The Strange Case of Jane O.
26 February 2026Imprint: Manilla Press
Synopsis
'Moving and unexpected. It lingers in the mind' Guardian
'An extraordinary book' Daily Mail
'Brilliant and unforgettable' Karen Russell
'A tantalising and satisfying mystery' Claire Fuller
'Mind-bending and soul-altering' Jessamine Chan
'Mesmerising' Publisher's Weekly
'An exhilarating and riveting must-read' Kirkus Starred Review
'Heart-expanding . . . inquisitive, brilliantly-crafted' Florence Knapp
WHAT IF YOU COULD REMEMBER EVERYTHING, EXCEPT THE DAY YOU DISAPPEARED?
A young woman, Jane O., arrives in a psychiatrist's office. She's been suffering a series of worrying episodes: amnesia, premonitions, hallucinations and an inexplicable sense of dread. But as the psychiatrist struggles to solve the mystery of what is happening in Jane's mind, she suddenly goes missing. When she is found a day later, unconscious in a park, she has no memory of what has happened to her.
Are Jane's strange experiences related to the overwhelm of single motherhood, or long-buried trauma from her past? Why is she having visions of a young man who died twenty years ago, who warns her of disaster ahead? Jane's symptoms will lead her psychiatrist to question everything he once thought he knew . . .
Profound and beautifully written, THE STRANGE CASE OF JANE O. is a speculative mystery about memory, identity and fate, a mesmerising story about the bonds of love between a mother and child, a man and a woman, and the haunting, unexplained mysteries of the human mind.
'An extraordinary book' Daily Mail
'Brilliant and unforgettable' Karen Russell
'A tantalising and satisfying mystery' Claire Fuller
'Mind-bending and soul-altering' Jessamine Chan
'Mesmerising' Publisher's Weekly
'An exhilarating and riveting must-read' Kirkus Starred Review
'Heart-expanding . . . inquisitive, brilliantly-crafted' Florence Knapp
WHAT IF YOU COULD REMEMBER EVERYTHING, EXCEPT THE DAY YOU DISAPPEARED?
A young woman, Jane O., arrives in a psychiatrist's office. She's been suffering a series of worrying episodes: amnesia, premonitions, hallucinations and an inexplicable sense of dread. But as the psychiatrist struggles to solve the mystery of what is happening in Jane's mind, she suddenly goes missing. When she is found a day later, unconscious in a park, she has no memory of what has happened to her.
Are Jane's strange experiences related to the overwhelm of single motherhood, or long-buried trauma from her past? Why is she having visions of a young man who died twenty years ago, who warns her of disaster ahead? Jane's symptoms will lead her psychiatrist to question everything he once thought he knew . . .
Profound and beautifully written, THE STRANGE CASE OF JANE O. is a speculative mystery about memory, identity and fate, a mesmerising story about the bonds of love between a mother and child, a man and a woman, and the haunting, unexplained mysteries of the human mind.
Details
26 February 2026288 pages
9781786585066Imprint: Manilla Press
Reviews
An extraordinary book. The author takes familiar psychological thriller tropes and throws them up in the air to produce something truly original . . . The flawless storytelling is shared by Jane and Dr Byrd, and produces a narrative that successfully operates on several levels - simultaneously asking questions about the nature of being alive while still being a good old-fashioned page-turner.Daily Mail
Both moving and unexpected . . . An unusual, involving read. Jane's case is strange indeed; more than that, it lingers in the mind.Guardian
A mesmerizing tale about the mysteries of the brain, the limits of rationality and the magic of love.People Magazine
The Strange Case of Jane O. is a brilliant and unforgettable novel, at once a metaphysical thriller, a psychological mystery, and a profound love story-a book for every haunted heart. I couldn't put it down.Karen Russell, Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author of Swamplandia!
