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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
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.
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.
slow-paced
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
I did like this book. I expected a cozy mystery but it was slightly darker though not graphic. I thought the writing was interesting and I liked the characters and world the authors created. I actually preordered the 2nd because I was actually left wanting more.
The reason it wasn’t a 5 star read for me. It was slow in parts— I felt like I reached the end of my interest in the book about 30 pages before it actually ended. It was also not entirely believable that an FBI agent would be so freely talking about an active case with a complete stranger after meeting once or that a woman would go to such lengths for a stranger but I realize that’s the point of the series. Also, the authors went to great length to describe certain things (like the pages dedicated to what her new office was like at the end I basically skimmed) but then I felt like I didn’t at all understand the 724 Maple Project which was referenced constantly.
Overall though, this was an enjoyable, quick read and it did leave me wanting to keep on living in the Prairie Nightingale world.
The reason it wasn’t a 5 star read for me. It was slow in parts— I felt like I reached the end of my interest in the book about 30 pages before it actually ended. It was also not entirely believable that an FBI agent would be so freely talking about an active case with a complete stranger after meeting once or that a woman would go to such lengths for a stranger but I realize that’s the point of the series. Also, the authors went to great length to describe certain things (like the pages dedicated to what her new office was like at the end I basically skimmed) but then I felt like I didn’t at all understand the 724 Maple Project which was referenced constantly.
Overall though, this was an enjoyable, quick read and it did leave me wanting to keep on living in the Prairie Nightingale world.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault
emotional
funny
mysterious
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
.
Saw this for free on Kindle and read it on a whim. I really enjoyed it, Prairie came off as nosy but in the end it turns out to be she was just very observant! Looking forward to reading what comes next!
Saw this for free on Kindle and read it on a whim. I really enjoyed it, Prairie came off as nosy but in the end it turns out to be she was just very observant! Looking forward to reading what comes next!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced