Merritt sometimes is very harsh with the people she’s interviewing but at other times she fawns. What were your thoughts as she spoke to the various suspects? What was your opinion of her investigative style in general? Is there another fictional detective she reminds you of?
I think Merritt is a cross between Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple - but more Poirot than Marple. As a detective I think you have to approach people individually and based on the setting.
It seemed to me she was just reading the room and playing it how she best thought she would get information from that person. Not much different than “good cop” “bad cop”. I do think as the series progresses Olivia will turn into the Good Cop persona in those situations.
1 Like
Her sudden conclusions based on tiny details made me think of Sherlock Holmes.
As you interview many people you learn what works and what doesn’t. It takes experience to read other people and figure out what style of questioning will work; you can also change styles as you see their reactions. What has always fascinated me is how many will respond even after you have offended them and the degree of boldness you can use to draw them out.
I agree with Joyce, I think her interview style has been honed by her experience and she changes the way she treats her suspects to fit their personalities.
I thought it was really smart to tailor her interviewing style to the personality of the person being interviewed. She probably has years of experience where she has learned what makes different people reveal information versus shut down.
I think she’s able to adapt her style of speaking to others depending on the situation and who she’s speaking with. I do this too, as a nurse - if I’m speaking with a collegue or a doctor, I will assume a more professional assertive tone than if I’m speaking with an elderly ill patient, I’ll be more compassionate and sweeter with my voice, and if I’m speaking with someone with a language barrier, I’ll use simpler, smaller words to help them understand until I gauge their level of understanding English/medical jargon. I felt like Olivia also exhibited this personality trait as she was speaking to potential suspects and witnesses as the story progressed.
I thought Merritt was brilliant at figuring out how best to approach each suspect - she is like an actor in this regard, shaping her response to the needs of the specific situation and embodying different personas as called for. (As an aside, it’s interesting that Olivia’s boyfriend is also an actor. Is Olivia, who is very straightforward, drawn to people who can put on disguises?). I can’t think of other fictional detectives like Merritt with the possible exception of Sherlock Holmes. I do think that Maisie Dobbs, arguably my most beloved fictional investigator, is able to embody both the empathy and intuitiveness of Olivia and the adaptability, logic, and impenetrability of Merritt, so in that sense Olivia and Merritt as a team remind me a bit of Maisie Dobbs as an individual.