Happy Valentine’s Day and welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Trailbreaker (Prairie Nightingale) by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare! Today we are featuring a review of book two – the latest entry in this page-turning series. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews, and more! There is also a 🌟Giveaway🌟 for an autographed paperback copies of both books in the Prairie Nightingale series, HOMEMAKER and TRAILBREAKER, as well as hardback copies of the first two books in the TV Detective series, BIG NAME FAN and LOVE A COMEBACK. ENTER HERE! ⬅️

Trailbreaker (Prairie Nightingale)
Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Wisconsin
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 27, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 299 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1662535996
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1662535994
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1662529801
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F5RKCRFK

About the Book:

Suspicions that a serial killer is terrorizing a pristine tourist spot draw a single mom and budding private investigator into a twisting and deepening mystery of secrets and murder.

Single mom and newly minted private investigator Prairie Nightingale has opened the doors of her Green Bay, Wisconsin, agency and is ready for work. She and her crew aren’t quite prepared for their first client, though: Bernie Dubicki, a notorious online journalist and not-altogether-reliable provocateur, who claims the idyllic vacation destination of nearby Door County is home to a serial killer.

She’s pinpointed four seemingly unrelated deaths that haven’t raised suspicions for anyone else. But when a college student vanishes, Bernie’s sizable retainer convinces Prairie to help connect the dots. And trusted, flirty FBI agent Foster Rosemare thinks Bernie might be onto something. Prairie never expected her first investigation to be so big—like Dateline big—but she does have an inquiring mind and a knack for seeing things no one else can.

In this case she’ll have to look deep—not only into the secrets of strangers, but into Door County’s woods—to solve a mystery decades in the making.

My Review:

I’m happy to share a review of a book I loved this Valentine’s Day! I read book one (Homemaker) last summer and adored it, so I was delighted when I had the chance to read and review book two. Go ahead and sign me up for book three – I am 100% in! If you enjoyed the Finlay Donovan mystery series, I’d suggest this series. It’s a totally different story and characters (not as zany), but similar vibes and oh so much fun. 

Where to start? The mystery is slow to unfold, but I appreciated the pacing. I loved getting to see Prairie and her friends/co-workers set up in their PI agency, even though they were struggling to get the business off the ground. The mystery is a fascinating one – I love mysteries that span years and involve all sorts of research into the past. I was never sure who to believe or trust, but I knew Prairie would guide me through. 

Prairie remains determined and principled and yes, a little impulsive…but she’s also reflective and thoughtful and I love that about her. Both and, right? 

I adore all the side characters, and as a mom of a teenager, I will say those teens are perfectly written. 

There’s also a lovely balance of a serious mystery unfolding and humor and a bit of romance (that could speed up a bit, but that’s just me, ha!). 

Highly recommend this series and this latest entry is another five star read for this mystery lover.

About the Author:

Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare write critically acclaimed, bestselling mystery and romance, usually (but not always) together. They are the authors of the Prairie Nightingale mysteries and the TV Detectives mystery series. If you want more of their stories, check out their queer romances co-written as Mae Marvel, as well as solo work by Ruthie Knox (het romance), Annie Mare (grounded queer paranormal romance), and Robin York (Ruthie’s pen name for 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.

Author Links:

| Website |

Ruthie Knox

| Facebook | Instagram |

Annie Mare

| Facebook | Instagram |

Purchase Links: | Amazon | BAM! | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Indigo |

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

• February 4 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
• February 5 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
• February 5 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT 
• February 6 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
• February 7 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
• February 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
• February 8 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
• February 9 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
• February 10 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
• February 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
• February 11 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
• February 12 – Reading Reality – REVIEW
• February 12 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
• February 13 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
• February 14 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW 
• February 15 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT
• February 16 – Sarandipity’s – SPOTLIGHT
• February 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
• February 17 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour?
Click Here