Book Review: How Can I Help You by Laura Sims

About the Book

No one knows Margo’s real name. Her colleagues and patrons at a small town public library only know her middle-aged normalcy, congeniality, and charm. They have no reason to suspect that she is, in fact, a former nurse with a trail of countless premature deaths in her wake. She has turned a new page, so to speak, and the library is her sanctuary, a place to quell old urges.

That is, at least, until Patricia, a recent graduate and failed novelist, joins the library staff. Patricia quickly notices Margo’s subtly sinister edge, and watches her carefully. When a patron’s death in the library bathroom gives her a hint of Margo’s mysterious past, Patricia can’t resist digging deeper—even as this new fixation becomes all-consuming.

Taut and compelling, How Can I Help You explores the dark side of human nature and the dangerous pull of artistic obsession as these “transfixing dual female narrators” (Kimberly McCreight) hurtle toward a stunning climax.

My Review

What a fabulous twisty story this was! I absolutely loved the interplay between Margo/Jane and Patricia, as well as the cast of quirky librarians and patrons. I too am a librarian, and was tickled at the observations and complaints that Margo made about her patrons.

The tone and pacing were perfect for the tale being told and the revelations were rolled out in a deliciously teasing way that made the story very engaging. I loved the way writers were painted as being willing to use absolutely everything around them, and found the dark humor and snarky cynicism to be both poignant and perfectly spot on.

This was a fabulous and fun read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.