Jane Doe: A Jane Doe Thriller

Have you ever read a book that grabs you from the very beginning, drags you under and you become completely immersed in the story - even though the narrator, who is a self-described sociopath, is not a character you would usually find yourself cheering for? Well, that is what happened in ‘Jane Doe’ by Victoria Helen Stone for me. From start to finish I felt engaged in Jane’s story. Understanding and relating to her pain, her anger, her desires and her need for revenge. There is a line about halfway through Jane Doe that pretty much sums up the whole book for me: "The kill is fun, but toying with your prey is really the best part." The book is narrated by our titular Jane. She is a sociopath and is very smart having studied the people and relationships around her and learned to mimic the behaviours expected of her, making her a master manipulator. This has made for a very successful lawyer, but she has no true friendships or connections apart from her best friend Meg. Jane loved Meg more than anything else in this world as she was the only person to make Jane feel normal. However, we quickly learn that Meg recently took her life leaving Jane adrift without an emotional anchor. Jane’s rage over loosing Meg crystallising into revenge against the person she blames for Meg taking her own life: Steven Hepsworth, Meg’s old boyfriend. She takes a leave of absence from her job in Malaysia, changes her appearance, adopts a new persona and gets a job working in data entry at Steven’s company. It doesn’t take long for Steven to become attracted to the ‘new’ Jane and her façade of an insecure and vulnerable woman. The story progresses from there with Jane’s inner dialogue providing a delightfully contemptuous voice through their interactions. As the story progresses there are other characters introduced and it is interesting to see the juxtaposition in Jane’s interaction with them. We also get tantalising titbits of information about Jane's past that I am hoping will be explored further in future books. However, always central to the story is her developing plan for revenge and relationship with Steven. Overall, the story progresses without any parts feeling slow or stilted. I found the ending wrapped up maybe a tad too quickly, but still deeply satisfying. I can't remember who recommended I read 'Jane Doe' and I really wish I could so I could thank them for introducing me to this incredible book. However, I will recommend this book to whomever reads this review. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up buying the Audible version so I could revisit Jane in all her sociopathic glory. If you are more of an audio book person, the narrator Nicol Zanzarella does an incredible job with the story. 5 out of 5 stars!

Wow. This was not my usual kind of read. Yes, I have read a few novels in the past with sociopath narrators. Michael Cox's neo-Victorian THE MEANING OF NIGHT comes to mind as one that particularly left an impression. But this is the first time that I found myself so sympathetic to a character lacking usual human feelings, guilt and conscience. It helped that Jane here was not a psychopathic killer. She had, up to the present of this book, been living a "normal", law-abiding, ordinary life, even though lacking the personality chip which would allow her to feel emotion or understand feelings and emotions of others. She's smart and observant and has trained herself, by reading, watching movies, interacting in real life with others, to almost understand the human condition. And she's not completely unfeeling. Jane had a best friend, Meg, whom one could almost say she loved. Or perhaps she loved the fact that around Meg she felt almost "normal". So when Meg became involved with a misogynistic, emotionally-abusive man, whose abuse/loving-charm cycle led to Meg's suicide, Jane takes time off from her job in Malaysia to come back to Minnesota on a mission to avenge Meg's death. Jane is more or less playing it by ear. Will she kill Steven, the hypocritical, church-going abuser? Or will she somehow destroy him personally and professionally? Neither method of revenge would cause Jane any remorse, so I just sat back in my reading chair to find out how it would all play out. This was a fascinating read. I'm not a psychologist or psychiatrist but I felt as if the author had done some good homework on what it means to be a sociopath. (And it's not all evilness and cruelty, lest you be afraid to read this book.) There's also a good bit of social observation on humans in general and on the hypocrisy of many God-fearing churchgoers to be found here. I found myself liking Jane more than I would the average sociopath. (And I do know a non-criminal one personally who is very charming on the surface.) The author gives her some saving graces in her interesting relationships with a cat she adopts and with an old college boyfriend she accidentally meets up with again. It also helps that the man Jane plots revenge on shows himself to lack saving graces of his own. BTW, if you are a romance reader, you may have read this author before. Victoria Helen Stone is the pen name Victoria Dahl uses to write her darker books. As Dahl she has written many historical and contemporary romances in the past.

The premise was one I simply couldn’t resist. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, something along the line of American Psycho perhaps. And this is where we really learn of the differences between psychopaths and sociopaths, JANE DOE is the latter. It is not gory, so fear not of blood spatters and gore. But how one can see the twisted appealing ways of being a sociopath! This is a fabulously entertaining book, and quite enlightening as well. I’m sure Ms. Stone did a considerable amount of research, because I recognised a few people I had known in my life, and it explained another, and for that, I am thankful. JANE DOE is also filled with scathing comments about our hypocritical society. And JANE DOE is ingenious, clever, unique, brilliant, and oddly wickedly satisfying. I will not say one word about the plot, I think one should go in blind, and enjoy this utterly different story. It’s quite a voyage to peek into the mind of a sociopath and watch her in action: JANE DOE is told exclusively in first person from Jane’s POV, and it is riveting as we see her think, and act, and wonder. JANE DOE is superbly written, there is not one dull moment, the characters are magnificently fleshed out, the pace is sustained throughout, and it is perfectly edited: not one minuscule mistake to be found. I am so glad that I went with my gut and picked up this amazing book, which will be reread and will remain on my keeper shelf. Absolutely fantastic! Victoria Helen Stone has gained a new fan!

This book was savage 🤣 I wouldn’t say a thriller, but I really enjoyed it. And finished it quick, which was nice because the book before took FOREVER for me to finish! I definitely recommend :)

It’s a love story from a sociopath. Loved this book, always love finding an author that just blows me away. I’m in the midst of the follow up book…but this one is so funny, so touching, so life affirming, all in the middle of an over the top revenge read. My feelings for the fmc, I wanted to step into the book and mother Jane…I wanted to heal her. She was such an extreme character, but at the same time, very real to me. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year, out of hundreds so far.

If you want a book that make you cheer for the semi-evil, amoral, revenge minded protagonist, you must read Jane Doe. Jane, the female protagonist is a sociopath, or so she believes herself to be because of her horrible upbringing. She fakes emotions and reactions, although there is a small beacon of humanity that comes in the form of her best friend and college roommate Meg, who kills herself because of a man- her boyfriend Steven, the self-righteous, egotistical, pretends to be a god Christian, but thinks women are below him SOB. The entire plot of Jane Doe is avenging Meg, the one person she loved, and making Steven suffer. The joy in reading this book is watching Jane plot and plan Steven's downfall with such delicious intent. Also Jane has a cat she just calls cat. Being privy to Jane's thoughts and ideas is the ultimate joy in reading Jane Doe. You cheer her on as she takes on many roles to suit the situation. She plays the doormat for Steven to invade his life in a way that is very sneaky, and somewhat cautious. She wants to make him suffer, not just for a small period in his life, but forever. She has murderous thoughts about offing Steven, but what would be the fun in that? Jane has less than two months to bring Steven down, which seems to be a heavy prospect, but Jane is up to the challenge. Soon enough Steven falls for Jane's fake persona. Even his father falls for Jane, which is his biggest mistake because he will suffer also. Jane is not a typical villain who chills you to the bone with her actions. She's the type of character you sympathize with, and may even want to be friends with. Her emotions and feelings are complex because she does have a soft spot for her cat, Meg's mother and a former boyfriend she meets again while trying to bring Steven down. She used sex as a weapon and also finds incredible joy in food. She shows the world what they wants to see and believe, proving Jane is a master manipulator who rules over the chess board because everyone around her is playing checkers. The last few chapters are intense and will make your jaw drop, as well as applaud when Jane wins. Jane Doe would have been a 5 star read for me, but I wish I had more insight on why Jane connected with Meg on such a deep level. Jane tells us Meg is such a good person, but it was more telling and showing. I wanted to see more of that connection in flashbacks and why Jane was so bereft over Meg's death. Victoria's writing here is very different from her historical romances under Victoria Dahl. Writing as Victoria Helen Stone is the next step in her career, and very welcomed. Jane Doe may start a new trend with her Jane, and one I welcome. Jane Doe would be a great movie that will have you cheering as Jane stalks and tortures her victim, Steven, much like a serial killer would do. So wickedly delicious. A must read. Katiebabs

I read a lot of books, news ones every week, as well as frequent rereads. This is not my usual style of book, but the reviews were gushing and the premise intriguing, and it came at a discount, so I took a (small) risk and downloaded it. I just loved this book! I highlight sentences that make me laugh, or think, or I just notice because they are so well written and to the point, and here I was highlighting all over. The writing was pithy and clever and just satisfying. I loved Jane's inner voice, speaking for the psychopath within us all! The book occurs because Jane's best friend, Meg, killed herself. Here's how Jane describes it "We were both thirty when she killed herself, and she'll be thirty forever now. I will age and age and age without her." And this was just a throw away line "Fall is my favorite season. It reminds me of myself, all hollow and cool. And despite the dying crispness of it, people still find it beautiful. Maybe they could feel that way about me too." I liked it so much I pre-ordered the next one, which is not out till next year! (There's no cliff hanger ending, I just want to spend more time with Jane and see what she gets up to.) I rate this a keeper and a happy find.

Jane Doe was a pleasure to read. A female psychopath with the desire for revenge. Just wonderful! From the first page, I was enthralled by Victoria Helen Stone's writing. I was obsessed with Jane and her callously and unapologetic way of using her mind and her body to gain the trust of Steven, her target. The man who was able to take away from Jane the only thing she valued. Jane knew from a very young age that she was different. She has always been in control. Once, after taking a psychology class she realized what she really was. She does have some issues with impulse control. What Jane wants, Jane gets. In this case, Jane wants Steven to pay and if this means Steven family has to pay, more the merrier. I love being in Jane's head. She manipulated Steven so well and he deserved whatever was coming for him. Her dark humor and her interaction with her cat had me either laughing or smiling most of the time. The addition of a certain ex-boyfriend to the mix made it all even more interesting for me. "A cat. Another little sociopath to curl up beside me at night and keep me warm.” Jane Doe is refreshing, twisted and dark but without the gory. The ending was perfection! Cliffhanger: No 4/5 Fangs

I loved this book so much. The establishment of characters is full. The way the main protagonist thinks of herself is fascinating. Despite what you'd think would be a straight forward story the book has tensions that keep you guessing about what's really going on. There is a sense of danger. Not just from Jane but also *for* her. Just a very good, tense, engrossing read with a most satisfying ending. Buy it!

A compelling thriller. I actually kept this one on the shelf for a while as I was concerned it would give me the creeps, but in fact (despite the heavy emphasis on her being a sociopath) Jane's motivations are pretty relatable , even though her actions are extreme. I was curious to see what she would do in the end.

Things I loved - 1. Storytelling Skills 2. Writing Skills 3. Character Development Other Observations- 1. As it has been written in first person, you feel connected to the protagonist. 2. The suspense is intriguing and you just read it to know how everything ends. 3. The way it has been written makes the novel very engaging. 4. Could have added more missions but that would have made it a khichdi. 5. There are few things that may seem weird but its pardonable . 6. Might seem slow,but the way it has been written,compensates for the speed. 7. A novel on 'how to take advantage of addictions and weaknesses'. Final Rating = 4.5

I really really liked it. I liked it enough that I think I might start reading everything this author writes.

An excellent tale of well plotted revenge with a well written and incredibly self aware main character., and a villain you just love to hate. The author definitely has a clear understanding of human nature. Definitely recommend this one.