An interesting debut novel from an author who actually works in book publishing. The title seems to hint that there may be a series based on the main character, Hester Thursby, a very tiny (but full of life and intellect) college librarian and part-time detective helping clients find missing persons. As may be somewhat typical of a first book, this novel has just about everything you can imagine in it -- and at times it drags a bit. But the storytelling is quite good and Thursby has quite a few supporting characters, including the main missing person/protagonist. Definitely worth reading. ( )

4.5 stars.

Little Comfort by Edwin Hill is a twisty-turny, suspense-laden missing persons case that soon becomes a murder investigation. This first installment in the Hester Thursby Mystery series is an outstanding debut that I HIGHLY recommend to readers who enjoy mysteries featuring amateur sleuths.

Harvard librarian Hester Thursby is currently taking time off from her regular job to care for Kate, the three year old daughter of her best friend Daphne. She lives with her boyfriend, Morgan, a veterinarian who is also Daphne's twin brother. In addition to her regular career, Hester also takes on the occasional missing persons case. Her latest client, Lily Blaine, requests her help finding her long missing brother, Sam, who along with his best friend, Gabe DiPursio, vanished twelve years ago. Armed with nothing more than a series of postcards Lily has received over the years, Hester quickly finds Sam, who is currently romancing socialite Wendy Richards. She also locates Gabe, who lives a rather solitary life with his lifelong friend. Just as she begins to uncover the truth about Sam and Gabe, Sam's past crashes headlong into his present which puts Hester and her family in grave danger.

Hester is a smart and feisty woman who is quite resourceful due to her dysfunctional childhood. Despite all of her successes, her past still affects her since she remains afraid of commitment. Hester has no intention of becoming a parent and she does not want to admit how much she loves Kate. She makes some very questionable decisions throughout her investigation into Sam, Gabe and their past. Hester's compassion and empathy are admirable traits that leave her in a very precarious situation when she offers friendship to the wrong person.

Sam is ruthless in his quest to move up the social ladder and he leaves a swath of misery in his wake. He easily sheds his old identity when he starts over in a new city and he adapts easily to his new surroundings. Sam is quite charming and charismatic which makes it incredibly easy for him to insinuate himself in his target's life. He is also very manipulative with sociopathic tendencies that make Sam a very dangerous man to cross.

Gabe is incredibly loyal to Sam and he will do anything for the one person who has always been there for him. He does not seem to care that he lives in Sam's shadow but he does yearn for a normal life with a family. Gabe is quite captivated by Hester and he builds an elaborate fantasy about a future with her. But as Sam's current situation changes and he wants to tie up loose ends, will Gabe continue to blindly follow his orders?

While not a traditional mystery, Little Comfort is a tautly-plotted, tension-filled novel that is fast-paced and compelling. Hester is an immensely appealing yet flawed lead protagonist who is impossible not to like. Gabe and Sam are well-drawn, eerily sinister characters who are absolutely ruthless when their appalling schemes are inevitably unmasked. Edwin Hill brings this spine-tingling novel to an action-packed, chilling conclusion. A marvelous first installment in the Hester Thursby Mystery series that is sure to be a hit with readers of the genre. ( )

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!


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It seems other people found something in this book that I missed. It's not horrid; it's just not very memorable. I love books about libraries and librarians, whether they are cozy mysteries, more hard-boiled mysteries, or non-fiction, non-mystery. This had little about libraries or books in it. Okay, I can deal with that – most of the books I read aren't about libraries.

But for me, this was just a “potato chip” book, the kind you read and two weeks later, you've forgotten you ever read it. The story was a bit jumbled. I listened to the audio edition of this book, and the narrator was, to my ears anyway, overly dramatic.

I like potato chips, but I don't want them to be the mainstay of my diet. ( )

Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "Little Comfort" by Edwin Hill, Kensington Publishing, July 30, 2019

Edwin Hill, Author of "Little Comfort" has written a captivating, intriguing, intense, riveting, edgy, thrilling, and suspenseful novel. The Genres for this novel are Mystery and Suspense, Thriller and Fiction. The timeline for this story is in the presents and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters and events. The author describes his dramatic cast of characters as complex, and complicated. Some are quirky, dangerous, and dysfunctional. There are twists and turns, betrayals, threats, danger, and murder. Some characters appear different from what they are. Of course, Animal lovers will be happy to know there are dogs and kittens in this story.

Hester Thursby is on leave from her librarian position, while she and her significant other are taking care of her three-year-old niece, for possibly an unknown amount of time. Hester does make use of her research skills part-time to look for missing people. A new client wants Hester to find her missing brother, who disappeared more than twelve years earlier. Sam Blaine and his friend Gabe left home after a strange incident. The only information that Hester is given are postcards and the fact that Sam keeps changing his name.

"Sam" is charismatic and charming and obsessed with wealthy lonely people. Gabe feels indebted to Sam and does basically what Sam tells him. Of course, it doesn't take long for Hester to locate him. Unfortunately, the more Hester investigates, the more danger she is in.

One of my favorite characters is Hester Thursby. She is portrayed as fragile and tiny, but make no mistake, that is quite misleading. Hester says what is on her mind, and "shoots from the hip" so to speak. She tells it like it is. Despite what might look like weakness, Hester is independent, yet loyal, and makes her own decisions.

I would highly recommend this suspenseful and edgy novel for readers that love mystery, suspense, and adventure. I can't wait to read the next Hester Thursby book. ( )