Review copy was received from NetGalley, Purchased. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Homemaker by Annie Mare, Ruthie Knox Narrator: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw
Series: Prairie Nightingale #1
Published by Brilliance Audio, Thomas & Mercer on June 1, 2025
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 297
Length: 10 hours, 43 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible
Prairie Nightingale is both the midlife mother of two teenage girls and a canny entrepreneur who has turned homemaking into a salaried profession. She’s also fascinated with the gritty details of other people’s lives. So when seemingly perfect Lisa Radcliffe, a member of her former mom-friends circle, suddenly disappears, it’s in Prairie’s nature to find out why.
Given her innate talent for vital pattern recognition, Prairie is out to catch a few clues by taking a long, hard look at everyone in Lisa’s life—and uncovering their secrets. Including Lisa’s. Prairie’s dogged curiosity is especially irritating to FBI agent Foster Rosemare, the first interesting man Prairie has met since her divorce. His square jaw and sharp suits don’t hurt.
But even as the investigation begins to wreak havoc on Prairie’s carefully tended homelife, she’s resolved to use her multivalent homemaking skills to solve the mystery of a missing mom—and along the way discover the thrill of her new sleuthing ambitions.
The Prairie Nightingale series is a collaboration between two of my favorite authors. It’s a new mystery series about a professional homemaker turning into a private investigator. I absolutely LOVE it.
Prairie is a divorced mother of two girls. The younger is definitely gifted. The older is going through her rebellious teen phase. She co-parents with her ex Greg and he is very successful and not a bad guy, just one who really didn’t pay attention to Prairie, other than as his personal attendant. His mother Joyce, lives with Prairie and helps with the girls along with her assistant, cook, etc. It’s fascinating and great.
Prairie grew up in sort of a commune and was homeschooled. After that she worked and raised the children, to put Greg through graduate school. She is smart and observant.
The current issues for Prairie started when she headed the PTO fundraising and found out the main donor was a sexual predator. One of the victims Megan is now her best friend. But she is shunned by other mothers. A woman she liked, Lisa, has now gone missing. Prairie’s curiosity and natural observation skills have her looking into it. She meets the local FBI agent assigned to the case and that’s fun.
Everything about this is fun and different. The perspective is very much a women’s perspective. The characters are real and fresh. I can’t wait for more!
Narration:
The narrator is new to me, although she does also narrate the sapphic romances these authors have written (I read the ebooks for those.) I was very comfortable with her voices and the differences for the age and gender felt comfortable. I listened at my newer 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Annie Mare
Annie Mare (she/they) writes queer contemporary mystery and romance. If you enjoy their books, check out the books they co-author with Ruthie Knox, including both queer romances (as Mae Marvel) and mysteries (as Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare). Annie’s romances have been critically recognized and bestselling. Annie lives with her wife, two teenagers, two dogs, multiple fish, one cat, four hermit crabs, and a bazillion plants in a very old house with a garden.
Also published as Mary Ann Rivers.
About Ruthie Knox
New York Times bestselling author Ruthie Knox writes contemporary romance that’s sexy, witty, and angsty—sometimes all three at once. After training to be a British historian, she became an academic editor instead. Then she got really deeply into knitting, as one does, followed by motherhood and romance novel writing.
Her debut novel, Ride with Me, is probably the only existing cross-country bicycling love story. She followed it up with About Last Night, a London-set romance whose hero has the unlikely name of Neville, and then Room at the Inn, a Christmas novella—both of which were finalists for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award. Her four-book series about the Clark family of Camelot, Ohio, has won accolades for its fresh, funny portrayal of small-town Midwestern life.
Ruthie moonlights as a mother and bakes a mean focaccia. She writes both mystery and romance, usually with co-author Annie Mare. You can find Ruthie’s books under the pen names Ruthie Knox (mystery and het romance), Mae Marvel (queer romance), and Robin York (New Adult romance). Ruthie and Annie are married and live with two teenagers, two dogs, multiple fish, two glorious cats, four hermit crabs, and a bazillion plants in a very old house with a garden.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 25-Audio
- 25-COYER
This does sound very different with unique elements. I love that the ex mother in law lives with her! I’ll have to check this out😁
Thanks Tammy. This one is amazing. It’s one of my favorite books so far this year. I highly recommend it.
I’ve had my eye on this one and it sounds really interesting with her background and situation. Great review, Anne!
I loved it so much and highly recommend it.
This sounds really interesting! I’ll have to look for this one. The situation looks interesting.
It will absolutely be one of my favorite books this year. And it’s a cozy mystery so that is a genre you read. I hope you get a chance to love it.
Awww this sounds like a lovely mystery! Love those so much. 🙂
I highly recommend this one. It will easily be one of my favorite books this year.
Love the cover of this one. Glad you enjoyed it so much. Great review!
I loved it so much and am glad they already have like 9 books in the series written.
I really enjoy cozy mysteries, but had not heard of this book or series. It sounds great. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
It’s amazing! It’s really fun and they have something like 9 books already written and I can’t wait.