Diane_G

In this light, private investigator mystery, Aubrey Merritt is looking for an assistant and Olivia Blunt believes it to be her dream job.

I found the title of this book appealing and hoped to be entertained by watching a novice learn from her mentor. What Blunt learns from her mentor, the world's greatest detective, is that she has a lot to learn and Merritt is an exacting teacher. Intuitive and scattered, Blunt is the polar opposite of Merritt's buttoned up observer.

Those characterizations are to be expected with this type of plot. The whimsical title led me to believe I'd see some funny screw-ups, a bit of laughter, and mutual character growth. What I found was a 25 year-old excited for her first PI job whose efforts are continually diminished by her mentor. Blunt was endlessly plucky and I could only imagine why as the 60-something Merritt criticized more than taught. Who hurt you Merritt?

Overall, the book was enjoyable and I did want to know the outcome. There were plenty of suspects and an enjoyable Vermont setting. I'm not giving anything away to note that the resolution surprised me. I liked Blunt's character and the subplot of her future marriage, but could not warm to Merritt's character even with a few tantalizing peeks into her past when she and Blunt meet for the interview. I wished for more character development for both leads and would love to see them both learn from each other if this becomes a series.