Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

The Strange Case of Jane O was, in fact, a really strange novel! Karen Thompson Walker lets you know right off the bat that this won't be a typical mystery or suspense tale, but instead a psychological thriller that may actually be about ... well I won't spoil that. I really liked the straightforwardness of the prose, the way it read like doctors notes (for a good reason) and the way I could see the voice change between narrators. Jane is an unreliable as you can get in a book, but it was great to both see her point-of-view, but then see how it did or did not fit into the reality of New York in 2018.

An interesting read, definitely did not have me guessing the end!

I will read anything that Karen Thompson Walker writes.! At one point I thought I knew where the story was headed and what the twist was going to be, but I was wrong. This book kept me guessing and I loved the story format of being told in journal entries and letters. I rarely read science fiction but Karen Thompson Walker blends contemporary, mystery, and science fiction so well together that she creates an unputdownable book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fascinating book! It was a little slow to get started, but once this story got going, it was hard to put down. If you enjoy twisty stories that don't get tied up neatly in a bow you will enjoy this one. I love this author's writing style, so I didn't mind waiting to see where it was going. I have continued thinking about it ever since I finished.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I was really interested in this book and it was fascinating in many parts. Some parts, however, dragged on. The writing is very dry and I get that this is being written like a psych report. But it went in a lot of circles and that can get tedious. Still, an interesting case.

This was a really absorbing, interesting book. I enjoyed how it alternated between Jane and her psychologist. I'm a sucker for this specific type of genre (I'm not going to get into it because spoilers!), and really enjoyed how it was focused more on the humanity side of things as opposed to the technical "how it all works" side. Showing how Jane's ailment was affecting her from the psychologist's standpoint while also giving us insight to Jane's thought processes through her journal entries was pretty brilliant.

It's a strange case, for sure. I do think the book hinges a little too much on Jane's memory skills, which were a bit confusing to me, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

The Strange Case of Jane O. is a psychological mystery that kept me turning pages late into the night. Karen Thompson Walker tells a story that is both suspenseful and introspective. One day Jane shows up at the office of a psychologist, but leaves without talking to him. Later, he receives a phone call that she's been found unconscious in the park after disappearing for 24 hours and she gave his phone number as her doctor. Together they try to unravel the mystery of what is happening to her before it happens again.

The novel unfolds through two distinct but complementary perspectives: the clinical observations of Jane’s psychiatrist and Jane’s letter to her son describing her experiences. This alternating structure is one of the book’s greatest strengths, allowing the reader to experience Jane’s perspective while also seeing how others perceive her. As events progressed, I found myself eagerly anticipating each perspective, to help discern between what was 'real' and what was only part of Jane's experience.

While I was able to predict the nature of Jane’s condition fairly early on, that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. The novel is beautifully written and well-paced. Walker’s prose is elegant yet accessible, drawing the reader equally into Jane’s reality and the doctor's not-so-clinical perspective with vivid detail and emotional depth.

At its core, this novel is as much about loneliness and love as it is about the nature of reality. Though I wouldn’t call this a twist-heavy thriller, it’s a gripping and immersive read that blends psychological suspense with literary depth. Fans of Walker will find much to love here, and readers who enjoy speculative mysteries that delve into the eerie dimensions of the mind may find a new favorite author.

This was a weird and gorgeous book (keeping up the pattern by this author—I haven’t read everything, but The Age of Miracles, while totally different in plot and content, has a similar atmosphere). It starts with psychiatrist Henry Byrd’s case notes on a patient, Jane, who comes to see him after experiencing hallucinations and fugue states, and the book alternates between his notes and letters Jane has written to her child. I won’t say too much about what they discover, because the unfolding is gradual and at times surprising, if not shocking. But I will say it’s a fascinating exploration of grief and alternate realities.

I have “paranormal neuroscience” on my list as something I liked, and I will say that this is not a thing I necessarily believe in—but I do think it’s interesting to contemplate, and the author does an amazing job of examining the concept in a way that feels realistic and tender instead of sensationalist.

While it wasn’t the emphasis of the story—maybe because it wasn’t the emphasis of the story—I also loved the way the author wrote parenthood. Both narrators are single parents caring for young children, and the daily tasks and experiences are there on the page rather than being swept away, which is something I appreciate as a person whose life is not only parenthood but in which every facet is colored and affected by parenthood.

Overall, a lovely, thought-provoking, at times heartbreaking story that I will be thinking about for a long time.

Jane O has been having some strange experiences after having her son. She suffers from bouts of amnesia along with visions of a man that died twenty years ago. Seeking help, Jane starts to see a psychiatrist, Dr. Byrd. Soon even he is questioning everything he knows. Told in two perspectives, this book was clever with an intriguing plot. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thank you to the publisher. This was a 4 star read for me.

Jane's story is interesting to say the least. I was not sure originally where this was going to go, but it was clear that Walker did a lot of research for this novel. The case of Jane is frightening in ways and in others intriguing. Dr. Byrd's character is flat, in my opinion, but the character is fine for the role he plays here.

The ending was a smidge to open for me.

I really enjoyed this short novel that has some speculative elements that create a propulsive plot which can be rare in a literary novel. At heart it is about motherhood and memory.

“In my experience, it is possible to help a patient by simply bearing witness—even if, as a doctor, one cannot explain what one is witness to.”

What a fascinating and obviously very well researched story. I loved Jane and, although this book was shorter at only 288 pages, it packs quite a punch.

The Strange Case Of Jane O leaves you thinking about the workings of the brain, memory, psychology, and the human experience. Utterly fascinating.

Thank you to Random House for the complimentary copy.

Dr. Henry Byrd doesn't know what it was that initially drew Jane into his office that day, but it would change the trajectory of this life. Before they are able to make any kind of progress, Jane goes missing for 25 hours.

When Jane is found, she has no memory of what she did that day or who she interacted with.

While at first reticent, Jane does agrees to continue sessions with Dr. Byrd revealing that she has ben suffering through a series of hallucinations. Before they can dive further into this development, Jane once again disappears, this time for longer.

While all of New York is seemingly on the search for Jane, Dr. Byrd becomes ever more drawn into her psyche. Are her hallucinations that cause of being an overwrought and overworked single mother to an infant? Are there other forces at play? When Jane is found once more, talking of a disaster to come, Henry begins to question the very validity of reality itself.

I read Karen Thompson Walker's book The Dreamers years ago and remember being struck by how almost strangely ethereal the story was.

Like the aforementioned book, The Strange Case of Jane O also presents readers with a thought-provoking premise: the inner workings of the human mind.

The mind is something that is studied and tested yet still there are reaches that we can't even comprehend mainly for the simple fact that each of us are so different. The idea that Jane has of this impending disaster is quite eerie especially considering the timeframe in which the story takes place.

The story itself is slow to unfold and often meanders in the speculation of it all, but honestly, I didn't mind. I was still very driven to see how everything would ultimately unfold. I don't want to give too much away because it is a good book to go into with open eyes and mind, suffice it to say, I'm still thinking about it even after finishing it a couple of weeks ago which says something right there.

Jane has an excellent memory. When she wakes up in Prospect Park with no memory of the last day, she is confused and very concerned about what has happened to her. She's a single mom and her son's safety may be at risk. When it happens again, Jane's psychiatrist is determined to figure out what is going on.

I loved how this was told from the perspective of the psychiatrist. This book made me a little uncomfortable as it falls into the suspense category, but it is very real and possible with specific nods to things that really happened. I could relate to Jane in many ways which added to the suspense for me. It was very well written and I would definitely recommend it to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of The Strange Case of Jane O.

The Strange Case Of Jane O. is one that won't leave me anytime soon.
This is my first book by author Karen Thompson Walker, and it's impact is quite something.
Thank you to @penguinrandomhouse and @netgalley for my eARC for review!
The story is told in alternating voices, from Jane O. writing to her young son, to psychiatrist Dr. Byrd's narrative documentation.
Jane has had episodes of dissociative fugue, following which she remembers nothing. This is in contrast to her usual state of hyperthymesia, where she remembers everything she's ever paid attention to in unwavering detail.
Residents and fans of New York City will enjoy the setting, but the implications of the story are nearly as complex as the city where it takes place.
It's one where I felt compelled to go back and reread as soon as I finished, learning what I had by the end. There are no clear answers, with the events taking a sci-fi angle doused in realism.
Recommended!
Released on Feb. 25.

I loved Karen Thompson Walker’s novel The Dreamers for its unsettling mystery illness and pervasive sense of unease. This new novel has a similar vibe, with Jane’s illness and mental state providing that tension. This is a book with a lot of questions and few answers. I struggled to connect with the characters and wondered if I could trust them. Does this story have one unreliable narrator or two? Or none? I’m still not sure. This book was well-written and intriguing but it didn’t quite work for me. At some point, I ceased to care about Jane or Byrd.

This book started off so strong. The majority of the book is told from the perspective of two characters. Jane and her psychiatrist. When the book starts we're reading the summary and commentary from Jane's psychiatrist. Along the way we get to know him, his history and his family. These sections flowed really well and I was incredibly curious with what had happened to Jane and what she was experiencing. I was very curious and it felt like a very strong suspense novel.

These experiences in the book are then retold from the perspective of Jane. At times it feels like she's in a fever dream. We worry for her safety as well that of her infant son. The build up of the plot was intense and incredibly speculative.

The ending for me fell incredibly flat. It was like a child at a birthday party and someone pops your balloon or blows out your candles for you. It was a complete let down. I was underwhelmed. I was disappointed. I'm not against obscure endings in books but it felt as if the author didn't know how to finish the incredible story that she had created. Instead, she just stopped, typed one last chapter and that was it. Great concept which landed flat.

Karen Thompson Walker spins a twisy, compelling mystery reminiscent of THE SILENT PATIENT that will leave you speechless.

Thank you publishing team for the review copy (and PRH audio for the audiobook). I am a big fan of Karen Thompson Walker, The Age of Miracles was one of my favorite books the year it came out and I still think about it from time to time. This is another win for me, Walker has a talent for taking me on stories that are highly internal and existential while still being stories filled with suspense and intensity in places unexpected; her books are like puzzles but often puzzles about humanity and the mind... I love it.

The Strange Case of Jane O. reads like non-fiction and is a fascinating journey into psychology (hooray for that), making it a must-read for those who love a good mind puzzle as I do. I especially enjoyed how it challenges the reader to think deeply, with an ending that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished. The unique format—told through Dr. Byrd’s patient notes and Jane’s journal to her son—adds to the intrigue, though at times, the clinical style might feel dense to those not used to that style (it's familiar to me). I loved how the twists kept me wondering, and diving deep into my own ideas, and how the book pushed me to not just read the story but to think about it along the way.

This was a bit of a disappointment for me! I liked the unusual format, but I was underwhelmed with the story itself. I didn’t care for the ending.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy. I don't want to say much about this book, except to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found myself constantly guessing the answer to the mystery of the book. Was it time travel? Is this a ghost story? Parallel worlds? Maybe it really is a story about mental illness? It was a book that I found hard to put down, and felt compelled to learn the answer that I, and the characters in the book, sought. A well-written, and plotted novel. Highly recommended.