A razor-sharp suspense about two local librarians whose lives become dangerously intertwined.

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.

Death at the library? A possible killer librarian? Hello! Yes, please. What makes this so enthralling is that the library is the last place you would expect to feel threatened or in danger – unless you’re in some ass-backward state like Texas or Florida where everyone is scared of books. One of the aspects that drew me to this book was the unique premise of a killer librarian. It’s rare to find a story where the main character is a seemingly ordinary person working in a public library. This twist immediately piqued my interest and definitely added an extra layer of intrigue to the story.

The two main characters, Margo and Patricia, couldn’t be more different, yet their contrast makes for a fascinating read. On the surface, Margo appears normal and harmless. Her coworkers and the patrons see her as the perfect librarian – middle-aged, kind, and always willing to help. This makes her dark secrets all the more chilling. Patricia, on the other hand, is a recent graduate and aspiring writer who joins the library staff. She is observant and intuitive. Patricia’s presence rattles Margo for some reason. She has worked at the library for two years with this same group of women, and suddenly, there’s a newbie here. It’s not long before Margo asks Patricia to coffee and takes a liking to the girl. Her comfort with Patricia leads Margo to reveal a tidbit of information from her past that piques Patricia’s interest. Bored at the library, Patricia begins to dig a bit and finds something truly disturbing. With this new piece of information, Patricia begins to look at Margo in a new light and thus begins the game of cat and mouse between the two.

The character development in “How Can I Help You” is exceptional. Margo is a complex character, with her terrifying past shaping her present actions. Like Patricia, I found myself both fascinated and a little repulsed by her. Part of this is because Sims creates a sense of empathy for Margo despite her heinous actions, making her a deeply conflicted and multi-dimensional character. Patricia’s determination to uncover the truth paints her as a resilient and determined individual, and I couldn’t help but root for her throughout the book.

Most of the book is told from Margo’s point of view, but now and then, we get a chapter from Patricia’s viewpoint, which elevates the story. Both of our characters are a little paranoid, and getting a look at both of their thought processes is exactly what is needed from a book like this.

Sims masterfully weaves together the past and present, slowly revealing Margo’s dark history and the reasons behind her transformation. Likewise, each clue Patricia uncovers about Margo’s past adds another layer to the story, slowly building towards a heart-pounding climax. Seriously – the ending had me gasping!

Overall, this is a thrilling and thought-provoking read that kept me on the edge of the couch. It clocks in at just under 250 pages, so you can easily read it in a sitting. The unique story and engaging characters make this book a must-read for fans of suspenseful psychological thrillers. If you enjoy books that keep you on the edge of your seat and challenge your perceptions, then this is the perfect novel for you.

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