More Than Us, written by Silchester-based author Jo O’Neill, will be released on Thursday, August 28.
Blending the supernatural with gritty realism, the story examines coercive control, cultural misogyny, and the power of complicity through the lens of a charismatic public servant who hides his true nature behind a carefully constructed façade.
More Than Us, written by Jo O’Neill, will be released in August. (Image: Paul Wilkinson/The Book Guild Ltd) O’Neill said: “I didn’t set out to write about the supernatural, but I wanted to give agency to the victims.
“So many stories about serial killers focus on the villain, reducing the victims to ‘bodies’ — voiceless, a riddle to be solved. This is not that kind of story.”
At the heart of More Than Us is the story of Bailey, whose once-bright future has dimmed under the manipulative hold of the unnamed killer.
Her friend Sophie watches helplessly as Bailey is drawn deeper into his web of psychological control, knowing all too well the danger he poses—not just to the living, but to those who have already fallen victim to him.
The killer is described as addicted to control, finding it even more satisfying than murder.
The book draws comparisons to The Lovely Bones but is described as featuring “adult ghosts,” offering a haunting perspective from those trapped in his orbit.
Its title reflects a broader theme of collective trauma and resilience.
O’Neill said: “As for the title. To quote the book: ‘This was about more than us.
“He was one man, and we were his victims, but neither he nor we were the first, the only, or the last.’”