I have enjoyed all of Ashley’s thrillers and this one is no different. It gave me “don’t fuck with cats” documentary, with the forum in amateur sleuth detectives. I loved reading about our main character, Jane deal with grief. And I loved all the twists and turns of the ending! 4.25⭐️s

I hate this book with every fiber of my being.

The author tries to make a statement about online true crime culture and where the line falls between justice and obsession. But even the so-called good sleuths crossed serious ethical lines. Their digging wasn’t justice-driven. It was invasive, obsessive, and self-serving.

The author also pulled a “ripped from the headlines” and used a devastating real-life case and barely changed the details. Names were slightly altered, but so much was kept the same that it felt blatant. It was disrespectful and incredibly unethical to use something so recent and painful as the foundation for a thriller. Profiting from a tragedy. Talk about crossing a line.

Every character felt like a caricature. Every twist was obvious. The subplot was filler at best, and at worst, a clumsy excuse to shove the main character into the world of amateur sleuthing. Legal procedures, crime scene protocol, and basic human ethics were thrown out the window unless they conveniently served the plot.

I identified the killer within the first 100 pages. This book did not need to be nearly 500 pages long. Cutting the subplot and tightening the structure would have helped. The last 20% dragged badly. The author kept piling on new developments after the story should have ended. The conclusion felt bloated and unsatisfying.

This is disappointing because I’ve enjoyed most of Ashley Winstead’s previous work. Her last novel, Midnight is the Darkest Hour, also missed the mark. Her next release is scheduled for January 2026. I’ll read it, but only to decide whether I’ll continue with her books.

DNF

After reading the trigger warnings, I realized this book was not for me. I wish the trigger warnings were displayed and made more clear with the book description. I was sad to not finish this book as Ashley Winstead's other novel, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, is one of my favorite thrillers of all time. I thought I would enjoy this book because of my appreciation of this author, but unfortunately I could not continue. I think readers who are okay with the trigger warnings will enjoy this book, as I know Ashley Winstead is a great author. I hope I can enjoy her other books in the future.

After her father's unexpected death, Jane longed for a distraction from her grief. She became obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who taught her how to hunt killers afar. So, when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine took the world by storm, Jane and her friends were determined to solve the case. But it proved stranger than anyone expected, placing them at the center of a story that increasingly felt like a trap. Told one year after the case concluded, Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what happened, revealing the shocking truth of the Delphine massacres.

"This Book Will Bury Me" is a treasure trove for true crime enthusiasts, where obsession can have deadly consequences if one isn't cautious. Jane, recently bereaved by the loss of her father, finds solace and a sense of belonging among online true crime sleuths, who become a close-knit community. While Jane sometimes acts impulsively, I was impressed by her intelligence, determination, and meticulous research skills.  I was also drawn to the warm and welcoming personalities of her friends, appreciating the positive qualities in each of them. As a fan of true crime documentaries, I thought Winstead did an excellent job portraying the sleuths in both positive and negative light. People make mistakes, and some of those mistakes have serious consequences.

I'd prefer not to elaborate, as the complexity of this narrative adds to the enjoyment, particularly in the process of solving murders and ensuring justice for the victims and their grieving families. Regarding the twist, while I had a slight suspicion, it was still quite shocking and heartbreaking. Winstead consistently crafts fun and memorable stories, and "This Book Will Bury Me" is no exception.  If you enjoy true crime, I highly recommend this book for its complex characters and multilayered plot.

I really enjoyed this one, although it's my least favorite of Winstead's books so far. That being said, her last two were five stars and this one was four stars, so that's not too bad. The premise—an emotionally raw college student swept up in a web of true crime obsession and online sleuth culture—felt really timely. Jane is a layered narrator: vulnerable, sharp, and not always reliable, which made the story’s slow burn all the more addictive. The internet sleuthing angle captured the thrill and ethical murk of true crime fandom without feeling preachy.

I did think the pacing dragged a bit in the middle, and I wanted more development for a few of the side characters (especially her fellow sleuths). But when the final twist hit? Genuinely shocking and well-earned.

Jane Sharp is looking for a distraction after her father's unexpected death. She finds comfort in an online true crime chat, but comfort quickly becomes obsession. Jane is nonstop working with other amateur sleuths to solve crimes across the country. When three college girls are killed in Delphine, Idaho, Jane and her group of internet detectives are determined to solve this case. The distance provided by the internet soon disappears and Jane may be in real life danger because of her work with this group.

Winstead is quickly becoming a must read author for me. The way this story was told felt like watching a documentary. I couldn't put it down until I figured it all out. This is one of my favorite thrillers this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of This Book Will Bury Me.

This was unfortunately a DNF for me. I really liked the meta true crime commentary, but the narrative voice was very flat and, at least in an ebook, the footnotes were very distracting.

I’ve really liked this author’s work before but agree with other readers that I’d like to see her try something less “ripped from the headlines” in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for this review.

I still have a couple Ashley Winstead books to read, but she's definitely one of my favorites! Her books are all so unique and I think it speaks to how talented she is that she can write such a variety. The true crime & amateur detective aspect of this book had me totally hooked. My only complaint was that it was a little slow in parts. I also totally guessed what Searcher wrote and mailed to Citizen, but it didn't take anything away from the ending. I will definitely recommend this to fans of Ashley Winstead and true crime fans.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was my first book by this author but I knew by reading what this book was about, I had to give it a chance! This book had me hooked from the beginning which I love! They set up the story very well and it was easy to follow and it kept you guessing. But about alittle more than half way in I felt as though things were rushed or just not completely followed thru, which was disappointing as I was really enjoying it. But if you enjoy a dark twisty mystery you can still give this book a chance and I do recommend!

“Racism, classism, pretty bias: they color how we treat the dead as much as the living, no matter how much we swear we’re in the justice business. Lightly used to say racism is so pervasive you can’t even escape it by dying.”

4.5 stars! This book was fantastic! Wow. If you’re looking for a fast paced thriller with great, yet flawed, characters, a possible serial killer storyline, and lots of amateur sleuthing then you will love this book!

The chapters are short (my favorite with thrillers) making this story fly. This Book Will Bury me is an utterly addictive and unputdownable read.

Let this book be a lesson to some, though, that amateur sleuthing does NOT make you a trained cop or detective. No matter how bored you are or how passionate you feel about getting justice on a case…please, for the love of God, leave the investigation to the professionals.

“Death is paperwork. It’s one of life’s nasty little secrets.”

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and @ashleywinsteadbooks for the ARC. All thoughts are my own!

This book was good! I liked it but didn’t love it. I definitely see potential in it and look forward to seeing what else the author does.

Dear This Book Will Bury Me,
You were a deep dive into the dark and shady world of arm chair detectives. I loved being able to see the dark underbelly of the online crime solving world. You were topical and paced in just the right way, with twists all along. I loved the way that Searcher kept breaking the fourth wall to address the readers, which made you a GREAT audiobook. The parallels between how she navigates the sudden loss of her father and her metoric rise in the online true crime world was a great juxtaposition. Ashley Winstead crafts perfectly paced stories with wonderfully morally grey main characters. You were fun and fascinating.

4.5 stars

I'm not a true crime junkie. I don't listen to any true crime podcasts or really even know of any. I can see the fascination of it though. So this book grabbed my interest because of that.

I liked the way this book was written. The author sets up the story with Jane losing her father and then trying to learn who he really was as a person. In doing this she goes online and comes across a true crime forum and joins in. Then the story really gets started with the Delphine murders. We learn more about Jane's new friends as they investigate the murders.

The pacing of this story isn't fast or slow. To me it was just right. There is a lot of detail in the story. There are parts that could have been cut but I think those parts added layers and complexity to the story. They showed the reader who Jane was through learning about her dad.

This book.was really good. I was hooked from the beginning and it kept my interest until the end. My only issue is I think the story and writing slipped just a bit at the end. The last little but just didn't have the same feel to it as the rest of the book. If not for this the book would have definitely been a 5-star read.

I'll be recommending this book to people who like true crime and suspense stories. I will also be checking out the author's other books. I enjoyed her writing.

I love how Ashley Winstead always incorporates a little bit of pop culture and stories that are reminiscent of real life events in her writing. While this strongly felt like a story based on the recent Idaho college murders - she added enough that this felt fresh and captivating. I feel like this is a nod to all the true crime podcasters and armchair detectives who convince ourselves we can solve a murder.

"It’s the most famous crime in modern history. But only she knows the true story."
🌟🌟🌟🌟
If you enjoy mysteries involving online sleuths investigating a serial killer, "This Book Will Bury Me" is one you should consider picking up! I’ve been a fan of Ashley Winstead since her first book, and this one does not disappoint.

We meet Jane, who’s reeling from the sudden loss of her father. Instead of turning to the usual coping mechanisms, she dives headfirst into amateur sleuthing with some online mystery buffs. Sounds cool, right? She might have bitten off more than she can chew!

This story is like a mystery sandwich—there’s the main plot, but then there’s a true crime fandom vibe that goes off the rails. It makes you curious about internet sleuths. Are they a help or a hindrance? I had no idea until I read this that it was inspired by real-life events. Since the events are relatively recent, this is a raw subject with many readers.

Jane and her crew may have the best intentions while trying to crack cases, but let’s be real: their egos and biases sometimes get in the way. 🧐🕵️‍♀️

I’m not one for long reads, but this one was pretty gripping! It has suspense and crazy twists, and Jane’s emotional journey kept me flipping those pages. I'd still like to see it trimmed down a bit. 😝🥱

While it might not take the top spot on my Winstead list, I still enjoyed the ride and can’t wait to see what she brings us next! "This Book Will Bury Me" is a wild mix of mystery, thrills, and killer storytelling. You should give it a whirl! 👏📚

Thanks to the author and Sourcebooks Landmark for the gifted ARC provided via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily!

After the unexpected death of her father, Jane leaves college deal with the grief. Looking for something to take her mind off things she finds an online group who solves unsolved murders together who take her under their wing. News of shocking deaths of three college girls in Idaho becomes a sensational story where things aren't adding up so the sleuths take the case on themselves and Jane puts herself into the center of the story. The book is told one year after the events when Jane decides to break her silence on what happened.

I found this book much better than her other In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. It was fast paced, interesting, and held my attention. At the time of reading it, I did not know this was pulled from a current case that is currently in the court process. I understand why some are outraged for using that story as the base of this one but I am giving a rating based on my thoughts before that piece of knowledge.

I enjoyed this book. It did start really heavy and that felt like a massive punch before the book had even started off. I did finds it slightly dragged in the middle but I still enjoyed it

This book had me hooked from the start—Jane’s grief and her immersion in online true crime communities felt raw and real. I liked the setup: a smart yet hurting girl diving deep into internet sleuthing, then getting tangled in a real-life case. The mystery surrounding the Delphine murders is creepy and weird in all the right ways, and the whole internet detective angle adds a cool twist.

However, halfway through, things started to lose focus. The story becomes messy, with too many threads that don’t fully come together. Some of the twists feel forced, as if the book is trying too hard to shock. While Jane’s voice is interesting, the constant back-and-forth between timelines makes the pacing feel uneven. I didn’t think the payoff at the end truly matched all the buildup.

It’s not bad—if you enjoy dark, twisty mysteries and don’t mind a bit of chaos, you’ll likely have a good time. I just wanted a tighter story and clearer character arcs. Solid idea, decent execution, but not quite the knockout it could’ve been.

As a true crime fan, this one hit all the marks. I loved the investigation aspects from the sleuths, how they get wrapped up into the story they’re investigating, and that twist!! I couldn’t put this one down.
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24-year-old, Jane Sharp just dropped out of college. She is profoundly depressed after the death of her father. Seeking distraction, she joins TheRealCrimeNetwork.com. Now a quasi-vigilante, Jane forms an alliance with 4 other obsessives. Soon, she finds her passion and sense of belonging refueled. When 3 young college students are murdered, Jane and her fellow online gumshoes meet in person in Idaho to solve the murders. As they dive into the mystery, they find facts aren’t adding up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be a lot of media hype and speculation around what really happened. Could Jane and the others be walking into a trap? Who will really murdered the 3 college girls?

With a feel similar to the tv show Only Murders in the Building, the story is readable, humorous at times, engaging, and well written. The people the story is about are captured well in the book, draw the reader into the true crime novel, and bring to life the events of 2022. The unsettling deep dive into true crime merges well with the moral complexities. Readers who like thrillers, true crime novels, and stories dealing with grief will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections.