This Book Will Bury Me: A Novel

This Book Will Bury Me is a book about five everyday Americans who want to help the police solve crimes. The book first introduces us to the main female character Jane Sharp after her father dies. She is in despair and has decided to drop out of college and move back in with her mother. She joins a true crime website and discovers she is quite a talented sleuth. Soon, she is connected with a “famous” group of four and they are working on a national case together, making them a group of five. Things go awry, and Jane eventually decides to tell her story.

This book was slow and difficult to get into at first. It did pick up pace eventually. The main case the sleuths are interested in resembles a real ongoing nationally-televised case. Like, down to the details. I really didn’t like that. Doesn’t the author have enough imagination to use something of her own? The story might have been great if not for this. If you want to just digest something quick and thrilling, sure go for it. However, this is a real, ongoing case with real people. It troubles me that the author wrote so much that was exactly the same as the real case when there hasn’t even been a resolution. Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Jane Sharp, a woman grappling with grief over the loss of her father, becomes consumed by a notorious unsolved murder. Drawn into an online community of amateur sleuths, Jane’s fascination turns dangerous as she begins investigating the case in real life. As she grows closer to the truth, long-buried secrets emerge, forcing Jane to confront her own trauma and moral boundaries. What starts as a search for answers escalates into a high-stakes reckoning where obsession, guilt, and survival collide. Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 4 stars bc I will still recommend it to others! Vibes/Tone: sleuthy, Crime Junkie podcast vibes Thoughts: I listened to this one on audiobook, which was new for me because I never listen to thrillers. I thought it might help since this book was longer than my usual reads, but I honestly wish I had just read it. I’ve learned that thrillers work best for me in physical or digital format. While I still found the story interesting, the suspense didn’t quite land for me through audio. The plot was intriguing, but I do think there were more slow-burn moments than anything. Much of the story focuses on atmosphere, internal reflection, and the gradual unraveling of information rather than constant tension or fast-paced twists. While that worked at times, it also made sections feel drawn out, especially in audio format. I can see this landing better for readers who enjoy character-driven thrillers, but for me, it softened the overall suspense.

his Book Will Bury Me took a little time to win me over—but once it did, I was completely hooked. The opening felt slower than I expected. It takes its time setting up the characters, the emotional landscape, and the online sleuthing world at the center of the story. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the pacing. But in hindsight, that groundwork is what makes everything that follows so immersive. Once the momentum builds, it really builds. The tension tightens chapter by chapter, and I found myself flying through the second half, needing to know how it would all unravel. The exploration of true crime culture, grief, obsession, and the blurred lines between seeking justice and seeking significance is both compelling and unsettling in the best way. Ashley Winstead does an excellent job capturing the voice of someone navigating loss while getting pulled into something bigger—and darker—than expected. The atmosphere becomes increasingly claustrophobic, and the stakes feel very real. While I wish the first portion had moved a bit faster, the payoff was absolutely worth it. A gripping, thought-provoking thriller that lingers after the final page. If you enjoy character-driven suspense with sharp commentary on internet sleuth culture, this one is definitely worth picking up.

had to DNF! i orgininally appreciated the concept of the plot, but as the story progressed i realized it was nearly a play-by-play remake of the Idaho college murders. Around 30% through, I decided I could not continue - it just felt so predatory and inappropriate.

Picked up the hardcopy yesterday.