What was your first impression of the two main characters, Aubrey Merritt and Olivia Blunt?
I loved them both. They are a perfect set of opposites that I think are ideal for PI work. You see this in shows like Shakespeare and Hathaway or Lewis - I think the British detective shows are the best.
I thought they were both great. I want to read more books in the series to see how the relationship grows. I also wonder if the POV will eventually include them both rather than just Olivia.
Aubrey Merritt seemed to me to be a very serious, no-nonsense person who was always focused on the task at hand. She seemed like someone who preferred to keep people at a distance so she could observe them. Olivia Blunt felt much more relatable and likable to me. She brought warmth and humanity to the story and was a really nice counterbalance to Aubrey’s more analytical and detached personality
Olivia is a bit naive and I think she can grow into a more informed investigator. She does try to find the best in folks which can be a good thing. Merritt has a bit of a harder shell likely due to her experience in the private investigator field. I did enjoy the balance that the two give to each other.
I enjoyed them both . I loved it that Aubrey gave Olivia a chance and mentored her. I did favor Aubrey though. Aubrey was older, granted, but I liked her logical thinking and was not prone to jumping to conclusions. She seemed to be patient with Olivia when at times Olivia was a bit over eager.
I liked them both as, characters. As people, I might well have disliked Merritt. Especially when she rebuffed Olivia’s attempts at friendship because they were colleagues.
I liked Olivia right away and enjoyed that the book was written from her perspective. I strongly disliked Aubrey at the beginning. I felt she was self-absorbed and not very kind. I did get used to her as the story progressed and saw she was deeper than I first thought. But I would not want her for a friend or employer.
I thought Aubrey was egotistical and a little cruel. I thought Olivia was a little ditzy. The characters played well against each other throughout the book.
Both characters were great and the contrast of their personalities is fantastic.
My first impression of Olivia she was a bit silly. She wanted to explain too much when it was not needed or wanted. She was trying too hard. Audrey was a bit hard and not likable.
Merritt and Olivia were definitely an odd couple, almost opposites in every way. Their differences made the novel more interesting. I did think that as an observant detective, Merritt would have noticed and rectified having her assistant being sent to the staff dormitory.
It is the typical oppositional duo where they each have characteristics the other one does not. It fits perfectly with this story style. Aubrey is the serious, driven worker while Olivia is the social more impulsive off the cuff explorer. The author tries to give the impression at times that they will not work out but of course they do.