How Can I Help You is told from the point of view of two protagonists, Margo and Patricia. Margo seems to enjoy her job in a small town library, but she isn't who she seems. Patricia is a frustrated writer who has just taken a job at the library after deciding she's "failed" as a writer. The story alternates between the two of them, and it's fascinating to see how they both view the same events differently. Margo is desperate to befriend Patricia as she feels seen by her. Patricia is fascinated by Margo, but she also gives her the chills; she suspects that Margo isn't who she appears to be on the surface, and she then starts writing about her.

It is a bit of a slow burn, but I was invested from page 1 as it is brilliantly written and draws you in from the start. I really wanted to keep reading to see where it went and learn more about both characters. I also enjoyed some of the interactions between the protagonists and the patrons. Anyone who has had a job that involves the general public will relate to those comical moments.

I felt that the ending came about quite suddenly and seemed quite rushed. Perhaps I'm greedy, but I just wanted more! I'd also have loved to have learned more about Margo's backstory, about exactly how the events in her childhood came about and more about why she felt compelled to do the things she had done throughout her life.

Generally, though, I loved the writing, the idea, and the characters. This was my first by Laura Sims, but it won't be my last.

Laura Sims has succeeded in producing a slow-paced thriller that generates enough suspense through the psychological battle between two contrasting figures. It is also satisfying to the addicted reader in me that the setting of a library and the importance of the plot points of certain books to the plot have been used wisely by her.

The Dark Side..
The lives of two librarians become inextricably intertwined in this dark, edgy and cutting tale of suspense set in a small town public library. Secrets and scandals are undeniably at the root of everything as the past surfaces, the present becomes impacted and obsessions overtake everything. With a deftly drawn cast of keenly observed characters, a well imagined setting and a premise that amply delivers, this a delicious delve into the dark side of the human psyche yet well peppered with a bleak and breaking humour.

I loved this book. Deliciously dark with dry humour and I even found myself almost rooting for our main character!

Thank you to NetGalley UK and VERVE Books for an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

How Can I Help You is an addictive, read-in-one-sitting, dual POV psychological thriller about Margo and Patricia, two troubled women who both work at the Carlyle Public Library. These two main characters are obsessive, secretive, and unlikeable which made me want to keep reading to find out what they were going to do next. Add the vivid library setting, with its dullness and revolting smells and characters, and watch as the creep level rises. While I overall enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to thriller fans, I felt that the pace and tension varied throughout the book, which made me lose interest at points, but this may not be the case for other readers. Overall, How Can I Help You is the perfect book if you are looking for a disturbing, descent-into-madness type of thriller!

How Can I Help You by Laura Sims offers a refreshingly unique and thoroughly enjoyable twist to the psychological thriller genre, set predominantly within the confines of a public library. The narrative revolves around two women with complex pasts, initially drawn to each other but gradually becoming uneasily entwined.

Patricia, with her reserved demeanor, steps into the realm of Margo, the self-proclaimed "Queen of the Library." As the two women attempt a tentative friendship, their interactions reveal a subtle dance of attraction and discomfort. The story unfolds at a deliberate pace, allowing the complexities of their characters to surface.

Notably, one of the women, hindered by a lack of social skills, drops cryptic clues about a dark and troubling past. This slow-burning narrative style adds an intriguing layer of suspense to the story. The library setting provides a unique backdrop for the psychological dynamics between the characters, making the book a standout in its genre. Overall, it promises a gripping and distinctive exploration of psychological suspense within the seemingly ordinary world of a public library.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This solid thriller is a refreshing change of pace. Punchy and fast paced, How Can I Help You wastes no time drawing the reader into its dark mystery. Sims succeeds where so many writers fail: managing to strike the perfect balance between withholding information to maintain mystery but keeping the reader engaged. The story moves along at a great clip that makes it hard to drag yourself away from the page. Would recommend this for any fans of complex, unlikeable leads.

Once Patricia is introduced into Margo’s pretend new life, I was heavily involved. I think to add to the suspense, I was in hospital at the time of reading. This made me look at the nurses in a more sinister way at times when they were injecting ‘medicine’ into my IV.
Patricia just wanted a story, but in turn she can help herself… is she projecting or does she see a slice of herself in Margo’s old personality?!
I loved this book, very short but intense unique entanglement.

A slow burn full of tension that only really gets going at 50% in but my goodness does it get going and fast 🔥 The dual POV definitely helped move things along after that. At only 256 pages I feel like more could have happened in the first half but since reading, I’m wondering if there is .a sequel in the works? It’s set up perfectly to carry on where How Can I Help You finishes and I would love to see where things go…

Thank you to VERVE Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book before it publishes. How Can I Help You is out in the UK on 25th January! #HowCanIHelpYouNovel #NetGalley

It’s just fun reading about people who are reading or in this case reading about people who are working in a library. It feels like some kind of inside joke.

The main protagonists of this book are Margot and Patricia. Both of them are working as librarians and become colleagues. But one of them isn’t who she pretends to be.
Margot lied not only about her name but also about her work credentials as she has a lot to hide about her past occupation.
Patricia soon becomes suspicious of Margot and as a recently failed novelist she can’t help but getting intrigued, even though some might call it an obsession.
Soon it becomes a cat-and-mouse game for those two. But who will come out of this as a winner?

A bizarre slow burn thriller that had me hooked. The narration switched between Margot’s POV and Patricia’s POV. This gave us insight in their dark and twisted minds, even though we have to keep in mind that they’re also both unreliable.
It definitely gives off some Gothic vibes, not only because of their mentions of Shirley Jackson.
It’s suspenseful and will have you entertained all of the 256 pages

Set in a library, How Can I Help You follows Margo, who’s not at all who her colleagues think she is, and Patricia, a frustrated writer, new to the small town where she’s taken up the post of reference librarian.
Once an ICU nurse, Margo has worked as a circulation assistant for two years, accepted by her colleagues who see her as a good sport. When Patricia arrives, Margo’s slightly rattled but determined to make friends, uncharacteristically letting slip a detail about her past that fans Patricia’s writerly curiosity already ignited by her discovery of Margo apparently trying to save an elderly patron, collapsed in the toilet. Patricia spends her days writing in her notebook when she should be doing her job while Margo begins to unravel, increasingly suspicious of her new colleague.
Laura Sims alternates her narrative between Margo and Patricia ratcheting up the tension nicely culminating in a breakneck race to the denouement which fit the novel well. There’s lots of dark humour to enjoy along the way but Sims is careful not to make Margo a caricature. A thoroughly enjoyable piece of crime fiction which reminded me of Alice Slater’s excellent Death of a Bookseller.

A great, quick read! Margo is a wonderfully intriguing character. From the very beginning it is obvious how manipulative and deceiving she is and this only strengthens as her secrets are revealed. When Patricia arrives her at the library, the new life Margo has created for herself begins to crumble slowly. This leads to a brilliantly unexpected ending which is perfectly timed.

** spoiler alert ** This was dark and excellent writing but really too many holes in the plot. I couldn’t enjoy it for that reason and the end …. Not great - I really enjoyed the mystery side and the dark characters but just seemed something missing with this one and really not feasible at all and I'm not the kind of reader to not critically think about plot.

What a read in under 250 pages! You'll read this short yet engaging narrative in one sitting! It is written from the povs of the two main characters, Margo and Patricia, who we follow in a steam of consciousness writing through the story. The chapters often follow the same narrative from both perspectives, adding fresh details and hints about the people to make the plot progress and keep us interested.

I loved Laura Sims' previous novel so had very high hopes for this one and I'm so pleased to say that I loved it! This is a slow burn psychological novel that really gets under your skin. We follow Margo who works at the library but she has a dark secret in her past and is determined to keep it hidden whilst also wanting to feel those feelings all over again. One day Patricia joins the library and Margo seems quite fascinated by her. We then see Patricia's story and she is a failed novelist who is determined to make it as a writer and she starts writing down things about Margo. The two women are fascinated by each other but never quite become friends as they warily circle each other's lives. The tension in this book gets so ramped up that I had to remind myself to breathe as I got nearer the end. The ending of the novel is shocking and it's one I keep finding myself thinking about. I loved this novel and I highly recommend it!

I can confidently say this book kept me hooked and I devoured it in one sitting. Although it is short, I think it was the perfect length for this story and feel if it was any longer I would be bored!

Ery short but I loved every second of it! Such a fresh concept and worlds apart for any other book I've read recently. It's well plotted out and the characters are so well written and fleshed out. As I said, it is a short read but immensely enjoyable for anyone wanting a nice wee thriller!

What a quick 250 ish pages!
I enjoyed this page to page so much was crammed in!
A perfect psychological crime book for short evenings!

Perfect

This was a decent short read over a couple of days. It tells the story of Margo, previously a nurse with a dark past who starts working in a library. When Patricia joins the library team, she starts to figure out a little too much about Margo. There's been quite a few stories like this recently. While this is entertaining, I wouldn't say it's the best of them and ends up being fairly predictable. Still it did keep me hooked for the couple of days while I was reading it.

Well, this was a pleasant surprise! 'How Can I Help You' was compulsively readable and I flew through it- it's possibly even one of my favourite books I've read this year! It tells the story of a killer nurse (inspired by the true tale of 'The Good Nurse') who is lying low in a small town to evade capture - and gets a job at a local library. The story alternates in viewpoint between Margot (or Jane, the killer nurse) and Patricia, a new recruit at the library's research station - Patricia is a failed author who becomes increasingly suspicious of her colleague Margot (and also becomes inspired by her). I was completely gripped by this thriller and loved the writing- the only thing that let it down is the ending felt far too rushed. Thanks to Netgalley for this early copy - UK publication date is 25th July 2024 (I believe it's already out in the US). I'd definitely recommend picking up a copy if you enjoy a cosy thriller!