By: Ashley Winstead
Narrator: Leslie Howard
Tantor Media
ISBN: 9781728270005
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: 03/25/2025
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
MAR #AuthorElevatorSeries QA
From the national bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.
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...
About the Author
Photo Credit: Luis Noble
Ashley Winstead is the national bestselling author of Midnight is the Darkest Hour, The Last Housewife, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, The Boyfriend Candidate, and Fool Me Once.
This Book Will Bury Me will be released on March 25, 2025 by Sourcebooks Landmark.
Her books have been Library Read picks, Loan Star picks, Best of Amazon picks, and Best of Apple Books picks, and have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, BookPage, and Library Journal.
Her work has been covered by New York Times, Washington Post, CrimeReads, Parade, Cosmopolitan, Good Morning America, Good Housekeeping, Seattle Times, and Southern Review of Fiction, among other outlets. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages worldwide and optioned for television. Ashley holds a Ph.D. in contemporary American literature and lives in Houston.
For more visit AshleyWinstead.com
Exceptional Authors.
Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
Behind the Book & the Author
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
Welcome to the third March 2025 #AuthorElevatorSeries and #LiftLiftMiniAuthorChats. Special guest author Ashley Winstead joins us today with her sixth novel, the highly anticipated thriller THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME.
From the national bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches
Join us as Ashley shares some fascinating behind-the-scenes exclusives from the book and up-close and personal fun moments from this talented author.
Welcome, Ashley!
Behind the Book
Q. Give us your best ELEVATOR PITCH for THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME.
BURY ME is a fictional tell-all memoir written by a young woman named Jane Sharp, who recounts, a year after the fact, how grief over the loss of her father sent her down a rabbit hole into the world of amateur sleuthing, where she and a group of friends became dangerously entangled in a shocking crime as the world watched. Parts of this book are based in real life, on my own experiences becoming engrossed in true crime after the loss of my father.
Q. DESCRIBE your novel in three words or less.
Shocking, intense, emotional.
Q. TOPICS: Name 1-3 topics or themes addressed in the novel?
1. How history is created, and whose voices shape the official record. Who is allowed to tell which stories, at what time, and what do you do when you’re sidelined by history?
2. How we all—not just actual sleuths—become detectives at certain times in our lives, when we’re most hungry for answers, resolution, catharsis. This book examines the human drive to know, no matter the consequences.
3. True crime has been around a long time, but it’s only growing in popularity. What are the ethics of developing parasocial bonds with victims and their families (or, in some people’s cases, with perpetrators)—what does it say about us, the good and the bad?
Q. SETTING (s): Place, area, season where the book is set.
The hot, muggy summer near UCF in Orlando, FL; a slightly cooler fall and winter in towns across the Treasure Coast, FL; the very cold winter and still-cold spring of a fictional town called Delphine, ID; and the mysterious ether of Reddit, web sleuth forums, and private Signal chats.
Q. DID YOU KNOW? Name 3-5 things (or more) that readers may (or may not) know about your book or not included in the book.
1. This book is a roman á clef, a genre that conveys real-life events within the world of fiction. BURY ME is based in part on my own interest in true crime following my father’s unexpected passing, particularly the 2022 University of Idaho case, and the way I wrestled with the ethics and meaning of my own investments in the lives and deaths of strangers.
2. I believe every generation is marked by high-profile cases that, for complex reasons involving everything from the availability of technology to media investment to the elements of the cases themselves—including issues of race, gender, age, and the nature of the crimes—capture immense national attention to the point that they fold into the fabric of many people’s daily lives, and have an impact on our collective psyche. The OJ Simpson, JonBenét Ramsey, and Gabby Petito cases are all examples, and I believe the University of Idaho case is another. BURY ME is not a book about any of these crimes, per se, but an exploration of what such national phenomenon that can tell us about ourselves in our cultural moment.
3. One of my favorite things to write in BURY ME were the transcripts of conversations between sleuths on the internet. I studied the way people talked to each other, particularly in forums where everyone is anonymous but many of the same people talk consistently, and loved trying to recreate that tone and atmosphere in the book. Do you see more or less truth about a person when you’re interacting anonymously over the internet?
4. Writing this book and being so honest about my grief, including things most people shy away from discussing, helped me heal my broken heart after the loss of my father.
5. BURY ME’s footnotes and self-conscious narrative style were inspired by John Fowles’ The French Lieutenant’s Woman, which I read years ago in grad school (clearly, it stuck with me!).
Q. UPCOMING: Can you share what you are currently working on or what is next in ten words or less (or more).
FUTURE SAINTS: A romantic drama about sisters, ghosts, and rock n’ roll.
Continue reading below for more up close and personal with Ashley!
Behind the Author
Q. DID YOU KNOW? Name 3-5 things that readers may (or may not) know about YOU, the author.
1. I have a PhD in Literature, specializing in contemporary American lit, so it’s Dr. Ashley, if you please.
2. I was born in Naples, Italy, but no longer speak Italian.
3. I’m the oldest of four kids and our family moved every two years growing up, since my father was in the Navy. My nomadic impulses remain strong.
4. I love wine: French, Italian, and Oregon reds and sparkling rosés are my favorites.
5. The word people use to describe me most often is “gentle.” Even though younger me would’ve preferred “force of nature” or “badass,” I’m learning to own it.
Q. BOOK RECS: A book you would recommend.
If you’re looking for an OG romantasy series to escape into, one of my forever favorites is the Kate Daniels series by Illona Andrews.
Thank you, Ashley, for spending time with us today.
Thank you so much for having me!
Praise
"Between the cheeky humor of TV’s Only Murders in the Building and the grim, psychological recasting of facts through fiction and memory (as exemplified by Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl), Winstead’s novel breathes life into stories that, the narrator hints, might be better off dead and buried." ―Library Journal, STARRED review
"A fascinating deep dive into the world of online sleuths; their passion for—and obsession with—solving crimes. This Book Will Bury Me has an interesting cast of characters, chilling and complex crimes, and twist after twist as our protagonist hunts for answers. I couldn't put it down. My favorite Winstead book yet!"
— Robyn Harding, bestselling author of The Haters
"Ashley Winstead, the clever queen of millennial thrillers, has written a ripped-from-the-true-crime headlines book that will stand the test of time. This Book Will Bury Me is my absolute favorite kind of thriller: compulsively readable, a fiendishly brilliant whodunnit, and a whip smart commentary on the industry of true crime. It's also a love letter to that greatest mystery of all: navigating the unknowable pockets buried deep in the hearts of the ones we love most. I laughed, I cried, I lost sleep, and I wanted to start reading it all over again as soon as I finished. Listen up, fans of My Favorite Murder: Ashley Winstead never misses!"
— Halley Sutton, USA Today bestselling author of The Hurricane Blonde
"This Book Will Bury Me is an absolute feast for true crime enthusiasts. Winstead invites readers into an immersive and meticulously crafted mystery, suffused with an intoxicating blend of fascination and dread that builds to a stunning climax."
— Kate Alice Marshall, bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods and No One Can Know
"A twisty and tantalizing tale about the pursuit of truth, even when the consequences are devastating. This Book Will Bury Me is an exquisite meditation on grief and obsession, spotlighted in the gritty, grisly world of true crime. I couldn’t put it down."
— Julia Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat
"This Book Will Bury Me is a layered, moving story set at the heart of the true-crime community. Written with plenty of empathy and heart, it’s a twisty ride populated by unforgettable characters—and it’s irresistibly propulsive."
— Clémence Michallon, internationally bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant
"This Book Will Bury Me is a fascinating swirl of social commentary, suspense, and moving coming-of-age story. Ashley Winstead’s masterful interrogation of the true crime culture and crowdsourced amateur sleuthing will stay with you long after the novel’s shocking, twisty end. I couldn’t put it down."
— Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls and Miracle Creek
"This Book Will Bury Me is impossible to put down once you start. It’s both an engrossing mystery and a compelling exploration of grief and the mysteries loved ones leave behind. True crime fans will devour this one!"
— Amy Tintera, New York Times bestselling author of Listen for the Lie
"Readers will be hooked from the first chapter."
―Booklist
"Well-written and thoughtful, Ashley Winstead’s This Book Will Bury Me is a must-read for true crime fans."
―Crimespree Magazine
"A thoroughly modern thriller set among the sinister intersections of murder, media, and true-crime fandom."
― Goodreads
My Review
National bestselling author Ashley Winstead returns following Midnight is the Darkest Hour with her latest highly anticipated emotional and intense psychological/crime thriller, THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME.
A book within a book inspired by true crimes (a year's experience from a young woman grieving her father) while joining a group of amateur sleuths taking center stage while hunting down dangerous killers driven by their obsession and need.
It's the most famous crime in modern history.
But only SHE knows the true story.
This is Jane's story. Please sit back and enjoy Jane as she tells you, the reader, her story.
About...
Aug 31, 2023: Jane, age 24, a student at the University of Central Florida (UCF), at a party. She meets her new best friend, Gabby. This was the last time Janeway Sharp was innocent.
A frantic phone call from her mother. Her father has had a heart attack. She must leave now. Her friend drives her to the hospital in Ft. Pierce, FL. When she arrives, she is too late.
Jane Sharp now grieving after the unexpected death of her beloved father. As a way to find purpose and deal with her grief, she turns to a group of sleuths to solve crimes. She feels she owes her father a legacy.
She is invited into this elite group after she helps solve a South Florida dark, brutal murder of a woman who was tossed in a lake. She decides to drop out of college while she explores this journey.
The person she was closest to, who loved her the deepest, had died suddenly and unexpectedly, and nothing would ever be the same for Jane. Due to this, the next chapters of her life would unfold in strange, fateful ways.
Five amateur sleuths
~Lightly. Mistress. Goku. Searcher. Citizen.
Jane is a Searcher.
The group consists of
~Ex-Cop.
~Grandmother/Retired Librarian.
~Computer genius/High-level tech.
~College dropout/ barista.
~Ex-Military Officer.
Mistress has a theory borrowed from her favorite book; that those drawn to true crime could be divided into:
Four main types by what drew them in.
~The Detective (motivated by the hunt for answers)
~The Defender (hero type, to protect victims)
~The Victim (identifies with those who have been wronged)
~The Killer (who feels an affinity with the perpetrators)
"Our desire to order the unknowable, touch the unreachable, shine a light on what's hidden—it's universal. We're uncomfortable with ambiguity, with living suspended in the mess of the world."
From Central and South to the Treasure Coast of Florida, fictional Delphine, Idaho, and beyond (Italy), these armchair detectives must hit the road versus behind a screen to solve these complex cases. The latest being the three college girls in Delphine, Idaho.
The world is watching, listening, observing. From forums, true crime addicts, social media, the press, and the TV media. Do they know the real truth?
Told one year after the events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, Jane finally decides to break her silence about what truly happened. The true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans. Her secrets will be revealed.
My thoughts...
Told in three parts, THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME is a fascinating exploration of true crime and how these communities respond to these unfolding crimes.
It is a well-written thriller and a deeply emotional narrative that delves into the complexities of grief, loss, the human need for closure, and the mysteries loved ones leave behind. This book will resonate with readers who appreciate a more profound, unique reading/listening experience.
Please DO read— the Author's Note about the novel's inspiration and her grief of losing a parent and its complexities.
Narrative style...
In addition to being a superb thriller, the author cleverly uses a self-conscious narrative style, often called metafiction. This unique technique, which includes footnotes that draw attention to the story as a fictional work, blurs the lines between reality and fiction and prompts critical engagement from the reader. Jane is recounting a year after the fact, adding a layer of intrigue to the narrative.
The author also brilliantly draws from real-life cases in which there have been significant true crime and media responses and ones which we may know more than others, such as Gabby Petito, The OJ Simpson, JonBenét Ramsey, Golden State Killer, Abraham Shakespeare and the 2022 University of Idaho case which has not yet been solved.
THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME is engrossing, standout, thought-provoking, and fresh. The author's BEST yet—delving into many aspects of true crime, social commentary, media, sleuthing, and emotions. A page-turner, you will be hooked from page one to the satisfying conclusion.
Movie-worthy, prime for the big or small screen series! Being a Floridan (South Florida) I always enjoy novels set in my state.
An emotional modern thriller with heart. Compelling, part crime fiction with elements and dangers of true-crime culture, psychological, coming of age, and literary fiction.
Audiobook...
For those who enjoy audiobooks, THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME is a must-listen. Narrated by Leslie Howard, one of the most talented in the industry, delivers a stellar performance that elevates the novel to new heights. Howard's narration captures the story's essence, mood, and setting, bringing the characters to life and providing an engaging listening experience. If you're a fan of audiobooks, I highly recommend listening to this version.
Recs...
THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME is for fans of the author, true-crime addicts, and those who enjoy unique, chilling, complex narratives and smartly dynamically written psychological/crime thrillers. Fans of Megan Goldin, Amy Tintera, Kate Marshall, and Lisa Jewell will devour. (all favorites)
Also, for fans of (Danish author turned Floridan, Willow Rose), most of her crime novels are set in Florida and inspired by specific true crimes (she links in her Author's Notes). A fan.
Interview...
Want to know more behind-the-scenes exclusives and this talented author? Join me for a fun, fascinating, featured blog, #LitLiftMiniAuthorChat QA with Ashley (part of the #AuthorElevatorSeries collection), coming pub date March 25th!
Special thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Tantor Media for an advanced review and listening copy for my honest review and the honor of hosting Ashley!
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: March 25, 2025
