After the death of her father, Jane finds herself escaping in a surprising way -- into the world of true crime online forums. Jane is pulled into a fascinating world of amateur sleuths, and gets in deeper than she ever imagined. When news breaks of multiple homicides in a college in Idaho Jane and her new eclectic friends get themselves in on the case.

While Jane as a character drove me crazy at times, I enjoyed following along with the story. Each member of the group brought something interesting to table, and the twists and turns kept coming the entire time. This one is great in both print and audio!

This Book Will Bury Me is exactly the kind of twisty, layered thriller I’ve come to expect from Ashley Winstead. It’s moody, a little messed up (in a good way), and full of sharp commentary on obsession, ambition, and the line between fiction and reality. The premise—centered around a true crime author and a possibly cursed book—is such a fun, eerie setup, and Winstead really leans into the gothic vibes. The pacing dragged slightly in a few spots, and some of the side characters could’ve used more development, but overall, this was a really compelling read. If you like thrillers with brains, atmosphere, and a bit of a dark heart, definitely add this one to your list.

Ummmmmm I wanted to DNF this book at 30% and so many people took my poll and voted not to give up, but I kind of wish I did! I love Ashley Winstead's writing and I was so excited about this book. And then, people started discussing how this was framed around a true unsolved case, and how it felt yucky.... and I did not agree with that opinion, until I read the book. I felt like the back half really highlighted the modern problem with true crime podcasts, and their insensitivity to the victims and their families, and this book felt a little like that. I really loved her writing but the actual story was really hard to stomach. I love a murder mystery as much as the next girl, but when it starts to bleed into reality, it just feels wrong. I don't believe it was necessary to add to the plot and hard to justify the emotional damage this book probably caused considering the real case hasn't even made it to trail yet. I would recommend skipping this book.

It's always a bit tough when a book doesn't quite click, and that was my experience with Ashley Winstead's This Book Will Bury Me. I genuinely wanted to like it, and I certainly tried to get into it multiple times.
The premise seemed promising, and I appreciate what Winstead was aiming for. However, despite my efforts, I just couldn't quite get into the flow of the story. For whatever reason, it didn't fully grab my attention, and I found it challenging to connect with the narrative or its characters in a way that kept me thoroughly engaged. Sometimes a book just doesn't resonate, and for me, this was one of those times.

While looking for a distraction she feels from the sudden death of her father, Jane Sharp delves into the online world of true crime. She almost immediately is welcomed into an elite group of people who together try to solve a crime in Jane's home state of Florida. After much fanfare after solving the crime, the group goes on to investigate a gruesome murder of three young coed's in Idaho.
This is a world totally foreign to me - these people become consumed with crime solving to the detriment of their daily lives. That alone was fascinating. The speed with which they seem to find answers local police, FBI and other professionals are unable to uncover is unrealistic and the similarities to the real crime that took place recently is disturbing. Setting all that aside, the book moves along at a good pace and justice is served.

I love Ashley’s writing and her books always entertain me! It’s hard to not compare her books but this one didn’t hit like her others. I figured out the murderer really on and that was kind of disappointing. But none the less I was still entertained.

This book was way too similar to the recent homicides that happened out in Idaho. And I mean, VERY similar. It's as if the author just wanted to use that crime and build off of that, since it gained so much media attention, for her book. Considering the Idaho homicides happened just a couple of years ago, and the families are still healing and waiting for justice for the loss of their loved ones, I highly doubt that they would be okay with this story.

Any twists that came throughout the book were predictable and didn't surprise me. And then in the end, it all just seemed to get wrapped up so conveniently? I don't know, it just didn't really sick out to me as a great ending to grab what little attention I wanted to give this book.

I wanted to like this book, but it just wasn’t for me. I probably wouldn’t recommend this book.

I am grateful to NetGalley, the Author, and the Publisher for the ARC. Thank you!

This started out a little slow and I found myself struggling to get through the first half, but the second half had a good pace and drew me in more. The ending was a little predictable, but that’s not necessarily a negative thing for me. I think that’s common after reading so many thrillers.

I will say it felt odd reading a book that was inspired by a case that is still going on. Even though it wasn’t my favorite book of hers, Winstead will still be an automatic read for me in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!

I wanted to love this and I did for the first half. I really was on the edge of my seat and loved the comparison to the Idaho murders. However, the twist didn't shock me and the ending fell flat.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great who done it. It kept me engaged throughout and entertained. Towards the end, I did have a light bulb moment where I thought I had it figured out and was partially correct. A good book if you are into thrillers.

It breaks my heart to say it, but this is a no from me. Ashley Winstead's previous books have always been a win for me, up until now. This is far too close to the Idaho murders and left me feeling predatory. I will definitely read from the author in the future, but this is not one I can recommend.

A brilliantly paced thriller that grabs you early and never loosens its grip. The twists are both shocking and satisfying, unfolding with perfect precision. Vivid characters and razor-sharp writing elevate every moment of suspense. It’s an addictive, high-stakes ride you won’t want to end.

I have to confess that I've not been the biggest Ashley Winstead fan. The Last Housewife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour were both huge misses for me, to the point where I'd basically written her off. But I decided to try This Book Will Bury Me on the off chance that maybe third time is the charm.

AND IT WAS!

I am utterly shocked at how much I enjoyed this book. Ok, ok, I could nitpick some things if you made me, but there was so much I enjoyed including
--True crime inspiration pulled straight from the headlines
--The online component
--A fun cast of characters that felt like some sort of true crime fighting Justice League

This book had some good twists and turns and was, simply put, very entertaining. I will definitely recommend it to my audience, and I'm also more open to whatever Winstead has next for us.

I really enjoy the way this author writes and keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting for answers. This time I felt like the reveals weren’t as shocking as I’d hoped. It felt like an obvious choice for the killer and the ending was a bit too neatly bow wrapped. It was a solid read as far as engaging and kept me entertained.

This Book Will Bury Me offers an intriguing premise with sharp social commentary, and Ashley Winstead’s writing has a real edge that keeps you hooked. The story revolves around complex characters grappling with past secrets and the darker sides of friendship and fame. While I appreciated the tension and the moments of wit, at times the plot felt a bit uneven, and some character motivations weren’t fully fleshed out. Overall, it’s an engaging read that shines in its more intense moments, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights I was hoping for. Still, worth a look if you’re into contemporary thrillers with a gritty edge.

I really loved this book and its approach to true crime used in fiction. I’ve had mixed feelings about this author’s previous novels, but this was a home run for me. The plot, the characters, the mystery, it was all outstandingly executed. This is a must read for thriller/mystery fans and true crime fans as well!

I actually really enjoyed this book until it started feeling a little too "real" with the Idaho murders. After that I just had a bad taste in my mouth. It made me sad because I think I would have loved this otherwise.

While I normally love this author's books this one just didn't work for me. There were pacing issues and the book felt too long. It is also pretty predictable and while it is acknowledge that it's inspired by the Idaho 4 murder cases, it just felt too soon to be referencing it but that's probably just me. I will still pick up Winsteads next book and thank you to the publisher and NetGalley fro my eARC.

This Book Will Bury Me
Ashley Winstead
4.25⭐️

Pub Date: 3/25/2025

Wooh. This was a wild ride. It's a book within a book. The style is already unique and captivating to begin with. It'a about 5 true crime enthusiasts diving into the Idaho murders and others. But it focuses on Janeway, in the midst of her grief, and how this "pastime" turned her whole world inside out. This book was so easy to follow, even though there were a lot of people involved. I had theories all along, I had fun weeding out the suspect list but this book played me so well. I already ruled out a couple of people but as the story progresses and more evidence turned up, I had a hard time pinning someone down. The ending was satisfying, but not mindblowing. It took a more realistic turn and I think it was done well here that I actually liked it. Overall, an enjoyable read if you're looking for a good true crime book!

Thank you @netgalley and Sourcebooks for a gifted e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

💭 do you follow any true crime podcasts or websites?