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The Margie Peterson Mysteries #1
Mother's Day Out
“A laugh-out-loud, wacky and hysterical romp.” — Sue Ann Jaffarian, author of the Odelia Grey mysteries
Life is pretty typical for stay-at-home mom Margie Peterson. She's got a peanut-butter-covered wardrobe, an attorney husband who's always at the office, and a mother-in-law who keeps slipping her books like "Sex Secrets of Happy Wives." Then she lands a part-time job at a seedy P.I. firm — and her humdrum suburban life is turned upside-down.
By the end of her first day, Margie's totaled her minivan, submitted a picture of a naked man in Saran Wrap to the school newsletter, and accidentally participated in a drag queen contest. When she finds a dead transvestite in the “Princesses’” room of a gay bar, she decides it may be time to hang up her hat and start planning Tupperware parties. Then she picks up the drag queen’s phone… and discovers the last call the dead man made was to Margie’s own house.
"If you love a mystery with the most unlikeliest P.I. EVER... with enough snort-worthy moments to have the family looking up and wanting to know what’s tickled your fancy… then, yeah, pay Margie Peterson a visit. You will not be disappointed." — Bookaroo-Ju
Praise for Howling at the
“Humorous and event-filled… a romantic triangle also adds spice and interest. Future adventures promise to be quite entertaining!” — Romantic Times
"Sophie was a delight, and Howling at the Moon was like a big bag of potato chips...I kept reaching for the next page, and the next, and the next..."
— MaryJanice Davidson, New York Times best-selling author of the Undead series
Praise for the Gray Whale Inn
"Karen MacInerney writes with verve and vitality, and her Natalie Barnes is a Maine original. I'm ready to book a room at the Gray Whale Inn!" — Susan Wittig Albert, New York Times best-selling author of the China Bayles Herbal Mysteries
"Deliciously clever plot. Juicy characters. Karen MacInerney has cooked up a winning recipe for murder. Don't miss this mystery!" — Maggie Sefton, New York Times best-selling author of Knit One, Kill Two
Life is pretty typical for stay-at-home mom Margie Peterson. She's got a peanut-butter-covered wardrobe, an attorney husband who's always at the office, and a mother-in-law who keeps slipping her books like "Sex Secrets of Happy Wives." Then she lands a part-time job at a seedy P.I. firm — and her humdrum suburban life is turned upside-down.
By the end of her first day, Margie's totaled her minivan, submitted a picture of a naked man in Saran Wrap to the school newsletter, and accidentally participated in a drag queen contest. When she finds a dead transvestite in the “Princesses’” room of a gay bar, she decides it may be time to hang up her hat and start planning Tupperware parties. Then she picks up the drag queen’s phone… and discovers the last call the dead man made was to Margie’s own house.
"If you love a mystery with the most unlikeliest P.I. EVER... with enough snort-worthy moments to have the family looking up and wanting to know what’s tickled your fancy… then, yeah, pay Margie Peterson a visit. You will not be disappointed." — Bookaroo-Ju
Praise for Howling at the
“Humorous and event-filled… a romantic triangle also adds spice and interest. Future adventures promise to be quite entertaining!” — Romantic Times
"Sophie was a delight, and Howling at the Moon was like a big bag of potato chips...I kept reaching for the next page, and the next, and the next..."
— MaryJanice Davidson, New York Times best-selling author of the Undead series
Praise for the Gray Whale Inn
"Karen MacInerney writes with verve and vitality, and her Natalie Barnes is a Maine original. I'm ready to book a room at the Gray Whale Inn!" — Susan Wittig Albert, New York Times best-selling author of the China Bayles Herbal Mysteries
"Deliciously clever plot. Juicy characters. Karen MacInerney has cooked up a winning recipe for murder. Don't miss this mystery!" — Maggie Sefton, New York Times best-selling author of Knit One, Kill Two
246 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2012
555 people are currently reading
1647 people want to read
About the author
Karen MacInerney
52 books1,145 followersI'm the author of the Agatha-nominated Gray Whale Inn mystery series, Tales of an Urban Werewolf. the Margie Peterson mysteries and the Dewberry Farm mysteries (plus a new fantasy in the works). My reading is like my writing: eclectic!
I grew up in the Northeast, but I currently live in Austin with my husband, two kids, and a houserabbit named Bunny. Feel free to visit me online at www.karenmacinerney.com; I love connecting with readers.
I grew up in the Northeast, but I currently live in Austin with my husband, two kids, and a houserabbit named Bunny. Feel free to visit me online at www.karenmacinerney.com; I love connecting with readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
December 18, 2017
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
My feelings are pretty mixed about this one. I really enjoyed the last book by Karen MacInerney that I read a few months ago so I decided to give this one a try when I saw it offered through Prime Reading on Amazon. I had a moment while listening to this book that I considered not finishing it. I decided to keep going and did find the second half more exciting. I would say that this was an okay read in the end.
Margie has been a stay at home mom but she decides to go back to work to help make ends meet for her family. Getting a job turns out to be more of a challenge than she expects until she gets a job with a local private investigator firm. Now while her kids are at preschool, she is out doing surveillance and whatever is needed. Everything seems to be going okay until she finds a murder victim while on the job.
There were a few moments that were humorous during the story but I often felt like the book was trying too hard to be funny. There was never a time that I actually wanted to laugh out loud. I may have actually groaned a time or two due to the forced humor which wasn't all that funny.
I was also not a fan of Margie's husband. From the very start of the story, I didn't care for the man. As the book progressed and I realized that he was hiding a few things, I liked him even less. What I really disliked was Margie's response to everything. I couldn't understand why she wouldn't sit down and have a conversation with him instead of investigating everything. Although, I must say that one of the things that kept me listening when I considered stopping was that I wanted to know what was going on with this man.
I did have a little bit of an issue with how the transvestite characters were treated in this story. The murder victim in this story is a transvestite and had an identity both as a man and a woman. I didn't think that this was handled in the story with any sensitivity. It almost seemed like it was supposed to be funny when the characters stumbled over which pronoun to use.
There were several storylines going on during this book and I wondered how everything would eventually come together. I did find the story to be a bit more exciting once some real action started happening. I did think that some of the things that happened in this book to be a bit of a stretch and there was at least one "clue" that Margie suddenly remembers from the very beginning of the story seemingly out of nowhere.
This was the first time that I have had the chance to listen to Cris Dukehart narrate a book and I think she did a great job with it. There were a lot of different voices that she used to really help bring the story to life. She had a very pleasant reading voice and I wouldn't hesitate to listen to her work again in the future.
In the end, this was a book that had some good moments and some moments that weren't as great. I thought it was okay but I probably won't be continuing with the series. If you are wanting to try one of Karen MacInerney's cozy mysteries, I would recommend picking up Killer Jam instead.
Initial Thoughts
I am honestly not sure what I think about this one. It seemed to try a little too hard to be funny at times and some of these steps taken to solve the mystery were a reach. I didn't hate it and I didn't love it. It was simply okay. I don't really feel compelled to continue with the series even though I was enjoying the story a bit more by the end. The narration was great.
Book source: Kindle Prime borrow
My feelings are pretty mixed about this one. I really enjoyed the last book by Karen MacInerney that I read a few months ago so I decided to give this one a try when I saw it offered through Prime Reading on Amazon. I had a moment while listening to this book that I considered not finishing it. I decided to keep going and did find the second half more exciting. I would say that this was an okay read in the end.
Margie has been a stay at home mom but she decides to go back to work to help make ends meet for her family. Getting a job turns out to be more of a challenge than she expects until she gets a job with a local private investigator firm. Now while her kids are at preschool, she is out doing surveillance and whatever is needed. Everything seems to be going okay until she finds a murder victim while on the job.
There were a few moments that were humorous during the story but I often felt like the book was trying too hard to be funny. There was never a time that I actually wanted to laugh out loud. I may have actually groaned a time or two due to the forced humor which wasn't all that funny.
I was also not a fan of Margie's husband. From the very start of the story, I didn't care for the man. As the book progressed and I realized that he was hiding a few things, I liked him even less. What I really disliked was Margie's response to everything. I couldn't understand why she wouldn't sit down and have a conversation with him instead of investigating everything. Although, I must say that one of the things that kept me listening when I considered stopping was that I wanted to know what was going on with this man.
I did have a little bit of an issue with how the transvestite characters were treated in this story. The murder victim in this story is a transvestite and had an identity both as a man and a woman. I didn't think that this was handled in the story with any sensitivity. It almost seemed like it was supposed to be funny when the characters stumbled over which pronoun to use.
There were several storylines going on during this book and I wondered how everything would eventually come together. I did find the story to be a bit more exciting once some real action started happening. I did think that some of the things that happened in this book to be a bit of a stretch and there was at least one "clue" that Margie suddenly remembers from the very beginning of the story seemingly out of nowhere.
This was the first time that I have had the chance to listen to Cris Dukehart narrate a book and I think she did a great job with it. There were a lot of different voices that she used to really help bring the story to life. She had a very pleasant reading voice and I wouldn't hesitate to listen to her work again in the future.
In the end, this was a book that had some good moments and some moments that weren't as great. I thought it was okay but I probably won't be continuing with the series. If you are wanting to try one of Karen MacInerney's cozy mysteries, I would recommend picking up Killer Jam instead.
Initial Thoughts
I am honestly not sure what I think about this one. It seemed to try a little too hard to be funny at times and some of these steps taken to solve the mystery were a reach. I didn't hate it and I didn't love it. It was simply okay. I don't really feel compelled to continue with the series even though I was enjoying the story a bit more by the end. The narration was great.
Book source: Kindle Prime borrow
October 24, 2018
Mother's Day Out by Karen MacInerney is the first book in the Margie Peterson Mystery series. Margie Peterson takes on a job as a private investigator for Peach Tree Investigations to help pay for her childrens school. On an assignment to a gay bar she comes across the murdered body of a transvestite in the bathroom. What a fun and entertaining book. I loved Margie who is smart and willing to tackle anything. There were plenty of funny moments and plenty of laughs.
June 23, 2012
This is the first book in the Margie Peterson series and WOW!!!!!!!!!!!
Let us start with Margie.. your typical mother and wife until she gets a job working for Peaches as a P.I. From here on out it is action packed ...there is transvestites,illegal aliens,car bombs,hair dye,bad guys,dishonest husbands,fashion shows, smart thinking females, a few cats and more action then you can shake a stick at .. Did I mention the weapons...quite a few of them too.
One thing can be learned from this..a woman's work is never done and what would we do without our friends!!!!
If this is what we can expect from this new series then we are all in for a treat...
Let us start with Margie.. your typical mother and wife until she gets a job working for Peaches as a P.I. From here on out it is action packed ...there is transvestites,illegal aliens,car bombs,hair dye,bad guys,dishonest husbands,fashion shows, smart thinking females, a few cats and more action then you can shake a stick at .. Did I mention the weapons...quite a few of them too.
One thing can be learned from this..a woman's work is never done and what would we do without our friends!!!!
If this is what we can expect from this new series then we are all in for a treat...
January 20, 2016
Margie’s looking for work to help pay for her kid’s pre-school. Her first week on the job ends with her finding a dead transvestite in a restroom. What’s even more shocking is what Margie discovers while waiting for the police. Can she solve a case that has become very personal?
This is a definite departure from the author’s normal cozy mysteries, most along the lines of a Stephanie Plum book in content and tone. That includes the humor; this book had me laughing many times. The characters are very strong and easy to remember, and the plot kept me guessing until the logical and suspenseful end. I did have one problem with one aspect of the plot as a Christian, but that is my only hesitation. This is a very solid book overall.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
This is a definite departure from the author’s normal cozy mysteries, most along the lines of a Stephanie Plum book in content and tone. That includes the humor; this book had me laughing many times. The characters are very strong and easy to remember, and the plot kept me guessing until the logical and suspenseful end. I did have one problem with one aspect of the plot as a Christian, but that is my only hesitation. This is a very solid book overall.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
April 22, 2020
I found this book while looking for a cozy mystery featuring a PI to fit in a Bingo Game I'm playing over at GoodReads. It was a good find.
The Good, The Bad, And The Stuff in the Middle: I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book after realizing the LGBTQ community was going to be a hot topic within it. The last cozy mystery I read that mentioned the Gay community had homophobic undertones that pissed me off to the extreme and I will not read another book by that author. I was prepared to hate this book even though I read another MacInerney (in a different series) a few months ago and liked it a lot. I was pleasantly surprised to find our main character, not an expert on the Drag Queen community, but open minded and willing to listen without judgement.
I did find Margie a bit TSTL (which is a common trait in the genre) but I do have faith she will make a good PI. I'm hoping the fact that she is running around claiming to be a PI after working for a PI company for only 2 weeks and has no license will get rectified. You just can't be a PI without a license.
Most of the secondary characters were specifically drawn to either have the reader like them or hate them. I did like that Margie's husband, Blake, was a bit more complex. Sure, through most of the book I didn't like him. I wasn't supposed to. He comes from uppity stock and I was wondering how in the world they ever got together as he was all about status and appearance. Towards the end I almost liked him and even felt sorry for him.
I'm really interested in seeing what happens in the future for Margie and Blake.
I listened to the audio recording and thought Cris Dukehart was a good Margie. Her voices weren't super distinctive but I was able to listen to the book at my usual speed of almost 2Xs. Her voice for Margie's friend Becky did get a bit chipmunky though. If she had been the main character I may have had to adjust the speed to a little slower.
In a Nutshell: I'm looking forward to getting to read more in the series and with my Kindle Unlimited I'll be able to listen or read. I love that option.
The Good, The Bad, And The Stuff in the Middle: I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book after realizing the LGBTQ community was going to be a hot topic within it. The last cozy mystery I read that mentioned the Gay community had homophobic undertones that pissed me off to the extreme and I will not read another book by that author. I was prepared to hate this book even though I read another MacInerney (in a different series) a few months ago and liked it a lot. I was pleasantly surprised to find our main character, not an expert on the Drag Queen community, but open minded and willing to listen without judgement.
I did find Margie a bit TSTL (which is a common trait in the genre) but I do have faith she will make a good PI. I'm hoping the fact that she is running around claiming to be a PI after working for a PI company for only 2 weeks and has no license will get rectified. You just can't be a PI without a license.
Most of the secondary characters were specifically drawn to either have the reader like them or hate them. I did like that Margie's husband, Blake, was a bit more complex. Sure, through most of the book I didn't like him. I wasn't supposed to. He comes from uppity stock and I was wondering how in the world they ever got together as he was all about status and appearance. Towards the end I almost liked him and even felt sorry for him.
I'm really interested in seeing what happens in the future for Margie and Blake.
I listened to the audio recording and thought Cris Dukehart was a good Margie. Her voices weren't super distinctive but I was able to listen to the book at my usual speed of almost 2Xs. Her voice for Margie's friend Becky did get a bit chipmunky though. If she had been the main character I may have had to adjust the speed to a little slower.
In a Nutshell: I'm looking forward to getting to read more in the series and with my Kindle Unlimited I'll be able to listen or read. I love that option.
September 27, 2018
The first book in the series, and a great start. If the rest of the series is this good I will be a happy camper.
The kids are in school and its expensive. So our heroine finds a job to help with expenses. She’s a private eye. Her new found training makes her see the world differently. So many secrets. What are the PTA moms hiding? And what is her husband’s secret? Excellent story! Can’t wait to see what happens next.
The kids are in school and its expensive. So our heroine finds a job to help with expenses. She’s a private eye. Her new found training makes her see the world differently. So many secrets. What are the PTA moms hiding? And what is her husband’s secret? Excellent story! Can’t wait to see what happens next.
July 18, 2012
Best book I've read this year! Laugh out loud Funny!! Great story! Can't wait for the second in the series!! ;)
August 5, 2018
Once I got past the first chapter I started to find this light and entertaining mystery quite intriguing. Margie is a mother of two young children who takes up a part time job as a private investigator to help cover costs. In a series of events she finds herself in some truly bizarre situations, but soon comes across a murder with a personal connection. I got caught up in the story and could not put the book down. A bit over the top in parts, but a delightful chick-lit, crime antidote to some of the more gruesome books I have read recently.
I look forward to reading more in this series.
I look forward to reading more in this series.
June 10, 2012
I was warned that this book might be slightly absurd.
I have to say the assessment was spot on.
However, Karen MacInerney serves absurd with a very satisfying side of ‘I’ll have another slice of that, thank you very much.’
What can I say about Mother’s Day Out? Dude, I don’t even know where to start. I mean from this opening …
“After seven years of chiselling away at the petrified contents of Tupperware containers, wiping a variety of organic substances off of two small children, and cleaning up after an incontinent Siamese cat, I thought I could stomach anything.
I was wrong.”
… to learning the MC—Margie—had recently started a new (and utterly absurd) job of P.I., to witnessing the boshup of the first job, and then being called to The Rainbow room …
I’ll stop there otherwise I’ll end up detailing the entire book to you, and, man, there was so much, I doubt I’d remember to list it all.
Just know that this is one excellently woven together book. Sure there were a couple bits I saw coming when Marge didn’t (or refused to), and sure there were a couple of predictable moments—but who cares?
From the get go, this book had me laughing out loud, snorting on my drinks, tittering like I’d had one too many ports, and neighing like a horse—all before I started to feel Marge’s pain and followed her down a path no wife should ever have to stumble down … and before I knew it this book was making me cry.
All I can say is the connection I felt to this character—for me to go from one end of the spectrum of emotion to the other—was nothing short of awesome.
If you love a mystery with the most unlikeliest P.I. EVER, who almost seems to fluke her way through every single discovery she makes and who joins the dots to figure stuff with all the smoothness of an Etch-o-Sketch, and with enough snort-worthy moments to have the family looking up and wanting to know what’s tickled your fancy … then, yeah, pay Margie Peterson a visit. You will not be disappointed.
In fact, the only teensy reason this didn’t rate the full 5 was because of the abovementioned predictions I made, and because there were (a very small scattering of) typos (which didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the read).
Would I recommend this? For sure!
I have to say the assessment was spot on.
However, Karen MacInerney serves absurd with a very satisfying side of ‘I’ll have another slice of that, thank you very much.’
What can I say about Mother’s Day Out? Dude, I don’t even know where to start. I mean from this opening …
“After seven years of chiselling away at the petrified contents of Tupperware containers, wiping a variety of organic substances off of two small children, and cleaning up after an incontinent Siamese cat, I thought I could stomach anything.
I was wrong.”
… to learning the MC—Margie—had recently started a new (and utterly absurd) job of P.I., to witnessing the boshup of the first job, and then being called to The Rainbow room …
I’ll stop there otherwise I’ll end up detailing the entire book to you, and, man, there was so much, I doubt I’d remember to list it all.
Just know that this is one excellently woven together book. Sure there were a couple bits I saw coming when Marge didn’t (or refused to), and sure there were a couple of predictable moments—but who cares?
From the get go, this book had me laughing out loud, snorting on my drinks, tittering like I’d had one too many ports, and neighing like a horse—all before I started to feel Marge’s pain and followed her down a path no wife should ever have to stumble down … and before I knew it this book was making me cry.
All I can say is the connection I felt to this character—for me to go from one end of the spectrum of emotion to the other—was nothing short of awesome.
If you love a mystery with the most unlikeliest P.I. EVER, who almost seems to fluke her way through every single discovery she makes and who joins the dots to figure stuff with all the smoothness of an Etch-o-Sketch, and with enough snort-worthy moments to have the family looking up and wanting to know what’s tickled your fancy … then, yeah, pay Margie Peterson a visit. You will not be disappointed.
In fact, the only teensy reason this didn’t rate the full 5 was because of the abovementioned predictions I made, and because there were (a very small scattering of) typos (which didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the read).
Would I recommend this? For sure!
April 30, 2018
Below is how I felt upon my first reading - upon my second reading you can see that my opinion has changed (stars have been deleted). I did more skimming of this book than reading and I wondered how all the threads were going become tied together into a whole. They were but in more unlikely ways than even Stephanie Plum could do.
I see that there are many more books so people really did enjoy this (as I was hoping that there would be more) however, it will take me a bit of thought before I try this series again. I'm not too fond of a mom handing her kids off more than she has then to herself...sorry
Below is my review of this book the first time I read it years ago:
Wow - what a wacky book. Sometimes I would find myself laughing like a maniac and sometimes I would find myself nearly in tears.
I just have to find out what is in store next for Margie, Blake and the kids.
At one point while reading this, I thought that the author had bitten off more than she could chew and that all of the storylines couldn't possibly come together and make sense as they eventually did. And I felt that even if they could come together it was going to be a hurried and unsatisfying ending. It was not. The author did a wonderful job of tying up all of the loose threads (well except for Margie's marriage).
The writing style seems to be a mish-mash of so many other wacky style private investigator books, only better. There is plenty of mistakes made (some quite stupid) but there are also plenty of smart things happening.
The characters are a bit more mature than the usual ones you find in books like these, what with all the main characters and secondary characters having young child.
This was a great opener for what I hope to be a fairly long running series. This could a series that has plenty of room for story and character growth. Unfortunately what with the author's other series not running as long as I would have hoped, so I'm not going to count on it.
March 15, 2016
Mother Goes To Work
This is the first book in this humorous series. The Protagonist, Margie Peterson see an ad for an assistant PI. Thinking it would be better than waiting tables, she applies for it. Most of the work are following people for divorce cases. Her case takes her to the Rainbow Bar. Simple, all she needs to do is seduce a man. She has no idea that is a Gay bar. She finds a dead man in the Princess restroom. Margie is horrified to find her home number among the dead man's belongings. The books have bombs exploding, buildings burning, missing the money, smuggling, illegal undocumented workers, fashion show, country club and others events that will keep you turning the pages and laughing. Margie is learning about a life she didn't know exist. I recommend it highly.
This is the first book in this humorous series. The Protagonist, Margie Peterson see an ad for an assistant PI. Thinking it would be better than waiting tables, she applies for it. Most of the work are following people for divorce cases. Her case takes her to the Rainbow Bar. Simple, all she needs to do is seduce a man. She has no idea that is a Gay bar. She finds a dead man in the Princess restroom. Margie is horrified to find her home number among the dead man's belongings. The books have bombs exploding, buildings burning, missing the money, smuggling, illegal undocumented workers, fashion show, country club and others events that will keep you turning the pages and laughing. Margie is learning about a life she didn't know exist. I recommend it highly.
June 29, 2017
I very much enjoy Karen MacInerney's other series so was happy to discover this book on kindle. It's the first of a new series called Margie Peterson. It is hilarious! Laugh-out-loud funny. It's fresh and so true to life. Margie, a stay at home mom with two pre-school kids is married to a lawyer who still hasn't made partner. Who doesn't need more money? So Margie answers an advertisement for a job and ends up as a fledgling P.I. working for Peachtree Investigations. Her boss, Peaches, is something else too. So surely Margie can follow a guy to get proof that he's cheating? Nope. She ends up in a gay bar surrounded by transvestites and on stage in a contest. Then she finds a dead guy. Think murder. That's only the beginning. Soon she is suspecting that things are not right with her husband's law firm or even with her husband. While she investigates, the most bizarre thing happens to her.
I'm already reading book #2!
I'm already reading book #2!
September 8, 2017
Margie Peterson has taken a part-time job as a private investigator to pay for her two children’s preschool in Mother’s Day Out by Karen MacInerney. On her second job, in which she is to seduce a man to test his fidelity to his wife, she finds herself in a gay bar on tranny night. Going to the “princess room,” complete with urinals, she finds a man in a ball gown who has been shot in the face. Using the victim’s phone to call 911, Margie accidentally hits redial and calls her own home. Determined to find out the truth about her husband, whom she discovers has lied to her about knowing the executive of a shipping company, Margie sets out in what becomes a much more dramatic case than she has ever imagined she might get involved in.
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
March 9, 2015
I can't recommend this to my Goodreads friends. The words "flimsy" and "scatterbrained" spring to mind when I consider the main protagonist, Margie Peterson, a fledgeling private eye mother-of-two. I must stop reading these cosy americana mysteries: they're sometimes a bit fun but usually follow a distinct format, so you know just how they're going to end. I suppose one could put them in a sort of "Chick Lit cum Cozy Mystery" category, light and fluffy, easily forgotton, and not really what I'm looking for in a book. Sorry.
June 11, 2012
I had the good fortune to read an advanced copy of this book and just loved it. MacInerney delivers great laughs, a fun mystery and plenty of real emotion, too.
October 6, 2018
This book was pretty outrageous but funny. It even had me laughing out loud a few times. Obviously it was ridiculously over the top but that’s what a comical cozy mystery is supposed to be. I’ll definitely be listening to the next one when I need something light hearted in between my usual thrillers or ya stuff. Totally entertaining!
March 18, 2016
From Bored Housewife To Budding PI?
***NOT for the homophobic, closedminded, or humor challenged!!!***
This series must be read in order. This is the first book. I can't wait to read Mother Knows Best!
Margie is not so sure her life is turning out as she had planned. Yes she has a nice house, a husband, a pet cat, and two adorable kids... A girl and a boy. Everything should be perfect. But her marriage seems to have hit a bit of a slump and there is NO WAY she is taking out a home loan just to pay for preschool! That only leaves her with one viable option... Find a job. Since she hasn't worked in ages her old boss will not rehire her especially now that she has *gasp* children so that just leaves the want ads. Becoming a Private Investigator seems like a good idea... Or at least a lucrative and interesting one. Will she be good at it? Will her husband and her in-laws force her to quit? What is her husband hiding? Will she ever get back her daughter's confiscated fry phone?
***This series is suitable for adult readers who enjoy mysteries filled with suspense, thrills and intrigue and a heroine trying to find her footing in a world that doesn't even resemble the world she thought she lived in while maintaining a sense of humor and never giving up :)
***NOT for the homophobic, closedminded, or humor challenged!!!***
This series must be read in order. This is the first book. I can't wait to read Mother Knows Best!
Margie is not so sure her life is turning out as she had planned. Yes she has a nice house, a husband, a pet cat, and two adorable kids... A girl and a boy. Everything should be perfect. But her marriage seems to have hit a bit of a slump and there is NO WAY she is taking out a home loan just to pay for preschool! That only leaves her with one viable option... Find a job. Since she hasn't worked in ages her old boss will not rehire her especially now that she has *gasp* children so that just leaves the want ads. Becoming a Private Investigator seems like a good idea... Or at least a lucrative and interesting one. Will she be good at it? Will her husband and her in-laws force her to quit? What is her husband hiding? Will she ever get back her daughter's confiscated fry phone?
***This series is suitable for adult readers who enjoy mysteries filled with suspense, thrills and intrigue and a heroine trying to find her footing in a world that doesn't even resemble the world she thought she lived in while maintaining a sense of humor and never giving up :)
April 8, 2016
I seriously had a hard time putting this book down! As a mom of two little ones, I can relate to a lot of what Margie Peterson goes through. This isn't a book that I would have picked up but a friend recommended it to me and I'm glad she did. The author puts you right into Margie's shoes and you easily can sympathize with her, get scared with her, get angry with her, etc. There were lots of twists and turns throughout the plot. The ending was totally unexpected. This book left me racing to Amazon to purchase the next in the series. Funny, hip and real, this mystery had it all.
January 25, 2016
I totally enjoyed this fun whodunit, even more than I expected after reading several rave reviews of it. With its solid, twisty mystery plot, excellent characters (especially the heroine, neophyte P.I. Margie Peterson), and loads of humor, I found it almost impossible to stop reading. And immediately after I finished it, I pre-ordered the next book in the series (which I hope continues for a long time).
August 23, 2017
Mother's Day Out is certainly not your ordinary "cozy mystery". This story is so well written that you'll yearn to read the next installment. Murder, humor, colorful characters, it has it all. Karen MacInerney is now on my list of favorite authors without a doubt!
***Some swear words (but none too offensive)***
***Some swear words (but none too offensive)***
February 9, 2023
Margie was living in married bliss .. until she wasn’t. Taking a job with a PI to help pay for her children’s daycare tuition was the downfall of her marriage. When tailing a mark to a drag show, she finds a body in the bathroom and discovers her husbands phone number on his phone. Why?
What follows is an investigation into missing money, embezzlement, missing persons, society matrons, human trafficking, and a mom trying to make it one day at a time as her safe bubble collapses around her.
What follows is an investigation into missing money, embezzlement, missing persons, society matrons, human trafficking, and a mom trying to make it one day at a time as her safe bubble collapses around her.
April 8, 2018
Funny chick-lit type Mystery where a mom becomes a PI sort of as an afterthought and tangles with some interesting characters, discovers both she and her husband have secrets from one another—just like so many of people she is investigating. Cute story. Quick read. Will definitely read more by author!
February 29, 2024
In the style of Stephanie Plum stories, Margie tries to juggle mothering two young children and her new part time gig as a private investigator. She discovers some suspicious activity involving her husband. Transvestism, homosexuality and S and M are featured.
April 10, 2017
Good read
It was very good read and very good action/suspense novel. Makes me interested in reading the series. Good laughs too.
It was very good read and very good action/suspense novel. Makes me interested in reading the series. Good laughs too.
Want to read
January 26, 2019Laugh out loud funny characters and situations and a twisted murder plot make this a great first in a series read!
January 7, 2016
I'm afraid I can't really agree with all those who thought this book was laugh out loud funny or a "farce" or even a well-crafted cozy mystery. I wasn't expecting a great literary work, and I was willing to accept the (comic) premise--stay-at-home mom turns to private investigating for a little extra income--despite its absurdity, but my chief complaint with this book is that it badly needed more careful editing. The hallmark of a well-written murder mystery, for me at least, is a tightly constructed narrative with a scrupulous attention to detail. The problem with this book was a very sloppy narrative (some important details were even changed from chapter to chapter, like the amount of money Margie's husband was supposedly skimming off the top of his paycheck every month). Once the attention to detail is abandoned, the interwoven narratives that comprise the plot begin to unravel. I've given it three stars because I believe this premise has potential (and it looks like MacInerney intends this to be the first of a series), but unless she pays much closer attention to the details--and acquires a better editor--it won't be worth this reader's time to pursue any subsequent Margie Peterson mysteries. (Note: I received my copy through a Goodreads giveaway.)
September 17, 2013
This was FUN! This is what it would have been if Lucille Ball had decided to become a private investigator.
Marigold 'Margie' Peterson wants to earn some extra money. Her husband wants her to be a SAHM and join the Junior League to help him move up to partner in the law firm.
Margie finds Peaches, a private investigator, and asks for a tryout. Peaches reluctantly gives her a shot with an infidelity case. Margie gets her man, wrapped in plastic wrap, and it's pedal to the metal from there on out.
She wins points with the snooty headmistress of her children's pre-school by agreeing to look into missing school funds. And her next job leads her into getting third place in a drag queen contest.
I loved this book. I could identify with Margie's need to get out of the house and find herself again. She is more than a mother and wife and definitely more than Junior League material. She has the coolest best friend, Becky, who helps her out in more ways than one.
I do hope there will be more adventures with Margie. I love Karen MacInerney's other two series I've read, Grey Whale Inn Mystery and Tales of an Urban Werewolf, and now I can add Marigold's adventures to the mix.
Marigold 'Margie' Peterson wants to earn some extra money. Her husband wants her to be a SAHM and join the Junior League to help him move up to partner in the law firm.
Margie finds Peaches, a private investigator, and asks for a tryout. Peaches reluctantly gives her a shot with an infidelity case. Margie gets her man, wrapped in plastic wrap, and it's pedal to the metal from there on out.
She wins points with the snooty headmistress of her children's pre-school by agreeing to look into missing school funds. And her next job leads her into getting third place in a drag queen contest.
I loved this book. I could identify with Margie's need to get out of the house and find herself again. She is more than a mother and wife and definitely more than Junior League material. She has the coolest best friend, Becky, who helps her out in more ways than one.
I do hope there will be more adventures with Margie. I love Karen MacInerney's other two series I've read, Grey Whale Inn Mystery and Tales of an Urban Werewolf, and now I can add Marigold's adventures to the mix.
July 10, 2015
I was terrified to read this book. Why? Because the author is married to my nephew. What if I hated it? She would guess from my averted eyes, my hesitant response, my attempt to change the subject, and decades-long family relationships would be torpedoed in an instant.
Instead, I LOVED the book and laughed out loud often. Damn, my niece is witty! The detective, Margie Peterson, has two young children and wants to pick up extra money with an amateur sleuthing gig in her hometown of Austin, Texas. She drives a crumb-filled minivan and is hampered in her investigation by vomiting kids and a missing McDonald's fry phone. Needing to bait a guy suspected of infidelity, she asks a friend to dress her: "... the control top panty hose felt like two boa constrictors getting cozy with my upper thighs."
The friends who read it upon my recommendation also enjoyed it. I look forward to more Margie Peterson adventures.
Instead, I LOVED the book and laughed out loud often. Damn, my niece is witty! The detective, Margie Peterson, has two young children and wants to pick up extra money with an amateur sleuthing gig in her hometown of Austin, Texas. She drives a crumb-filled minivan and is hampered in her investigation by vomiting kids and a missing McDonald's fry phone. Needing to bait a guy suspected of infidelity, she asks a friend to dress her: "... the control top panty hose felt like two boa constrictors getting cozy with my upper thighs."
The friends who read it upon my recommendation also enjoyed it. I look forward to more Margie Peterson adventures.
January 7, 2015
Very light-hearted, but possible offensive to the gay, transvestite and queer folk. I didn't get any outright hatred coming off the story, just a big huge lack of empathy for a marginalized group of people. It was almost like the author used the transvestites as a device to make the story more interesting. Between that and the totally implausible notion that someone without training or a license would be thrust out into tailing someone, I kept being bumped from the story. That and the main character's adolescent relationship skills... Maybe I am usually reading more serious thrillers and mysteries. In spite of all that, I found the writing style charming and engaging enough to keep on listening. The over the top predicaments the main character get in are pure farce. I kept thinking, well, what other crazy impossible situation can she get in now? (This was an audible version.).
October 5, 2014
I almost stopped reading this in the first few chapters because it was so corny but I am happy I did not. It had just enough of a mystery and laugh out loud circumstances to keep me hooked and to become attached to the characters. Margie Peterson is a house Mom who has to return to the workplace and like she said, "if I was a stripper or couldn't type I would have a job tomorrow". Hehe. Quite a few funny lines made this a fun read and Margie's genuine naïveté got past the ridiculous portrayed in the start of the book. Not heavy literature but the author spun a fairly good mystery along with some good twists. The narrator did a good job and is the right voice for Margie. Recommend for a tongue in cheek, light read. I enjoyed it.
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