Loved this latest book from Ashley! It wasn’t what I typically expect for her, but I loved the true crime tribute and vibe! Formal review to come on Instagram.

This book is my favorite of Winstead's so far! I really enjoyed the characters and the story. Our main character was extremely relatable, finding herself again after suffering a significant loss, getting head over heels in an online community, it all was extremely timely and engaging.

💻 Book Review 💻

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: March 25, 2025

Rating: Not for me

This is my second thriller by Winstead and I was left feeling underwhelmed. I loved the different formats presented however, the pacing felt slow. There was also a lot of repetitive plot pieces too.

For fans of:
💻 First person POV
✍️ Singular timeline
💻 True crime
✍️ Popcorn chapters
💻 Descriptive
✍️ Sleuthing

🛑 Trigger warnings 🛑
⚠️ Loss of a parent
⚠️ Descriptive/gore

TY to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC. Although a slow start had me wondering for the first 30% of this book, the author delivered a great thriller with multiple twists and pacing that delivered in the end. Recommend!

Enjoyed this book. Fun writing, fast paced. Interesting characters and settings. The plot was very predictable but that didn’t detract from the read. It’s a great beach thriller. Enjoy.

This book deserves 5 stars in my mind, but the fact that the author is dramatizing and sensationalizing the murder of 4 college girls in Idaho was shocking. It felt like trauma porn. Still, it is a compelling story and I did love the way in which it was written. I'm a sucker for an Ashley Winstead novel, I'm just disappointed she would rip off a real-life murder - especially one that is still very fresh.

I. Loved. This. LOVED IT.

This was the first I've read from Ashley Winstead and it absolutely will not be the last.

Janeway Sharp is completely at sea. In her early-20s, she's adrift at school, at work, in life and when her dad - the person she loves most in the world - dies, she's thrown into even more of a tailspin. To cope with his death, Jane throws herself into the online world of sleuthing. She gets DEEP into the world of true crime, investigating two different cases with a cadre of mismatched friends who both help and hinder their investigations. When they're called in by the FBI to help out with an investigation in Idaho, Jane realizes she may be in too deep.

The ONLY things that bugged me here was how close the crime was to the University of Idaho massacre. I know it was inspired by those events, but at times it trod a little too closely. The other was that her dad's death felt very much shoehorned in at times, and using true crime to cope felt...weird.

THAT BEING SAID. This was still a 5 star for me.

I was definitely missing my bedtime because of this book. Winstead is a great storyteller and although I'm not typically a true-crime sort of reader, this fictionalized version really kept me interested. And that ending! Whew!

Read Completed 3/31/25 | 3.5 - 3.75 stars
This was good, but never really got quite so exciting that I'd round up to 4 stars. It was an enjoyable read that got me invested in the characters, but I was a little too detached with most of the story being an investigation into serial murders that didn't involve the main characters. At times, it was frustrating to see this group of armchair detectives being a little reckless to get the answers they knew were true, even though they were right in so many ways.

I also wanted a little bit more time in the end with the supposed "book" and a little bit more about Jane. I was almost worried it was going to be a little bit of an open ending, and it did get wrapped up but it was way too quick. The big twist of the book was very exciting (though at a certain point, I wasn't distracted enough to see it from coming) and then things fizzled a bit after that, so the pacing was a little off.

I have yet to really be head-over-heels for Ashley Winstead but this hit me a little better than most of her others. It's still something I'd consider recommending though not an instant favorite.

"You want what I once wanted: that insatiable longing for answers, the most human of urges."

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The only other book I've read from Ashley Winstead is Midnight is the Darkest Hour which I LOVED. This Book Will Bury Me has a similar writing style that is atmospheric, detailed and writing that pulls you headfirst into the story.

Aspects of found-family, internet culture, "armchair detectives", the oddities of dealing with grief and obsession are all done really well. The commentary on para-social style relationships and the toxicity of the "hive-mind" that is the internet were done incredibly well, but I think in trying to portray those aspects and make a point, Winstead voided all of that by lifting basically the entire case in the book from the real case of the Moscow, Idaho murders.

There were far too many matching details for this book to simply be "inspired by" that case, and the part that feels truly icky (and goes against what I think the book itself is trying to say) is that the Idaho 4 case hasn't even gone to trial. None of those victims or their families have received any sort of justice, and to have the gory details be put into a book... just feels wrong.

If this had just stayed in drafting a *little* longer and not been a "copycat" of the real life case, I think this would have been a 4-4.5 star read for me.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

"Death is the one thing we all share. I was just the latest in line."

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

This Book Will Bury Me was published on March 25, 2025. Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Book Will Bury Me is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that dives into the world of true crime obsession, online sleuthing, and the dangerous allure of uncovering the truth. The novel follows Jane Sharp, a college student reeling from the unexpected death of her father. Seeking a distraction from her grief, Jane becomes immersed in the online true crime community, where she and her new friends attempt to solve the mystery of the Delphine Massacres — a shocking triple murder in the small town of Delphine, Idaho.

The case becomes a media sensation, drawing the attention of internet detectives everywhere. Jane, alongside her fellow sleuths, sets out to uncover the truth before anyone else can. But the deeper they dig, the more bizarre the case becomes. Mysterious details, uncooperative police, and a series of unanswered questions leave the group in a state of suspense. As the investigation gets more complicated, they begin to suspect that the killer may be smarter, more elusive, and far more dangerous than they anticipated.

The book is narrated a year after the conclusion of the case, with Jane finally ready to reveal the true story. As she recounts the events, she promises a shocking twist that will leave readers reeling. And, indeed, Winstead delivers an ending that is both unexpected and satisfying, though seasoned thriller readers may see it coming. The anticipation and slow unraveling of the mystery are what truly keep readers engaged.

What Works:
The premise of the novel is one that is sure to captivate any fan of true crime. The psychological tension, the obsession with the case, and the unfolding mystery are all handled expertly by Winstead. Jane’s internal conflict, grief over her father’s death, and her growing obsession with the Delphine Massacres add complexity to her character. The thriller elements are excellently executed — the pacing is tight, and the plot keeps you on edge until the very last page.

What Didn’t Work:
One of the weaker points in the novel is the subplot about Jane's father's death. While it clearly serves to shape her motivations and psychological state, it feels a bit disconnected from the core of the story. The grief angle might have been more powerful if it had been more integrated into the investigation or had a deeper connection to the case. Additionally, the twist, though well done, feels somewhat predictable for anyone familiar with the genre.

Winstead continues to write wildly entertaining thrillers and This Book Will Bury Me continues in her usual style. In this novel, Jane suddenly loses her father and in dealing with her grief turns to online sleuthing. As she makes friends and falls deeper into solving cold cases her close knit group takes on a current murder case that is making national news. (Based loosely on the 2022 University of Idaho murders). Things turn serious when her group is asked to join the FBI as consultants on the case. Then things start going wrong.

Maybe it's telling of how many mystery thrillers I read, but I guessed the "who done it" relatively early, but after reading Winstead's Midnight is the Darkest Hour, I knew there was going to be more to it! And those last few chapters! yes, yes, yes!

An excellent look into armchair detectives, what drives them and how they can help, or hinder, cases. This is a niche I particularly enjoy and think if others like these types of stories they will enjoy this one too!

A chilling crime without much evidence confounds the police, FBI, and a group of armchair sleuths who delve into the case to the extent that they become part of the tragic story.

When three young college sorority girls are murdered at the University of Idaho in Delphine, the police at the scene can’t find anything that leads them to a suspect. The news reaches the internet world of the amateur detectives and the hive mind digs into this juicy crime. Gossip, salacious details, suspicions, and many questions beg for attention. A young Floridian, Janeway Sharp, is lured into that world while grieving her recently deceased father. Finding like minded friends that feel like family, Jane sinks into an obsession for finding out who killed them. She quits college, gets fired from her job, and immerses herself in research and her new found anchor group. Can this makeshift team solve a case that is stupefying law enforcement.

This was quite fast paced and so absorbing that I could not put it down. The characters were quite well drawn and multidimensional lending a real “true” life aspect to the narrative. There were a lot of twists and turns leading to the ultimate reveal that some might see coming. I did find Jane’s processing and grieving to be a bit too much at times with the constant stuff about her father. I have a serious issue/question with something about DNA but it could be a spoiler so I’ll remind myself that this is fiction.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Leslie Howard, did a great job of voicing all the characters. She was able to make the characters come alive with her tone, timbre, and accents. The production definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

I cannot say that this was a favorite read from this author, unfortunately. It did take me several months to read, I would read a bit, put it down and not pick back up again. But i pushed through. I did really enjoy the characters, and plot. It was the execution that had me dragging and not interested in finishing. But once I did, I was glad.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead tells all about Janeway Sharp's journey as she delves deeper into the world of online sleuthing. From the incredible highs to the soul crushing lows all was revealed in Jane Sharp's tell all about the case that catapulted her right into the limelight.

To start this book was the definition of a mixed bag. Like the journey Jane throughout the story faced the plot overall had lows and highs. And there were times the lows left me questioning if I was ready to throw in the towel. Ultimately the plot seemed to drag on in places and like there was a lot of build up for a quick reveal that was quickly moved past. Another thing that did ease once we got further into the plot and the mystery developed was that driving crime in this book in my opinion derived a little too much from the real life murderers at the University of Idaho. The close parallel to that real life case and the fact it is still developing left me uncomfortable but that did ease the more the mystery expanded.

While there were some pitfalls there were definitely aspects I thoroughly enjoyed. I very much loved the found family aspect of the book and made me want to find my own community to call a family. All of the characters had an immense amount of heart to them that made me shed a tear at their struggles and cheer for joy when they found a win. I will always love a unique framing narrative. The fact the story was told in a fictionalized tell-all is a massive win for me and with the inclusion of chatroom logs was just perfect. Also while I felt it took a really long time to ramp up when it ramped boy did it. On the back half of the book I could not put it down. I was ready to solve the mystery with Jane and co.

Ultimately this book was hard to pin. What I liked I loved and it was what kept me going but what I didn't like I really didn't like had me taking a few breaks to ward of my ability to drop reading all together for a time. I think if you have a stronger stomach than me and enjoy a good slow build this book is perfectly fine. At the end I just settled with this may have not been my cup of tea but I can see easily what people would love about this novel.

While I think this was an improvement from Winstead's previous thriller, Midnight is the Darkest Hour, I still don't think this lives up to In My Dreams I Hold a Knife or The Last Housewife. This Book Will Bury Me suffered from bad pacing and disrespectful inspiration from real-life events.

I really enjoyed the relationships in this book. However, I thought the real-life inspiration was disrespectful, and I was disappointed in the length and pacing. It felt overtly drawn out.

However, I will continue to read Winstead's thrillers (her romances are not for me). Thank you for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book had solid writing and suspense. However, it felt really drawn out and it’s based on a crime that happened a little toooo recently.

After the sudden death of her father, grief-stricken Jane Sharp needs a distraction from her pain. She becomes obsessed with true crime, diving into the world of online detectives where she finds new friends and purpose.

When the deaths of three college girls in Idaho take over the headlines, Jane and her fellow detectives are determined to crack the case. But as the group delves deeper into these deaths, details of the case don’t add up. Will Jane and her friends figure out what happened that fateful night or are they walking into a trap?

I was SOOO excited to receive an e-ARC of this book. As much as I enjoy Dateline, Snapped and all things murder, I wasn’t sure how about the whole true crime storyline in a novel, but Ashley Winstead is one of my writing queens, so I will gladly let her take the wheel and just see where we end up. 😂 I enjoyed the characters and their unconventional found family dynamic. This goes beyond the whole true crime murder solving and delves into the different ways in which grief manifests itself. Even though at times, I wanted to shake Jane, like WTF are you doing, she’s a relatable and likeable MC. Plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting and always happy to see a few Buffy references thrown in. IDK that anything can unseat IMDIHAK because that book is a God-tier thriller for me, but this was wonderful and def worth checking out!

This book was true-crime centric. If you love true crime, you will love this. It was definitely an easy page turner and a palette cleanser.

Jane Sharp comes home after her father unexpectedly dies. Looking for a distraction from her grief, she gets caught up in a news report of an unidentified body and starts researching online. She enters the sites amateur sleuths post on, trying to solve the crimes first, and becomes addicted. She teams up with 4 others and then a new case shocks the country and the team is up to the challenge.

I was trying to figure out why reviews were so low on this one, because I really enjoyed it. I have to admit, I don’t watch the news ever and didn’t realize the murders in the book mirrored real life events. I went back afterwards and read the author’s note at the beginning of the book, where it is stated. I’m not sure how I feel about this? The case hasn’t even gone to trial so it feels too soon and to profit off their murders… but at the same time it brings attention to the case. I’m still up in the air on this.

Going back to the book, I think the internet posts were well done and not too much. I like that how they described the police dept in the cases they were helping out with, because I hate books where random nobodies find the killer before the cops normally. At least they were smaller stations, no evidence etc to make it more realistic. I found the story engaging and gripped my attention pretty quickly.

Overall, I would recommend, knowing that the case in the book mirrors the murders in Idaho in 2022.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!