream and predictable.

While not every twist and turn was a complete surprise, there were enough unexpected moments to keep me engaged. The characters are well-developed, the plot is strong, and the pacing is perfect, making it hard to put down. Overall, This Book Will Bury Me is a smart thriller read.

Started so strong. The setup was heart-wrenching, and I felt the grief of the MC so acutely. It made sense she turned to this grim obsession to make sense of it all. We're introduced to a very vivid and distinct group of sleuths, all matching an interesting archetype. We're intrigued by this book written as a response to a salacious tell-all shared by She who shall not be named. The writing and atmosphere were strong, with a very interesting look at the true crime community.

Brilliant set up, and I couldn't put down the book for the first 70%. However.... I guessed the twist about halfway in. Which at first was fine. I liked seeing the clues being dropped supporting my theory, made me feel well smart. But even that got old at some point. The author could've put a bit more work into throwing in some kind of red herring or making it less obvious who the bad guy was. It just got a bit frustrating where I wanted the book to acknowledge the obvious. (I will say there are narrative reasons for the characters not to see it, but still).

For that reason, the book felt like it overstayed its welcome a bit. It went from something I couldn't put down and snuck in a couple of pages with any time I had an occasion, to something I could easily put down at the climax cause I was tired. And I think it would just be small tweaks that could make it perfect.

Ashley Winstead remains my favourite thriller author, but this one won't top her own chart for me.

Thank you NetGalley & publisher for the ARC.

This Book Will Bury Me is an utterly compelling and chilling thriller that immerses readers in the dark world of amateur sleuths and true crime obsession.

The novel follows Jane Sharp, a college student who, after her father’s sudden death, finds solace in online true crime communities. There, she connects with a group of armchair detectives, and together, they become entangled in investigating the infamous Delphine Massacres.

Winstead masterfully crafts a narrative that feels like a true crime memoir, with Jane recounting the events that unfold as their investigation deepens. The use of online chat excerpts and forum discussions adds a layer of authenticity, that had me fully immersed in the whole sleuthing experience.

The novel skillfully explores themes of grief, obsession, and the ethical boundaries of amateur investigations. Jane is both relatable and complex, making her journey as gripping as it is thought-provoking. The plot is intricately woven, packed with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.

However, it’s worth noting that the fictional crime bears striking similarities to real-life events, which some readers may find unsettling.

Overall, This Book Will Bury Me is a gripping, thought-provoking thriller that will resonate with true crime enthusiasts and mystery fans alike. Winstead expertly blends fiction with the realities of online crime-solving communities, crafting a novel that is as entertaining as it is unsettlingly reflective of society’s obsession with true crime.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read this - all opinions are my own.

This Book Will Bury Me
Ashley Winstead

“I’ve come to think fate is a trap we set for ourselves.”

This is a compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.

“Most people like to pretend the world is a happy place and people are inherently good. But those of us who are awake understand it’s a hellscape. We crawl the dark underbelly of human life looking for glimpses of the truth, rare visions of the monsters we all are under our masks, driven by compulsions to hurt and destroy that burn like secret bonfires in our hearts.”

I loved the ethical questions of where is the line and how far is too far in crossing it that apply to crime sleuths.

“The path you’re racing down is dangerous. Ruinous, even, if you don’t know how to stop and catch your breath. It’s a long, dark night out there. Horrors around every turn. Protect yourself.”

I really got into this one and the twists and clues and was kinda hoping for a second book at one stage.

“But I suspect I was born to fall into rabbit holes.”

All in all, I definitely enjoyed this. Recommend giving it a try.

“To the true crime community: we need your help. Please use everything in your considerable arsenal to find our daughter’s killer. He’s out there, free to hunt and kill more people. We don’t have anyone else to turn to. You’re our last, best hope.”

This Book Will Bury Me is out now on kindle or released 5th August in trade paperback in Australia.

“Dead Girl Gold Rush”.

After the unexpected death of her father Jane Sharpe finds a distraction from her grief by joining the true crime community and quickly becomes obsessed. Jane finds friends and purpose in the race to solve crimes. Soon Jane and her group of sleuths find they are facing a killer more clever than any they have faced before.

Ok. I read this book blissfully ignorant and I loved it 5 star read. I then read reviews and discovered there is quite a bit of controversy around this story and real life events. This made me feel unsure of my feelings but ultimately without falling down a rabbit hole investigating a true crime I have no idea about I can't comment on any of it. All I can say is I really enjoyed this book it was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and I will rate based on my enjoyment as I always do.

I also listened to this book on audio and it was very well read and kept me engaged and was very easy to listen to.

Thank you to Netgalley, Aria & Aries and Tantor Audio and Ashley Winstead for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jane Sharp is a struggling student. When her father unexpectedly dies, she is devastated. To distract herself, she immerses herself in a local murder case. Soon she is deep into amateur sleuthing and part of a group of five. They get involved in a case of three murdered college girls. This is when things start to get weird.

This is my third book by Ashley Winstead. I admire her ability to create detailed and elaborate stories. Her characters are always very realistic and unique. Here we get the story of a grieving daughter who wants to know her father better after his sudden death. She loses herself in an online group of people who take armchair sleuthing very seriously.

Winstead uses a real case to tell her story. In November 2022, four college students are murdered in their off-campus apartment. The alleged killer goes on trial in August. I am not sure she did herself a favour by using the facts of this real and recent case for her book. I think the case is still too fresh and unresolved. But I will not judge her decision. This book is not primarily about this true crime. It is about grief and finding answers to things that are hard to understand. It is about family, biological and chosen. It is about finding your place in life.

For me as a reader, this was an almost unputdownable book. I was completely absorbed in the story. I am an avid listener of true crime podcasts myself, so this was right up my alley. I was glued to the pages. I had a feeling early on what was going to happen and it turned out I was right. But as I said, I love Winstead's way of writing, her stories are so well crafted. I've enjoyed all three of her books I've read so far and I'm looking forward to her next one.

#Gifted #Netgalley

Happy publication day to bestselling author Ashley Winstead. #ThisBookWillBuryMe is her latest psychological thriller, and is sure to be a winner with true crime fans.

After the sudden death of her father, college student Jane Sharp becomes a recluse. She stops attending lectures and ignores her mother’s concerns for her, instead choosing to find solace online with fellow misfits, all obsessed with true crime. After solving several successful murder cases, the group of five, including Jane, set their sights on a new grisly 3-person murder that’s taken the true crime world by storm. The armchair detectives soon realise they’re up against a highly intelligent serial killer, who somehow leaves absolutely no evidence.
As they get further into the mystery, they put themselves in terrible danger and soon the lines between what is ethical and what’s necessary to solve the crimes become very blurry indeed.

The story is told as a book that Jane is writing after these events, mostly to defend herself against accusations that she’s a ghoul with no morals. Which isn’t totally off the mark 👀

I think the true crime angle is really interesting here, and works well. I really liked the found family element of the book; the characters are relatable for the most part, even when their obsession feels a bit repulsive, and overall this is an entertaining read.

My issues with it however, are;
It’s too long. The start really draws you in and the last 25-30% is propulsive. There is however, a large section in the middle that could have been shorter with no loss to the overall story.
I do wonder about the ethics of writing a work of fiction that SO accurately mimics a real life crime that took place only three years ago, where the suspect still hasn’t been to trial? But I guess that’s inkeeping with the theme of the book.
I had guessed the murderer quite early on.
And lastly, fittingly, the ending felt a bit of a stretch and also a bit too neat.

All of that said, I did stay up late, eager to finish it, so it does work well as a thriller!

All opinions are my own, with thanks @ariafiction for my early copy. Available to buy now.

Thank you to netgalley for this ARC. All Thoughts are my own.

This was the first time for me to read Ashley Winstead,
I love a good mystery, thriller/horror story, and I had wanted to like this one, but sadly that was not the case.

I got 4% into this arc and I had to DNF. The writing style wasn't for me. I don't knock those who enjoy it, but for me, I couldn't get into the story or the characters.

It does make me sad because I did want to like this, but I feel that I'm not the target audience for this type of novel.

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!

‘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.