Quirky, a quick read, extremely frustrating, and a little sad in the end when the case is solved. I was happy with a resolution, but I was also disappointed who the culprit ended up being. The book really pointed everywhere and at everyone, and that was nice and kept me engaged.

Would read more of Olivia and Aubrey Merritt.

Dynamic duos in mystery fiction seem to be having a moment, and Tully's pairing of Aubrey and Olivia might be my favorite yet. The master-apprentice relationship hooked me from page one—Aubrey's meticulous, quirky brilliance contrasted against Olivia's eager research skills and undisguised admiration create delicious tension. The "Devil Wears Prada" vibes are unmistakable, but Tully crafts something fresher as Aubrey's exacting standards gradually reveal themselves as genuine mentorship.

I found myself unexpectedly moved by their generational divide. Their conversations expose fundamental differences in perspective that initially create friction. However, watching them build mutual respect despite these gaps felt authentically earned.

The mystery unfolds in a picture-perfect small town where a prominent family's secrets spill messily into public view. My mental suspect board shifted constantly as Tully masterfully deployed red herrings that left me confidently pointing fingers in all the wrong directions. The pacing deserves special praise—tight enough to maintain momentum while allowing breathing room to process clues alongside our sleuths.

What surprised me most was how often I laughed out loud. The witty banter flows naturally even in tense moments, like when Olivia had her initial blunders and Aubrey's deadpan responses had me snorting coffee through my nose.

As for the audiobook, Emma Ladji's rendering of both women gave me a good picture of their appearance but, more importantly, their feelings. Her overall narration added that needed atmosphere whether it's a tense moment or a funny moment.

I'm already imagining what brilliantly twisted case might next test this captivating partnership.

Special thanks to Berkley, NetGalley and Penguin Random House Audio for providing the free e-book and audiobook for review, though all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This was a complete delight. Fashioned on the Holmes-Watson model, the “Greatest Detective,” Aubrey Merritt, is a 60 something lady with a pristine reputation for cracking difficult cases. As the book opens, she hires the somewhat hapless, aka Watson like, Olivia Blunt as her assistant. Olivia’s greatest desire has been to work for Merritt, and she has even low level stalked her. When she’s hired, she happily jettisons her job and informs her fiancé she’ll be away on a case, only too late realizing it means she might miss his off-Broadway debut. She hopes very much she’ll be back in time, and he’s completely supportive though he does remind her throughout the book to please call his mother, who is planning their wedding.

Merritt informs Olivia that she’ll be driving them, so they take off to Lake Champlain in her decrepit and noisy car, Horace (I’m surprised it made the whole trip, having owned a couple of Horace like vehicles of my own). They’ve been asked by the daughter of a recent suicide to look into her mother’s death, as the daughter is sure it’s not suicide but murder. This is a mystery novel, so the outcome of this either-or is not really suspenseful.

The dead women was the widowed owner of a wealthy man who left his resort empire to her. When they married (she was the second wife) he had two children, and together, they had two more. His two children do not seem overly fond of their stepmother, who nevertheless appears to have been a joyful, generous woman, and who seems to have enjoyed her life to the fullest. This is a big reason her daughter Haley is so mystified by her apparent suicide.

Because of Merritt’s reputation, the local police welcome her assistance, and she in turn promises to share anything she discovers. Merritt and Olivia are polar opposites. Merritt is logical, unemotional, and has a steel trap memory that allows her to retain observations and clues, even though she demands Olivia document in detail every interview and clue they uncover. Olivia is emotional, unsure of herself, and hugely empathic, something Merritt seems to be continually warning her to avoid. But of course it’s the combination of these two personalities and traits that provide detective magic.

As they interview each suspect – family members, the dead woman’s boyfriend, and an accountant named – ahem – Arthur Doyle – the pieces begin to come together, at least for Merritt. For Olivia it’s more of a through the glass darkly situation, though she manages to uncover some salient facts that she is ultimately able to put together to reach a solution.

The book ends with the traditional summing up by the master detective, as she goes through each relevant suspect, finally arriving on the killer. This is all done with such a light and intelligent hand this is pure reading joy from beginning to end. The updating of Holmes-Watson has of course been done before, but this is done exceptionally well and I very much look forward to the next book.

Olivia Blunt dreams of being a successful detective so she applies to be an assistant to Aubrey Merritt the world's greatest detective. She is shocked when she gets the job. Aubrey gives off Miranda Priestly vibes with her curt words and rough exterior and how she treats Olivia. Olivia is determined to prove she has what it takes to solve a case.

The first case is brought about by Haley as her mother died and they ruled it suicide but she doesn't believe that. She wants then to investigate to figure out the truth. Victoria Summersworth is the matriarch of the family and her family is filled with drama, lies, secrets, thieves, and cover ups. Olivia has her work cut out for her trying to piece what happened to Victoria.

It has two strong FMC that gives off Sherlock Holmes vibes as they solve the mystery. It kept be guessing who did it as I missed some clues but very entertaining. This would make a great movie or series.

Olivia Blunt has something to prove (to her new boss and also to herself) when she is hired by renowned detective, Aubrey Merritt. A case comes across her desk, a woman who died the night of her 65th birthday party, ruled a suicide though her daughter doesn’t believe it. Olivia is sure this woman didn’t kill herself and she is going to prove it to Merritt.

I really enjoyed the sleuthing in this book. It’s pretty extensive. Every new clue uncovered creates more questions. I liked the dynamic between Merritt and Olivia, which is super tense and awkward, but you can see the bright shine through…

I am eager to read the next book in this series as I have some thoughts about the characters’ personal lives. I want to see where things go in both their cases and their lives.

Aubrey Merritt is a woman of a certain age well known for her investigative activities and rather off-putting manner. Olivia Blunt is a young woman in a dead-end job who is sure that she would make a very good investigator. Together they make an interesting pair, and the first documented case they started together was an apparent suicide which the daughter does not accept.
The characters are well developed and the world building keeps on going. There is some sly situational humor, but it is a very entertaining novel despite its length.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected e-book file from Berkley Publishing via NetGalley.
#TheWorldsGreatestDetectiveandHerJustOkayAssistant by @lizatullywrites @berkleypub #NetGalley #traditionalmystery #murdermystery #bookstagram #mysterythriller #lies #angst #localcops
#privateinvestigators #bookstagram #mysterynovels #cozyreading #murdermystery #detectivefiction #cozycrimereads #murdermysterybooks #mysteryreads #familydrama #secrets

3.5 - When Olivia Blunt lands her dream job of becoming a detective things are not what she was hoping for until her boss excepts the case of a woman whose death was deemed suicide by the police, but her daughter doesn't believe it.

While the pacing was off a little at times, this is a great mystery that takes readers down multiple rabbit holes to unmask the truth.

I received this advance review copy from NetGalley & the publisher for my honest review.

Thoughts:
If you like Cozies & duo-dynamics characters or If you enjoy the banter of mismatched pairs
This is a great summer read it’s Light grit, moderate twists, and no heavy violence which makes it a great beach or poolside read.
This is an Engaging mystery with numerous suspects and the plot has The final twist which lands well for cozy-mystery fans .
Wonder if there a book two coming soon 🤔

Olivia takes a chance and reaches out for a dream job: working with renown private investigator, Aubrey Merritt. After she feels like she bungled the interview, she was surprised and ecstatic to get the job offer. Her excitement quickly turned to irritation as boredom set in. The only jobs Merritt would let her do was boring office work. When Olivia finally gets brave enough to ask for a bigger part in investigative work, Merritt takes her along on a case to investigate the death of Victoria Summersworth, matriarch of the family and owner of the privileged resort. Victoria's youngest daughter, Haley, is convinced her mother did not commit suicide, but was instead murdered.

I loved this book and am happy to hear it is planned to be a series! Great full-on PI mystery story in the vein of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. Olivia is an open-book who is trying to juggle an impending marriage, but wondering if it is right even though she knows she truly loves her fiancee. Merritt is very mysterious with obvious past secrets that will undoubtedly start coming out in future books. The domestic thriller/suspense/awful family secrets are in the book, but the voice and focus is on the mystery - allowing the reader to be more pragmatic and discerning in whodunit. The emotional connections definitely lie with Olivia and not the family members.

A well-written drama that had me immediately immersed in all aspects of this wickedly solid storyline that kept me intrigued throughout. With visually descriptive narrative, engaging and witty dialogue, the author set the stage for an intensifying and suspenseful tale that pulled you in for a roller coaster ride that you don’t want to get off until the last turn. The mystery was nicely executed with a slew of suspects, clues tossed around that kept me busy, and a few twists and turns that kept me in the game. When I thought I figured things out, the author threw in more information that had me looking at others instead, all which enhanced my reading pleasure. This was a fun and enjoyable whodunit and glad that there will be a second book so we can get to know more about Olivia and Merritt.

This was a quintessential whodunit with a brilliant but blunt detective and her brand new, bumbling assistant. I really enjoyed the mystery and trying to catch all of the clues. The pacing was quick, and the chapters were short, which kept the story moving and interesting. I think all of the characters were written well and were easy to picture in my mind. I did find Olivia to be a bit strange and annoying in her thoughts and choices (she thinks a mom telling her son that she's proud of him is her taking credit for his accomplishments), but most Gen Zs are so I guess she was really well written then? Overall, this was a very entertaining and satisfying read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for access to this arc.

I really enjoyed The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully. It’s a lighthearted mystery that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which made it a pretty refreshing read. The dynamic between the brilliant detective and her slightly less-than-stellar assistant is hilarious and really the heart of the story. Their back-and-forth kept me smiling the whole time.

The plot moves along nicely with some clever twists, but it’s really the characters that steal the show. The detective is sharp and confident, while the assistant’s mix of sarcasm and awkwardness adds a nice balance. It felt like reading about two friends who happen to solve crimes together, and that made it easy to get invested.

I was intrigued by the World's Greatest Detective and definitely entertained by her Just Okay Assistant. I am learning my preference for mysteries is one that doesn't take itself too seriously. Too many thrillers try to be so dark and creepy and they become silly and predictable. This kept me guessing, I was drawn in enough to be entertained and I would like more of both Olivia and Detective Merritt.

I loved everything about this book. It has all the best elements of Nero Wolfe and The Spellman series with a special charm though all it's own. The voice is absolutely charming and so easy to get sucked into and you end up rooting for Olivia even as you shake your head at some of the dumb moves she makes. But I love how smart she is and how she doesn't try to hide it. Highly recommended!

The World's Greatest Detective is a classic whodunit that follows the two main characters--a veteran detective and her newly hired assistant --as they are hired to determine the cause of death (murder or suicide) of a family matriarch. I did enjoy the banter between the two main characters, but I do wish that there was more character development. Overall, this cozy mystery was a quick read and provided some levity from some of the books I am currently reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group I received an eARC copy of The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully! Detective mysteries are not my normal reading territory but I found myself enjoying the adventure of the world's greatest detective Audrey Merritt and her just okay Gen Z assistant Olivia Blunt way more than I expected I would. Tully delivers a feel-good detective mystery full of murder, intrigue, and logical deduction that kept me guessing whodunit until the very end. I loved the interesting dynamic between the main characters Blunt and Merritt and the strong set of supporting characters. I strongly recommend that anyone who is a fan of detective mysteries or is looking for a feel-good story to lose themselves in pick up a copy from your local library or bookstore ASAP!

Olivia Blunt tires of her fact checking job and is thrilled to land a coveted position as assistant to private detective Aubrey Merritt. At first she is relegated mostly to administrative duties, but things heat up as the women are called away to Vermont's Lake Champlain resort area to investigate a fatal fall that has been designated a suicide but may be something quite different. Olivia is learning from the exacting, humorless Merritt and begins to sharpen her analytical and investigative skills, but her eagerness to prove herself leads her to situations that put her in danger.

It's an interesting case, well developed with many suspects, but it requires a lengthy (too long?) scene toward the end of the book where Merritt presents the investigation step-by-step and confirms the guilty parties to the victim's family and friends. I was entertained by the book, which appears to be the first in a series, and I'm hoping that the two main characters will be fleshed out in future series entries. We don't yet know enough about them and their histories to be fully engaged. The title is attention-grabbing but seems misleading--why is Merritt the "world's greatest detective"--we haven't seen any proof--and why is Olivia "just okay" (after all, she is new at this)? I would also like to see more about Olivia's actor fiance, Trevor, and their relationship. It's a solid mystery, although devoid of much emotion, and debut author Liza Tully has the potential to make it more appealing.

My thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Olivia Blunt just scored her dream gig—assistant to legendary private eye Audrey Merritt—but can she survive the trial period? Two months of coffee runs and grunt work say “maybe not,” until a real case finally lands on her desk. Socialite Victoria Summersworth is ruled a suicide; her daughter refuses to believe it. Olivia now has one shot to impress Merritt… or join the long line of ex‑assistants who didn’t measure up.

I ate this story up. Olivia is feisty and determined yet totally relatable as she ping‑pongs between swagger and panic. Merritt, all ice‑queen intimidation with the occasional thaw, makes the perfect PI/assistant combo. The mystery races along, delivers a couple of genuine “gasp!” twists, and wraps in a single, satisfying sitting. I laughed out loud more than once thanks to the sharp character banter.

If you like your crime clever rather than gritty, slide this cozy to the top of your TBR. It screams “series starter,” and I am totally here for book two.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

SUCH a fun, cozy mystery. I'm super excited for, what I assume, will be a continuing series. Perfect for people who have been missing that Holmes/Watson dynamic. Can't wait to handsell this at my store :)

This was a pretty good read! I was expecting something that was a little more like Katie Siegel's Charlotte Illes series, but this went in a different direction. Olivia Blunt is a professional fact-checker in her mid-20s living in New York with her actor fiance when she gets her dream job - being the assistant to Aubrey Merritt, a famously successful private investigator. Their first big case together is a request from a grieving adult daughter to have Aubrey look into her mother's death, which has been ruled a suicide by local law enforcement in a small resort town near Burlington Vermont. I actually found Olivia and Aubrey both a bit annoying in their own ways, I think that their clashes have something interesting to say about intergenerational working relationship. Other than my usual "oh my god, why are you doing that??!!" reactions when Olivia goes sleuthing on her own, I enjoyed the mystery and was really interested in the Summerworths, the family in the middle of all of this who lost their matriarch.