Going into this, I was drawn by the basic plot of 'librarian detective' and that gave me enough to jump in. In this story, Hester, our librarian, is approached by a concerned sister who is looking for her brother who has been missing for years. She has some property that belongs to both of them that she wants to sell, but she needs his permission in order to do so. Hester is immediately on the case, but has Kate, her good friend's daughter, and a dog in tow as she goes in search of Sam in the Boston metro. Little does she know how uncomplicated the search would be and how much conflict Sam has been building in his life over the years. While the plot of this is interesting enough, I kind of felt the summary was a bit of false advertising. Sure, Hester knew how to research, but we never see her actually doing anything really librarian based. It felt like a ploy to draw in librarians (*raises hand*) in to read the story. The characters were not overly interesting. The plot was intricate enough to keep you going for a while, but the only thing that kept me going to the end was to see if Hester survived the scramble between Gabe and Sam. So much of this just fell flat. I don't plan on reading more of this series.

Hester Thursby is a Harvard research librarian with a knack for finding things. She's good at research, so when Lila Blaine comes to her, asking for help finding her long-lost brother, Sam, Hester figures it will be another easy job in what has become a side-business for her. Hester has some extra time, as she's on leave from her job as she and her partner, Morgan, try to navigate life with his niece, Kate, whom they are caring for since her own mom has disappeared. But finding Sam--who may have left with his friend Gabe, a foster kid, isn't as easy as it seems. Sam has no wish to be found. He's now a con man who cozies up to the rich and his latest mark, Wendy Richards, a Boston socialite, has the ability to give him all he's ever dreamed of: wealth, status, security, and more. When Hester's investigation threatens this, there's no limit to what Sam and Gabe may do.

This was an intriguing mystery that definitely held my interest. Somehow it was darker and grittier than I expected (sorry, I probably wasn't giving librarians enough credit here), but that certainly didn't diminish my interest at all. The opposite really. Hester is a fascinating character, to say the least. A lot of toughness, smarts, and dedication wrapped into a tiny package (she's 4'9"). She's dealing with a lot, taking on care of three-year-old Kate and a leave of absence, but that doesn't stop her from tracking down subjects and tangling with whomever she meets. She, Kate, and their basset hound, Waffles, are on the case.

The book is told from multiple POV, so we hear from a whole host of characters, including Gabe and Sam. Hill is a wonderful storyteller, and really puts you in the shoes of his characters. And boy, are some of these folks creepy. Terrible things happen in this story, and some of these people are downright despicable. Yet, he still captures the intense longing of Gabe, a foster child, and shows how Hester, who also had a tough childhood, can identify with him. Each character is an individual with their own voice. It's incredibly easy to get caught up in the tale of Gabe, Sam, and Lila and their past at Little Comfort, a lake house, plus Hester, Morgan, and Kate (oh sweet little Kate). I read the second half of the book in one determined setting, fascinated to find out what was going to happen. It's not edge-of-your-seat suspense, per se, but it's wonderful characterization and dark, mesmerizing plotting. So many secrets, so many lies to unravel.

Overall, while this one was more complicated and edgier than I was planning going into it, that was fine with me. Hester is a great character, and I'm really excited that this is a series. Hill is an excellent writer, who knows how to hold my interest with a well-paced thriller. I'm quite looking forward to seeing what Hester is up to next.

A huge thanks to Larissa at Kensington Publishing for my copy of this novel and the second book in the series, The Missing Ones. I can't wait to tackle it soon!

343 wonderful pages this book was written so wonderful unlike any other book I've ever read and I can't wait to start the second book this was a first for me by Edwin Hill.... Hester Thursby is hired by Lila to find Sam her brother
And Gabe.. who have just disappeared.
She wants to sell little comfort.. Lila has been getting postcards for quite some time from Sam... she's decided to hire Hester to try to find her brother she would like to sell little comfort.. now I'm not one to give away things in books because I want you the reader to dive in and find all the twisted things that happen in this book.. the reasons I couldn't put it down right into the night the things that happened to Twig in the park.. why she was only at the party for only a few minutes.. why Sam has so many names as does Gabe this was a book you won't want to put down you will definitely want to grab the next book .. I just don't want to give any spoilers.. there's so much I want to tell you but I want you to read the book and I promise you won't be disappointed.. if you're an animal lover you will love waffles.. and Kate the three year old little girl in this book you will also love her.. but Sam he's the most twisted.. what a fabulous book Thank You Edwin Hill for writing such a wonderful story and carrying on with more books..

When possible, I like to read thematically. But devoting August to ARCs, I didn't expect I could. Nevertheless, I've read several in the past few days that include certain ugly topics and that leave me emotionally wrung out (and often feeling vigilante-ish). This is certainly true of the first of the Hester Thursby Mysteries: LITTLE COMFORT. Author Edwin Hill manages to wring the heartstrings, do indepth study of psychology, put his characters in extreme danger, shock, surprise, startle, and satisfy. LITTLE COMFORT is steered by an unusual and endearing female protagonist, and offers some really good people. Of course, the villains are awful! However, that makes for a good balance and keeps us engrossed to the end, then eager for the second in the series (August 27).

Little Comfort by Edwin Hill was such a great read!

The characters are well done, multi-faceted and even the ones I disliked had traits or back stories that made me empathize with them. I especially like Hester. Such an old-fashioned name attached to a fascinating character. She's torn over Kate ~ not really wanting to be a mom and missing her work, yet she loves Kate even as she puts her in some dangerous situations without really meaning to.

The character I'd love to know more about is Morgan. I do hope he is explored further in future books in this series. He has a big heart and seems to be muddling through as best he can. I can't wait to know more.

This story drew me in quickly and honestly never let me go until the ending. I found the author's use of the postcards as clues to be such a great touch! I haven't really run into something like that in a book before and not being too familiar with the movies associated with them, I was surprised as each clue was figured out. I doubt I'd have been able to figure them out anyway!

If you are looking for a good mystery / thriller with a great plot and a cool primary character (I mean really, a librarian? chasing after bad guys? Oh yeah! Add in that said librarian has a 3 year old in tow? Even cooler!) pick up this book. I guarantee you'll be glad you did.

Thank you very much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy at my request. My thoughts in this review are my own and joyfully given because I loved this book.

Thank you Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC.

This was a great mystery / thriller by a debut author, I am glad to have picked up this book and got swept up in the characters and storyline. It had great momentum and kept me hooked throughout.

Great read. Quirky, intelligent protagonist. Good characters and well paced plot. Would be happy to learn more about Hester and her developing family life.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have only managed to make it halfway through so I'd rather stop here and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher, and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

As a librarian, I love a librarian protagonist. Good story, but I like my mysteries a little more cozy.

Little Comfort by Edwin Hill started of slowly for me however about halfway through I became totally invested. I liked the unique characters and the dialogue between the characters. I enjoyed the strange relationships and the plot twists. I am new to Edwin Hill but I found to enjoy his style of writing.

Thank you to Netgally for the opportunity to read this in return for an honest review.

Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy of the eBook of this novel. The views expressed below are my own:


The story begins with teenagers Sam and Gabe disappearing from their New Hampshire town. Twelve years later Sam's sister Lila hires amateur investigator (and professional librarian) Hester Thursby to find him. The only clues Lila has to his whereabouts are several postcards she has received over the years since he left town. They have come from several U.S. cities like San Francisco and Chicago. The latest ones have come from Boston, where Hester lives.


Drawing on her librarian research skills, Hester is able to track Sam and Gabe down in a few days; they are living a few blocks from her home. She is unable to get from Lila any explanation of why they ran away. She is suspicious of this, so she decides to spy on tSam and Gabe, before telling Lila that she has found them. In doing this, she gets swept up into what turns out to be the unravelling of the creepy world that in which Sam and Gabe live. It's reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith's writings.


A suspenseful story emerges through narratives by Hester, Gabe and others: a bloody trail of suspicious deaths is revealed. The tension gets ratcheted up when Sam is recognized by a wealthy summer resident from his New Hampshire home, and Sam needs to take drastic action to conceal their exploits and preserve their life in Boston. There's a spectacular finish to the story.


The story has plenty of drama and strong characters, some of which are creepy. Hester is interesting although little is known about her life previous to this story but this does not detract from this story.

It will be difficult to follow-up on this debut. It's a good platform for a sequel for Ms. Thursby.

Recommended.

Hester Thursby is a librarian who uses her research skills to find me people. When she is tasked to find long lost Sam by his sister, Hester encounters much more than she bargained for, putting her life, and those of her loved ones, in peril.

I found this to be fast-paced, well-written and enjoyable. The character development in particular was outstanding. I felt like I really got to know Hester and I was fully invested in her well-being, which definitely added to the suspense. I also liked the New England setting and the local color of the New Hampshire people. Being a native New Englander, I found the descriptions to be spot-on accurate. I believe this to be the first in a series, so I look forward to more. 4 stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Kensington Books and Edwin Hill for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book turned out to be even better than I expected. I decided to read it because of the cover. The snow, crow and slash of red foretold something sinister.

Hester finds lost people. She is not your usual P.I; in fact she is actually a librarian by profession. In this story, she has a little kid in tow and a friendly dog. In addition, Hester is described as being small in stature, at about 4’9 and 3/4ft. Her appearance impacts on how other people treat her in her line of work. It is crazy how some people treated her like a doll that they could touch without asking. She was feisty though and could stand up for herself. I think her character development was masterfully done.

The story begins with Lila’s search for her missing brother, Sam. A few pages in and I was totally hooked especially when Sam Blaine was introduced. Sam and Gabe have been moving from place to place. They have no intention of being found and are willing to do anything to protect their secrets and lies. I will let you discover for yourself exactly why these two men were in hiding.

This was an addictive read. I loved everything about it. I enjoyed Hester’s narration and loved following her investigation. Sam and Gabe were also quite interesting to read about. The chapters that they narrated were fascinating. They were filled with secrets, deception and quite a number of twists. These two characters turned out to be darker than I first expected and definitely more entertaining. I still don’t know how I feel about one of them but I definitely disliked the other.

Little Comfort by Edwin Hill is quite a page-turner. It has well developed characters and a story like no other. It was well-written, tautly- plotted, poignant in some chapters, and highly entertaining. I can’t wait to read the next Hester Thursby Mystery.

I liked this one! I don't read a lot of mysteries, but I'm glad I chose to give this one a try. I loved the characters. There are several and they are well-developed and likeable. And, as usual for me, I didn't figure out the motive or the real bad guy until it was revealed. It got a little more violent at the end than I expected it would, but not too much that I didn't want to finish it. I'll probably be reading more Hester Thursby books.

The first thing I want to say about the debut novel, Little Comfort, is that it was not what I expected. The description ticked specific boxes: librarian, amateur sleuth, missing person, New England setting. All those boxes indicated a straightforward, undemanding, somewhat escapist mystery, at least to me. How much trouble can a librarian get into? A tremendous amount evidently.

Hester Thursby is 36 years old, 4 foot.9 (and 3/4) inch librarian at Harvard University. She has a rather odd living arrangement in an old house with Hester's "non-husband" Morgan, her best friend from college, Daphne, and Daphne's three-year-old, Kate. Daphne disappeared months previously, leaving Kate and a note. Morgan is Daphne's brother, and the two decide to take on parenting responsibility until Daphne returns. Most of that responsibility has fallen to Hester, something about which she is very conflicted. She has even taken leave from her job to stay at home with Kate although she never felt any desire for a child. Hester has built a sideline using her research skills to help find people, mostly old schoolmates, prom dates, out of touch relatives and the like. Her interest is piqued when she is approached by Lila Blaine to find her brother, Sam, who disappeared from their lakeside home in New Hampshire. Apparently, his friend Gabe vanished with him. The two could not be more different. Sam was handsome, charismatic, and evidently willing to do whatever it would take to elevate himself into the life of the rich people who come to the lake in the summer. Gabe was "invisible", both to himself and others, and bounced from one foster home to another. Lila provides Hester with a stack of postcards sent from cities Sam has lived in over the years, complete with cryptic messages. It takes Hester precisely two days to find Sam and Gabe, right in Boston, and a trail of death and destruction in their wake.

I won't say any more about the plot, which has twists and turns that made my head spin. The characters in Little Comfort are the real stand-out, however. Sam and Gabe are chilling psychopaths, but somehow Edwin Hill makes one of them if not sympathetic, at least pitiable. Hester herself is a flawed character whose cavalier disregard for her own safety and Kate's made me want to shake her at times. Her job as an investigator is not a "take your kid to work" situation. Hester is the embodiment of "tiny but fierce."

Many thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. Little Comfort won a coveted "Starred Review" by Publishers Weekly and deserves it. The opinions are my own.

Ahhhhhh! This was so, so good. I’d go far as to say it is one of the best books I’ve read this year (and I read a lot of books). Partway through I realised I was reading something special that I had to force myself to slow down and savour it. I knew I would be forlorn when it ended.

One of the reasons why I like this story so much is that it is my favourite style of mystery/thriller. Rather than a “whodunit”, it’s a “WHYdunnit”. You find out pretty early who is up to no good but Hill slowly and deliciously unpacks a series of revelations as to why things have taken place. He does this by very skilfully moving between three different character’s POVs. Although the series is billed as being about “Hester Thursby”, Harvard librarian detective, we are also taken into some very weird and dark places, especially inside the minds of Sam and Gabe, the people she is hired to find. I found the whole thing to be perfectly paced. As the story unfolds, so does the creepiness factor and at times it was so tense and unsettling I had to stop reading for a few minutes to let my heart calm down.

Hester as a character is a delight- I have to say the “librarian” tag is slightly misleading since for various reasons which are explained, she’s not really in the library at all. She’s a fascinating, complicated and occasionally conflicted lead. She’s also a bit of a badass but in a credible way- she knows how to defend herself while also peeing her Little Mermaid pajamas. There’s also just the right amount of a colourful supporting cast- enough to keep it interesting without becoming overwhelming.

Little Comfort manages to be thrilling, intriguing, amusing and poignant by turns. It’s a story which entertains while still asking some of the big questions- how much choice to we have, to become who we are? How much choice do we have to change the outcome along the way? And how far as we willing to go to make the world believe in us? Hill serves up a healthy measure of ambiguity about some of the characters we would otherwise write off straight away as being loathsome. It’s an interesting approach and one which both keeps us guessing and results in a story with way more depth than some of its ilk. I also thought the ending was unusually solid, while still leaving the door open for more Hester tales to come. I for one cannot wait to see what happens next in Hester’s world.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a creepy, twisting tale, and I couldn’t put it down! Everybody wears a public face, and while we may think we know what is behind the faces of our loved ones and even our acquaintances, there is no way to be sure. I was frequently surprised by the turns this novel took. Enjoy!

I am a big fan of mysteries and I found this one to be interesting and different. Hester Thursday is a librarian who has a side-job of finding lost people. She has been on leave for a couple of months, caring for the toddler daughter of a good friend who has herself gone missing, when she gets a call from a woman looking for her lost brother. Unfortunately, this turns out to be a lot more treacherous than Hester's usual missing person case,

I liked how this mystery felt different from the usual private detective novel. The action is told from a few different perspectives in the book, which is not that common in a mystery. Because of this, there is not that much "mystery" for the read, I guess, although the sheer scale of the criminal behavior is something we learn more about as the plot progresses. What starts out as a fairly straightforward missing person investigation escalates as we learn more about that person's past..

Also, Hester is toting around a toddler and a bassett hound for much of the book. Hester also is not your typical P.I.: aside from her companions, this is just her side hustle, and she's only 4'9" and has never fired a gun, etc. Frankly, Hester's own backstory was just as interesting to me as the situation she was investigating. It seems clear that this is meant to be the first in a series, and I look forward to learning more about Hester, Morgan and Daphne.

This book starts slow, in fact I was ready to toss in the towel, but since it's a debut novel I felt I had to give it a chance. I am so very glad that I did. Hester has had success in finding people who are "lost" and is hired by Lila to find her brother Sam. It is a convoluted tale and just when you think you know what is going on, and I really had thought I had solved the mystery wondering what the rest of the book possible be about, when another fly in the ointment pops up. An excellent book - certainyl one that will keep you reading until the end.

Little Comfort by Edwin Hill

Wow! Swept me in and kept me engaged from beginning to end!

This is a story of loneliness, wanting to belong, wanting more and needing to be wanted.

It is also the story of what ifs…what if those needs just mentioned had been met early in life and had not created such a huge vacuum that allowed choices to be made that would lead in a completely different direction.

Hester Thursby is a librarian. She is in a loving relationship and has been for a number of years. She and her partner are caring for the daughter of his sister and they are a family that Thursby really never envisioned herself being a part of. She is an interesting self-made person that I found intriguing. She sometimes doesn’t use the best judgment but she is who she is and makes no bones about it.

Hester is asked by Lila to find her brother – a brother she has not seen for twelve years – a brother that left with a friend – a brother who was only fourteen or so when he left. Hester is a finder of people and as a librarian and sleuth she has had great success so with some postcards from brother Sam sent from various places he has lived Hester begins to search and soon finds Sam and his friend Gabe not too far away.

As the story unfolds hints about the characters are leaked that indicate what one might surmise on first meetings is not necessarily true at all. The person that seems to be good could very well be just the opposite. The bad guy may not be quite as bad as he seems…or then again…he could be.

I came away thinking about the difference one choice can make. That choice can be made by self or it can be made by someone else. That choice can lead to a life that is filled with light or darkness.

This book will stay with me a long while and I have to say I am intrigued by Hester, Morgan and Kate and look forward to more books by this author whether in a series starring Hester or something else completely different. This is an author I will be looking forward to reading again soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars