Homemaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare is a delightful and engaging read that blends romance and personal growth. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, and the story skillfully explores themes of identity, ambition, and what it means to truly "belong."

I really enjoyed the take of a "Homemaker" helping solve the case. I loved the main FMC's relationship with the FBI agent on the case, that was my favorite part.

And the mystery kept you wanting go read more

This cozy mystery novel really snuck on me. I was expecting all the genre conventions. What I didn’t expect, and was pleasantly surprised by, was the feminist themes throughout the book. It’s remarkably refreshing to see the acknowledgment that stay at home Moms are just as much part of the feminist project as working Moms. Prairie Nightingale is a divorced mother of two who struck a unique arrangement with her ex-husband. She created a “business” that made her CEO as homemaker. She kept the ex-mother in law and gained an assistant, personal chef, and babysitter. Meanwhile, one of the Moms from school has disappeared. Prairie makes it her business to find out what happened. This leads to her logging heads with FBI Agent Foster Rosemare. All of those scenes were delicious! Oh, and the setting is a breath of fresh air: Green Bay, Wisconsin. This book was insightful but it also hummed along, as I turned the pages to see what happened next. I see that another book is coming next year. Count me in!

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy.

So, I had mixed feelings on this one. I almost didn't finish, but in the long run I'm glad I did. The mystery aspect was intriguing and well done. I very much enjoyed the MLM storyline and definitely saw the correlation between it and another well know scheme. It did keep my attention and I was content with the ending.

My issues were with Prairie herself, honestly. I found her kind of unlikeable. The whole homemaker business she was running made no sense to me, she paid all these people to run the home, so what was she so busy doing? Well, getting into other people's business I suppose. I dont begrudge her the help, all caretakers need help, but she acted like she needed a full time staff and that she was so busy all the time? But what was left to do? Dont get me wrong, she deserved the help! She earned it, but why was she complaining about being so busy all the time? However, I will say that it does make sense in the setup for the rest of the series. If she does end up pursuing the idea she has in the ending, she will definitely be busier. It was just a little hard to identify with. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series. Once I let go of my own grievances with Prairie, I did enjoy the book.

This was an okey read for me. A little bit slow, boring and not much happened so it was hard to keep going. But the ending was quite good.

I was really excited to read this one, and the plot and characters seemed great, but it sort of dragged for me. I can’t put my finger on exactly what it was that kept me from getting into it, but I know there were a couple points in the book that I felt like I had missed an inside joke or background information, and was confused about what was happening.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Homemaker is about Prairie Nightingale, a literal homemaker who has a knack for getting information. When a local woman goes missing, Prairie starts asking questions. But is she getting in over her head with her investigation?

I liked the narrative about how police don't always get the full picture, because I think that can often be true. Prairie definitely notices things they didn't.

Other than that, I can't say I loved this book. I didn't really understand her "homemaker" business. I also had a hard time believing people would talk to her so easily about private things, even if they didn't previously know her. I can see the investigators taking tips, but not working directly with her. The characters seemed like they didn't care about the outcome at the end and that bothered me. Then there were also some mistakes, such as the years being wrong in a couple spots. Overall, this book wasn't for me.

In Homemaker, Prairie Nightingale is a professional mom and housekeeper. She has everything down to a science, except for friendships with other moms. These went away when she discovered the horrible things that Dr. Carmichael was doing to his patients. However, when a fellow mom and homemaker goes missing, Prairie is determined to find out what happened to her. Can she find Lisa alive before it's too late?

This book was fantastic. It felt like reality TV meets an MLM documentary meets crime thriller. It was perfectly dramatic and kept me turning pages to find out what happened next. And the drama was broken up nicely with small explorations of grief, finding yourself, personal growth, and romance.

The only thing that kept this from a 5-star rating was the pacing. It felt really fast in some places and much slower in others.

I am excited to see where the authors choose to take this series and I am already impatiently awaiting the arrival of book 2.

This was a quick and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

I absolutely loved Homemaker! Prairie is a wonderfully unique and deeply authentic protagonist—complex, grounded, and relatable. The story beautifully explores real, meaningful relationships, filled with nuance and imperfection. The mystery of a missing local mother—someone from the very group that ostracized Prairie after her divorce—adds tension and emotional depth to an already rich narrative. I especially appreciated how neurodivergent and LGBTQ characters are integral to the story, portrayed with care and authenticity rather than as tokens. (I received an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.) It's a heartfelt, thoughtful, and compelling read that stayed with me.

I did not finish this book because I found the main character, Prairie, incredibly annoying—and it wasn’t just her. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book where I genuinely didn’t like most of the characters. I really tried to push through, but the writing style just didn’t keep me engaged.

I don’t like giving star ratings to books I didn’t finish, but NetGalley requires one in order to post a review. This one simply wasn’t for me.

This was a fun and interesting mystery about a newly divorced single mother with a talent for details, and it was engaging enough to keep hold of me to the end. I'm not sure I particularly liked Prairie, the main character, and I found her and her choices quite annoying at times. However, the plot was good. Overall, a fine read but not a stand out.

Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy to review.

This was a fun, mid-paced mystery built around mom life, multi-level marketing chaos, and a main character named Prairie (yes, Prairie, and weirdly, I kind of love that as a name). It’s a good in-between read if you’ve just finished something heavy and want something lighter but not totally brainless.

The story follows a recently divorced mom who starts sleuthing after someone in her circle goes missing. Prairie is witty, bold, and, yeah, a little nosy. But honestly, how else are you supposed to uncover clues if you’re not kind of a busybody?

Now, a heads-up for readers like me who get distracted by tone: this book definitely feels like it was written by people who’ve spent a lot of time on TikTok learning how to be perfect communicators. There’s a strong “validate every feeling, acknowledge every trauma, don’t interrupt, mirror people’s language” energy to the way conversations play out. It’s not bad, just noticeable. Some scenes felt like a parenting or therapy script more than natural dialogue.

There are recurring themes around how men, especially white men in law enforcement, don’t listen to women or take them seriously. Prairie’s ex-husband was portrayed as someone who failed her, didn’t help when she needed it most, and basically took advantage of her, only to later have his own little reckoning. The general vibe is that men are clueless or harmful until they realize it and try to do better. If you’re not into that kind of feminist undercurrent, it’s worth knowing it’s there. It wasn’t in your face or obnoxious, but it’s woven throughout the book.

Also, fair warning: it’s pretty predictable. The person you think did it? Yeah, they did it. It doesn’t ruin the story, but if you’re looking for plot twists or a jaw-dropping reveal, you won’t find that here.

Still, I liked Prairie. Some reviewers found her annoying, and yeah, maybe if she were a real person she’d be a bit much. But she felt real. And relatable. I’m curious what she’ll do next, and I’ll probably read the second book assuming it doesn’t lean harder into those themes.

If you’re in the mood for a cozy, MLM-driven mystery with a dash of mom drama, some lightly feminist commentary, and an easy-to-root-for lead, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Homemaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare is a solid, mid-paced cozy mystery with a witty protagonist, neighborhood secrets, and just enough suspense to keep the pages turning. Prairie Nightingale—yes, that's her real name—is a divorced mom-turned-amateur sleuth who takes it upon herself to investigate the sudden disappearance of a former friend, Lisa Radcliffe, queen of a shady athleisure MLM (a clear nod to the infamous buttery soft leggings company).

There are fun moments—Prairie is nosy in the best way, curious and determined, and her obsession with patterns (in both homemaking and people) gives her a unique investigative edge. The inclusion of the MLM world, mom circles, and a disgraced doctor adds social commentary and depth to the mystery.

That said, Prairie sometimes veers into irritating territory, and while she has heart, her self-righteousness can wear thin. Also, must there always be a love interest in these kinds of books? FBI Agent Foster Rosemare is fine, but I could have done without it, and would love to have a mystery that doesn’t always lead to love. Prairie discovering a new purpose post-divorce would’ve been more compelling without the added distraction of square jaws and government suits.

I do plan to read book two as this was a nice palate cleanser.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun read. I love an amateur sleuth so I was very interested in this book. I loved that this book included MLMs, drama, parenting and some romance. I think anyone could enjoy this book because it includes so many different things.

Prairie - an unusual name for an unusual woman! Loved the sense of sisterhood and community and the family dynamics. The homemaking aspect made me blink at first. - a novel way to deal with things - maybe we should all try it! The relentless way Prairie pursues justice for Lisa, and the support (and opposition) she receives makes the plot more attractive. Never saw the final twist coming!

Homemaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare is the first book in A Prairie Nightingale Mysteries. Prairie is a woman who notices details, and she is nosy much to her children’s dismay. Once Prairie begins looking into a matter, she is like a dog with a bone (she does not give up until she has all the answers). I found Prairie to be annoying and unlikeable. Unfortunately, the rest of the characters are equally unpleasant and frustrating. The writing style made the story difficult to read. It reminded me of my college ethics textbook (which was easier to read). The story reminds me of a soap opera except everything is politically correct. I wish the blurb had mentioned the controversial content (physical and mental abuse for example) that the book contained as well as the foul language. The pacing is slow (paint dried faster). The mystery was simple and predictable. Despite the multiple suspects as well as a red herring or two, the killer stood out like a woman wearing a red dress to a black and white event. The reveal was long and drawn out (I wanted to yell at Prairie to get to the point because watching spiders build their webs was more fascinating). The whodunit wrapped up early leaving time at the end which was not needed (I found myself rolling my eyes). The mystery got lost among all the other things going on in the story. There is just too much stuff in this book (and too many people) and all the puzzle pieces do not fit together. Homemaker is not a cozy mystery (there is nothing cozy about this book) nor can it be classified as a mystery (not enough meat for that category). If you are suffering from insomnia, then Homemaker is the book for you!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

As these two authors turn their considerable talents to crafting a mystery novel, Homemaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare introduces us to Prairie Nightingale, a snoopy domestic goddess who investigates the disappearance of her neighbor, the mistress of perfection, Lisa Radcliffe.

I loved this mystery, and although this is the first book I have read written by this dynamic duo, it won't be my last!

DNF @ 43%

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really, really tried with this one, but oh my god talk about annoying, unlikable, unredeemable main characters. "Homemaker" and yet she does nothing but go around bothering people all day for gossip regarding a missing person because all of her housework is taken care of a team of hired individuals. She even has a business card like okay maybe I should get a business card for being a stay at home student who reads and looks at celebrity subreddits all day 😭. Also the whole premise is just weak and takes great inspiration from LuLaRoe (yes all MLMs are the same but the whole set up in this is just too similar down to the rotten storage containers). Not once did I find myself caring enough about what could have possibly happened to the missing mom because the main character spends so much time just stroking her own ego. We also keep getting told the same information repeatedly as she goes around catching other characters up on what she learned. We as the reader already know what's going on, we don't need to be reminded every other page.

I'm sorry this book just made me so angry and I had really wanted to give it a chance enough to finish. Others seemed to have really liked this book so maybe I'm truly just a #1 hater.

Comic mystery perfect for Finlay Donovan fans.

Prairie Nightingale (lol) is a bit of a pariah in her Midwestern community. She's politically liberal, recently divorced, extremely outspoken, and curses too much. When a woman in her community mysteriously disappears, "Pray" is determined to get to the bottom of it. And of course she meets Emma, who has a podcast (Emma is sort of the Vero in this scenario).

I loved that Prairie had teen and tween daughters, who were so much more fun and snarky (and self-reliant) than poor Finlay's small children. Loved the Midwest setting.