This started off very promising, Winstead got the Internet interactions and the communities very accurately right. However, I predicted the ending of the novel about 33% of the way in. This is also a retelling of a real murder in Idaho, which rubs me the wrong way. Even down to the small details, it is exactly the same. If it was an original crime, I would be rating this one higher.

SYNOPSIS
- Unfortunately, I went into this blind and had no idea what it was about.
- The author has written a fictionalized version of the 2022 University of Idaho Massacre.
- The book closely mirrors the 2022 University of Idaho murders with minimal changes. Three sorority roommates—two blonde, outgoing friends and a reserved, dark-haired roommate—are murdered in their Idaho college town home. A fourth blonde roommate survives after seeing the masked intruder enter through a sliding glass door at 4 AM and locking herself in her room. Like in real life, she calls a fraternity friend before dialing 911, leading to an ambulance arriving before the police.
- Key details, such as the house address, victims’ routines, and even character names, are barely altered. The suspect is a criminology grad student with wavy dark hair and vacant eyes, known for being condescending and sending an ignored social media message to a victim.

MY THOUGHTS
- This book has been getting a lot of buzz and currently sits at a 3.99-star average rating on Goodreads. I received a digital ARC from the publisher and only then realized it’s essentially a retelling of the tragic events at the University of Idaho in 2022.
- My biggest issue with thrillers like this? When authors take real-life crimes and thinly disguise them as fiction. It feels lazy, exploitative, and frankly, in poor taste.
- The writing itself? Not bad. But the content? A major problem for me.
- The fact that this crime is so recent makes it even worse. The victims’ families are still grieving, and the accused hasn’t even gone to trial yet. It’s unsettling to see the story rehashed for entertainment purposes.
- Why not craft an entirely original story? Instead, this book rehashes every detail of the real-life crime, coming across as a blatant attempt to cash in on public interest and media buzz surrounding the case.
- Ultimately, it’s unsettling to see true crime being turned into what essentially feels like fan fiction for a tragedy that is still so fresh.

TL;DR: ⭐️A fictionalized retelling of the 2022 University of Idaho Massacre that feels exploitative and unnecessary. Creepy fan fic and in poor taste.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchanges for an honest review. This book will be published on March 25, 2025.

This is a page turner. Kept my interest. I do think the twist was pretty easy to figure out but it plays out well so you won't disappointed. Very easy to read although it was a little graphic at times.

Outstanding!!! This book was suspenseful, modern, relatable (like how people use online forums, talk about true crime, etc.) and overall unpredictable. I really enjoyed Ashley Winstead's writing style as well and I appreciated how her chosen words set the tone of the novel. I also appreciated the nod to current events in reference to the crimes (Idaho). I will absolutely recommend this book to friends and family! This would make a great book club book as well.

This Book Will Bury Me
Ashley Winstead
Publication date: March 25, 2025
5/5 stars

This was my first book by this author and now I want to read all of her books! Jane recently lost her dad and becomes a part of an online group investigating murders involving a serial killer.

I think this is going to be the next big thriller of 2025! I really enjoyed the messaging back and forth in the online crime group and fast pace of this book. I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a thriller. Thank you Ashley Winstead, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was willing to put aside what I was seeing online ab0ut this book being a complete rip off of the current tragedy of the 4 slain Idaho students until the author came out and essentially said that yes it was ripped from the headlines and she was going to turn a profit from it but it is ok because she was grieving the loss of her father and she thinks she was too young for him to die so her decisions about this book are fine. Her last few books haven't hooked me and this was her worst one.

This book was a highly anticipated one . I enjoyed the character building . I enjoyed how everything was revealed. I enjoyed how the author allowed us to see how everything worked together I loved the book and would recommend .

thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am not impressed with a fiction novel HEAVILY lifting EXACT details from an ONGOING and HORRIFIC murder case. You can write a book dissecting the true crime community and amateur sleuths without "drawing inspiration" from real life tragedies. I requested this ARC without reading the blurb because Ashley Winstead is an autobuy author for me, so perhaps that's my own fault because tbh it is obvious that this book is about the Idaho 4. (and the note from the author that was added to the beginning of this ARC after she began receiving backlash does not help matters.. it really doesn't!)

Onto the actual plot of the story: I liked the found family aspect and how short the chapters were. That's about it. The way everything wrapped up at the end was anticlimactic, underwhelming, and rushed.

I am truly baffled at how this even got published, which actually kinda sucks because the way Winstead talked about grief was beautiful and really resonated with me.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What I liked:
THE TRUE CRIME! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the true-crime aspect of this book (even if it is fictional). When starting this one, I was reminded of reading I’ll Be Gone in the Dark which featured the story of how an everyday woman turned internet sleuth helped find a serial killer.
👏THE PLOT! When I say this was a page turner, I mean that I sat down and would read for hours on end. I was so invested in the sleuth group’s investigation and how these regular ol’ citizens were working to track down the smallest of details - combing through years worth of social media photos, hacking into emails, researching property records…. I was so here for it!
📚 THE CHARACTERS! I think this author did an amazing job of allowing you to slowly grow a relationship with each sleuth within the group, even if the book was from one character’s point of view. Each member had very distinct personalities and traits, yet it was easy to see how they all meshed together and grow, as they say, into a family.

What I didn't care for:
🫣The only thing that I am a little sad about is that I guess or slightly guess who the killer was about halfway through. I was never sure of myself until the end, but wished I would’ve been a little bit more blindsided.

Such a great mystery read that was very different than anything I have read in the past year! Hope you devour this one the same way I did!

ARC for review through NetGalley

I have the same issue with this as i did with bright young women. There is really no need to take details from real life cases as "inspiration." Especially the idaho case which is still so fresh and hasn't even gone to trial yet.

I enjoyed the aspects about jane trying to understand her father better and the depiction of online forums. I loved in my dreams i hold a knife so i'm not sure why winstead felt the need to base this book off of the idaho case when she's capable of original ideas. This book left a bad taste in my mouth.

I could not put this book down. This was second Ashley Winstead book and I actually like this one more than my previous one (Midnight is the Darkest Hour). Maybe because it's focused on the true crime genre and the roles those of us play who follow along to cases, but from an online perspective. I can't say that I am even close to the level of many online sleuths, but I do listen to podcasts and visit Reddit forums. So I just totally understood and liked the basis of this book. The characters were engaging and the storyline kept my attention. I flew through this book and found the ending satisfactory.

I was admittedly (and also embarrassingly) late to the Ashley Winstead game. Only a few months ago, I read In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. But once I tore through that, I was hooked and flew through her other books -- just in time to snag an ARC of This Book Will Bury Me. In that case, perhaps my timing was perfect. Either way, I was thrilled to get an ARC and once again, Winstead didn't disappoint!

I found the plot to be both inventive be and also terrifyingly plausible in today's true crime/keyboard detective society. I loved the character development (and their backstories) and the various settings throughout the US. Winstead's writing style is descriptive but not overly verbose, which made the pages fly by. A must read thriller for 2025!

4.5 stars rounded up. This is truly a gripping and thought-provoking read that completely pulled me in from the first page. As a huge fan of true crime and someone who followed the Idaho Murders in real-time, I truly appreciated how Winstead wove so many elements from the real case into the story without simply copying it. It felt like an authentic, suspenseful exploration of true crime, how the media portrays it and the people involved and then she added in how grief affects your thinking and choices. It was just all tied together so beautifully.

I have to say, Winstead's writing style is phenomenal—immersive, raw, and emotionally charged. I felt so connected to Jane, the main character, especially since I’ve also experienced the loss of my father at a young age (I was 33), which made her journey all the more relatable and emotional for me.

While the pacing slowed down a bit in parts and I wanted a touch more closure at the end, those are just minor complaints in an overall 4.5 star rating from me!

I cannot recommend this book enough. I’m already excited to read more from Ashley Winstead!

*𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 NetGalley, Ashley Winstead 𝘢𝘯𝘥 Source Books 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

I could not put this book down. I know the topic is a bit controversial because Winstead used the situation and details of an actual murder case, but the book actually revolves around a group of internet sleuths. I enjoyed being a part of their investigation as they tried to determine the killer. The book focuses more on the sleuths and how they think and work together, as well as the ethics of internet sleuthing, than it does on the case itself, so I did not mind that the case in the book is based on a true crime. Recommended if you are interested in true crime and found family stories.

I loved this book through most of it. It pulled me right in and reminded me of a great true crime podcast or miniseries. I found myself thinking “I need to finish watching that” when I actually needed to keep reading! That’s how engaging it was. Then I figured out the big twist before the reveal and the ending fell a little flat for me. So - mostly amazing, a little lackluster at the end (IMO). It was a wild ride while it lasted!

Wow, what a unique book! I went into this essentially blind and I think that is key. I had no knowledge of any of the brutal murders that were portrayed in this book, nor have I heard of the term “sleuth.” For me, I found this aspect very fascinating as it brought me into a world of the internet that I never knew existed! However, it will not be suitable for all readers as it is very graphic in terms of the crimes committed (to be expected in true crime books). But, I appreciate the author’s note regarding the content warning prior to reading to let me know what I was in for!

I must say it is very lengthy. But, having it sectioned into 3 parts, along with the internet dialogue from the chat rooms, I found myself not wanting to put it down. Again, with no knowledge going in, there were times I had to remind myself that it was fictional. Honestly, it read like a true investigative crime/autobiographical recount and I had no idea which direction it was going to go. Her writing was powerful, descriptive, yes gruesome and explicit, but very well-written. Given the close similarity of the University of Idaho murders, I thought it was still respectful towards the victims too (especially given the ongoing trial which I wasn’t aware of until looking it up afterwards). This book wasn’t just about those murders, it was also about grief and loss (make sure you read the author’s note and if you skimmed over it, look back again at why and how this book was formed and then reread from a different perspective).

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

*Book publication date: March 25, 2025*
*Reviewed January 23, 2025*

read if you like:
📍 the Moscow, Idaho murder investigation
💻 Internet sleuths
📚 unique plots

summary:
OH MY GOSH THIS BOOK!! This is a perfect storm of intensity, emotion, true crime and suspense. It follows Jane Sharp, a 20-something year old who drops out of college after the sudden and tragic death of her father. In a quest to find purpose and meaning, she finds herself on the internet, exploring true crime investigations on TheRealCrimeNetwork.Com, a message board for crime junkies to share their findings (think Reddit). She finds friendship among a small group of committed experts, going only by their screen names, after they help solve a local crime together where a woman was found dead in a lake. Their biggest challenge is yet to come though, when the death of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho shocks the nation. Jane and her friends immediately jump in, and find the case much more complicated than anything they’ve faced. The police are resistant to their help, the media has swarmed the small town, and when other girls are found dead, everyone fears they have a serial killer on their hands. Wanting to find answers, the group heads to Idaho, and finds themselves more trapped than they ever could have imagined….

This book is told from Jane’s perspective a year later, and we know from her writing that something went terribly wrong. The story itself is a painfully slow burn - we watch the friends explore a myriad of leads, false clues and dead ends. You definitely have to pay close attention to keep up, but it’s written in a way that feels like you’re a part of their investigation. I found myself thinking more about their clues, trying to piece things together and come to my own conclusions, even though it isn’t a true story! The plot does loosely follow the Moscow murders though, although it deviates throughout and ends completely differently.

As far as the ending, I was floored. I actually couldn’t even believe it happened. It was equal parts insane, heartbreaking and validating, and it took me forever to get my jaw off the floor. If you are a true crime fan or a fan of real life investigating, this book is ABSOLUTELY for you.

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and Net Galley for the advanced copy, and preorder this book so you are ready for its release on August 27!

This book was all over the place! From true crime, internet sleuthing, death, grief, murder, friendship, chaos, and intensity, parts of it were intriguing and I had to keep reading while other parts were slow and tough to get through. I have so many mixed feelings about this book. It truly was a wild ride.

**A Grief-Heavy Thriller That Feels Exploitative**

*This Book Will Bury Me* fictionalizes a recent, unresolved true-crime case, and for me, that was a major issue. The author’s choice to use a still-ongoing, horrific crime as the backbone of a thriller felt uncomfortable and exploitative. While the case itself has the potential for a compelling story, it often feels like the real tragedy is being used more for sensationalism than meaningful exploration.

The protagonist’s emotional struggle with her father’s death adds a layer of personal drama, but this subplot quickly overwhelms the crime narrative. Her obsessive desire to make a name for a man who didn’t deserve one slows the story to a halt, dragging down the pacing every time it shifts focus. Though the characters are well-drawn, the book’s split focus makes it hard to stay invested in either storyline.

By the end, the unresolved crime and the emotional journey both feel unsatisfying. The pacing, distracted by personal grief, undermines any real resolution, leaving the reader with more questions than answers.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, this is not it. If you’re sensitive to recent real-world tragedies being used for fiction, proceed with caution.

**Verdict:** A book that falters by mixing personal drama with a recent true crime, leaving readers questioning whether it should have been fictionalized at all.

This and the Last Housewife are tied for best Winstead book in my mind. I really enjoyed how this story was written. I loved the messages back and forth and the commentary on true crime and the sick, twisted fascination people have with murder today.