It's been four decades since the women of Sigma Delta Tau were last together. The years have been kind to some but not to others.
Still this is supposed to be a pleasant diversion for former sorority member and current private investigator Aubrey Merritt. She's come to New Mexico to reconnect with old friends, and she's brought her personal assistant Olivia Blunt along with her to help with her bags.
But when one of the sorority sisters is murdered, all eyes turn to the World's Greatest Detective to solve the case. It's going to take both Aubrey and Olivia to cut through the knot of old hurts and current grievances to find the killer. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)
I’ve read the first book in this Merritt and Blunt Mysteries series (reviewed here), and the relationship the two women share is just as dynamic and fun in the second installment. Merritt is the detective realm’s Miranda Priestly, and Blunt is doing all she can to keep up, lest she be fired. This time, the case is close to Merritt, involving friends and acquaintances of Merritt’s from her college days. I thought adding in a more personal touch created a deeper layered character, someone who isn’t always facts and figures–although there was plenty of that to go around. But considering someone she cares about is at risk, Merritt will stop at nothing to solve the mystery.
Blunt is as plucky and effervescent as ever, an eager pupil who wants to stay in Merritt’s good graces. She ends up picking up the reins, even if it means going without sleep for over 24 hours, or finding herself smack dab in the middle of a scorpion infestation intended to thrill, not kill. There were a lot of crazy scenarios like that, that I could totally relate to, considering I live in the southwest desert myself, but it was apparent that Blunt is completely out of her element. When she discovers the murdered sorority sister, all bets are off, and the race is on in sussing out who is the culprit.
There are obvious suspects, and the book takes the reader on a few paths that lead to dead ends, and then there are the less obvious suspects that made me question what the truth is, and how far seemingly innocent people would go to have someone killed. There has to be some type of motive, as Merritt would drill into Blunt, and the same went for my own thoughts and opinions on the matter. Everything is laid out like a true-crime experience, which I very much appreciated. I felt like I was taken step-by-step through the process, another potentially helpful sidekick.
Time begins to run out for Merritt and Blunt, adding to the stress and chaos, elevating the cozy mystery genre for me. When the answer was revealed, I was in shock! I had my own ideas as to who the culprit might be, but together, our World’s Greatest Detectives figured it out, and in the nick of time, too. I thought this was a great addition to this book series, and I look forward to reading the next book. It was a five-star experience for me!
Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Forty-Year Grudge here.
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