Summary: Welcome to spooky season (nerd edition) friends! Today Holly and Devin explore a joint favorite career through grim and gleeful stories - librarians. While both our hosts fantasized about working in libraries and being able to read all the time surrounded by thousands of books, they’ll settle today for a chat about when librarians can use books for good, or for evil. Listen in to hear how librarians have important roles to play in any genre and are always a worthwhile addition to a good story. 

Topics Discussed:

• The Dagger (4:21 ): Holly discussed How Can I Help You by Laura Sims, a psychological suspense novel following Margot, a librarian in a small town public library. No one has any reason to suspect that Margot is in fact Jane, a nurse with a trail of premature deaths in her wake. Enter Patricia, a new reference librarian who starts working with Margot and gets curious about her past. Holly’s key takeaways were:

• The suspense and writing of this novel stand out. Sims alternates between staggered timelines from Margot’s and Patricia’s points of view, with Margot’s voice being especially crystal clear and unique. 

• Sims explores themes of obsession and addiction; Margot is obsessed with and addicted to feeling as if she’s “helping others” (in a very twisted way) and we watch Patricia become obsessed with Margot who acts as her muse (in a very twisted way). 

• If you enjoy dark, almost so dark it's funny, character-driven suspense stories, especially involving libraries and medical malpractice, this story is for you. 

• The Heart (14:28 ): Devin discussed The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, a novel following Mika Moon, one of the few witches in Britain, as her solitary life is upended by an invitation to tutor three young witches in the remote and mysterious Nowhere House in Norwich. Finding community she’s never had, Mika must also navigate her simmering dynamic with the handsome (if standoffish) librarian of the house, Jamie. Devin’s key takeaways were:

• Everything about this book screams “cozy” and sparkles and safety and joy. Even when a dead body is uncovered it’s somehow beautiful. Magic in this book floats around like gold dust and Mika can see it around her; it’s rambunctious and well-meaning but gets up to tomfoolery.

• The biggest struggle Mika, Jamie and the other characters in this book must confront is their own loneliness. Mandanna does an incredible job articulating this complicated emotion and how it can impact adults and children alike; it’s a manifesto on the importance of human connection.

• Nowhere House has a special collection of very rare books and Jamie presides over this unique and beautiful section of an otherwise chaotic house. The importance of books, reading, and the physical space Jamie guards and protects plays a major role in the story. 

• Hot On the Shelf (35:23 ):

• Devin: The Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

• Holly: Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston

• What’s Making Our Hearts Race (38:31 ):

• Devin: Veep on HBO Max

• Holly: Pachinko season 2

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