I was fully prepared to give this book a 5 star rating. I absolutely adored Ashley Winstead's last book, Midnight is the Darkest Hour. I was looking forward to be put back into another moody, murky, dark, and immersive setting and story. I want to address the controversy that surrounds this book being that it is hugely based on the Idaho 4 murders. I won't critique on whether it is okay or wrong to write about a case that is currently ongoing, but I will critique the content of the book and audiobook itself. There is an author's note in the beginning of the book where Winstead says that one way she coped with her father's recent passing was by immersing herself in true crime, ie. the Idaho murders, much like the main character in her book. However, this note was not included in the audiobook I received, and I one hundred percent feel like it should be as a disclaimer, because this is a very touchy topic/news event that may trigger some readers. Also, I feel like it should have been noted in that author's note in the beginning of the book that this book is HEAVILY based on the Idaho murders, I mean down to specific details from this case.

With all that aside, the book started off pretty good. I enjoyed the narrator's voice. I felt intrigued and found myself wanting to turn on the audiobook when I wasn't reading/listening to it.

On the downside, I have to dock some points for originality naturally since a lot of This Book Will Bury Me was obviously based on true events. I also hated the twist, and I was hoping a praying the whole time that that wouldn't be the twist, but alas it was. I won't get into specifics because spoilers, but I will say I was severely disappointed and I am debating if I will ever pick up another Ashley Winstead book again.

Thank you Tantor Audio and Netgalley for the advanced listening copy.

This Book Will Bury Me is out now.

Thank you to Tantor Audio for the ALC and Sourcebooks Landmark @bookmarked for the eARC! Ashley Winstead never fails to surprise and enthrall me with her writing. Her ability to write such captivating yet vastly unique books is not lost on me.

From the start, this book held my attention in a vice grip. I find the topic of true crime sleuths so intriguing, this book takes that topic and expands on it - fictionally, and explores found family, murder solving, and how grief can irreparably alter a person. Magnificently executed, this novel had me in a chokehold. Satisfying and unputdownable, this book is easily at the top of my thrillers read this year so far.

#thisbookwillburyme #ashleywinstead #thriller #thrillerbooks #bookrec #bookrecommendations #audiobooks #bookreview

If you enjoy true crime and amateur sleuthing, this book is for you. It started off on a sad note, but the overall book was pretty enjoyable. I wouldn't say it was unputdownable for me, but I did want to steadily continue to find out how the story concludes.

There were multiple POV, but mainly from Searcher/Jane, the newest and youngest member of the true crime network that she discovers while working through her grief. She and her closest online sleuthing friends are on the hunt to discover the true killers in recent and cold cases, but how far are they willing to go?

This audio wasn't my favorite unfortunately and I didn't have the ebook or physical arc. It wasn't terrible, but I couldn't get into the whispery hushed tones that were used frequently throughout. I finished the audiobook despite this because I did enjoy the story.

Inspired by real events, the story follows true crime buffs as they pursue a killer. While I didn’t follow the Idaho murder case in great detail, I can understand how some might feel that the events hit a little too close to home. For those sensitive to real-life crimes, a word of caution before diving into this one.

Overall, I really enjoyed the dynamic between the amateur detectives—a diverse group of true crime enthusiasts who form a makeshift family. Jane, our FMC, becomes the newest member after her father's sudden death. Her grief and desperate need for answers feels raw and real. Winstead weaves the themes of loss, healing, and the longing for resolution beyond the mystery itself. As a fan of character-driven stories, I found Jane's journey particularly compelling.

As far as the plot goes, the twists and turns were unpredictable—I suppose I'm not the best amateur detective. 😂 I also appreciate how Winstead explores the darker side of amateur sleuthing and media sensationalism. The damage they can inflict by focusing on the wrong person can have life-altering consequences.

I paired the audio with the digital book. I really loved Leslie Howard’s work. Her narration enhanced the suspense, highlighted the epistolary sections, and made the overall story feel like a podcast or a retelling by Jane. I also found that the footnote sections worked better in audio format than in the digital version. But overall, you can't go wrong with either format.

I requested this audio arc from NetGalley because I loved In My Dreams I Hold a Knife so I was super happy to be approved.

It’s another thriller/murder mystery that focuses on the true crime community and web sleuths which I think is in interesting topic and it’s good that we’re seeing more authors highlighting the insensitive side of it. It covers loss, grief and friendship. And the author tends to do a great job of creating a flawed but still enjoyable narrator.

Considering it’s a pretty long audiobook it kept me engaged all the way and I got through it super quick.

I just kind of figured out one of the twists and really don’t know how to feel that the main case seems to be based on real life murders😬

3.25⭐️

3.5⭐️
This was an entertaining and suspenseful read. I picked this up because Ashley’s In My Dreams I Hold a Knife is truly one of my favorite thrillers I’ve ever read and wanted to see how this new release would compare.

Her writing was good and I was pulled into the story from the very beginning! I also genuinely enjoyed all the main characters. The narrator, Leslie Howard, did a really good job with this one! The interwoven bits from the true crime community and forum moments were fun and added a new element to the book I really loved. The found family that this rag tag group of internet sleuths made was really sweet and added heart to this book.
Some of the twists were predictable so I wasn’t surprised by the end and it felt a bit anti-eliminate and unrealistic. If you like true crime podcasts/shows and murder mystery plots I do think it is worth the read but definitely look up what this book is about before doing so!

Thank you endlessly to Tantor Audio and Netgalley for the ALC💖

🎧AUDIOBOOK review🎧

📖 Title: This Book Will Bury Me
✍️ Author: Ashley Winstead
🎙Narrator: Leslie Howard
📃 Publisher: Tantor Media
🗓 Pub Date: Mar 25, 2025
Genre: thriller
Format: Audiobook via @netgalley
Length: 13 hours 12 minutes
🌟🌟🌟🌟
--
"My dad used to say he experienced love at first sight twice in his life. The moment he saw my mother and a year later, when I emerged at the hospital."
--
📖This Book Will Bury Me got me hooked from the start! We follow Jane, who is grieving her father. While trying to know more of her father and, at the same time, finding a distraction, she finds herself immersed in true crime cases. A horrible crime occurs, where three college girls are murdered, and Jane and her friends are determined to help find the murderer. However, the case starts unraveling more than Jane expected.
I enjoyed the story being told in the form of a memoir. Loved all the internet true crime aspects. I felt as if I was a detective myself trying to find what truly happened in the cases.
🎧I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator brings this book to life! She nailed it with the different cast of characters. Definitely recommend the audiobook for this one!

Thank you and NetGalley for the ALC! 🫶

4.5 stars
I stayed up late and finished the book in one sitting last night! It hooked me from the start with the UCF setting and I couldn’t put it down from there. Amateur detectives doing deep dives and solving crimes! Things took a turn when they hit the road to investigate serial killings like the Idaho college murders, but it was a different set up and different outcome. I shall say no more, except that the twists were well executed and I was there for all of it!!
*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy

✿𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗬 𝗠𝗘✿
𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯
🗓️𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝟸𝟻, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟻
🤩𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟛 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ★★★
🎧 𝗂𝗌 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝖾𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗍

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...Five amateur sleuths hunt for a killer, but end up in danger as the world watches…

🌸𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢...Welllll, hmm. 🤨I didn’t hate it, but without the audio🎧(which was so well done👏) I never would’ve finished this chonk 😳of a book. Holy hell, she’s huge! I have come to realize too that I don’t love true crime in books. 👎And, this one is supposed to be fiction but it follows the University of Idaho murders in very close detail. 🧐I am all about the false/fake crime in my books so that is a me problem so if you love true crime you may really enjoy this one! 💙The found family & the back story on Jane grieving her father was what kept me engrossed the most & that wasn’t even the heart of this book. So, in closing..this book is gonna get tons of hype, but without that audio 🎧version I never would’ve finished it. Bonus of having this chunky one in audio is I cleaned the grout in my bathroom 🛁while listening to a lot of it! 🧽🫧🙌

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars! ✨

RUN, don’t walk, to buy this new book by Ashley Winstead!!!! Seriously, GOOOOOO

I was hooked from the START!!!!! COULD. NOT. PUT. IT. DOWN. I found the true crime/ Reddit sleuth plot so entertaining!! I did not see the big twist coming, which I enjoyed SO much & definitely recommend this book to anyone! 👏🏻

Read if you like:
🩸 true crime books
🔪 serial killer tropes
🤯 short cliffhanger chapters
🔎 murder mystery plots

Thank you, NetGalley, RBmedia, and Ashley Winstead for the opportunity to read this book and give my honest opinion.🤍

There was something about this book that drew me in from the very start and all I wanted to do was listen to the book and neglect all the other things I needed to do! Leslie Howard is a great narrator and was perfect for the role of Jane Sharp. This book really deep dives into the lives of true crime junkies and amateur sleuths and how they can ruin lives as well as solve murder cases. Jane Sharp is feeling lost after the sudden death of her father. She leaves college and moves back home. Her mom has become unbearable and she stumbles upon a web forum of people discussing the murders of three college students in Idaho (tw: loosely based on the Delphine Murders). She becomes SO engrossed (some would say delusional) that her group of forum friends goes out to Idaho to integrate themselves into the investigation. The audiobook was just so gripping and so easily bingeable. I did not find the twists jaw dropping, but I wanted to listen and find out what was going to happen next. I would recommend this audiobook! Thanks to NetGalley and RBMedia for this audio ARC.

*This Book Will Bury Me* by Ashley Winstead is a chilling thriller that explores the dark allure of true crime and the consequences of obsession. The story follows Jane Sharp, a grieving college student who finds solace in online sleuthing communities. When a series of brutal murders shocks the nation, Jane and her fellow amateur detectives dive into the case, uncovering disturbing truths that blur the line between justice and danger. Winstead's masterful storytelling combines suspense, emotional depth, and sharp social commentary, making this novel a compelling exploration of grief, morality, and the human fascination with crime. A must-read!

Travel to Delphine, Idaho as the crime of the century unfolds and five true crime internet sleuths decide to crack the case. Jane Sharp just lost her father and thrusts herself into the deaths of three college girls. Along side the other sleuths, will they be able to crack the case, or will the police stop them at any and all costs?

After the unexpected death of her father Jane Sharpe finds a distraction from her grief by joining the true crime community and quickly becomes obsessed. Jane finds friends and purpose in the race to solve crimes. Soon Jane and her group of sleuths find they are facing a killer more clever than any they have faced before.

Ok. I read this book blissfully ignorant and I loved it 5 star read. I then read reviews and discovered there is quite a bit of controversy around this story and real life events. This made me feel unsure of my feelings but ultimately without falling down a rabbit hole investigating a true crime I have no idea about I can't comment on any of it. All I can say is I really enjoyed this book it was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and I will rate based on my enjoyment as I always do.

I also listened to this book on audio and it was very well read and kept me engaged and was very easy to listen to.

Thank you to Netgalley, Aria & Aries and Tantor Audio and Ashley Winstead for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This one was tricky for me to review and process my thoughts because I kept jumping between really liking it then wondering what the heck was going on. But then I realized that was kind of the point. To take the reader on a roller coaster. I will say I was genuinely SO curious how this was going to end. I kept waiting for one of the members of Jane’s group to be bad but I also kept wondering if any of her obsession with doing the crime had to do with her dad’s murder. The ending really made the book better to me. The last 15% was the best part of the book! All in all, I enjoyed it. I mostly listened to this on audio. I thought the narration was good, though It didn’t pull me in as much as others have. I think I preferred reading this one physically.

Happy pub week to one wickedly talented soul of an author! This book is a masterpiece, shimmering stars, no notes. Seriously an OMG for me and everything I want in a page-turner in my favorite genre. Our voicey heroine, Jane, sucked me in from page ONE. I felt like I walked smack into a true crime podcast (chef’s kiss for the audio), living and breathing the chilling twists, turns, and false starts. It’s propulsive, haunting, unique!

In the wake of her father’s death, 24-year-old Jane goes searching for distraction and meaning. She stumbles into the underbelly of online criminal sleuthing, where she quickly forms bonds and friendships. Soon after, when three sorority girls are brutally murdered in Delphine, Idaho, Jane and four other rookie detectives band together to find the killer and deliver justice. Will they find the monster? Will their newfound family stay unified in the fight? I loved this book for its stunning writing, bingeable plot, and vividly drawn characters.

Booked Solid Pod Rating: Language
TW: Detailed descriptions of violence and murder. Extremely gory and brutal at times; sensitive readers take heed!

Thank you sm to Netgalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I think ALCs (advanced listener copies) just might be better than Christmas. Especially when they’re this good!

I am just the biggest fan of Ashley Winstead. She has absolute range. I have loved everything she's written from her rom coms to her thrillers. This book was no exception. I am a huge true crime junkie fan and this book had me hooked from the very beginning. I feel like Ashley does such a good job with an unreliable narrator. You can oftentimes be frustrated with them, but then you are just their biggest fan and rooting for them by the end. I think this book did such a good job of touching on themes of grief while also being a real thriller novel. Like I said, range. I did this book on audio and physical copy and really enjoyed both.

🔍 “Maybe that’s the real definition of fate: when the universe hands you exactly what you want, the one thing you could never turn down, a perfect trap of your own making.”

🔪 From the bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest hour, this may be her best book yet! After the unexpected death of her father, Jane’s crippling grief drives her to find distraction in an online detective forum. We are taken back to a college campus, where a group of amateur sleuths are on the hunt for a serial killer.

🩸 I loved the unique writing style/ format, with the footnotes and online chat parts, how Jane is narrating her book 1 year after the case, breaking her silence on how she and the group of armchair sleuths took on the case of the Delphine Massacres. The plot is based on the Idaho college murders from 2020, but I don’t think that took away from the story. True crime fans are going to love this one. The book was chilling and compelling, I just couldn’t put it down!

🫀This one will keep you on the edge of your seat, second-guessing every piece of evidence, suspecting every single character. The book is filled with action-packed twists and turns, and a number of tense moments that will have your heart pounding! Thank you to @netgalley @sourcebooks @bookmarked @ashleywinsteadbooks for the ALC!

At first I was intrigued by this book but then 50% in I was like huh is this based on a real life murder that happened. When it progressed I realised this was based on a true life story. The book kind of dragged in places and I believe it could have been shorter. Overall it was gripping in places

True crime? Yes, please! I had instant interest in the story of Jane Sharp who joins a true crime network and ends up helping to solve murders across the country from the comfort of her own home. What I wasn't prepared for was the death of Jane's father. Yes, the book's description mentions the death of her father, but what it doesn't say is how much a part of the story this is. Jane's experience and grief are new and raw and it fuels her desire to help others. So here is my TW for anyone who has lost their father - this book will trigger you! But you also might feel seen and heard in Jane's grief journey (which extends through the entire book). That being said, let's get back to the murders and all the details! I liked the new family unit Jane found in the people of the true crime network. I appreciated the group's breakdown of the crimes, utilizing each of their strengths to dive into all the small details because it is usually the smallest of details that offers the biggest piece of the puzzle. When three college girls are murdered in Idaho Jane's new family of sleuths breaks tradition and decides to meet in Idaho to further dig into the clues. Chaos ensues, but also the true murderer is identified. I admit I was surprised by the reveal. Ashley Winstead did a good job at presenting all the angles and leads there would be to follow in a complicated case like this.

I listened to the audiobook version and Leslie Howard did a great job with all of the characters. She has a great voice that is easy to listen to, however at times she would dip into a very soft volume, especially if it was sensitive information. This had me turning up the volume quite a bit so I wouldn't miss anything, but the use of the soft speaking also gave the information discussed a more urgent feel. It was nice that Leslie wasn't just reading the story, she was obviously into it!

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.