Reviews - Homemaker | The StoryGraph

128 reviews for:

Homemaker

Ruthie Knox, Annie Mare

3.7 AVERAGE

astrostexpat's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous fast-paced

ohohohjamiesreading's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 33%

I wasn’t excited about this the further I read. It seemed like a stretch that a former friend (who is just a bored busy body) would go to such great lengths to find the missing person.

dollycas's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Following her divorce, Prairie Nightingale establishes a unique co-parenting arrangement with her ex-husband, Greg, for their tween and teen daughters. It includes Greg’s mother continuing to live with Prairie and the girls. Prairie has also turned homemaking into a profitable business. She used to be friends with several moms and the fundraising chair for the PTO. That all changed when a yearly donation failed to arrive, and she uncovered criminal activity that sent a local doctor to jail. You see, Prairie observes things other people miss, and then she needs to know all the details.

When Prairie learns that one of the moms has disappeared, she desperately feels the need to help. Lisa Radcliffe appeared to have the perfect life. A successful husband and business owner in her own right. Prairie knows her old friends may talk to her more easily than the police. Her mother-in-law has talents that can help uncover even more about the people in Lisa’s life. After meeting FBI Agent Foster Rosemare at a vigil for Lisa, they set up to meet to exchange information and get to know each other better. Prairie feels drawn to the handsome agent in the suit.

Soon, secrets are revealed, critical observations are made, and Prairie knows she is on the right track. She is getting so close to the truth. Will she solve the mystery? Or will she be the next mom to disappear?

Prairie Nightingale is a smart, inquisitive, fun woman who can think on her feet. She made a hard decision that cost her most of her friends, but it was the right decision. She is a woman I would love to be friends with. Her husband, Greg, is a good guy, and following their split, they are striving to become good friends. Prairie “retained” her mother-in-law, Joyce, in the divorce. She lives in a separate apartment attached to the family home. Joyce lives a very active life but is on hand to help with the girls, Prairie and Greg, too. It’s an interesting situation that works for them. FBI Agent Foster Rosemare is a nice addition to the mix. He’s not exactly sure what to make of Prairie at first. He wants her to leave the investigation to him. I found their banter to be delightful. They build a slow trust in each other as they each bring different perspectives to HIS case.

The mystery the authors have penned starts early in the story and flows well from chapter to chapter. Prairie was so driven that someone called Greg to try to get his wife to back off. It was interesting that several moms were involved in the multilevel marketing business, Kitty Blue, and part of Lisa’s downline. Connections that may have played into her disappearance. I enjoyed that Joyce was so tech-savvy and willing to use her skills to help Prairie. Prairie also gets a hand from a high school podcaster who is wise beyond her years. When Foster saw everything that Prairie was bringing to the table and the theories she was offering, he had no choice but to listen and explore the details she provided. Getting a bird’s eye view into Prairie’s thought processes and the way she worked each clue, each piece of paper, and each photograph was both entertaining and educational.

One of the best things is that the story takes place in my neck of the woods. Green Bay isn’t that far away, and our family has visited several fun places and attended Packer football games a lot over the years. I appreciate that the authors fictionalized some things about the town, but for someone who doesn’t live there, I feel they captured it well. Like Prairie, I didn’t know there was an FBI Field Office there.

The Homemaker concept was unusual and at times confusing. Following the divorce, a trust was established. Prairie and Greg were partners, with her having all the power to make day-to-day decisions. She hires people and pays them an equitable wage to handle everything for a successful household. She is the CEO, complete with business cards and staff meetings. A chef, a gardener, an accountant/manager, a child caregiver, and a handywoman all work for the 724 Maple Project. It was great while Prairie was sleuthing, and it shows how successful her husband truly was to afford all that. For someone who raised four children while working full-time with just a childcare provider when needed, it was crazy and made me green with envy! But there may be a new project in the works. We see in the final chapter that Prairie has been bitten by the sleuthing bug.

Homemaker is a mystery with an original take. Filled with an intriguing protagonist with an interesting backstory, engaging supporting characters, and a well-plotted mystery. Add in some humor and a budding romance, and it adds up to a Perfect Escape. The next book, Trailbreaker, is set to be released on February 3, 2026. I am excited to see what the authors have in store for Prairie Nightingale next.

*The story does include some explicit language.

I received this book through Amazon’s First Reads program. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Content Warnings