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Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery #1
Better Homes and Corpses
After Meg Barrett found her fiancé still had designs on his ex-wife, she decided it was time to refurbish her life. Leaving her glamorous job at a top home and garden magazine, she fled Manhattan for Montauk, only to find decorating can sometimes lead to detecting…
In between scouring estate sales for her new interior design business, Cottages by the Sea, Meg visits the swanky East Hampton home of her old college roommate, Jillian Spenser. But instead of seeing how the other half lives—she learns how the other half dies. Jillian’s mother, known as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons, has been murdered. Someone has staged a coup.
When she helps a friend inventory the Spensers’ estate for the insurance company, Meg finds herself right in the thick of things. Cataloging valuable antiques and art loses its charm when Meg discovers that the Spenser family has been hiding dangerous secrets, which may have furnished a murderer with a motive. As Meg gets closer to the truth, the killer will do anything to paint her out of the picture…
In between scouring estate sales for her new interior design business, Cottages by the Sea, Meg visits the swanky East Hampton home of her old college roommate, Jillian Spenser. But instead of seeing how the other half lives—she learns how the other half dies. Jillian’s mother, known as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons, has been murdered. Someone has staged a coup.
When she helps a friend inventory the Spensers’ estate for the insurance company, Meg finds herself right in the thick of things. Cataloging valuable antiques and art loses its charm when Meg discovers that the Spenser family has been hiding dangerous secrets, which may have furnished a murderer with a motive. As Meg gets closer to the truth, the killer will do anything to paint her out of the picture…
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 4, 2015
183 people are currently reading
1339 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Bridge
13 books340 followersABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathleen Bridge, national bestselling author of The Hamptons Home and Garden Mystery Series and The By The Sea Mystery Series. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America. Kathleen is also an antiques and vintage dealer and lives on the Central East Coast of Florida. www.kathleenbridge.com
Kathleen Bridge, national bestselling author of The Hamptons Home and Garden Mystery Series and The By The Sea Mystery Series. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America. Kathleen is also an antiques and vintage dealer and lives on the Central East Coast of Florida. www.kathleenbridge.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
August 9, 2015
Editing issues abound... My new number one pet peeve with this genre. Meg is a scatterbrain and never found her missing cell phone and uses a fax to communicate. Really? 2.5 stars... A lame debut for a series I was pretty excited for.
August 14, 2015
After discovering her fiancé was cheating on her, Meg Barrett needed a change in her life and she found one. She is excited with her new venture – an interior design business in Montauk on eastern Long Island. It’s much different than her last job in Manhattan at a home and garden magazine.
When she is invited to the home of her former college roommate, Jillian Spenser, Meg is impressed with the wealthy East Hampton home. She’s not so impressed to discover Jillian’s mother, known as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons, dead. Jillian apparently witnessed the murder, but she’s suffering from PTSD and has amnesia.
Meg’s close friend, Elle, hires her to evaluate the Spenser’s estate for the insurance company, but Meg finds herself involved in so much more. She begins to uncover secrets, lies and betrayals in the family and wonders if one of them could be a killer.
I adored the heroine. Meg is strong, determined, and yet very likeable. Readers will have no trouble cheering for her to come out on top when all is said and done. Even some of the secondary characters won my heart. Her best friend Elle, Jillian’s brother Cole, and her father’s friend Doc rallied around Meg. I don't want to forget Tripod, Cole's dog. What a sweetie! Each character added something special to the story.
This book has gothic overtones – a huge mysterious mansion, an eccentric family, and a murder in the center of everything. What a captivating novel! It grabbed me right from the start. I absolutely could not put it down. I should also mention that the mystery kept me guessing to the end and I guessed wrong. The author threw me off and I loved every minute of being kept in the dark.
It also helped that the setting is located near to my own home. I could identify with all the places and roads Meg traveled. That was a real treat and doesn’t usually happen in the books I read.
Overall, a delightful start to a brand new series. This will go on my auto-buy list.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
When she is invited to the home of her former college roommate, Jillian Spenser, Meg is impressed with the wealthy East Hampton home. She’s not so impressed to discover Jillian’s mother, known as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons, dead. Jillian apparently witnessed the murder, but she’s suffering from PTSD and has amnesia.
Meg’s close friend, Elle, hires her to evaluate the Spenser’s estate for the insurance company, but Meg finds herself involved in so much more. She begins to uncover secrets, lies and betrayals in the family and wonders if one of them could be a killer.
I adored the heroine. Meg is strong, determined, and yet very likeable. Readers will have no trouble cheering for her to come out on top when all is said and done. Even some of the secondary characters won my heart. Her best friend Elle, Jillian’s brother Cole, and her father’s friend Doc rallied around Meg. I don't want to forget Tripod, Cole's dog. What a sweetie! Each character added something special to the story.
This book has gothic overtones – a huge mysterious mansion, an eccentric family, and a murder in the center of everything. What a captivating novel! It grabbed me right from the start. I absolutely could not put it down. I should also mention that the mystery kept me guessing to the end and I guessed wrong. The author threw me off and I loved every minute of being kept in the dark.
It also helped that the setting is located near to my own home. I could identify with all the places and roads Meg traveled. That was a real treat and doesn’t usually happen in the books I read.
Overall, a delightful start to a brand new series. This will go on my auto-buy list.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 31, 2015
It's March in the Hamptons--the American Riviera--and Meg Barrett, owner of Cottages by the Sea, a fledgling interior design firm, is hoping to snag a job dealing with antiques and collectibles from wealthy socialite, Caroline Spenser, mother of an old college roommate, Jillian. Arriving at Seacliff mansion, Meg is horrified to find Jillian cradling her mothers dead body in her arms. The grisly scene indicates foul play, and the trauma appears to have caused Jillian amnesia. As new author, Kathleen Bridge deftly begins to introduce and build upon her cast of awesome characters; Meg, who's hearing impaired, proves she's a strong, adept heroine from the beginning. Multi-faceted characters quickly bring this story to rich life and depth, and there's never a dull moment. I thought the story was a brilliant debut, and written by a seasoned author. Each chapter is mesmerizing, and fast-paced with plenty of action. Surprising reveal, after reveal, after reveal! The finale is spectacular. Better Homes and Corpses just became one of my Top 3 Favorite New Cozy series of 2015!!
March 8, 2017
Meg Barret was a former worker at American Home and Garden magazine spread, before she builds her own 'company', Cottages by the Sea. She was forced to leave her former jobs because of her ex boyfriends cheats on her with her own boss, which is also his ex wife. She was going to meet a real uppity society maven and cut-throat collector, Caroline Spencer, in her house in New Hamptons. But just second after her arrival, she found Caroline died in her daughter arms. Despite her death, Meg still have to do her works at Caroline's house, and accidentally she found a lot of secret hidden. Being a daughter of a former detective, she couldnt help but to feel the needs to find Caroline killer.
This book was a fun reading for me, but it was okay. I love all the characters, especially our heroine. Eventhough she have to deal with her hearing disabilities, she didnt pity herself and throughout the book, she didnt make any silly decision. Her hearing disabilities just make her sense of smell, and visual attention to details heightened. I was amazed when i found out that the murder is done in the first chapter. The only thing that bothers me is just the book is too descriptive and it makes me drift away sometimes.
This book was a fun reading for me, but it was okay. I love all the characters, especially our heroine. Eventhough she have to deal with her hearing disabilities, she didnt pity herself and throughout the book, she didnt make any silly decision. Her hearing disabilities just make her sense of smell, and visual attention to details heightened. I was amazed when i found out that the murder is done in the first chapter. The only thing that bothers me is just the book is too descriptive and it makes me drift away sometimes.
October 17, 2021
Book 2. This book in series is about Meg she lost her hearing when she was a toddler but she has hearing aids and she can read lips very good. She was a interior Decorator. She would go to yard sales and flea markets for her finds for other people houses. Tara was a nemesis that would try to steal anything that Meg found at these places. Tara had a high end shop that Me g found out that whatever most of it sold was never antiques mostly she was ripping people off. Jillian Carolina's daughter invited Me g over to their rich mansion to look at things in the attic to see if she wanted anything. Well when Me g got there she found Jillian hovered over her mom Catherine which she was dead. Cole Jillian brother was number 1 suspect because he came back to the estes after 17 years from a tragic accident and his father death. So they all were thinking it was suspicious Mrs.Arnold ,housekeeper, and her husband, Adam his mother , Frances and , Van and his father the artists were all under suspicious to Meg. Elle her best friend was doing a inventory for Carolina's estate and asked Me g to help. Me g at first was not going to do it brings back the rawness of the murder. Then she decides to do it to help Jillian cope. This is a farfetched storyline but I did like the plot. And I Love anything New York especially the shop in New York Rockin Retro shop. Has Vintage memorabilia from childhood days Elvis t-shirts , Nancy Drew posters , reproduction lunch boxes, old school candy, like milk duds , licorice whips and Howard's color mints. You name it they have it. I probably will read book 3. Book 1 was pretty good. I read that awhile back
August 21, 2015
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I am really taken with this new protagonist. Meg Barrett has inherited a investigative gene from her dad, a retired police officer. And he may be retired but doesn’t mind using his connections to help her with her queries. She has left her job in Manhattan and is starting her own home decorating business in Montauk with the help of her friend Elle. A part of her past is in Montauk though. Her old college roommate, Jillian Spenser. It was only for one semester so when Jillian’s mother, the Queen Mother of the Hamptons, invites her to stop by their huge mansion she is quite surprised. When she arrives for her appointment she walks in to find Jillian on the floor cradling the Queen Mum’s very dead body. Jillian is a mess and making no sense. The police are called and an investigation is launched. At the same time the insurance company for the family hires Elle to inventory the home’s property to be sure nothing has been stolen. She asks Meg to help her and puts Meg in the perfect position to do a little investigating on her own.
This was a fun debut. The Spensers, their staff, and those that live on the property are quite an interesting bunch. Most are keeping something secret or hiding something. Just when I thought I figured out who had means, motive and opportunity there would be a twist that would knock my theory all out of whack. The ending turned out to be quite a surprise. I would say my speculations were about 10% right.
The Spenser home is quite a spectacular place. Four floors including an attic full of junk, a few treasures and a stuffed beast that would be gone so fast if I lived there. The living areas are beautifully furnished with the exception of Jillian’s room who had a rebellious streak and removed her antique furniture for things that were probably purchased at a discount store.
The author has a writing style that feel very familiar, a bit Christie – ish. She draws us in and holds us tight with a mystery that is ideally paced. She gives us detailed descriptions to set the time and the place and then she drops a clue here and a clue there as the reader follows along with Meg still trying to solve the mystery first.
This is a great start for the series. I am hoping to get to know Meg, her family and friends better in future installments. Meg is starting a new adventure and I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.
February 29, 2016
I'm a big fan of television design shows, and I believe that re-decoration,de-cluttering and re organizing your home can count as a major home improvement, so I thought this mystery was a perfect read. It also fed my collection "fetish" although my passion is collecting books, Meg's is collecting antiques and vintage finds and using them to design rooms. Meg Barrett has a business called "Cottages by the Sea" in the East Hamptons. She is a antique collector but in her past life with her ex Micheal she was the editor of American Home and Garden Magazine.
Meg is invited by her friend and antique store owner, Elle to catalogue and inventory the possessions in Seacliff Manor home of Caroline Spencer, "Queen mother of the Hamptons" who is a renowned antiques collector. When Meg walks in and discovers, Caroline's daughter, Jillian, who was a roommate to Meg in college, cradling her dead mother in her bloody mother in her arms dead from a deadly stab wound.
From Caroline's estranged son, Cole, to her assistant, Adam in charge of keeping tabs on Caroline's antique acquations, to Adam's mother who hated her and she is also known for her past love affairs, there is no shortage of suspects with daughter Jillian having no memory of the murder and with some of Caroline's treasured antiques start to go missing Meg with the help of her retired cop father and her fathers friend, the medical examiner Meg is on the hunt for not antiques this time but a cold blooded murderer.
I was a fan of all the interesting and intriguing characters like Megs neighbor and writer who wrote quotes in the sand. I hope author Kathleen Bridge will develop his character more in future books. Tripod the dog was a very lovable character and pet and loved how he got his name.
Jillian had major issues that made her a exciting character to read about. The only issue I had was the book was a little slow but quickly picked up and gripped me till the end. I love the premise of this series and can't wait to read the next one.
Meg is invited by her friend and antique store owner, Elle to catalogue and inventory the possessions in Seacliff Manor home of Caroline Spencer, "Queen mother of the Hamptons" who is a renowned antiques collector. When Meg walks in and discovers, Caroline's daughter, Jillian, who was a roommate to Meg in college, cradling her dead mother in her bloody mother in her arms dead from a deadly stab wound.
From Caroline's estranged son, Cole, to her assistant, Adam in charge of keeping tabs on Caroline's antique acquations, to Adam's mother who hated her and she is also known for her past love affairs, there is no shortage of suspects with daughter Jillian having no memory of the murder and with some of Caroline's treasured antiques start to go missing Meg with the help of her retired cop father and her fathers friend, the medical examiner Meg is on the hunt for not antiques this time but a cold blooded murderer.
I was a fan of all the interesting and intriguing characters like Megs neighbor and writer who wrote quotes in the sand. I hope author Kathleen Bridge will develop his character more in future books. Tripod the dog was a very lovable character and pet and loved how he got his name.
Jillian had major issues that made her a exciting character to read about. The only issue I had was the book was a little slow but quickly picked up and gripped me till the end. I love the premise of this series and can't wait to read the next one.
August 3, 2015
Better Homes and Corpses is the first book in the A Home & Garden Mystery series.
This looks to the beginning of an interesting series that will center around the affluent residents of The Hamptons.
Meg Barrett has decided to start a new life and has left her job with American Home & Garden magazine and her fiancee. She has moved to Mantouk to start Cottages by the Sea, a home decorating/refurbishing business.
One of the first things on her schedule is a visit to Seacliff, the home of Caroline Spencer, the foremost antique and art collectors on the, East Coast. But what she finds is Jillian, Spencer's daughter and former roommate of Meg, holding the lifeless body of her mother. When Meg is contacted by Elle Warner to help with the inventory of the Spencer estate, she jumps at the chance to learn exactly what happened that day at Seacliff.
Meg soon learns that Jillian has been under a doctor's care after a sailing accidents some years back with her brother Cole, The next day after the boating accident Cole has a motorcycle accident, then an argument with his mother and has been estranged from the family since. Only returning upon the death of his mother. Then there are a couple occurrences of Jillian being stalked. And another time when Meg and Jillian are out for a drive, someone tries to run them off the road.
There is no shortage of suspects for Meg to look into, starting with Cole, Adam Prescott, who was Spencer's assistant for the antiques and art collections, Salvatore, who was once an artist and lives on the estate, even, the Arnold's, housekeeper and butler are suspected, Tara Gayle, who runs and antique business and is a former girlfriend Spencer inventory.
A very interesting story with an interesting cast of character. Left me guessing to the end and the person that I suspected wasn't the killer.
Looking forward to the next book.
This looks to the beginning of an interesting series that will center around the affluent residents of The Hamptons.
Meg Barrett has decided to start a new life and has left her job with American Home & Garden magazine and her fiancee. She has moved to Mantouk to start Cottages by the Sea, a home decorating/refurbishing business.
One of the first things on her schedule is a visit to Seacliff, the home of Caroline Spencer, the foremost antique and art collectors on the, East Coast. But what she finds is Jillian, Spencer's daughter and former roommate of Meg, holding the lifeless body of her mother. When Meg is contacted by Elle Warner to help with the inventory of the Spencer estate, she jumps at the chance to learn exactly what happened that day at Seacliff.
Meg soon learns that Jillian has been under a doctor's care after a sailing accidents some years back with her brother Cole, The next day after the boating accident Cole has a motorcycle accident, then an argument with his mother and has been estranged from the family since. Only returning upon the death of his mother. Then there are a couple occurrences of Jillian being stalked. And another time when Meg and Jillian are out for a drive, someone tries to run them off the road.
There is no shortage of suspects for Meg to look into, starting with Cole, Adam Prescott, who was Spencer's assistant for the antiques and art collections, Salvatore, who was once an artist and lives on the estate, even, the Arnold's, housekeeper and butler are suspected, Tara Gayle, who runs and antique business and is a former girlfriend Spencer inventory.
A very interesting story with an interesting cast of character. Left me guessing to the end and the person that I suspected wasn't the killer.
Looking forward to the next book.
January 27, 2019
This book is very hard to review. There were things I liked, and things I didn't, but I finished it, and overall, I would say that the two-star "it was okay" is the best description for this story.
First and foremost, I knew who the killer was really early on. That NEVER happens! I don't even TRY to figure out who is guilty when I read murder mysteries, preferring to just go along for the ride. So if *I* figured it out before the reveal, then it was supremely obvious. That's not necessarily a negative, but if you are the type who likes a challenging mystery to crack, this is not the book for you!
Then, there's Meg. This chick is a dumb-head of the first water, and does "too stupid to live" stuff throughout this book. In the real world she would never survive. Fortunately for her, this is a cozy mystery and she is the main character, so she gets to live to busy-body another day. That said, I really didn't like her much. I found her kind of self-involved, and the way she treated her friend Elle - supposedly her best friend - was kind of selfish at times. Basically Meg behaves as though the world should do her bidding. She's nice enough about it, but she's pretty clueless, which never endears a character to me.
I did like the Montauk setting, and I loved the design component - that was fun, learning about antiques and what things are worth and how to restore things - that was fun.
I doubt I would read future books in this series, but this was okay. It had its moments but definitely not a favourite in the cozy genre.
First and foremost, I knew who the killer was really early on. That NEVER happens! I don't even TRY to figure out who is guilty when I read murder mysteries, preferring to just go along for the ride. So if *I* figured it out before the reveal, then it was supremely obvious. That's not necessarily a negative, but if you are the type who likes a challenging mystery to crack, this is not the book for you!
Then, there's Meg. This chick is a dumb-head of the first water, and does "too stupid to live" stuff throughout this book. In the real world she would never survive. Fortunately for her, this is a cozy mystery and she is the main character, so she gets to live to busy-body another day. That said, I really didn't like her much. I found her kind of self-involved, and the way she treated her friend Elle - supposedly her best friend - was kind of selfish at times. Basically Meg behaves as though the world should do her bidding. She's nice enough about it, but she's pretty clueless, which never endears a character to me.
I did like the Montauk setting, and I loved the design component - that was fun, learning about antiques and what things are worth and how to restore things - that was fun.
I doubt I would read future books in this series, but this was okay. It had its moments but definitely not a favourite in the cozy genre.
July 29, 2019
Not as fun as I had hope. Very formulaic cozy. Setting is Montauk NY with a heartbroken amateur sleuth ready to start a new life and career in interior design.
January 2, 2020
My first book of 2020 is part of the Kathleen Bridge's Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery series. Better Homes and Corpses is the first book in this bunch. It was published in 2015, so I'm a late starter. This series seems promising, so catching up will be no problem.
The series' protagonist Meg Barrett promises to be a capable amateur sleuth. She is determined to succeed as an interior designer (who happens to wear an hearing aid) in the swanky Hamptons after leaving a glamorous magazine job in Manhattan. With the help of her best friend, antique store owner Elle, she will solve A-list whodunits, restore herself an old beach cottage, build a steady following, and win the heart of strong-and-silent Cole. I like Meg's combination of stylishness and humbleness. She is human. I admire her matter-of-fact treatment of her deafness. It is what it is; it never stops her life.
Crime-solving is handled with some truth by the author. PTSD is obvious after Meg stumbles upon her first murder scene. Throughout the story, she suffers the real consequences of tangling with dangerous people: bleeding, whiplash, confusion, broken bones, etc. Near the end of the book, she actually wears a cast.
3 stars
The series' protagonist Meg Barrett promises to be a capable amateur sleuth. She is determined to succeed as an interior designer (who happens to wear an hearing aid) in the swanky Hamptons after leaving a glamorous magazine job in Manhattan. With the help of her best friend, antique store owner Elle, she will solve A-list whodunits, restore herself an old beach cottage, build a steady following, and win the heart of strong-and-silent Cole. I like Meg's combination of stylishness and humbleness. She is human. I admire her matter-of-fact treatment of her deafness. It is what it is; it never stops her life.
Crime-solving is handled with some truth by the author. PTSD is obvious after Meg stumbles upon her first murder scene. Throughout the story, she suffers the real consequences of tangling with dangerous people: bleeding, whiplash, confusion, broken bones, etc. Near the end of the book, she actually wears a cast.
3 stars
January 29, 2018
I'm behind on this series, but I'll be keeping up from now on! Loved the setting and characters, and the action kept me turning pages!
August 16, 2015
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Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Better Homes and Corpses is a wonderful first in what I hope will be a fabulous new series. Characters are entertaining, storyline is great, fast paced and intriguing. I really enjoy the main character, Meg Barrett. She is strong, yet vulnerable. Smart and inquisitive and she has a true reason for that trait. Her father is an ex-policeman. I loved that fact and that she had a real knack for figuring things out. Plus the police were not offended by her help here and there. Nice. The setting was beautiful and well described. And even though there are a lot of characters introduced, they were easy to get to know and keep straight. The characters were wonderful. I look forward to getting to know the main circle of characters even better over what I hope to be a long lived new series.
As the book begins, Meg was going to help an old friend catalog her families many antiques. The Queen Mother of the Hamptons’ daughter Jillian went to school with Meg. Since Meg moved to Montauk from Manhattan to start an interior design business and this will be a wonderful boon for her. Unfortunately, when Meg arrives she finds Jillian cradling her mother’s lifeless body. Not an auspicious start for sure. Meg’s friend Elle Warner ends up being called on to do some of the cataloging as well and thankfully that means they can both tread through the many suspects and antiques together. There are suspects everywhere it seems and past events are uncovered that lead Meg to question even her old schoolmate. Jillian has not been quite stable for years it seems.
I adore all the characters and the suspects too. This book has a real Agatha Christie feel to it that pulls you in and takes you through all the twists and turns with such aplomb and I loved it. Characters like Doc Heckler – old friend/father’s “spy”, Elle – Meg’s dear friend, the wonderful poetic, widowed neighbor. Suspects were plentiful and for different reasons, Cole – son of the murder victim who has been estranged for years, Adam Prescott – assistant to the murder victim, Salvatore – the scandalous artist who has lived on the estate for years, Adam’s meddling mother – Frances, and even Tara Gayle – Meg’s rival for more than just good buys. The mystery is very well written and kept me guessing.
Kathleen Bridge has written a wonderful first in a series. Her writing style reminds me so much of the wonderful books by Agatha Christie, the wonderful television mysteries including Murder She Wrote and others in the same vein and I loved it. I was pulled in from the first pages of Better Home and Corpses. I love Meg and think she is one of my favorite main characters. Although I know absolutely nothing about antiques or interior design, I never felt lost in the weeds when they were being discussed. I love how many twists, turns, red herrings and hints and clues there were. Never overdone, just the right amount and just the right amount of suspense and intrigue. A truly fabulous first that has made me a true fan. I cannot wait for the next.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Better Homes and Corpses is a wonderful first in what I hope will be a fabulous new series. Characters are entertaining, storyline is great, fast paced and intriguing. I really enjoy the main character, Meg Barrett. She is strong, yet vulnerable. Smart and inquisitive and she has a true reason for that trait. Her father is an ex-policeman. I loved that fact and that she had a real knack for figuring things out. Plus the police were not offended by her help here and there. Nice. The setting was beautiful and well described. And even though there are a lot of characters introduced, they were easy to get to know and keep straight. The characters were wonderful. I look forward to getting to know the main circle of characters even better over what I hope to be a long lived new series.
As the book begins, Meg was going to help an old friend catalog her families many antiques. The Queen Mother of the Hamptons’ daughter Jillian went to school with Meg. Since Meg moved to Montauk from Manhattan to start an interior design business and this will be a wonderful boon for her. Unfortunately, when Meg arrives she finds Jillian cradling her mother’s lifeless body. Not an auspicious start for sure. Meg’s friend Elle Warner ends up being called on to do some of the cataloging as well and thankfully that means they can both tread through the many suspects and antiques together. There are suspects everywhere it seems and past events are uncovered that lead Meg to question even her old schoolmate. Jillian has not been quite stable for years it seems.
I adore all the characters and the suspects too. This book has a real Agatha Christie feel to it that pulls you in and takes you through all the twists and turns with such aplomb and I loved it. Characters like Doc Heckler – old friend/father’s “spy”, Elle – Meg’s dear friend, the wonderful poetic, widowed neighbor. Suspects were plentiful and for different reasons, Cole – son of the murder victim who has been estranged for years, Adam Prescott – assistant to the murder victim, Salvatore – the scandalous artist who has lived on the estate for years, Adam’s meddling mother – Frances, and even Tara Gayle – Meg’s rival for more than just good buys. The mystery is very well written and kept me guessing.
Kathleen Bridge has written a wonderful first in a series. Her writing style reminds me so much of the wonderful books by Agatha Christie, the wonderful television mysteries including Murder She Wrote and others in the same vein and I loved it. I was pulled in from the first pages of Better Home and Corpses. I love Meg and think she is one of my favorite main characters. Although I know absolutely nothing about antiques or interior design, I never felt lost in the weeds when they were being discussed. I love how many twists, turns, red herrings and hints and clues there were. Never overdone, just the right amount and just the right amount of suspense and intrigue. A truly fabulous first that has made me a true fan. I cannot wait for the next.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
January 23, 2016
Meg Barrett thinks that getting a job looking at the antiques in the estate of Caroline Spenser is the boost her interior design company needs. After all, Caroline is one of the biggest names in the Hamptons. However, when Meg arrives at the appointment, she finds Caroline dead on the floor and Caroline’s adult daughter Jillian next to the body in shock. Could Jillian be the next victim?
I did struggle some getting into this book, but I quickly got into the story. It helped that the characters came alive the more time I spent with them. The theme of this cozy, interior design and antiques, overwhelmed the story at times, but I loved the Hamptons setting. And the plot was wonderfully constructed and kept me guessing until the end.
NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in hopes that I would review it.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I did struggle some getting into this book, but I quickly got into the story. It helped that the characters came alive the more time I spent with them. The theme of this cozy, interior design and antiques, overwhelmed the story at times, but I loved the Hamptons setting. And the plot was wonderfully constructed and kept me guessing until the end.
NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in hopes that I would review it.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
September 30, 2015
Better Homes and Corpses is the first in the Hamptons Home and Garden Mystery series. The series centers around Meg Barrett, home decorator in Montauk, a small seaside community in the Hamptons of Long Island, New York.
Having left the publishing world of Manhattan and her job with American Home and Garden magazine, when she finds her fiancée cheating on her with his ex wife, Meg has started her own interior design business, Cottages by the Sea. Meg reconnects with college roommate Jillian Spenser whose mother Caroline, an avid collector of antiquities and arts has the reputation as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons. Excited for the opportunity to visit "Seacliff" the Spenser's sprawling estate, Meg arrives to find Caroline dead in Jillian's arms.
Elle Warner is Meg's best friend from the magazine world, who also has quit the publishing industry to open an antiques shop, in nearby Sag Harbor. When Elle is hired to inventory the Spenser estate for the First Fidelity Insurance Company she invites Meg along to assist.
It turns out there is a lot more hidden behind the walls of Seacliff than just priceless artifacts. It appears that Jillian is suffering from PTSD brought about by a boating accident suffered as a teenager and now the recent attack on her and her mother has left her with amnesia, plus someone is still making attempts on her life. A helpless, fragile shell of her former self Meg feels the need to protect her friend and discover who killed Caroline.
Plenty of suspects reside behind the hedges of Seacliff including Jillian's brother Cole who has been estranged from the family for over 17 years. DR. Greene, Jillian's personal physician, Butler and Housekeeper Mr. & Mrs. Arnold, eccentric Salvatore the painter turned sculptor and his son Van, Caroline's art assistant Adam Prescott and his mother Frances. Everyone seems to have had a motive to murder Caroline, but why is the killer still after Jillian?
This was a great first with lots of twists and turns that left me guessing until the very end. I was completely wrong in thinking I knew whodunit. Meg suffers from hearing loss and the authors delicate handling of Meg's disability along with the inclusion into the story of Tripod, the three legged dog adds just the right touch of heartwarming realism.
As is the common thread in most cozies, romantic tensions run high between Meg and one of her suspects. Ultimately he is cleared of any wrongdoing and it will be interesting to see if their relationship evolves in future books. Meg has a very loving relationship with her ex-detective Father and I'm curious to see if he and his new wife will appear to help Meg in her future investigations. Most of all I'm eager to see how Meg tackles her next big project of renovating and restoring her new home.
A great debut!
Having left the publishing world of Manhattan and her job with American Home and Garden magazine, when she finds her fiancée cheating on her with his ex wife, Meg has started her own interior design business, Cottages by the Sea. Meg reconnects with college roommate Jillian Spenser whose mother Caroline, an avid collector of antiquities and arts has the reputation as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons. Excited for the opportunity to visit "Seacliff" the Spenser's sprawling estate, Meg arrives to find Caroline dead in Jillian's arms.
Elle Warner is Meg's best friend from the magazine world, who also has quit the publishing industry to open an antiques shop, in nearby Sag Harbor. When Elle is hired to inventory the Spenser estate for the First Fidelity Insurance Company she invites Meg along to assist.
It turns out there is a lot more hidden behind the walls of Seacliff than just priceless artifacts. It appears that Jillian is suffering from PTSD brought about by a boating accident suffered as a teenager and now the recent attack on her and her mother has left her with amnesia, plus someone is still making attempts on her life. A helpless, fragile shell of her former self Meg feels the need to protect her friend and discover who killed Caroline.
Plenty of suspects reside behind the hedges of Seacliff including Jillian's brother Cole who has been estranged from the family for over 17 years. DR. Greene, Jillian's personal physician, Butler and Housekeeper Mr. & Mrs. Arnold, eccentric Salvatore the painter turned sculptor and his son Van, Caroline's art assistant Adam Prescott and his mother Frances. Everyone seems to have had a motive to murder Caroline, but why is the killer still after Jillian?
This was a great first with lots of twists and turns that left me guessing until the very end. I was completely wrong in thinking I knew whodunit. Meg suffers from hearing loss and the authors delicate handling of Meg's disability along with the inclusion into the story of Tripod, the three legged dog adds just the right touch of heartwarming realism.
As is the common thread in most cozies, romantic tensions run high between Meg and one of her suspects. Ultimately he is cleared of any wrongdoing and it will be interesting to see if their relationship evolves in future books. Meg has a very loving relationship with her ex-detective Father and I'm curious to see if he and his new wife will appear to help Meg in her future investigations. Most of all I'm eager to see how Meg tackles her next big project of renovating and restoring her new home.
A great debut!
December 10, 2017
It seems I'm always at the wrong end of the stick
Meg leaves Manhattan for Montauk after learning that her fiancé is cheating. She opens Cottages By the Sea and begins to make a name for herself in the interior design world. Former college room mate, Jillian Spenser arranges for Meg to meet with her mother, Caroline, regarding a job. Unfortunately, Meg discovers Caroline dead and Jillian injured when she arrives at their upscale Hamptons mansion. The list of suspects is long due to Caroline's unpleasant attitude. Meg does end up with the job of inventorying the mansion for the insurance company and begins to stumble across a variety of reasons for the murder.
This was an interesting start to the series. I really like the setting of the Hamptons and the small villages that surround the area. I appreciate that Meg is portrayed as having a hearing disability. It gives her character depth. I love the little cottage she wants to take on to renovate and make her own. She has such interesting ideas.
The Spensers were difficult to get to know and to like. The more I learned of Caroline, the happier I was that she was the intended victim. That sounds awful! I found most of the characters surrounding the family to be unpleasant. That may be why I couldn't give this book a higher rating. I never really connected with anyone other than Meg and Elle.
The investigation had many twists and turns that left me guessing. I thought that I knew who the murderer was and why but blindly followed a red herring.
I will read the next book just to see how Meg is doing with her cottage. Perhaps the characters will speak to me more in the coming books. Or perhaps I will be in a different frame of mind and can enjoy them more.
Of note: My book was missing the first chapter (I'm not sure why as it was new) and I had to read it through the preview available on GR. Maybe we got off on the wrong foot because of that.
Meg leaves Manhattan for Montauk after learning that her fiancé is cheating. She opens Cottages By the Sea and begins to make a name for herself in the interior design world. Former college room mate, Jillian Spenser arranges for Meg to meet with her mother, Caroline, regarding a job. Unfortunately, Meg discovers Caroline dead and Jillian injured when she arrives at their upscale Hamptons mansion. The list of suspects is long due to Caroline's unpleasant attitude. Meg does end up with the job of inventorying the mansion for the insurance company and begins to stumble across a variety of reasons for the murder.
This was an interesting start to the series. I really like the setting of the Hamptons and the small villages that surround the area. I appreciate that Meg is portrayed as having a hearing disability. It gives her character depth. I love the little cottage she wants to take on to renovate and make her own. She has such interesting ideas.
The Spensers were difficult to get to know and to like. The more I learned of Caroline, the happier I was that she was the intended victim. That sounds awful! I found most of the characters surrounding the family to be unpleasant. That may be why I couldn't give this book a higher rating. I never really connected with anyone other than Meg and Elle.
The investigation had many twists and turns that left me guessing. I thought that I knew who the murderer was and why but blindly followed a red herring.
I will read the next book just to see how Meg is doing with her cottage. Perhaps the characters will speak to me more in the coming books. Or perhaps I will be in a different frame of mind and can enjoy them more.
Of note: My book was missing the first chapter (I'm not sure why as it was new) and I had to read it through the preview available on GR. Maybe we got off on the wrong foot because of that.
August 16, 2015
As I said, this was the first in a new series and really a great way to start. There was a lot of heart and attention to detail here. Meg is a totally real, easy to read main character and I just adore her business, Cottage by the Sea. In fact, I could use her help.. with decor, not solving murders, although she was great at that too.
The mystery was well plotted and unfolded nicely. I liked the extra layers and how well thought out it was. This is the kind of story you stay up all night with and read in one sitting... because you just must know. Plus, you want to make sure Meg is okay. In the back not only will you find ideas for how to re-purpose vintage treasures, but there are also recipes. You will be missing out on what promises to be a fabulous series if you don't grab your copy soon.
February 10, 2018
Better Homes and Corpses is book 1 in the New Hamptons Home and Garden mystery series. And it starts out with a bang! The author grabbed me into story from the start and didn't let go.
It's a fast paced mystery with lots of twists to confuse the reader into changing their mind as to who killer was about a dozen times! I really liked Meg, the main character. The author really brought her to life and you'll feel as if you know her.
If you like a good cozy mystery, this is a series that I'd highly recommend! Looking forward to reading book 2 in the series.
It's a fast paced mystery with lots of twists to confuse the reader into changing their mind as to who killer was about a dozen times! I really liked Meg, the main character. The author really brought her to life and you'll feel as if you know her.
If you like a good cozy mystery, this is a series that I'd highly recommend! Looking forward to reading book 2 in the series.
December 20, 2015
Loved this book! Can't wait to hear more from Meg and author Kathleen Bridge!
May 27, 2017
Review at Cozy Girl Reads
February 24, 2018
Meg Barrett left her cushy job in New York City when she discovered her fiance-boss in a compromising position with his ex-wife. She moved to Montauk on Long Island and is building a career as a designer. When she is called by a college roommate Jillian Spenser to go through her wealthy socialite mother's attic, she walks in on a murder. The socialite,known as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons, is dead and the daughter has amnesia.
Meg gets involved in solving the case to help her old roommate. There are suspects aplenty from the estranged son Cole Spenser to the artist living in one of the cottages on the grounds. There are tangled relationships among the suspects too. Cole has been estranged from his family for seventeen years since he fought with his mother. Meanwhile, the son of one of the mother's confidants has moved into the role of son because of their shared interests in antiques and collectibles.
I liked the Long Island setting and the information about antiques and shabby chic decorating. I liked that Meg is trying to rebuild her life and career. The characters were all nicely developed and the mystery was twisty enough to keep my attention. Typical in cozy mysteries, the recipes in the back also looked interesting. They were supplied by Meg's dad who is a retired homicide detective turned gourmet cook since Meg's only culinary ability is doctoring up simple foods with herbs.
Meg gets involved in solving the case to help her old roommate. There are suspects aplenty from the estranged son Cole Spenser to the artist living in one of the cottages on the grounds. There are tangled relationships among the suspects too. Cole has been estranged from his family for seventeen years since he fought with his mother. Meanwhile, the son of one of the mother's confidants has moved into the role of son because of their shared interests in antiques and collectibles.
I liked the Long Island setting and the information about antiques and shabby chic decorating. I liked that Meg is trying to rebuild her life and career. The characters were all nicely developed and the mystery was twisty enough to keep my attention. Typical in cozy mysteries, the recipes in the back also looked interesting. They were supplied by Meg's dad who is a retired homicide detective turned gourmet cook since Meg's only culinary ability is doctoring up simple foods with herbs.
May 24, 2017
In Better Homes and Corpses by Kathleen Bridge, Meg Barrett has recently started her own decorating business that also offers appraisals when one day she runs into her former roommate from one semester in college, Jillian Spenser, descendant of the most important of all the important families from the exceedingly rich East Hamptons. Invited to a party at n's home, Meg is delighted to get a phone call the day after the party from Jillian's widowed mother, who wants to hire Meg to go through all the items in the attic to see if there is anything of value there. But when Meg, who narrates the book, shows up at her appointed time, no one answers the bell at the door. Meg then knocks manually, and the door swings open, giving her a view of Jillian cradling her stabbed mother on the floor and acting semi-comatose.
Read the rest of this review, more reviews, and other wonderful, geeky articles on FangirlNation
Read the rest of this review, more reviews, and other wonderful, geeky articles on FangirlNation
May 31, 2021
A great weekend read with lots of twists and turns. Just when you think you know whodunnit...
I highly recommend!
I highly recommend!
March 19, 2023
If I wasn’t reading this for a book club, I would have DNF’d.
Read
November 24, 2022DNF. This writing is terrible and the characters aren't sympathetic in the least. The setting is t really to my taste either.
December 11, 2024
“Better Homes and Corpses” by Kathleen Bridge
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS
PRINT:
© 2015, August 4; 978-0425276587; Berkley; 304 pages; unabridged (Info from Amazon)
DIGITAL:
© 2010, March 9; Vintage; 9780307576095; 402 pages; unabridged. (info from Amazon)
(this one)-AUDIO:
© 2016, February 16; Tantor Audio; 07:20:00 duration; unabridged. (info from Amazon)
FILM:
Not that I found
SERIES:
Hamptons Home and Garden Mystery Book # 1 of 8
CHARACTERS: (Not Comprehensive)
Meg Barrett – Meg is hearing impaired young woman starting a home decorating business in the Hamptons. Her lip-reading skills come in handy when she becomes an amateur sleuth.
Caroline Spencer – Resident in the Hamptons, she is a former London Socialite related to the Queen of England and a fine arts connoisseur and collector.
Jillian Spencer – Daughter of Caroline and former roommate of Meg’s.
Cole Spence – Estranged son of Caroline
Elle Warner – Meg’s friend and owner of a local antique shop.
Officer Bach – Of the local police department.
Officer Shoner – Of the local police department.
Doc Heckler – A medical examiner, family friend and local resident.
Mrs. Arnold – Caroline’s housekeeper.
Mr. Arnold – Caroline’s caretaker. Mrs. Arnold’s husband.
Adam Arnold – Son of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold
Salvatore Salavar – An artist who lives in the guesthouse behind Caroline’s house.
Vancent (Van) Salavar – Salvatore’s son, a surfer who lives with his father.
Dr. Green – Jillian’s physician.
Tara – A competing owner of a local antique shop who had been Cole’s girlfriend before he left the area 17 years earlier.
SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
SELECTED:
A friend texted me a picture of the cover of the book she was reading and said she was enjoying the book. It had ghost in the title, I believe, with a conservatory, some flowers, and a cat on a bench, so true to form, I judged the book by it’s cover and decided to listen. It was the third book in this series. I’ll get to that one, but wanted to start at the beginning of the series.
ABOUT:
‘Casualty of a failed relationship, Meg has moved to Montauk and is pursuing her career interests. She represents herself as “Meg Barrett, Cottages by the Sea”, and busies herself procuring and refurbishing vintage home décor with which to decorate homes in the Hamptons. Racing to an appointment to meet with a prominent social figure, the highest regarded antiques collector for all Long Island, in hopes of advancing her business, Meg arrives, only to stumble upon a murder scene, embroiling her in the mystery behind Caroline’s death, who also happens to be the mother of her former college roommate.
OVERALL OPINION:
I enjoyed the home décor vintage details, the refurbishing tips, the location details, the plot, the protagonist’s well-developed character, and the suspense.
AUTHOR:
Kathleen Bridge: (From KathleenBridge.com)
“Kathleen started Her writing career working at the Michigan State University News in East Lansing, Michigan. Go Spartans!
She is the author of the hamptons home and garden mystery series from Berkley/penguin random house and also the author and photographer of an antiques reference guide, Lithographed Paper Toys, Books, and Games, a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and was a creative writing instructor at THE william Cullen Bryant Library in Roslyn, New York. Go Libraries!
She is also an antiques and vintage dealer at Sweet Home Vintage Market in Sebastian, FL. GO SHOPPING!”
NARRATOR(S):
Vanessa Daniels (From Tantor.com)
“Vanessa Daniels has worked as a professional actress in theater, film, TV, commercials, and voice-over for almost two decades. She holds a BFA in drama from New York University and is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity Association.”
*ME: I love the energy and tone Vanessa gives this character. However, I felt that Vanessa’s tonal inflections frequently fell on words that in a different context could have been stressed but not in the context being read.
GENRE:
Fiction; Amateur sleuths; Cozy mysteries; Women sleuths
SUBJECTS (Not comprehensive):
Romance, Home decorating; Antiques, The Hamptons; Society; Dysfunctional families; Hearing impairment; A three-legged dog; Investigation; Inheritance; Insurance
TIME PERIOD
2015
LOCATIONS (Not comprehensive)
Montauk, New York
DEDICATION:
“This book is dedicated to my beautiful daughter Lindsey Taylor, who never let her hearing loss keep her from fulfilling her wildest dreams. I love you, sweet tartlette.”
EXCERPT From “CHAPTER ONE”
“It seems I’m always at the wrong end of the stick. The pointy end. The one you can’t see until you trip over it and it pokes your eye out, or worse yet, your heart. I got the flat tire at the intersection of Old Montauk Highway and Route 27. Earlier, my spirits had scaled the upper limits of antique-picker heaven. Now I’d be late, and Caroline Spenser would never tolerate lateness.
My rescuer came in the form of a PSEG power grid worker in a cable truck. When I offered him my last ten-dollar bill for a job well done, he refused and said, “But I’ll take that woody golf club in the back of your Jeep.”
I’d scavenged the club the day before from the front of the demolished Tiki Motel, along with a set of what I prayed were ivory mah-jongg tiles hidden in a moldy suitcase.
“Well, if you’re ever on the lookout for any more clubs, give me a call.” I handed him my business card.
“‘Meg Barrett, Cottages by the Sea,’” he said, reading the card. “What are you, some kind of home builder?”
“No, more like a nest builder. Sorry, I have to run. I’m sooo late.” I glanced at his ring finger. Darn. It would be nice to meet someone with the same collecting bug I had, instead of the cheating jerk I’d been engaged to who hated all things old. The only thing Michael and I had in common was Jeopardy! and an obsession with home décor magazines—he loved minimalist modern and I was more of a vintage upcyled-trash gal.
At the sight of the East Hampton windmill, my pulse quickened. Only a few rain-drenched souls trudged along Main Street. It was March, but come June, the beautiful people would descend and the east end of Long Island would morph into the American Riviera, double-cheeked air kisses on every corner and celebrities in every café. National Geographic voted East Hampton “America’s Most Beautiful Village,” and it was easy to see why, with its clean, tree-shaded streets and quaint storefronts.
When I veered left onto a narrow blacktop lane, I got occasional peeks at mammoth estates hidden behind tall privet hedges. My palms itched, forecasting good things around the corner—or disaster. I hoped the flat tire wasn’t an omen for my upcoming appointment. After all, it was just a casual meeting with one of the most important antique and art collectors in the Hamptons, scratch that, Long Island, scratch that, the entire East Coast. Now I was really nervous.
The road dead-ended at Seacliff, the Spensers’ estate. I passed through open iron gates and followed a long, curving driveway. Poplars, even without their foliage, guided me toward a jaw-dropping Greek Revival manor house set on a bluff overlooking a tremulous Atlantic. Once upon a time, Seacliff had been the nineteenth-century summer “cottage” of industrialist and robber baron Thaddeus Spenser. Designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, Seacliff was rumored to be the prototype for the Vanderbilts’ castle, Marble House, in Newport. Even against the dark-shrouded sky, its largeness and whiteness took my breath away.
Caroline Spenser was Seacliff’s twenty-first-century occupant, a former London socialite and fine art connoisseur with bloodlines to the Queen of England, hence her nickname, “Queen Mother of the Hamptons.” Caroline, now widowed, had married Charles Spenser, our very own American royalty. She lived alone with her daughter, Jillian, whom I hadn’t seen in fifteen years. Jillian and I ran into each other on Thursday, at the library in East Hampton. We’d only been roomies at NYU for a semester. My schedule left us little time to bond. I was a teaching assistant for the head of the journalism school during the day, and a waitress at a dive bar in Greenwich Village at night. When I had hung out with Jillian, she’d seemed introverted, always seeking others’ approval. Never had an opinion of her own. An odd duck. I chalked it up to her privileged upbringing. But it was thanks to her that I was allowed a short viewing this morning with her mother, the Queen, to discuss a business proposition that might give my fledgling interior design firm a much-needed shot in the arm.
I parked next to a boxwood maze and went up the wide marble steps. Under the sweeping portico, I pressed the button for the intercom. No response. Had I gotten it wrong? Was my appointment for next Saturday? Maybe I was too small a fish to fry, a minnow, a tadpole—oops, that’s an amphibian. Time to get a grip. This wasn’t my first trip to the rodeo. Actually, I’d never been to a rodeo, but I’d dealt with the snobby upper crust before. They weren’t any better than me. Then I thought about yesterday’s cocktail party. And the underwear.
I rang the buzzer again. With one last effort, I raised the brass knocker and let it thud against the door. To my surprise, the door groaned slowly inward.
“Hellooo, anyone home?” I stepped inside. The cathedral-ceilinged foyer had pale marble floors, dark early American furniture, and artwork even a first grader would recognize. I was admiring an enameled vase the size of my Jeep Wrangler when a sound came from behind the staircase.
I tiptoed toward it. Prickles of sweat formed on my upper lip.
Then I found them.
Jillian Spenser sat on the floor, rocking her mother’s limp body. Caroline’s mouth gaped open, oozing a pinkish froth. Her nightgown was a study in crimson—a macabre Jackson Pollock painting.
I skated across the blood-slicked marble and got down on my knees, gagging on the stench. “Jillian! What happened?” My father liked to recount tales of grisly homicides from his days in the Detroit PD, but he’d never warned me blood had such a sweet, sick odor.
Jillian pulled away when I tried to embrace her, cradling her mother closer. I felt Caroline’s wrist for a pulse but couldn’t find one. I crawled to the next room so Jillian wouldn’t hear my call, dialed 911 on my cell phone, then vomited into a Ming Dynasty vase.
When I returned to the hallway, I said, “Let’s go outside and wait.” I was worried Caroline’s killer might still be inside. “Everything’s going to be fine, I promise.” Who am I kidding?
Jillian wasn’t about to let go of her mother’s body. She mumbled, “Col . . .”
I draped my jacket on her quaking shoulders and noticed a lump on the back of her head. Jillian stuttered, “Col . . .” one last time then transferred her glassy stare to a nearby closet door.
Taking my best Charlie’s Angels stance, I twisted the knob to the closet and pulled. My feet gave way and my tailbone hit marble just as the front door opened and a sea of law enforcement rushed in.”
RATING:
4 stars.
STARTED-FINISHED
12/02/2024 - 12/10/2024
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS
PRINT:
© 2015, August 4; 978-0425276587; Berkley; 304 pages; unabridged (Info from Amazon)
DIGITAL:
© 2010, March 9; Vintage; 9780307576095; 402 pages; unabridged. (info from Amazon)
(this one)-AUDIO:
© 2016, February 16; Tantor Audio; 07:20:00 duration; unabridged. (info from Amazon)
FILM:
Not that I found
SERIES:
Hamptons Home and Garden Mystery Book # 1 of 8
CHARACTERS: (Not Comprehensive)
Meg Barrett – Meg is hearing impaired young woman starting a home decorating business in the Hamptons. Her lip-reading skills come in handy when she becomes an amateur sleuth.
Caroline Spencer – Resident in the Hamptons, she is a former London Socialite related to the Queen of England and a fine arts connoisseur and collector.
Jillian Spencer – Daughter of Caroline and former roommate of Meg’s.
Cole Spence – Estranged son of Caroline
Elle Warner – Meg’s friend and owner of a local antique shop.
Officer Bach – Of the local police department.
Officer Shoner – Of the local police department.
Doc Heckler – A medical examiner, family friend and local resident.
Mrs. Arnold – Caroline’s housekeeper.
Mr. Arnold – Caroline’s caretaker. Mrs. Arnold’s husband.
Adam Arnold – Son of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold
Salvatore Salavar – An artist who lives in the guesthouse behind Caroline’s house.
Vancent (Van) Salavar – Salvatore’s son, a surfer who lives with his father.
Dr. Green – Jillian’s physician.
Tara – A competing owner of a local antique shop who had been Cole’s girlfriend before he left the area 17 years earlier.
SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
SELECTED:
A friend texted me a picture of the cover of the book she was reading and said she was enjoying the book. It had ghost in the title, I believe, with a conservatory, some flowers, and a cat on a bench, so true to form, I judged the book by it’s cover and decided to listen. It was the third book in this series. I’ll get to that one, but wanted to start at the beginning of the series.
ABOUT:
‘Casualty of a failed relationship, Meg has moved to Montauk and is pursuing her career interests. She represents herself as “Meg Barrett, Cottages by the Sea”, and busies herself procuring and refurbishing vintage home décor with which to decorate homes in the Hamptons. Racing to an appointment to meet with a prominent social figure, the highest regarded antiques collector for all Long Island, in hopes of advancing her business, Meg arrives, only to stumble upon a murder scene, embroiling her in the mystery behind Caroline’s death, who also happens to be the mother of her former college roommate.
OVERALL OPINION:
I enjoyed the home décor vintage details, the refurbishing tips, the location details, the plot, the protagonist’s well-developed character, and the suspense.
AUTHOR:
Kathleen Bridge: (From KathleenBridge.com)
“Kathleen started Her writing career working at the Michigan State University News in East Lansing, Michigan. Go Spartans!
She is the author of the hamptons home and garden mystery series from Berkley/penguin random house and also the author and photographer of an antiques reference guide, Lithographed Paper Toys, Books, and Games, a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and was a creative writing instructor at THE william Cullen Bryant Library in Roslyn, New York. Go Libraries!
She is also an antiques and vintage dealer at Sweet Home Vintage Market in Sebastian, FL. GO SHOPPING!”
NARRATOR(S):
Vanessa Daniels (From Tantor.com)
“Vanessa Daniels has worked as a professional actress in theater, film, TV, commercials, and voice-over for almost two decades. She holds a BFA in drama from New York University and is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity Association.”
*ME: I love the energy and tone Vanessa gives this character. However, I felt that Vanessa’s tonal inflections frequently fell on words that in a different context could have been stressed but not in the context being read.
GENRE:
Fiction; Amateur sleuths; Cozy mysteries; Women sleuths
SUBJECTS (Not comprehensive):
Romance, Home decorating; Antiques, The Hamptons; Society; Dysfunctional families; Hearing impairment; A three-legged dog; Investigation; Inheritance; Insurance
TIME PERIOD
2015
LOCATIONS (Not comprehensive)
Montauk, New York
DEDICATION:
“This book is dedicated to my beautiful daughter Lindsey Taylor, who never let her hearing loss keep her from fulfilling her wildest dreams. I love you, sweet tartlette.”
EXCERPT From “CHAPTER ONE”
“It seems I’m always at the wrong end of the stick. The pointy end. The one you can’t see until you trip over it and it pokes your eye out, or worse yet, your heart. I got the flat tire at the intersection of Old Montauk Highway and Route 27. Earlier, my spirits had scaled the upper limits of antique-picker heaven. Now I’d be late, and Caroline Spenser would never tolerate lateness.
My rescuer came in the form of a PSEG power grid worker in a cable truck. When I offered him my last ten-dollar bill for a job well done, he refused and said, “But I’ll take that woody golf club in the back of your Jeep.”
I’d scavenged the club the day before from the front of the demolished Tiki Motel, along with a set of what I prayed were ivory mah-jongg tiles hidden in a moldy suitcase.
“Well, if you’re ever on the lookout for any more clubs, give me a call.” I handed him my business card.
“‘Meg Barrett, Cottages by the Sea,’” he said, reading the card. “What are you, some kind of home builder?”
“No, more like a nest builder. Sorry, I have to run. I’m sooo late.” I glanced at his ring finger. Darn. It would be nice to meet someone with the same collecting bug I had, instead of the cheating jerk I’d been engaged to who hated all things old. The only thing Michael and I had in common was Jeopardy! and an obsession with home décor magazines—he loved minimalist modern and I was more of a vintage upcyled-trash gal.
At the sight of the East Hampton windmill, my pulse quickened. Only a few rain-drenched souls trudged along Main Street. It was March, but come June, the beautiful people would descend and the east end of Long Island would morph into the American Riviera, double-cheeked air kisses on every corner and celebrities in every café. National Geographic voted East Hampton “America’s Most Beautiful Village,” and it was easy to see why, with its clean, tree-shaded streets and quaint storefronts.
When I veered left onto a narrow blacktop lane, I got occasional peeks at mammoth estates hidden behind tall privet hedges. My palms itched, forecasting good things around the corner—or disaster. I hoped the flat tire wasn’t an omen for my upcoming appointment. After all, it was just a casual meeting with one of the most important antique and art collectors in the Hamptons, scratch that, Long Island, scratch that, the entire East Coast. Now I was really nervous.
The road dead-ended at Seacliff, the Spensers’ estate. I passed through open iron gates and followed a long, curving driveway. Poplars, even without their foliage, guided me toward a jaw-dropping Greek Revival manor house set on a bluff overlooking a tremulous Atlantic. Once upon a time, Seacliff had been the nineteenth-century summer “cottage” of industrialist and robber baron Thaddeus Spenser. Designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, Seacliff was rumored to be the prototype for the Vanderbilts’ castle, Marble House, in Newport. Even against the dark-shrouded sky, its largeness and whiteness took my breath away.
Caroline Spenser was Seacliff’s twenty-first-century occupant, a former London socialite and fine art connoisseur with bloodlines to the Queen of England, hence her nickname, “Queen Mother of the Hamptons.” Caroline, now widowed, had married Charles Spenser, our very own American royalty. She lived alone with her daughter, Jillian, whom I hadn’t seen in fifteen years. Jillian and I ran into each other on Thursday, at the library in East Hampton. We’d only been roomies at NYU for a semester. My schedule left us little time to bond. I was a teaching assistant for the head of the journalism school during the day, and a waitress at a dive bar in Greenwich Village at night. When I had hung out with Jillian, she’d seemed introverted, always seeking others’ approval. Never had an opinion of her own. An odd duck. I chalked it up to her privileged upbringing. But it was thanks to her that I was allowed a short viewing this morning with her mother, the Queen, to discuss a business proposition that might give my fledgling interior design firm a much-needed shot in the arm.
I parked next to a boxwood maze and went up the wide marble steps. Under the sweeping portico, I pressed the button for the intercom. No response. Had I gotten it wrong? Was my appointment for next Saturday? Maybe I was too small a fish to fry, a minnow, a tadpole—oops, that’s an amphibian. Time to get a grip. This wasn’t my first trip to the rodeo. Actually, I’d never been to a rodeo, but I’d dealt with the snobby upper crust before. They weren’t any better than me. Then I thought about yesterday’s cocktail party. And the underwear.
I rang the buzzer again. With one last effort, I raised the brass knocker and let it thud against the door. To my surprise, the door groaned slowly inward.
“Hellooo, anyone home?” I stepped inside. The cathedral-ceilinged foyer had pale marble floors, dark early American furniture, and artwork even a first grader would recognize. I was admiring an enameled vase the size of my Jeep Wrangler when a sound came from behind the staircase.
I tiptoed toward it. Prickles of sweat formed on my upper lip.
Then I found them.
Jillian Spenser sat on the floor, rocking her mother’s limp body. Caroline’s mouth gaped open, oozing a pinkish froth. Her nightgown was a study in crimson—a macabre Jackson Pollock painting.
I skated across the blood-slicked marble and got down on my knees, gagging on the stench. “Jillian! What happened?” My father liked to recount tales of grisly homicides from his days in the Detroit PD, but he’d never warned me blood had such a sweet, sick odor.
Jillian pulled away when I tried to embrace her, cradling her mother closer. I felt Caroline’s wrist for a pulse but couldn’t find one. I crawled to the next room so Jillian wouldn’t hear my call, dialed 911 on my cell phone, then vomited into a Ming Dynasty vase.
When I returned to the hallway, I said, “Let’s go outside and wait.” I was worried Caroline’s killer might still be inside. “Everything’s going to be fine, I promise.” Who am I kidding?
Jillian wasn’t about to let go of her mother’s body. She mumbled, “Col . . .”
I draped my jacket on her quaking shoulders and noticed a lump on the back of her head. Jillian stuttered, “Col . . .” one last time then transferred her glassy stare to a nearby closet door.
Taking my best Charlie’s Angels stance, I twisted the knob to the closet and pulled. My feet gave way and my tailbone hit marble just as the front door opened and a sea of law enforcement rushed in.”
RATING:
4 stars.
STARTED-FINISHED
12/02/2024 - 12/10/2024
December 18, 2020
Meg Barrett moved to Montauk after she found out her fiancé was still interested in his ex-wife. Leaving her job as an editior for a home and garden magazine, she now lives in a cottage on the beach while offering her decorating services to people. After being approached by the mother of an old school friend to inventory her home for insurance purposes, she enters the home and finds that Caroline Spenser is dead, and her daughter Jillian is holding her in her arms.
After calling the police and being questioned, she finds that Jillian has developed amnesia about the event, and doesn't remember anything. To add to that, Jillian's brother Cole has returned after seventeen years away and is silent on the subject of why he left. While Meg is inventorying the home with her friend Elle, she also discovering that there might be more to the murder than what is known, and she's subtly looking into it.
But when she starts to become slightly involved with Cole, and all evidence points toward him, she refuses to believe he's a murderer. It's going to take a lot of work on her part to find out who's framing him, and it just might get her killed if she's not careful...
This is the first in the Hamptons Home & Gardens Mysteries, and I'm rather sorry I waited so long to read it. Having been disillusioned about another series of Ms. Bridge's, it took me awhile to take the time, but I'm glad I did. This book was delightful.
The plot is done very well, and the character of Meg is different in the fact that she's had a hearing loss as a child and depends upon hearing aids; this has also given her the ability to read lips, and she garners quite a bit of information this way. Meg's character is quite developed in this book, and she's intelligent and able to pick up clues without pestering people and accusing them of murder. It serves her well.
I do like the character of Doc, an ex-cop who's her self- appointed guardian, and also the fact that Tripod the dog, also another damaged being, becomes helpful to her, too. Her friend Elle is definitely different, but loyal, along with other friends of Meg's; although the rest of the secondary characters -- and there were plenty of them -- had their own secrets to hide.
It is these secrets that Meg must sift through to find the truth, and it leads her down a path no one quite expected. When she starts to put everything together, it's at the same point that we do, too, and it comes together seamlessly, giving us a satisfactory ending and bring the murderer to justice. I highly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next in the series. Recommended.
After calling the police and being questioned, she finds that Jillian has developed amnesia about the event, and doesn't remember anything. To add to that, Jillian's brother Cole has returned after seventeen years away and is silent on the subject of why he left. While Meg is inventorying the home with her friend Elle, she also discovering that there might be more to the murder than what is known, and she's subtly looking into it.
But when she starts to become slightly involved with Cole, and all evidence points toward him, she refuses to believe he's a murderer. It's going to take a lot of work on her part to find out who's framing him, and it just might get her killed if she's not careful...
This is the first in the Hamptons Home & Gardens Mysteries, and I'm rather sorry I waited so long to read it. Having been disillusioned about another series of Ms. Bridge's, it took me awhile to take the time, but I'm glad I did. This book was delightful.
The plot is done very well, and the character of Meg is different in the fact that she's had a hearing loss as a child and depends upon hearing aids; this has also given her the ability to read lips, and she garners quite a bit of information this way. Meg's character is quite developed in this book, and she's intelligent and able to pick up clues without pestering people and accusing them of murder. It serves her well.
I do like the character of Doc, an ex-cop who's her self- appointed guardian, and also the fact that Tripod the dog, also another damaged being, becomes helpful to her, too. Her friend Elle is definitely different, but loyal, along with other friends of Meg's; although the rest of the secondary characters -- and there were plenty of them -- had their own secrets to hide.
It is these secrets that Meg must sift through to find the truth, and it leads her down a path no one quite expected. When she starts to put everything together, it's at the same point that we do, too, and it comes together seamlessly, giving us a satisfactory ending and bring the murderer to justice. I highly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next in the series. Recommended.
May 28, 2016
After finding out her fiance still had feelings for his ex-wife Meg decides it’s time to redo her life and quits her fancy job and moves from Mahattan to Montauk. She gets a job at the Queen of the Hamptons going through her old things for her new Interior Design business Cottage by the Sea.
She just arrives at the house when she finds Jillian on the floor holding on to her mother who is dead. Meg is immediately thrown into the investigation since she came upon the seen. Jillian was hurt but has a bit of amnesia and can’t remember what happened.
As she helps go through old furniture on the Spencer estate she starts to unfold a secret that could have been reason for murder. It also seems like someone is trying to help Meg along in her investigation but when things don’t go the way they want, they might have to just eliminate Meg as well.
I always love books that deal with antiques and furniture or old houses as I find it fascinating how people can see something and think of how they can use that to design a room. I would love to be able to do that but I am not real good at that…lol. Meg worked for a home and garden magazine and now she has her own interior design business. So she has an eye for details and it helps her solve a crime though the pieces didn’t fit until right towards the very end.
I like Meg, she is trying to forget about her fiance and go on with her life. She meets Cole, who is the victims son and they seem to hit it off, but in her mind he is also sort of a suspect, though she doesn’t want to think he could do anything like that. Kind of a rocky start to a new relationship.
Overall, great characters a good mystery and a bit of humor so if you like cozies then you will like this one.
She just arrives at the house when she finds Jillian on the floor holding on to her mother who is dead. Meg is immediately thrown into the investigation since she came upon the seen. Jillian was hurt but has a bit of amnesia and can’t remember what happened.
As she helps go through old furniture on the Spencer estate she starts to unfold a secret that could have been reason for murder. It also seems like someone is trying to help Meg along in her investigation but when things don’t go the way they want, they might have to just eliminate Meg as well.
I always love books that deal with antiques and furniture or old houses as I find it fascinating how people can see something and think of how they can use that to design a room. I would love to be able to do that but I am not real good at that…lol. Meg worked for a home and garden magazine and now she has her own interior design business. So she has an eye for details and it helps her solve a crime though the pieces didn’t fit until right towards the very end.
I like Meg, she is trying to forget about her fiance and go on with her life. She meets Cole, who is the victims son and they seem to hit it off, but in her mind he is also sort of a suspect, though she doesn’t want to think he could do anything like that. Kind of a rocky start to a new relationship.
Overall, great characters a good mystery and a bit of humor so if you like cozies then you will like this one.
February 16, 2016
I absolutely loved Better Homes and Corpses! It’s been a long time since I stayed up late reading a book, but I did so last night with this wonderful cozy mystery by new author Kathleen Bridge. I couldn’t put it down. A classic page turner, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed! Meg is an interior design expert, and has recently moved to Montauk, NY (Long Island), after leaving her job as a magazine editor in Manhattan. She reconnects with an old college roommate, discovers a murder, and meets/interacts with a slew of interesting people, has a little romance - all while trying to figure out whodunit! The characters are interesting and well-written, and this book is the first in a series so I’m looking forward to reconnecting with my favorite (hopefully recurring) characters (Meg, Elle, Doc, hopefully Tripod the dog, and the mysterious Patrick Seaton) in the future. The descriptions of Montauk and the Hamptons, and its lovely homes and beaches, made me want to move there – if I could afford it!!! As an added bonus, the author included recipes and decorating tips at the end of the book, another plus in my opinion. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a nice cozy mystery! A+
September 10, 2015
A great debut in a new series. Meg Barrett owns Cottages By The Sea which does decorating and repurposing in a small way. Visiting an old college friend, Jillian Spenser, Meg finds her holding her mother's body, both apparent victims of an attack. Working with her friend, Elle and the insurance company to check the inventory of the murder victim's antiques; Meg is pulled into solving the crime. Caroline Spenser was an English socialite who married into American money and collected antiques of the exclusive kind. I found the characters and background well developed and interesting. This was a devious murder plot with twists, turns and red herrings of every kind. Love, passion, betrayal, money, art, antiques and revenge are all exposed in the murder plot. This was a fascinating read with the emphasis on the murder. I enjoyed this very much and recommend it highly because the murder solution was a complete surprise.
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