First of all thank you @bookmarked for the arc of my most anticipated 2025 read! I love @ashleywinsteadbooks and this was no exception! I low key loved that this one returned to a college campus (like her first book)! This is a book for the true crime fan that wants to see all sides of the story! Jane is such a captivating protagonist who kind of stumbles into a life of whodunnit. The side characters only add to the story (mistress was my absolute fave). This one is thick but reads so quickly. The last 100 pages particularly I felt like I was racing to the finish line!! This one is out March 25th and you don’t want to miss it!!

This Book Will Bury Me is a true crime thriller heavily inspired by the University of Idaho murders. It follows Jane Sharp, a young woman who drops out of college following her father's death, to help solve murders with fellow internet sleuths. She and her fellow internet sleuths become famous, and grapple with that fame as they solve their next case - which turns out to be stranger and more complex than they would've ever guessed.
Wowowowow I loved this book. I ate it up! I was so mad when real life kept interrupting my reading! I did guess a twist, but it didn't stop me from loving this book. It was addicting, like Dont F*ck With Cats, but better. I had trouble sleeping if I read this at night though - you've been warned. I really appreciated the authors note at the beginning of the book, and the care she took with addressing the issue of true crime.
I would warn readers to check out trigger warnings - and would recommend people experiencing the death of a parent (or any death close to them) steer clear of this book, especially for a particularly depictive funeral scene.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much @netgalley for my advance copy! Its no secret Ashley Winstead is my all-time favorite and I think she is a literary genius! She is a genre bender, and I honestly don’t know a clearer sign of talent, but I digress. Let’s dive into my thoughts on her newest!

True Crime lovers unite! This was so cinematic it was like watching a Netflix documentary. I was personally obsessed with the Idaho murders (and still am) so this got me in a chokehold immediately. I loved that we got to follow these amateur sleuths and piece together parts of the story alongside them. It really added to the twisty, suspenseful and difficult parts of the cases. I was truly shocked by the reveal as I did not see it coming in the slightest. I also loved the short chapters. The small bites kept the pace and excitement flowing at top speed.

I also must mention, this one really tore at my heartstrings. The love letter to her father (in the novel and outside) was so emotional. I felt all her grief, longing and love. Winstead is a goddess among us mortals. Don’t make me pick a favorite of hers because every time I read her newest, it becomes it.

This is basically a fictional account of the Idaho murders, but I enjoyed how the book touches on internet sleuthing and the online true crime community. While this a little too long for me, it was a good psychological thriller and great for anyone who is into true crime.

Wow, this book was an intense, slow burn that pulled me into a dysfunctional, true crime-obsessed group! Ashley Winstead really nailed creating something unique, disturbing, and engaging—totally bringing out my true crime obsession. It's a bit long, but I couldn’t stop reading as the characters bonded over solving serial murders, each with their own motives. Plus, I loved the Star Trek and Heathers references!

Janeway Sharp, 24, is grieving her dad and turns to true crime boards. When she helps solve a decapitation case, she’s invited into a special crime-solving group with a quirky mix of characters. They race to solve a brutal college murder in Idaho, gaining fame on TikTok, but things spiral out of control as they get tangled in media chaos. When Jane finds a crucial clue, they head to Idaho to stop the killer.

The big twist was a little predictable, but the dark, creepy tone kept me hooked. This Book Will Bury Me is a great thriller with a unique, engaging vibe. Highly recommend if you're into suspenseful, unconventional thrillers!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with an ARC for review.

I've been a fan of most of Ashley Winstead's thrillers in the past so had high hopes for this one. There have been several books over recent years that have really made me reflect on how we consume true crime, our fixation with it, and the sources we listen to. I think this book was attempting to take that angle, as well as some reflection on grief, but did so in a...questionable way.

The crime at the center of this book is based on a very real and very recent case that hasn't even gone to trial yet. When I say based on, I mean literally detail for detail. Names, locations, victim and perpetrator details were barely changed if at all. For a book that seems to be critiquing our obsession with true crime, it's a weird choice.

Maybe this would be understandable if our protagonist, Jane, who joins a very 'we did it, Reddit!' group of internet sleuths, comes to see the error of her ways. While Jane maybe showed some character growth when it came to her grief, the ending of the book was sorely lacking when it came to any hard-hitting commentary about the predatory and obsessive nature of some true crime communities, or the impact on victims. For a *real life* case where this was a very real issue for victims' families, I'm kind of surprised that this book ended without that discussion.

Winstead's plot twists have been pretty staggering in the past, but I saw where this one was going about halfway through. Though it was an engaging read, it was not her best thriller and I felt weird picking up on all the little details that mirrored the real case. The author acknowledges that she was inspired by it, but fails to reach any high-level commentary that would justify including it detail for detail.

Jane is looking for a way to escape from the sudden death of her father and finds comfort in an online true crime community.  Four "armchair" sleuths take her under their wing and use their unique skills to help solve crimes.

Thoughts 💭
I thought this was really well done.  The author really shows Jane's struggle. She pushes most things to the side and hyper focuses on the true crime community. While I occasionally enjoy true crime stories, I didn't realize how intense the online community can be.  It seems very competitive and cut throat at times. The dynamic of the group was fun to navigate.  They all come from different backgrounds, experiences, and ages. This makes them contrast and at the same time compliment each other nicely. I had an idea of what the twist at the end would be since there were plenty of clues along the way.  This was an enjoyable, twisty read. 

I didn't realize until after reading other reviews that this closely mirrors the Idaho Murders and is therefore controversial since there are so many parallels. I rated this book off my initial thoughts. 

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I understand that this book is not without controversy. It does have some shocking comparisons to the Idaho students murders. I didn't know about that going into the book. I hardly read the summary because I love this author, so I knew I wanted in. None of her books are for people who are easily triggered. Her last book drew inspiration from an infamous cult. I enjoyed that book as well.

I also think that this book is particularly for true crime enthusiasts and highly online people. It's a critique of sorts. As a big true crime follower, I can't deny it's often morbid and that there are people in the community who go too far.

But even more than that, this book is about grief, in its many forms, and finding community and a reason to keep going, even if that reasoning is flawed. I think this book was beautiful in so many ways. It's longer than I usually prefer but it never hit a lull.

Jane is at college having the time of her life when her mom calls with terrible news. Her dad is very ill. By the time Jane makes the several hour trip across Florida to her family home, he passed away. This leads Jane to spiral. She's too young to lose her father and they have so much unfinished business.

In her grief, she quits school and throws herself into a local crime story she sees on the news. It connects her with sleuths from all around the country and the high from solving that case, and the sense of purpose that comes with it, is what Jane has been missing in her life.

The online group she "meets" has more experience than her, but she still has a lot to add, since she's young and fresh out of the college life that many of their victims had been living. She's a fresh set of eyes and she's a natural.

As she becomes more absorbed in this true crime life, ethics and boundaries blur and we find ourselves asking how far this group of sleuths would go to solve a crime? Would they commit their own?

It was a great time. The group aspect made it feel kind of cozy(not in the traditional "cozy mystery" sense) and I felt as if I was investigating without having to work too hard myself(because these guys move fast!). I hate to say it was a fun, relaxing, juicy read, but it was to me.

January was a year long and February is getting a speeding ticket .

Im not sure if I’m complaining…

I hate the cold and this 55 degree Jersey weather feels like my winter blues are sliding right out the door.

Did the grand hog get it wrong or is this just the calm before the storm?

This Book Will Bury Me

Ashley Winstead is back at it with her FOURTH thriller and this book is going to start a craze of amateur booksta sleuths.

Who wants to solve a cold case with me?

We all know I have the attention span of an inch worm so a book coming in at 480 pages had me twitchin in my knickers

I survived

I did figure this one out about 60 percent in but it didn’t take away from the book! It was one of those storylines that just consume your whole being and transport you right into the middle of the chaos .

The characters are diverse and relative . There is someone for all of us to bond with. The banter, the research . Winstead never misses the mark

Ripped from the headlines, This Book Will Bury Me, will quench your ever loving thriller soul .

Can you catch a killer?

Take a peek:

It's the most famous crime in modern history. But only she knows the true story.
After the unexpected death of her father, college student Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who teach her how to hunt killers from afar. In this morbid internet underground, Jane finds friendship, purpose, and even glory...
So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions, and begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap...
Told one year after the astounding events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, when Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what really happened, she tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans...

#ashleywinstead #thisbookwillburyme

I have to preface this review by saying.. go into this book with the suspension of disbelief cus you’re gonna need it. With that in mind, it was a fun ride and a really interesting glimpse into the world of true crime armchair detectives.

I just had a lot of fun reading this book. It’s very layered and twisty. The one layer I could’ve done without was the “investigation” into Jane’s father’s life. I really liked the crew of armchair detectives that Jane meets no matter how silly and unrealistic.

I’ve loved two of Ashley Winsteads previous books (In My Dreams I Hold A Knife and The Last Housewife) so I’m excited to see what she writes next.

3.5 ✨ rounded up
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Ashley Winstead does it again! Her latest novel is a must-read for true crime fans. Told from the perspective of Jane, a college dropout struggling with the loss of her father, the story follows her as she searches for purpose and finds it in an unexpected place—the Network, a group dedicated to solving cold cases.

What starts as a local investigation quickly escalates as Jane’s sharp instincts and fearless determination earn her a spot in an exclusive online group. As their discoveries gain national attention, they begin to uncover shocking errors in one of the country’s most infamous murder cases. With new crimes coming to light, the group heads to Idaho, determined to reveal the truth.

This book is absolutely gripping. The writing, the carefully placed details (and omissions), and the singular POV make it a standout true crime thriller. I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

This is a must-read! Ashley Winstead gets your pulse-pounding and nerves sizzling!

Her latest novel takes a fascinating approach, unfolding as a book written by the protagonist, Jane. After her father’s death, Jane’s life unravels—she drops out of college and buries herself in online crime forums as a way to escape her grief. There, she connects with a tight-knit group of amateur detectives who have an impressive track record of solving real-life murders.

But when three college women are brutally murdered in a sorority house, Jane’s fascination turns into obsession. As the body count rises, she and her online crew decide to leave the safety of their screens and head straight into the crime scene—determined to crack the case themselves.

The tension in this novel is suffocating in the best way. Winstead masterfully builds an almost claustrophobic sense of urgency, pulling you deeper with every page. If you’re a true crime junkie or a thriller lover looking for something refreshingly original, this book is a must-read!

4 stars!

⭐️: 3.5/5

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a true crime girlie. The whole voyeuristic aspect of it gives me the ickiest, and the obsession with the (usually) men who committed the crimes feels dangerous. I am, however, a big thriller reader, because if it’s fictional, then all bets are off. This Book Will Bury Me kind of skirts the line between the two in a way that didn’t feel fully ok, but also wasn’t as off-putting and opportunistic as I initially thought it may be.

I was so ready to get the ick from this, based on other reviewer’s accounts of how similar it was to a real crime that occurred a few years ago, one that has still not fully been resolved. However, while the initial inspiration was very clearly that crime, this book did end up taking it in a whole other direction, which made it feel a little less like a fictionalized rehashing, and more like a set-up heavily inspired by true events, but that the author wrote an entirely made-up ending to, which felt…better.

The story as a whole was paced a little strange, with bursts of action occurring, then a whole bunch of nothing. I do love when books have chat transcripts included as part of the storytelling, since it breaks up the monotony sometimes. I thought that the way the story was told, as the main character writing a book about her experiences, was interesting, but also made it feel even slower, with all her introspection and obvious foreshadowing.

Unlike some of Winstead’s previous books, I felt like the loose ends were tied up pretty well, and the story structure had some nice full-circle moments built in. It was kind of a strange book, pulled a little bit too much from a real, true-crime story for my tastes, but I did end up enjoying this one more than I thought I would.

Thank you to @netgalley and @bookmarked for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This Book Will Bury Me is your classic plot twisty thriller with a unique element — the narrator is authoring the “book” and adopts the audience into the plot. Assuming you’re aware of her case, Jane Sharp dishes the tea on what /really/ happened in Delphine, Idaho, when her and her rag tag team of amateur sleuths race to solve the most high profile case of their time.

I’m not new to Winstead’s writing and have time and time again loved her thrillers. This one has such a fun reading experience with the occasional foot note embedded into the story. I found the characters to be distinct. And while I can’t pull from personal experience, I felt the exploration of grief and it’s different manifestations was an important message to include in the story.

Overall, a 3.5-star read for me. I enjoyed the story, appreciated the format. It didn’t blow me out of the water and I felt the similarities to the real life case it takes inspiration from was a little too on the nose and used a bit disrespectfully, but once it shifted focus it got better.

I will say that I did see the plot twist coming and figured it out 34% of the way through. However! I don’t think it was meant to be totally hidden the whole way through. Due to the book’s format, the pseudo-author (our narrator) is assuming the reader knows what happened in the end so she doesn’t need to keep it a huge secret. I think Ashley Winstead did a good job of toeing that line.

All in all, it was a decent thriller and will look forward to see what Winstead writes next.

When Jane Sharp's father suddenly dies, it dislodges her from her foundation. She is shaken by his death and what seem like his intentional failures to prevent the heart attack that took his life too soon. When looking for something in which to ground herself and distract her from her loss, she stumbles into the world of true-crime aficionados and an entire community on Reddit. She wants to feel useful and spontaneously offers to help some experienced true-crime gurus solve a local murder case. When they succeeding in solving the crime, Jane's contributions earn her accolades and credibility within the group; they embrace her and their friendship and shared sense of purposes helps to fill the void in her life.

The meat of the book follows Jane and her new surrogate family as they collaborate on a set of murders in Delphine, Idaho. This is where things start to become off-putting. The Delphine Murders, as they are referred to, aren't just similar to 2022's well-publicized University of Idaho murders ; they are nearly identical. With that real-life murder trial still ongoing and justice yet to be served for the four victims, leveraging those events as the foundation for a novel, even if that novel is based in the world of true-crime, just felt distasteful. I don't know what the statute of limitations is on something like that—I didn't have an issue when last year's Bright Young Women used the Ted Bundy murders as a basis for the story—but this felt like it was significantly too soon. I can't imagine the families of those victims seeing the recent tragedy used as fodder for a fiction novel less than three years after the event. And so when I'd read a passage like the following after having that context, I couldn't help but turn up my nose:

"When it comes to stories like the one I've been holding—when it comes to mysteries like these, the kind they call crimes of the century—you want to savor it. You want as much color as you can get. Trust me, by the time we're through, you'll bleed color."

Setting that ill-conceived choice aside, there are some positive aspects. Author Ashley Winstead frequently drops enticing hints about what's to come throughout the book and does so effectively. She writes the book in the form of a tell-all, and suggests that Jane is disgraced and possibly guilty of a crime. "I'm going to tell you the whole sordid thing. That's the point of a tell-all, isn't it? Time to let all the skeletons out of the closet." Winstead also creates a bit of a sub-mystery in which Jane uses her newfound sleuthing skills to try to learn more about her father with mixed results; at times that portion shines, but it too often feels like an afterthought. The interplay between Jane and her Reddit pals is more compelling than not, and the actual unraveling of the mystery is above average. But the ties to those recent murders are what ultimately sinks this to a 3-star book for me. There was plenty of potential, but I feel dirty for enjoying parts of it.

I enjoyed this one. The true crime aspect was fun. It hooked me a little bit in the middle. I personally felt like it had a slow start but it was very interesting. When I heard it’s based on a real murder that is unsolved it didn’t feel right to me but I know authors often take inspo from real life murders. For the most part the book was great time.

LOVED WOW! couldnt put this down. Had no idea it was about the University of Idaho Massacre, so take this with a grain of salt, but I really enjoyed this even though I guessed the twist

As someone with a complicated relationship with true crime, this one hit a nerve - both for better and worse. There was a time when true crime was my go-to, especially during the pandemic. I couldn't get enough of podcasts, documentaries, and late-night binges of "Dateline." Diving into cases, following every new detail, and rooting for justice felt meaningful. But as time passed, the moral weight of it all started to affect me. The exploitation of real-life tragedies, the fanatical obsession that seemed to consume people, and the growing awareness of the ethical gray areas left me feeling a little gross - to the point where I dropped it entirely and haven't looked back.

That said, reading this book felt like revisiting a complicated old friend - familiar but uncomfortable. The premise instantly hooked me: Jane Sharp, a college student reeling from the death of her father, becomes consumed by online true crime communities. Her descent into obsession feels painfully relatable for anyone who's ever lost themselves in a quest for distraction. When a chilling triple murder in Delphine, Idaho, captures the world's attention, Jane and her group of amateur internet detective friends dive headfirst into the case, determined to crack the mystery before anyone else.

At first, I was completely absorbed. Winstead captures the allure of true crime obsession with precision. While I did read some forums and Reddit posts on cases I was interested in, I never got to "armchair detective" status. Some of those people were intense! In this book, Winstead focuses heavily on this culture - with these characters, it's not just about solving mysteries but about connection, purpose, and, sometimes, a desperate need for control in an uncontrollable world. I appreciated how the book didn't shy away from examining the darker side of that obsession: how it can exploit victims' families, how it feeds off real pain, and how easy it is for people to lose themselves in the chase for "justice." In that sense, the book felt like a sharp, timely commentary on the true crime phenomenon that's exploded in recent years.

However, as much as I wanted to love this book, my feelings remained mixed as the story unfolded. The initial setup was compelling, but the deeper I got into the plot, the more it began to feel eerily familiar - almost too familiar. The parallels to the real-life University of Idaho murders were hard to ignore, and while true crime fiction often draws from reality, it felt unsettling here. The fictionalization of a recent, deeply traumatic event felt borderline exploitative at times, especially considering how fresh that tragedy still feels. I couldn't help but wonder if it was too soon for a story so clearly inspired by real events.

Another issue that took away from my enjoyment was the book's pacing and structure. Winstead's writing shines when she explores the psychological toll of true crime obsession or the ethical dilemmas faced by amateur detectives. But the constant use of cliffhangers - especially the repetitive reminder that the narrator had made "mistakes" and was being "wrongfully accused" - became exhausting. Nearly every chapter ended with this heavy-handed hint, which quickly felt like the author didn't trust readers to stay invested without constant reminders of looming disaster. It pulled me out of the story instead of drawing me deeper into the mystery.

The ending also left me frustrated. What started as a layered, thought-provoking narrative became overly tangled, with too many threads trying to tie themselves up neatly. Sometimes, the beauty of a good thriller lies in ambiguity and letting the messiness linger. Here, it felt like the book was trying too hard to deliver justice and a clean conclusion, and in doing so, it lost some of the sharp commentary that made the beginning so strong.

That said, there's still a lot to enjoy here. Despite figuring out the killer early on, I remained invested in Jane's journey. Her voice felt authentic, and her internal struggles were some of the most compelling parts of the novel. I also really liked her fellow armchair detectives and the sense of family they built. Their connection was really sweet. I also liked that, throughout the book, Winstead raises important questions: Why are we so fascinated by violence? What's the cost of that fascination? And at what point does seeking justice turn into exploitation?

In the end, this book mirrored my complicated feelings about true crime itself. It was gripping and thought-provoking but also unsettling and, at times, uncomfortable for reasons that might have been unintentional. While I didn't love it, I can't deny that it made me think - and maybe that's the mark of a worthwhile read.

Listen I absolutely adore Ashley and all of her writing— this book was chock full of thought provoking symbolism and ideologies of how to handle emotional fray outs. That being said, while I’m not personally sensitive to the Idaho murders being used in this book because I recognize she used it as a way to ground readers into the reality of what true crime does to us as a society… I was painfully aware— the entire time reading this— that so many details were taken directly from the actual murders in a way that I lost touch if I was reading nonfiction or fiction? Maybe that’s the point of the story but I didn’t think it landed the way it intended… I wish this would have been pushed for publishing and have future saints released first. Then once the trials for this case are over Ashley could have written a powerful afterward that gives a bit more clarity and depth to the overall effect this case had on her, because it obviously did given the entire premise is based off of that horrific crime. I admired the way she grieved through this book.. it was visceral and painful but felt a bit disorienting to the overall theme of the plot…. Sort of felt like two separate stories happening at once? Again, I adore her and support any read she has but this one wasn’t my favorite, and I know she’ll be ok with that. Beautiful writing. Testament to true crime sleuths. Thought provoking. A polarizing read as many are already aware but worth the time if you’re up for it!

This book has the mindblown-reveal vibes of Freida McFadden with a deep and dark true-crime flavor. Jane loses her dad, and throws herself into an online community to find connection. She winds up befriending group of amateur crime sleuths, and this changes her life forever.
The writing style was really interesting - it reads like a tell-all memoir. Second-person POV can be jarring, but in this book it absolutely flowed and added to the experience.

I became obsessed with this and can't wait to see it blow up!! ❤️