Book Summary and Reviews of The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully

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Charlene_M

A bored researcher finds a much more exciting career
Olivia Blunt decides there much be more to life than just sitting behind a desk researching & she's always wanted to do something more adventurous. She reads a famous detective, Aubrey Merritt, is looking for an assistant. "The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant" by Lisa Tully is the story of Olivia's finding that adventure. Has she made a huge mistake? I liked these characters so much I bought the second book in the series.

Janine_S

Great cozy mystery
I love a good cozy mystery and this book certainly fits that for me. This one has a healthy balance of suspense, romance and humor - a trifecta for any reader.
Olivia Blunt is tired of her fact-checking job and applies to be an assistant to the "world's greatest detective," Aubrey Merritt. Merritt is a no nonsense, precise and coldish woman and suffers no fools gladly. No one is more surprised than Olivia when she's hired. Thinking this is going to be exciting and "a piece of cake," Olivia soon finds it's a tedious job requiring sharp logic and she may be in over her head. When Merritt is hired to investigate a suicide of a wealthy woman, Virginia Summersworth, by her daughter, Haley, Olivia accompanies Merritt to the New Hampshire resort where the death occurred. An interesting cast of characters is assembled as this closed door mystery is unraveled.

Along side the mystery, we have Olivia's romance with her fiancé, Trevor, that adds some depth to Olivia's character. She's a fun and interesting - a great foil to Merritt who is always judging and critiquing her. But as tough as that can be for Olivia, there are lots of humorous moments when these happen (more often than not in Olivia's head too).
Merritt's uptight demeanor is perfect for a woman with the moniker "world's greatest detective."

The mystery itself is cleverly investigated. The denouement where the murderer is announced is so Agatha Christie - I could almost hear Hercule Poirot saying it! I also will be looking forward to the next book because I think Merritt and Olivia could be the new Holmes and Watson.

I’d like to thank BookBrowse and Berkeley Mystery Books for allowing me to read this book.

Linda J. (Urbana, OH)

The Just Okay Assistant Scores
The title was enticing enough for me to request an ARC from Book Browse when offered the opportunity. The read did not disappoint.

Told in the voice of "the just okay assistant," who was just hired by the self-named "World's Greatest Detective." WGD is called by the daughter of a woman whose death was determined to be a suicide which the daughter has trouble accepting.

The number of people of interest does get a little confusing but that is a minor issue. Most compelling to me was the sandpaper abrasiveness of boss and employee (see title). I'm thinking that this is probably the first of a series. I'll be along for the ride with comes later.

Ellen G. (Treynor, IA)

The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liz Tully is BETTER than okay!
I really enjoyed The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liz Tully. The book had everything I look for in a mystery. The characters were well-rounded and believable. I especially liked the main characters. Aubrey Merritt instantly appeared in my mind as Helen Mirren, both for her appearance and manner. Olivia Blunt could be played by any reasonably attractive young actress with smarts and snark.

The setting came alive for me, even though I have never been to that part of the country. The clues were well distributed between suspects, keeping me guessing on the final outcome. I will definitely recommend this book for the Mystery Discussion group I facilitate at the local library, when it comes out, and I look forward to sequels!

Debbie_C

Mystery and discovery
A very great read. The mystery and intrigue were great. I loved how the "Okay Apprentice" worked diligently to solve the mystery and was not deterred by the not so flattering comments and 'missing' statements that the detective provided. The Apprentice diligently stayed with the case and added twists to the plot.

Gwen_C

The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant
The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant

What a rollicking fun mystery as the delightful title portends! With renowned and snooty Aubrey Merritt and inexperienced but eager Olivia as the awkward crime solving duo, this novel rolls along at an excellent pace. Is the case a murder or a suicide? I particularly liked the chapter titles (fun to speculate) and "Ollie's" written questions to herself as she did her very best to impress her new boss. The locale and character descriptions were apt.

Told through Ollie's perspective, possible suspects pile up, while Merritt reveals nothing. I almost cheered when we had a classic reading of the will when Merritt revealed all - much more than a murder…and like Ollie I missed an obvious clue and only get C for deduction skills…but this book gets an A with me. I'm looking forward to a sequel and a long series!

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