The Strange Case of Jane O. had me hooked from page 1. The premise is intriguing, the plot is fascinating, and Walker's writing is engaging. I loved reading this story from both the perspectives of psychiatrist Dr. Byrd, and from Jane herself through letters to her infant son. While some parts can seem a bit repetitive, there is always a new detail that makes Jane's case more interesting and mysterious. Is she truly experiencing dissociative fugue episodes? Or is she lying for some reason? I had one idea throughout most of the story, and it was wrong. I speculated the real answer toward the end, but dismissed it quickly based on my inability to believe it. I do think the ending is a bit abrupt, and I have mixed feelings about the conclusion on Jane, but overall I enjoyed this immensely. This was my second of Walker's books, and I can't wait to see what this author does next.

When I see a book categorized as sci-fi I always get nervous because sci-fi doesn't usually work for me. However, I've been loving speculative fiction and that's where this book lands. A psychiatrist meets a new patient and you are taken along for the ride. I enjoyed the structure and the writing style. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers but want something a bit more literary than a typical thriller, I recommend this one. I think it would make an interesting book club discussion!

I’ve loved Karen Thompson Walker’s previous books, so I was eager to dive into The Strange Case of Jane O. The premise was intriguing, and I found myself wanting to know what happened, but ultimately, this one didn’t quite work for me.

The novel follows Dr. Byrd, a psychiatrist, and his patient, Jane O., who possesses a perfect memory yet experiences unexplained fugue states and disappearances. Told through Dr. Byrd’s clinical notes and Jane’s letters to her son, the structure is compelling at first. However, as the story unfolds, it never fully commits to being a psychological thriller, a speculative mystery, or a multiverse exploration. Instead, it flirts with all these ideas without delving deep enough into any, leaving the narrative feeling disjointed.

While I remained engaged enough to finish, I struggled to connect with the characters, particularly Jane, whose perspective should have been the emotional core of the story. The pacing also dragged in the second half, and the ending left me feeling underwhelmed rather than satisfied.

I’ll always be excited to read Karen Thompson Walker’s work, but this one didn’t resonate with me as much as The Dreamers or The Age of Miracles. That said, readers who enjoy speculative fiction with an eerie, cerebral quality might still find it worth exploring.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The strange case of Jane o is a unique read and one I’m not sure fits any specific genre. The story is told through the case notes of psychologist Dr byer and the journal of patient “Jane.” After the birth of her baby, Jane begins to experience dread, visions of a long dead man, fugues, premonitions. She goes to Dr byer to unravel what is happening but shortly thereafter disappears, only to be found later with no memories of what happened.

Dr byer tries to uncover if Jane is having a post-partum break or if she is experiencing a repressed trauma and in the process goes to the very brink of reality in trying to find answers.

I don’t know how to classify this book as I said earlier-part medical mystery, part science-fiction, part psychological thriller the book really blends elements of all the genres without fully embracing any.

This is a quick read, and the alternating narratives add an interesting layer, as the two are almost in opposing conversation between one another. A creative read and well-written and paced.

That said I’m not sure if anything really stood out for me in this book or if this is one I will remember later into the year, but an interesting read nevertheless. More a 3.5 star than 3.0.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my third book by Karen Thompson Walker and I was as riveted with it as I was with her previous work. Science fiction (?) or psychological mystery (?) is definitely not my typical genre but her writing is so beautiful and captivating that I devour every page. I always think about her stories long after I'm done reading. This story blends psychology, medical mystery, and the intricacies of memory. I also really enjoyed how the author set up her storytelling. The voices are the session notes of the psychiatrist Dr. Byrd and his patient Jane's own writing. It was unique and really gave interesting perspective of both characters. I am excited to read what Walker creates next. Thank you to Karen Walker Thompson, Random House Publishing Group ], and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker could have been so many things, but ended up just falling flat. It appeared to lean toward a psychological thriller, paranormal experience, or even stroll in parallel universes, but ultimately barley scratched the surface of any of these and the ending leaves the reader wondering why did we go through this entire experience.

The characters were shallow and not well developed, and I could not connect to any of them. This book could have been so many things, but the author did not take the time to develop the story or characters, As a reader you just get a series of events told from two different perspectives, and az underwhelming ending.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book! I found it unique and gripping. It’s a definite 5 stars for me.

Jane O is a New Yorker who one day has a psychotic episode that she struggles to understand. She turns to Dr. Byrd, a psychiatrist. A patient-doctor relationship unfolds where both try to put the puzzle pieces together.

The story is recounted from two first-person perspectives. Dr. Byrd’s perspective is in the form of therapy session notes that he logged for himself (but that he also needs to decide if he will share with the police); Jane’s perspective is in the form of letters that she writes for her infant son to one day read as an adult.

This story captivated me because it made me question what—of Jane’s narrative—was factual and what was not—and the impact of each possibility on the outcome of the story. In this regard, I felt very much part of the story, working alongside Dr. Byrd, a police investigator and Jane herself to try to piece together the reason for Jane’s mysterious episodes.

I don’t want to say too much… this is a book where spoilers could ruin the reading experience, but I’ll say that it delves into the mysterious workings of the brain and the study (or not) of some aspects of it. This quote from the book summarizes this well:

“Certain biases in the sciences mean that we have left a great many of the most fundamental elements of human experience—and perhaps of reality itself—unstudied by our most powerful tool, the scientific method.”

This book comes out on February 25 and I highly recommend it. This is one of those books that will stay with you… that will make you think, that will make you wonder… and this, long after the book is finished.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you liked the series 'Fringe,' you might also like this book. A psychiatrist and patient share the spotlight. Dr. Byrd writes in the style of patient notes that he intends to remain private. Jane O. is writing letters to her one-year-old son Caleb.

With each page you turn in this one, you might find it more difficult for things to add up. Jane O. has a perfect memory. Yet Dr. Byrd begins to discover instances when her recollections are not collaborated by facts. Then there are the disappearances. The first is just 36 hours and occurs several days after her appearance in Dr. Byrd's office.

Stranger still, she has been seen by Dr. Byrd twenty years ago. He does not recall the visit, but Jane can describe his office in minute details.

Feel like you are entering 'The Twilight Zone?" If you are in the mood for a brain twister, give this new release a try. I will be thinking about it for quite some time.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

The Strange Case of Jane O. is a slow but oddly compelling mystery told in the style of a psychiatrist’s case notes and later, journal entries from Jane herself. What’s causing memory loss in someone who has otherwise had perfect memory all her life? And why is she suddenly misremembering other things?

I think this will appeal to those with an interest in the workings of memory or psychiatry, especially if you enjoy a medical mystery. In his notes, Dr Byrd ponders various ailments that could be causing Jane’s blackouts and hallucinations, at times going off on tangents. As Jane’s own journal is introduced to the pages, you finally start to learn more about her, her past and what it is she’s actually going through.

There is a section covering a pandemic very much like Covid, except it’s not quite the same. At first this is a bit jarring. Why not just include the pandemic as it was? But this marks a turning point and ends up a relevant part of the story. Bear in mind this is speculative fiction, so if you prefer truly realistic science to explain mysteries of the mind, it might not be your thing.

**contains spoilers**



3.7 Stars
One Liner: That’s interesting!

Jane O. suffers a few strange episodes in the year after her son’s birth. She has blackouts, hallucinations, amnesia, and a sense of dread that doesn’t leave her alone. She visits a psychiatrist, Dr. Henry, who tries to understand her case in vain.
As Jane’s situation seems to be getting worse, they need to find out the reason. Is it due to the overwhelming life as a single mother or the result of a long-buried and unresolved trauma from her past? Why did the dead man’s vision warn Jane of a disaster? Is her mind playing tricks, or is it something beyond science and human knowledge?
The story comes in the first-person POV of Dr. Henry and the journals of Jane O.

My Thoughts:
Firstly, thanks to Shelley, whose terrific review made me request the book immediately even though this is not really my genre.
The writing style can be a deal breaker. Despite getting two POVs, both have a detached sense of style. The psychiatrist’s POV is clinical despite his borderline obsession with the case. Even Jane’s journals carry a dry and matter-of-fact tone which aligns with her character arc.
The tone couldn’t have been better, if you asked me. It prevented the story from getting overly emotional or falling into pieces all over the place. I enjoyed the book as much because I liked the narrative style.
Since there’s no garnish or seasoning (descriptions), the story is focused on the plot. The pacing is great too even if it feels like nothing much has happened. In fact, that’s the point. Something is happening even when it appears as if everything is good. The sense of unease lingers in the background without distracting the reader from the events.
However, I feel the suspense (for the lack of a better word) went a bit too long. I’d liked the reveal and the explanation to come a bit earlier so that we’d have more time for the story to move ahead.
While some questions have been answered, a few are left untouched. Also, I’m not sure about a particular development on a personal level. It may or may not work for everyone. I don’t mind it but I won’t say I liked it.
The concept is actually cool. It’s exactly the kind of stuff that appeals to me. That’s why, I wanted it to be explored a bit more.
However, the book has a massive trigger for the pandemic. This occupies around 30% of the content in the second half, so please be careful.
Also, at one point, I was confused enough to go and check the news reports. Of course, the reveal explained the situation, but as an Indian I can’t say I particularly like the developments, especially considering what happened a year later, through a neighbor.

To summarize, The Strange Case of Jane O is an interesting read with what some might call unreliable narrators (I don’t think so). Not sure who I can recommend it to. I did enjoy it though!
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Random House), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I loved this book! It was the perfect mix of anxiety, unreliable narrator, and unconventional personal relationships. I have read (and loved) other books by this author, and she never fails to both satisfy and leave so much open for interpretation by the end.

This book hooked me at the beginning as we begin by reading Dr. Byrd's notes on his patient, Jane O. I was interested in Jane's story, and piecing together what was going on with her hallucinations and eventual disappearance. We switch to reading from Jane's point of view via letters she is writing to her son. Somewhere around the 50% mark, this one started to drag for me. I was more invested in Dr. Byrd's POV and when we would switch to Jane, I found I was less interested in picking the book back up. I think it could have been shorter and I may have enjoyed it more. As it stands, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys speculative fiction but I would definitely recommend this author's previous work, "The Dreamers", over this one

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy.

What a fascinating story. The story of Jane O. is a psychological thriller and a dash of sci-fi that will keep you guessing. Just when you think you know the truth, it changes. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and the glimpse into both Jane’s head and the thoughts of her psychiatrist during their time together. Jane’s story will have you questioning what you know about the mind and reality.
Thank you NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

To be shared on Amazon at release, as well as Instagram.

"The Strange Case of Jane O." is the third novel by an author I love! Karen Thompson Walker is an author whose novels are chock-a- block full of a world view firmly based in the real world, but just as securely infused with the wonder, mystery, danger, and intrigue of the very best of speculative science fiction.

The story revolves around a New York Public Library librarian who inexplicably goes missing for a day only to be found facedown in Prospect Park with no memory of her missing time. Those facts, in and of themselves, wouldn't seem so unusual following what, for most people, would be an extremely traumatic experience. What makes this experience so unusual is that the librarian (the titular Jane O.) has been in possession since early childhood of the extraordinary and rare ability to remember every single detail from every single day in her entire life.

Every. Single. Day.😵‍💫
Every. Single. Detail.😱

What the reader is gifted with from that shocking opening is truly a mesmerizing puzzle comprised of bits and pieces, hints and clues, of a reality wrapped up within fiction. Or could it be fiction pushing itself into the reality of its choice?? It is an absolutely fascinating tale of memory and how it shapes and informs ones identity... or is it identity that makes sense of ones memories?? As you can probably sense, this novel is one that will challenge the reader to think and rethink, and then close your eyes and say, "I think I need a little nap from all this thinking!!" 🤔

I highly recommend this soon to be released (February 25, 2025) novel by one of my favorite authors, Karen Thompson Walker.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for offering me the opportunity to read and review a galley proof of this thought-provoking novel.

#thestrangecaseofjaneo
#Karen Thompson Walker
#NetGalley

Wow. Wow. Okay this book was WILD.

There's something that feels illicit about reading a book composed of a psychiatrist's notes and letters from a woman experiencing some kind of psychological episode. I love it.

I will say, the twist was fairly easy to predict, but I didn't even mind. Because even though I had worked out the ending, I didn't know what method the author would use to reach it, and that is what made it thrilling. You really get the sense while reading that these are two different people, fully fleshed out, and that's impressive to do while writing from a dual first-person perspective. Kudos.

It is not often that I find myself on the edge of my seat while reading, but this book managed it. Highly recommend.

I totally enjoyed the fact that Karen Thompson Walker chose to use transcripts of notes from psychiatrist Dr. Byrd juxtaposed with events from Jane’s perspective. Jane’s mind is a total puzzle throughout this read - I found myself constantly trying to put pieces together so they may fit to make a complete picture. Is she telling the truth? She has some incredibly amazing skills that are so very unbelievable but then they do seem to be unbelievable as she tells her story.
The reoccurrence of Nico was very intriguing to me. The silver guitar was another touching addition. A masterful touch to add further questions by the reader. I found myself feeling sad for poor little Caleb…is he safe living with Jane? I am not convinced of that.
This is definitely going to be a somewhat controversial read. I find myself on the fence as far as a rating goes. I found myself loving aspects of this read while I found others somewhat jarring and seemed to me to interrupt the pacing of the story. The fact that her mother chose to leave once the monitoring ankle bracelet was on really frustrated me given that she was seemingly placing Caleb at risk.
Many thanks to Karen Thompson Walker, Random House, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this thought provoking read.

I won't be the only one who went "huh?" more than once while reading this tale of a woman with a perfect memory who experiences fugue states and her psychiatrist who has an interest in premonitions. Jane tells her story through letters to her son Caleb, who is a baby during the events here, while Dr. Byrd tells it contemporaneously 2018 as he tries to help her, her parents. and the police. Why does Jane keep disappearing and how is it tied to her high school friend? And what is the connection to the mysterious virus in India? It's an intriguing one that kept me reading and hoping for answers even as I became more confused. It's not straightforward and neither Jane nor Byrd is a reliable narrator. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This left me wondering what really happened (what did I miss) and somewhat unsatisfied but definitely intrigued.

I love the books of Karen Thompson Walker and definitely recommend her to someone who would like to try speculative fiction but doesn't like science fiction or space. You will be in good hands here.

The story follows psychiatrist who is treating a patient who is suffering blackouts. The plot is compelling and I really liked the two main characters. The ending is honorable but bittersweet. This book will give you all the feels!

Content Warning: Pandemic Content


In The Strange Case of Jane O., Karen Thomas Walker looks at the mind and what miracles it can perceive.
Dr. Henry Byrd has one appointment with Jane O. If you could call it an actual appointment—the woman only stayed for 14 minutes before she rushed out. Three days later, he is called to the hospital when Jane gives his name after a fugue where she cannot remember where she has been. Jane begins to have regular periods of amnesia and hallucinations. Her fugue states become worse. Are Jane’s strange experiences related to the overwhelming state of single motherhood, or are they the manifestation of a long-buried trauma from her past? Why is she having visions of a young man who died twenty years ago, who warns her of a disaster ahead? Or is this something more metaphysical and she is looking into the multiverse?
I had high hopes for this book. But I was rather disappointed. I found this book rather boring starting with the age-old trope of a male psychiatrist becoming obsessed with his attractive female patient to the point that he neglects his family. Even in the fictional world women are not safe in healthcare (and a woman wrote this!). We get the story through the doctor’s notes/stream of consciousness. They are rather clinical as they should be since they are notes though it’s never clear who he is talking to.
I was very happy when the prose switched to Jane writing letters to her child. But most of the time, the information seemed irrelevant. There is little insight into the actual events. She has no idea where she goes, so she can’t shed light. She can only lend information about the “hallucinations” she has. She seems to have two different kinds of events, but the doctor claims they are the same thing and that she is doing something miraculous.
The banal writing aside, I was angry with Walker. We just lived through a horrible pandemic. So many people died and even more were sick. Some of us had to have kidney transplants because of it. And here she goes, adding in another pandemic playing around with what could have happened if New York had been hit with another. This is thoughtless, crass, and cruel. She could have made up something completely fictitious and her point would have just as easily been made. There is so much trauma built around COVID that many people won’t read books about it so surprising readers with a pandemic is irresponsible.
The Strange Case of Jane O wants to be Sliding Doors but fails to execute the idea entertainingly while bringing up trauma from a historical pandemic.

I really liked The Dreamers so I was holding my breath until the end while reading this one. Read this if you like character studies, psychological anomalies, and concepts that tease the edges of our known realities.