Twenty-five year old Olivia Blunt, a fact-checker for an online news bureau, is looking for new opportunities.
Being a mystery novel addict, and yearning to be a detective herself, Olivia applies for the assistant position advertised by the renowned Manhattan private investigator Aubrey Merritt.
Olivia imagines herself "walking shoulder to shoulder with the great detective....helping her to solve one fascinating mystery after another". However, for months Olivia just answers the phone, schedules meetings, relays messages, and does endless research on the internet.
Then an opportunity presents itself. A Vermont woman named Haley Summersworth calls to ask for help. Haley explains that her mother, Victoria Summersworth recently died, and the police are calling it suicide. However Haley is convinced her mother was murdered, and she wants Aubrey Merritt to investigate.
Olivia researches the victim on the internet and approaches Merritt with the case: One week ago, Victoria Summersworth had a big bash for her 65th birthday at the family owned 'Wild Goose Resort' on Vermont's Lake Champlain.
Later that evening, Victoria died from a fall off her balcony. Victoria - who was widowed a decade ago - was wealthy; had lots of friends; assisted numerous worthy causes; had children and grandchildren; and seemed to have everything to live for.
After a Zoom meeting with Haley Summersworth, Merritt agrees to take the case. Merritt doesn't drive, so she recruits Olivia to drive her to Vermont, where the women will stay in the Wild Goose Resort while Merritt investigates and Olivia assists.
Olivia is BEYOND THRILLED to be accompanying Merritt on a case, and hopes this is the first step toward becoming a real detective. The story is narrated by Olivia, who thinks of herself as a kind of Dr. Watson to Merritt's Sherlock Holmes.
When Merritt and Olivia arrive at the resort, they meet the victim's family. Victoria was the second wife of Warren Summersworth, and had a step-son and -daughter, and a biological son and daughter. Warren was killed in a boating accident ten years ago, after which all the children acquired a financial stake in the Burlington business empire. Victoria herself oversees the Wild Goose resort, with the help of her son Scott, and some of the other children believe Victoria and Scott are doing a terrible job and losing money.
Merritt quickly decides Victoria was murdered, and considers all the family members to be 'persons of interest' for the homicide. Other possible suspects include Victoria's domestic help; a man Victoria's been dating; and several other people in the area.
Merritt - with Olivia tagging along, taking photos, and making notes - consults with Police Detective Jim Clemmons; reads police reports; examines the crime scene; tours the resort; interviews guests who attended Victoria's birthday party; questions family members; and so on.
Olivia occasionally offers an idea of her own, which is usually dismissed by Merritt - just like Sherlock Holmes does with Dr. Watson. Olivia DOES make some important discoveries, often inadvertently, that assist the investigation.
This is an old-fashioned mystery, and at the end - when all the persons of interest are assembled - Merritt reveals the perpetrator. Some big surprises come out during the denouement, but author Liza Tully is fair with the 'clues' scattered through the story.
As events unfold, we learn a little about Olivia's personal life. The would-be sleuth lives in an East Village walk-up with her fiancé Trevor, an aspiring actor about to open in an off-off-Broadway production of 'Death of a Salesman'.
The couple are planning their wedding (or rather Trevor's mother Zuzanna is), and the discussion of wedding flowers provides a few smiles.
By the end of the novel, Olivia rises in Merritt's estimation, and the twosome appear poised to embark on future cases.
For me, the story moves too slowly, and the constant repetitive interviews become a bit tedious. I would have liked more activity and less talking. Still, Merritt and Olivia are interesting characters, and I might try another book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley, Liza Tully, and Berkley for a copy of the book.
Rating: 3 stars
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