Dollycas’s Thoughts

Nationally renowned investigator Aubrey Merritt needs a new assistant and soon hires Olivia Blunt. While a fan of the detective’s work, Olivia finds she may be out of her depth. Merritt has extremely high standards, and Olivia hopes to keep up and learn as much as she can to meet her new employer’s expectations.

Olivia’s first weeks are filled with computer work and research until Merritt needs her for a critical case involving Victoria Summersworth, widow of Warren Summersworth. His death left her as the majority stockholder of both Kingfisher Development and Wild Goose Resort. Eldest son Neil heads Kingfisher Development, while she took the leadership of the resort; however, she recently turned over the day-to-day operations to her son, Scott.

On the night of her sixty-fifth birthday party, Victoria fell to her death from her balcony to the rocky shore of Vermont’s Lake Champlain. The police have classified the death a suicide, but Victoria was in a happy place in her life; her daughter, Haley, does not believe she would take her own life. Haley has hired the “world’s greatest detective” because she believes her mother was murdered and needs to prove it. The rest of the Summersworth family just wants to move on.

Olivia gets off to a rocky start, and Merritt starts to wonder if hired the right person. Olivia begins to doubt herself as well. But then, clues start to fall into place, and both learn there is much more to the mystery than they originally thought . . .

This book gave me a Holmes-Watson feel. Merritt is a smart, well-known sleuth who has high expectations. Olivia is an enthusiastic young woman who wants to learn from the “world’s greatest detective”. She has great research skills and good instincts, but like Holmes, Merritt can be dismissive of theories and observations. At times, Olivia tries so hard to impress her boss that she makes mistakes. I enjoyed both for very different reasons. Merritt was interesting. She pushed my buttons with stern, stout behaviour. Olivia had to deal with a lot and may have doubted herself, but she did not give up.

Did Victoria take her own life? Or was it murder? The story has a huge cast of characters, but I was easily able to keep them straight. The Summersworth family is a dysfunctional family who all make great suspects. Some employees also may have wanted Victoria dead. Merritt does interview after interview with Olivia, taking notes and photographs. Olivia also does research and a little legwork of her own. There were many clues, red herrings, and twists. Then we delve into Agatha Christie territory. Merrick brings all the suspects together to explain why she eliminated each one, ending with her proclamation of the guilty party. I was delighted to know I was right, but this part was dragged out a little too long. I found myself skimming instead of being excited for the reveal.

The other thing that was wonky for me was some of the dialogues. They didn’t feel genuine, and the explicit language was completely unnecessary, although at times it was the most genuine dialogue.

The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant was an enjoyable read. A little more editing could iron out any issues I had. I want to see what is next for Merritt and Blunt. With this case complete, Olivia now knows what to expect from her boss, who admits she will not change. She also has a fiancé and a future mother-in-law, and some really fun days ahead.

I love a book with quirky characters. And this one feels a little bit in the spirit of an Agatha Christie with lots of characters and lots to uncover. Olivia is a spunky sidekick to Merritt’s skill.

I’ll admit to not liking Merritt much but I think that is expected as Olivia is trying to learn from the best and become a detective.

It’s a classic styled mystery trying to figure out if the death was a suicide or a murder and if so who did it.

I loved that Olivia was the narrator and her missteps and discoveries came from her eyes.

Emma Ladji does a good job of bringing Olivia and all the characters of this book to life. And note there is no shortage of characters. She nailed the vibe and pacing and kept me wanting a little more.

This looks to be the start of a new series and I can’t wait to see where this one is headed.

Thank you to Berkley for the free book and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

This is a mystery told from the perspective of Olivia, the brand new assistant to Aubrey Merritt. We follow along with Olivia in learning the process of looking for details and becoming a skilled detective, as she works with Audrey on a case.

I found the case fascinating and enjoyed debating which suspect was most likely. However, I expected a bit more humor. The title and marketing led me to believe that the assistant would actually be a bit better than just okay. Instead, I found there was a bit less competence and more shaming than I prefer to read. And that felt especially odd being placed in the perspective of the assistant. I was hoping for a bit more from this.

My favorite parts were the impressive and Agatha Christie-style detective, Aubrey Merritt, and the resort setting.

Emma Ladji did a great job narrating the audiobook and helped me finish reading and sticking with the story.

3.5 stars rounded up

Be careful what you wish for! Lest it come true is an apocryphal maxim from Aesop’s Fables. I will leave it to readers to decide whether it applies to New Yorker Olivia Blunt. Twenty-five-year-old Olivia is bored at her job as “a fact-checker for an online news bureau.” Unfortunately, her “dream-job interview” with a “nationally renowned private investigator” does not start well.

Aubrey Merritt opened the door. “You’re late,” she said.



She was tall, silver-haired, formidable. In her sixties and still going strong. Her eyes—a vivid dark blue—bored into me with such ferocious concentration that I had to suppress an urge to run.



Still panting, I checked my watch. “By one minute. One minute only.”



“That counts as late.”



“Technically, I suppose, but—” Don’t argue, I told myself. This is your dream-job interview. At least try to be agreeable.

Ms. Merritt is not sympathetic to nor impressed by apologies and explanations as to why Olivia was a minute late but mercifully, the interview proceeds. Olivia is asked how she heard of the opening.

“PI Today,” I replied promptly.



“Good. You follow industry news. How long have you been a subscriber?”



A subscriber? I swallowed awkwardly.

This exchange crystallizes the difference between a dazzlingly successful Boomer detective and “her ambitious Gen Z assistant.” Olivia tracked Ms. Merritt’s career through several Google alerts and by studying her participation at conferences. When she tells Merritt how impressive she was in the conferences, Merritt asks, “How do you know that? Only licensed PIs are allowed to attend those conferences.” Welcome to YouTube, Ms. Merritt. As a fact-checker, digging deeper is a required skill, but “Just a quarter turn of the dial would turn fact-checking into fact-finding.” Wouldn’t that skill be helpful? It works—Olivia is offered the position of assistant to America’s most famous PI. Olivia is certain her future will be magical.

“Two months later, I was despondent. The job wasn’t what I’d hoped it would be.” Olivia is ready to give notice, but fortuitously, she answers the phone, and Haley Summersworth asks for Ms. Merritt’s help. Haley’s mother, Victoria Summersworth, supposedly died by her own hand, but Haley is convinced she was murdered. Merritt decides to take the case and asks Olivia to drive her to the Wild Goose Resort on Lake Champlain. Is that it? Is Olivia a chauffeur now? She gathers her courage and speaks up.

“… all I’ve done is secretarial stuff and internet research—a lot of internet research. And now, maybe driving. It’s not that I don’t want to do that stuff; it’s just that I’d really like to help with other things too.”



“By other things,’ you mean . . .?”



“Investigative work. Detection.” I met her eye, even though my insides were turning to jelly.

Merritt tests Olivia’s resolve—what if all she needs is for Olivia to be a driver? Olivia takes the bait, saying that if she doesn’t “learn things,” she’ll just “wither away.” Eureka: Merritt agrees.

“I owe you the opportunity to be of greater use, and it would be mildly interesting to find out you have half the potential you seem to think you do. But beware: my patience is already thin.”

Let the investigating games begin!

The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant reminds me of Hacks, the wildly popular HBO MAX series, which “explores a dark mentorship that forms between Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedian, and an entitled, outcast 25-year-old.” Deborah has had an amazing career. Ava Daniels is a young, woke, unsuccessful comedy writer. They need each other because Deborah isn’t as funny as she used to be and Ava’s career has stalled. Like Aubrey Merritt, Deborah needs Gen Z’s knowledge of present-day mores. To become a successful detective, Olivia must emulate her boss’s phenomenal work ethic and sky-high standards for detection, just as Ava learns to respect Deborah’s talents. It takes a complicated murder investigation, with more red herrings than you can imagine, to bring it off, but Aubrey Merritt and Olivia Blunt eventually appreciate each other. Will their evolving partnership lead to a more successful detective practice? Stay tuned. What a terrific start to a new series: Liza Tully has reeled me in.

I would give this 3.5 stars if I could.

I enjoyed the plot and the mystery elements of this book. The setting, in a summer resort in Vermont, was lovely, and the cast of characters being investigated was interesting and engaging.

That being said, I'm not so sure about Merritt and Blunt. I may have some PTSD from having worked for female bosses like Merritt, but I don't like the "teach but wrap it up in insults and put-downs" tone. I also found Olivia's relationship with her fiancé Trevor super weird. I'm assuming that it's being set up for future books in a series, but for this particular book, every single one of their conversations felt awkward.

This was very clean, and probably leans cozy-ish. I would recommend it for die-hard mystery lovers, but with a grain of salt.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐

I thought thought this was a fun read with a solid set of mysteries. I liked both Olivia (the just okay assistant) and Aubrey (the greatest detective) and enjoyed watching their relationship grow as well as seeing Olivia strike out on her own as a wannabe detective.

There were times I felt the story dragged on and that took away from my in the moment enjoyment.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I was looking for a cozy mystery, and this one promised to be just the ticket. I love the cover and title, and the description sounded interesting. I thought the characters and plot were okay, but the writing was just a bit clunky for me. There were long bits of exposition via dialogue, and it really made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the book. I probably won't strongly hand-sell this one, but I'm sure there will be folks who really take to it.

I just finished The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant. It is the story of a woman who gets a job helping a famous detective and tries to solve the mystery surrounding the recent death of the matriarch of a family. Everyone is a suspect, no one can be trusted and she is bumbling her way through it all.
I liked the premise, I liked the idiosyncrasies of all of the characters with everyone seeming guilty to me and I liked seeing it all unfold. It just felt like it took forever with so many characters to keep track of. Or maybe I was just antsy to see how the murder was solved to see if I had it right.

I enjoy cozy mysteries, especially those with witty banter. Liza Tully's book had just that. Although there were a lot of characters in this book, the dynamic between the two titular characters was interesting to focus on and watch play out. The mystery itself was also pretty good, catching me off-guard with a twist or two. Overall, I think this is a fun and easy book to read. My only complaint is that I wish it was a little bit shorter of a book.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group.

Olivia Blunt does not want to be an assistant detective for the rest of her life. She is determined to learn everything she can from her mentor and renowned investigator, Aubrey Merritt, but the latter is no easy grader.

After weeks of fielding phone calls from parties desperate for the world-renowned detective’s help, a case comes across Olivia’s desk that just might be worthy of Merritt’s skills. On the evening of her sixty-fifth birthday party, Victoria Summersworth somehow fell over her balcony railing to her death on the rocky shore of Lake Champlain. She was a happy woman—rich, beloved, in love, and matriarch of the preeminent Summersworth family. The police have ruled it a suicide, but her daughter Haley thinks it was murder.

Merritt is ever the skeptic, but Olivia believes Haley. Plus, she is desperate to prove her investigative skills to her aloof boss. But the Summersworth family drama is a complicated web.

Olivia realizes she might be in over her head with this whole detective thing... or she might be unravelling a mystery even bigger than the one she had started with.

The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant is about a great detective's young assistant who yearns for glory, but first they have to learn to get along in this delightful feel good mystery. I absolutely loved this cozy mystery. I liked the characters Merritt and Olivia. Olivia wanted to learn everything she could from Merritt but Merritt certainly did not make it easy. But Olivia had good instincts. Olivia and Merritt's generational divide was moving. I just love a book with generational friendships. The investigation was also fun and I did not want to put the book down. There are plenty of potential suspects and the clues were great. Overall, such a fun mystery and apparently it is the first book in the series. I cannot wait to see where the duo will take us in the next book.

Rating: 3.5/5

Satisfying whodunnit…

I admit, the title had me smiling and immediately clicking this title. I like a good mystery too so I was happy to give this ‘new to me’ (maybe debut) author a try.

Olivia was intimidated by the famous investigator who was now her boss. She had been a fact checker but soon realized Aubrey was very exacting and she just might not make the cut. Of course, the harder she tried the more she felt like a failure so she tried even harder. While she honed her note-taking and observation skills, she tried to step one step ahead of her stand-offish new boss…

Told from Olivia’s point of view, it was harder to get a real sense of who Aubrey was other than perhaps quite judgy. She was a famous investigator after all, so her cool, stand-offish character seemed to fit right. There was the odd crack in the armour with the odd glimpse of warmth and humanity which helped to make her not so focused (or bland).

There were a cast of characters, aka suspects, so there were many clues and bird walks taken as the sleuthing duo drilled further and further into the (possibly murdered) victim’s past, friends and family. Skeletons were everywhere and each one added to the mystery. The tempo and writing were excellent as the truth crept closer and closer…

Did I wish the humour promised in the title was more plentiful? Yes, I did. The mystery was solid though and kept my attention until the satisfying ending. I love a good Matlock or Columbo mystery and this felt just like that with a bit of Murder, She Wrote thrown in for good measure. Will this become the first of a series? I do hope so.

Cute cozy mystery. Two main characters are the female private investigator and her new assistant who are hired by the family of a woman whose death was ruled a suicide. Lots of potential suspects to choose from and many clues to keep you guessing, this story will keep you entertained until the last paragraph.

Thank you to Berkley and Liza Tully for the e-arc of this book!! This is a cozy mystery following an aspiring sleuth currently working as a private detective’s assistant. Their current case is about the murder (or suicide (tbd)) of Victoria Summersworth, a recently deceased New England socialite and wealthy businesswoman. The plot was so engaging, with so many family secrets, complex character dynamics, and background. I liked the juxtaposition between Olivia and her boss, Merritt, in their thoughts after interviews and how they generally conduct themselves. I would love to read a sequel! This book kinda felt like a mix of Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie and We Solve Murders by Richard Osman. I would definitely recommend it!! 4 🌟

Olivia Blunt has always dreamed of becoming a detective, but when she gets her chance with the notorious Aubrey Merritt, will she be able to impress Merritt or will her eagerness to do a good job be her downfall?

I loved the premise of this book, the Holmes-like detective taking the Watson-like apprentice under her wing, but that wasn't quite the case here. Merritt is a hard as nails detective with little patience for assistants who she feels aren't up to the job, and Olivia is determined to prove that she has what it takes. She gets her chance when Merritt finally takes her along on a case where they are hired to prove whether a death ruled a suicide is actually a suicide or if it could have been a murder, as the client suspects. I thought these two characters were both very interesting as they were polar opposites, at least at first glance. The suspects were many, but it was pretty easy to learn who each of them was and how they fit into the story. The scenery was described beautifully, and the mystery was intriguing enough to keep me interested until the very last page. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I'd learn another piece of information that would send me in a different direction. The pacing was a little off at times, with it dragging in some places and then speeding through others, but overall, this wasn't a huge problem. The characters were well written and the ending was satisfying.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and hope that it is the first in a new mystery series I look forward to reading.

4/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Liza Tully for the opportunity to read and review The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant.

Thank you to the publisher for the free eARC and to PRH Audio for the ALC!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Olivia is the ambitious assistant to renowned private investigator Aubrey Merritt when she finally gets the chance to prove herself on a trip to Vermont to investigate the suspected suicide of a wealthy resort owner.

I enjoyed the concept of this one a lot, and overall it was a fun Agatha Christie-esque mystery. It hit all of the classic detective fiction boxes, including tons of suspects, a twisty plot, and a big monologue of a reveal where the detective lays out all the clues. Unfortunately, it did feel a bit slow and over-long in parts for me, and I didn’t love Olivia as the narrator (I would have been much more interested in Merritt’s POV, even though I know that isn’t the tradition for this style of detective story).

That said, I thought the audiobook narrator did a great job, and overall the reveal was fun and interesting. On this whole, this was a generally enjoyable read, and I will probably read the next in the series, assuming it continues! Fans of cozy mysteries and classic detective fiction should definitely give it a try.

CW: Murder/death; suicide; homophobia; infidelity

Overall, I thought this was a lot of fun! I so enjoy getting to read outside my normal go-to genres and this book was great.

What I Liked: the mystery was really well done. I didn't see a few of the twists and turns coming - which is always a treat - and I was intrigued until the end, excited to keep reading to figure everything out. I loved the some of the classic mystery tropes that were used and the apprentice/genius vibes for Olivia and Merritt was mostly fun. The hotel resort setting, the pacing, and the intrigue were all great.

What I Didn't Like: While I enjoyed how aloof and mysterious Merritt was, there were times that she was just unnecessarily mean. I could handle it in the beginning, but I was hoping for more growth from her throughout the course of the story (there was a small moment at the end, but it didn't make up for the rest of the book). Olivia's relationship with her fiancé felt like a distraction and didn't add anything to the story. He was included enough that I was assuming more would happen with that storyline, but ended up wondering what the point of having him there was. Additionally, I don't think I ever fully understood why Olivia wanted to be a detective so badly - it's not the most important thing, but it would have added a bit more depth to her character.

I don't know if more is planned for these characters, but I would absolutely read more of their adventures. Would recommend for anyone looking for a good mystery, interesting enough characters, and a pretty fun time.

Thank you to Berkley for the eARC - all opinions are my own!

4 1/2 stars. I enjoyed this story with plenty of twists and surprises. There were a lot of characters and different family dynamics. Clues were there along with red herrings. I loved Olivia's confidence in her ability to be a private investigator, even as she found that she was not as observant as she thought. Her determination to show what she could do led to some answers. Ms. Merritt was very strict and adamant about her expectations, even as she was taught Olivia. Humor added to the story, keeping the story moving along.

I received a copy through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

This was a fun take on a whodunit. Olivia Blunt, the just okay assistant, is so obsessed with Aubrey Merritt, the world's greatest detective. And she finally gets a chance to work with her as her assistant! In their first case together, they are trying to determine if Victoria Summersworth was murdered or if she did indeed commit suicide. Going through the list of suspects, following clues, and other trails, they were able to solve the mystery along with some others that were closely related. This was a fun book and enjoyable read. I did think it was a bit slow, but still had a great time reading it!

“Have you ever wondered if you’re just not up to it?” This is how I felt about this book. I wanted to love it. The title made me think that it was going to have an element of humor to it but it doesn’t. It’s very dry and slow with an unlikeable detective and her more-than-adequate investigation-wise assistant who isn’t a great assistant. I need more action than this had; it was one dull interview after another that may have moved the mystery along but I lost track of the clues buried in those mundane conversations.

So, a little about me. (Trust me, it'll all make sense soon.)

I devoured the entire Nancy Drew book series—more than once—when I was little.

It followed, then, that sometimes one of my Barbie dolls got to act out being a detective; I was completely hooked on the idea.

Even now (years later!), whenever I read a mystery novel—or watch one in show/movie form—a little part of me is still right there in the detective’s shoes.

I’m hardly alone in my secret dreams of being a P.I., of course.

For most of us, though, that’s all it remains... a fantasy we live out vicariously on the page or screen.

But imagine, for a minute, what might’ve happened if you’d scrambled to make that dream a reality.

If, say, you finagled your way (possibly over-hyping your abilities a tiny bit) into an apprenticeship with not just a private investigator... but with a legendary one.

Well, then you might get something like the tale that unfolds in author Liza Tully’s deliciously-fun The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant.
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Not long out of college, Olivia Blunt is getting nowhere fast in her nowhere job.

She’s an underpaid fact-checker, living with her actor boyfriend in a tiny Manhattan apartment, and she’s tired of all the headaches from staring at her computer screen all day.

Until one day—after watching an interview with Aubrey Merritt, the world-famous private detective—Olivia gets a harebrained idea: follow in Ms. Merritt’s illustrious footsteps!

It feels like fate when a few months later, she spots an ad for the detective’s assistant. She applies and eventually—somehow!—actually lands the job.

But what she didn’t count on was how very similar her daily tasks would be, to those of her previous job.

Exactly. The. Same.

Day in and day out, her boss has her parked in front of a computer doing research and answering the phone.

Never once does Merritt (as she prefers to be called) have her assistant accompany her out in the field... which means Olivia isn’t learning anything.

Nor does the stern, no-nonsense boss give her any praise or encouragement; there are precisely zero warm fuzzies at the office.

Fate once more intervenes, however, when Olivia answers a call requesting the great detective’s services.

She’s intrigued. A vibrant, successful, and happy woman—one Victoria Summersworth, heir to a prominent resort—fell from a balcony to her death on the night of her big 65th birthday bash. The local police ruled the tragedy a suicide... but one of the woman’s adult children insists it was murder.

Olivia persuades Merritt to take the case... and Merritt tells her assistant to pack a bag. (Okay, it may have been more that the case is in Vermont and Merritt can’t drive... but Olivia won’t split hairs. The boss needs her!!)

What the two women find in Vermont is far more complex than they’d imagined, though.

The surviving family—stepchildren, her children, and their partners—is a hotbed of jealousy and resentment. Everyone (aside from their client, Victoria’s daughter) seems more than happy to accept the police verdict... meaning none of them are exactly cooperative (or honest).

Worse, Olivia manages to bungle every task Merritt gives her... leaving both of them in serious doubt as to her continued employment.

Having nothing left to lose, Olivia decides to undertake a little clandestine investigating of her own... but with her unenviable track record, she’s just as likely to get herself dead.
______

The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant is, without doubt, an absolute hoot. (If the book title doesn’t clue you in, well, you’re not really paying attention, are you?)

But it’s also a smart, up-to-the-minute read, with its Battle-of-the-Generations vibe running throughout. Olivia, in her early twenties, is Camp Gen Z... whereas her boss—the woman she admires—is well into her sixties, and thus firmly in Camp Boomer.

Which creates friction. A lotta friction.

Not only does author Tully not shy away from their differences in opinions, experiences, and ideas, though... she also doesn’t make light of them, not casting either woman as foolish, old-fashioned, or ill-informed. Instead, she lets them talk about how and why they feel as they do.

One feels certain that equality (in things such as pay, respect, and opportunities) should be a given... while the other has lived through the exact opposite of that, and knows that few things can be relied to be such absolutes, ever.

The fact that each is somehow able to learn something from the other? To understand why their mindsets are so different? Is really cool to see.

If the flavor of NYC... and the allure of being an investigator (and a famous, brilliant one, at that)... OR, of a younger person, learning from the best... rocks your world, then The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant should absolutely zoom right to the top of your TBR list.

As for me, well... I’ll just be over here, impatiently awaiting the sequel.
~GlamKitty


[My sincere thanks to Berkley Publishing Group, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are, as always, entirely my own.]