Ashley Winstead, whom I have long admired, has written what could be her most interesting psychological thriller to date. THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME is a unique and eye-opening exploration of the current addiction to true-crime podcasts and presents the human beings behind them in many different ways. Most of all, it provides ample room for discussion about the fine line between true-crime lovers and negligent interference in open murder cases.

We go along on this ride with college student Jane Sharp, who needs to fill the void left by the untimely passing of her father, who she loved more than anything. The answer just might be her deep obsession with true crime, specifically podcasts focused on serial killers. Jane was attending the University of Central Florida when she got word that her father succumbed to a sudden heart attack. She takes a leave of absence from school not knowing if and when she will be ready to resume her studies.

"What Winstead does in this story is masterful and extremely clever. She provides support both for and against the idea of true-crime podcasters getting too involved in very real murder cases."

Before she is drawn into the dark world of true-crime podcasts, she has eerie dreams about her father that seem to be pointing her in this direction. When one of his friends shares with her that he was a huge “Star Trek” fan and provides some fan fiction he had written, Jane is amazed. She can’t believe that she never knew about this side of her father, but she considers it a sign that she should pursue what makes her happy.

Using the online name “Searcher,” Jane befriends the members of The Real Crime Network: Citizen, Lightly, Mistress and Goku. The first big case that Jane will work on with the team involves a triple homicide in Delphine, Idaho, where the victims are female students at Northern Idaho University. It is far from cut and dried, and the Delphine police department seems unprepared to deal with such horror. Whether or not they need or expect help from a source like The Real Crime Network remains to be seen. But Jane’s group comes from a variety of backgrounds and expertise, making them more than just true-crime fans.

The Network, as they call themselves, makes a major misstep by looking into a male suspect who ends up being completely innocent, and they face the fire of the internet trolls. It is not the first time that they have been involved in controversy, which is also brought up. Another triple homicide occurs, which means that Jane and company will have an opportunity to restore their reputation for being the best and brightest in the game.

Lightly, who has prior law enforcement experience, gets them a meeting with an FBI agent who makes each of them honorary consultants on the case. This leads to a road trip to Idaho, where the entire group can finally meet in person while being on the scene for further investigation.

Throughout the story is the understanding that all of these events happened a year prior to the release of a book, an exposé written by the mother of one of the first Delphine victims, essentially skewering both the police and the Network.

What Winstead does in this story is masterful and extremely clever. She provides support both for and against the idea of true-crime podcasters getting too involved in very real murder cases. This makes THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME and its myriad of surprises and plot twists a great ride.