This story was so well done and I really enjoyed it. I enjoy reading from this author and I'm looking forward to the next book. The plot was really well explored and I enjoyed the overall story. The characters were great and I was able to dive myself into this book. It was well done and I highly recommend. This book was so good.

I absolutely LOVED this book. This was my first Ashley Winstead book and it hooked me from the start.

I loved the way the book focused on the online true crime community and I found myself trying to solve the murders along with Jane and her found family. The writing was so great and I felt immersed in the story; I didn't want to put the book down!

If you love a twisty, rollercoaster of a ride, this is for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this eBook.

This was more a 3.5 star rating, but I did enjoy the book. Ashley Winstead books always grab my attention, some better than others but overall a good book that provided entertainment.

I’ve read all of Ashley Winstead’s books to date and have enjoyed all of them. This one wasn’t my favorite but I still enjoyed it.

After the unexpected death of her father, Jane looks for an outlet and distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime and joins a group that investigates cold cases and new cases.

I loved the plot of the story but the ending felt very rushed to me and didn’t give me the conclusion I wanted. I’m still kinda confused with the ending if I’m being honest. I enjoyed the short chapters though and obviously the true crime aspect of the story. I’m not sure if this book was based around the real life Idaho Massacre or not but I felt like there was so many similarities for it not to be.

If you’re looking for a fast paced mystery/thriller with true crime then I highly recommend picking this one up. I can’t wait to see what Ashley Winstead comes up with next!

After losing her father suddenly, Jane loses herself into the true crime forums. I love how This Book Will Bury Me is written as a book. It was interesting that we the readers were being told the story. I can understand how Jane lets her obsession with this world take over as she's trying to learn how to live in a world without her father.

This Book Will Bury Me is quite long and that does make the pacing feel slow at some points, but I did appreciate getting to know the characters she starts working with and the other aspects of the whole world of amateur investigators. I also thought that this book portrays media very well these days. They seem to be everywhere and want to uncover everything. These days I wonder if they realize how much they hurt people doing that as well.

The writing and story did keep me hooked and I was surprised how fast I finished this almost 500 page book. I personally didn't see the ending coming and the ending was twisted but in a way I can appreciate. I will say that after reading this I learned it was partially based on a case that hasn't gone to trial yet. If I'm honest, I'm not really sure how I feel about that.

That being said, I still enjoyed this book and how it was written. I will be looking into this author's backlist to catch up!

My review will also be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on June 7th!

This Book Will Bury Me delivers a fresh, unsettling spin on the true crime genre by centering on Jane Sharp—a college student whose grief turns into obsession as she dives headfirst into the online sleuthing world. What begins as a coping mechanism spirals into a chilling unraveling of secrets, media spectacle, and a case far more twisted than it first appears.

The structure—told retrospectively after the “truth” has already shaken the world—adds layers of suspense and unreliable narration. Some pacing lags and red herrings may test patience, but the final payoff is chillingly satisfying. Smart, eerie, and relevant in the age of internet detectives.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy! :)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I went in blind (as I prefer) and was captivated from the beginning! I couldn't read it fast enough. My only disappointment was the ending. It just felt a little too far-fetched. However, I still tell everyone to read this!

This book was an absolute standout! I was freaked out, scared, and could not stop reading. Excellent thriller!

Another excellent book from the Queen! Did I binge this? Yes! Did I stay up in odd hours of the night because I couldn't put it down? YES! Would I recommend this to my bookish community? Absolutely YES!

Intense, disturbing, and totally gripping. This thriller’s dark psychological twists kept me hooked even when parts made me uncomfortable (in a good way). The protagonist’s journey is raw and unfiltered, and the pacing is relentless. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you love psychological suspense that pushes boundaries, this one’s a winner.
Rating: ★★★★☆

If you’re looking for a gripping read that dives deep into the world of true crime, This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead is for you!

Swipe for a similar book recommendation and synopsis.

College student Jane Sharp’s life takes an unexpected turn when her father passes away suddenly. In her quest for purpose after her father’s death, Jane becomes obsessed with the disappearance of a local woman, plunging into the vibrant and sometimes unsettling world of online true crime sleuthing. Between her shifts at Starbucks, Jane finds herself communicating with a cast of unusual characters, all known only by their screen names, as they team up to hunt for a killer. As their investigation gains national attention, the stakes rise, and danger lurks around every corner.

Written as Jane’s candid “tell all” account, this book is more than just a story about amateur sleuths chasing down a murderer. It’s an exploration of grief, identity, and the quest for closure. While the pacing begins a bit slow, the tension and pace ramp up quickly, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The well-developed characters add layers of intrigue, making you invested in their journeys.

Jane’s observations raise timely and thought-provoking questions about our society’s obsession with true crime, privacy concerns, true crime as entertainment, and the ethics surrounding amateur investigations.

One aspect that has sparked discussion is the book’s close parallels to the real-life November 2022 murders at the University of Idaho. Some readers may find this uncomfortable or in poor taste. Winstead’s author note sheds light on her intentions, leaving it up to each reader to form their own opinion.

True crime and thriller fans will find This Book Will Bury Me an intriguing and thought provoking read.

As someone who has admired Ashley Winstead’s previous novels for their emotional intelligence and genre-bending sharpness, I approached This Book Will Bury Me with high expectations. Winstead is a master at crafting psychologically astute female protagonists, and this novel is no exception. However, despite her skillful prose and compelling narrative structure, I found myself grappling with deeper concerns about the premise of this particular book.

The story centers on Jane Sharp, a grieving college student who finds solace—and purpose—in the online world of amateur sleuthing. When a brutal crime involving three murdered college students in Delphine, Idaho captures national attention, Jane and her group of digital detectives dive into the case, hoping to solve what the police seemingly cannot. Told in retrospect, the novel is framed as Jane’s first public telling of what really happened, one year after the events shook the nation.

The novel excels in its depiction of online communities, parasocial dynamics, and the addictive pull of unsolved mysteries. There’s a grim fascination in watching these armchair detectives morph from harmless hobbyists into obsessive players in a deadly game. Winstead’s exploration of internet true crime culture is nuanced and intelligent—highlighting both its community-building potential and its ethical grey areas.

However, This Book Will Bury Me fictionalizes a case that is still painfully fresh: the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, a real tragedy that continues to unfold as the trial against the accused remains ongoing. This proximity to real-life horror gave me serious pause. Having worked as a prosecutor and presided over criminal cases as a judge, I am intimately aware that these stories are not puzzles for entertainment—they are deeply personal tragedies for those left behind. Fiction that leans too closely on unresolved real-life trauma risks turning someone’s worst moment into someone else’s beach read.

While Winstead includes a note at the beginning acknowledging the sensitivity of the material, for me—and likely others working in or adjacent to the justice system—this attempt to blur the lines between fact and fiction felt more unsettling than intriguing. I found myself frequently stepping out of the narrative to research what was real versus invented. That distraction was difficult to shake and impacted my overall immersion.

That said, once the story diverged more clearly from the real case and moved into its own speculative territory, I was reminded of why I enjoy Winstead’s work. The twists are well-placed, the pacing tight, and the final revelations cleverly executed. For readers less personally connected to the themes or not bothered by the real-world parallels, this may be a propulsive and rewarding read.

But for those who are wary of narratives that mine ongoing tragedies for fictional drama, especially one so raw and unresolved, I’d recommend approaching this title with caution—or skipping it altogether.

initial thoughts: i really liked how the author incorporated glimpses into the true crime forums (think reddit.)

however, i really didn't like that this book was based on the University of Idaho murders (maybe this was very well known, but I was not aware going into this book.) it seemed like the author was tracking along with the story, until she wasn't and that's when it went a bit off the rails for me.

overall, this was an okay thriller, not my favorite by this author, but I'll still pick up whatever she puts out next.

I think Ashley Winstead is too dark for me. While this book was well written and well plotted, I found it triggering in many ways. I think she's a great author if you like dark books, because her mysteries are very solid.

This was my first time reading this author and I’m on the fence if I will be reading more. I don’t care for her using a current court case/crime as writing material for a book. For me, it’s a bit ick. I didn’t see any of the twists and turns this book coming, so that’s a win!, but also didn’t really care for what happened to the characters and their arcs. I didn’t enjoy our FMC’s obsession with her dad.

Fantastic, I could not put this book down! The twists and turns kept me hooked and I found myself SO INVESTED in finding out what happened and who did what. I loved the different format and the pacing was perfect. The characters are fun and different, and I loved the back stories and wanted even more of their stories and history. This is not a typical thriller in my opinion, it has many layers and explores themes of grief and obsession. I HIGHLY recommend! Also just have to say I'm not surprised to get another knock out from Ashley Winstead, LOVE YOU!

Very interesting take on true crime and those who present it to others as a job or hobby and those who devour that content. I really would have loved more from the other characters' perspectives because the main character was a pretty average person with no special interest exactly in true crime or details about it. But it was a good, engaging thriller that fans of the genre and fans of true crime podcasts will definitely enjoy!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Really enjoyed reading this one! Winstead does a great job of creating a page turner that borrows from a real life true crime event & weaves in characters that you truly connect with! Will recommend to most of my readers!

Description
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. Something's not adding up, and they 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...

Beyond my thoughts on the book — which I will get to in a second! — I did a Q&A with Ashley! (She is just as lovely on Zoom as she is on Instagram!)

Thanks @bookmarked for my gifted copy of TBWBM and for coordinating an interview with Ashley!

Like all of Ashley’s novels, TBWBM comes with a deep dive — this time she’s taking us into the true crime community. I am vaguely aware of what goes on in the true crime community, but as a reporter I tend to stick to more traditional news sources.

Our MC is Jane Sharp, who has just lost her father and finds solace in the true crime community when a woman goes missing near her Florida home. The message board characters that Ashley crafts to go alongside Jane are fantastic. It’s a real motley crew and probably exactly who you’ll find on any forum. Jane and her new friends go all in on solving a mass 🔪🔪🔪 at the University of Idaho.

I loved TBWBM for its thriller/mystery aspects as much as I did its exploration of parasocial relationships. I think it will appeal to a wide spectrum of readers, not just thriller readers, so pick it up ASAP.

I ended up DNF'ing this book 30% of the way through. While I liked the format with chats from online forums it just took too long to get into the thick of the story. I do think something was lost reading this as an ebook vs a physical copy with the footnotes as this would have been better in physical so would like to try and pick this up again at a future time but not as an ebook. Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for providing me with an early copy of this book.