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Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery #9
The Corpse at the Cottage
When the patriarch of an old-money Hamptons family is found dead, interior decorator Meg Barrett discovers that some family secrets are better left buried . . .
It was big news when Roland Whitney bankrupted his family's media empire amid rumors of fraud. Now he's lost their Hamptons estate, and Meg finds herself in the middle of the turmoil. She's been called in to collect the furnishings used in the streaming mystery show that was filmed there, and she wants nothing more than to finish the job and be done with the troubled family. Then she stumbles upon Whitney's dead body, the victim of an apparent suicide.
All the evidence suggests that Whitney couldn't live with the shame of his downfall and took his own life. But Meg is convinced the suicide was staged, and as she begins looking into the secretive family, she discovers bitter conflicts and a history of resentment for the victim. With each of them a suspect and tension growing over who stands to inherit the little remaining wealth, Meg realizes too late that if money's behind the murder, she may end up paying the biggest price of all . . .
It was big news when Roland Whitney bankrupted his family's media empire amid rumors of fraud. Now he's lost their Hamptons estate, and Meg finds herself in the middle of the turmoil. She's been called in to collect the furnishings used in the streaming mystery show that was filmed there, and she wants nothing more than to finish the job and be done with the troubled family. Then she stumbles upon Whitney's dead body, the victim of an apparent suicide.
All the evidence suggests that Whitney couldn't live with the shame of his downfall and took his own life. But Meg is convinced the suicide was staged, and as she begins looking into the secretive family, she discovers bitter conflicts and a history of resentment for the victim. With each of them a suspect and tension growing over who stands to inherit the little remaining wealth, Meg realizes too late that if money's behind the murder, she may end up paying the biggest price of all . . .
- GenresMysteryCozy Mystery
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 30, 2026
About the author
Kathleen Bridge
14 books346 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 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 19, 2026
In book 9 of the Hampton Home & Gardens cozy series there is DRAMA, lots and lots of drama, and I don’t mean the theatrical type although there is home being used as a TV series set. In fact, that is the reason that Meg Barrett ends up stumbling upon the dead body of her former boss who is also her former fiancé’s father-in-law. See what I mean about drama.
Needless to say, you get all that information right away making this a great standalone mystery that gives plenty of backstory without including spoilers for the previous eight books. I appreciate the lack of spoilers because this is my first time reading the Hampton Home & Gardens series, but it won’t be my last. The characters come in three varieties, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and none of that is related to physical beauty. Meg is a very good character who has overcome a hearing problem and uses her ability to read lips to her advantage. Not to mention that she is a good person, just ask her boyfriend, successful mystery writer Patrick Seaton. She is supported by her best friend Elle Broder who is VERY pregnant and not able to take part in the sleuthing as much as usual, but she does pass along bits of info that she picks up from her police officer husband, Aurthur. Meg’s dad, Jeff, retired Detroit detective and his buddy Doc aka Marshall Heckler, a retired corner, are good for bouncing suspect scenarios off of. To round out the good is Annabelle, Elle’s mature neighbor and green witch. I love all of the herbal information that is shared in the book and am thinking of tinkering in tea making.
That brings us to the bad and the ugly, in other words, the suspects. Rudolph did not kill himself; he had a bit of help so was it because of the business fraud? Was it his wife Bunny who was filing for divorce? Maybe his daughter was enraged because she wasn’t going to be able to live the posh lifestyle anymore, not with what her husband Michael makes for a salary. The mysterious horror writer Storm Stoddard, cousin to Bunny and her sister Grace, swooped in and bought the Stoddard family mansion unbeknownst to the cousins. Storm, formerly known as Stuart, has some serious animosity for Rodney that has not dissipated even with the death. Remember what I said about Meg being a good character? Well, her good heart gets her involved in this mystery because Michael looks beyond hound dog haggard and pleads with her to look into the murder. There is something about this murder mystery that niggles at the very curious and plucky amateur sleuth.
This was an enjoyable story with all the cozy feels. The characters are well created and the interactions are compelling. I was drawn into the story and did not want to put the books down. I also enjoyed reading about the various antique odds and ends. I have always said that cozy mysteries are both entertaining and educational. I look forward to making the top-secret cheeseball recipe as well as going back over my odds and ends to determine if I am displaying them with intention or if they are just collecting dust in a box.
Needless to say, you get all that information right away making this a great standalone mystery that gives plenty of backstory without including spoilers for the previous eight books. I appreciate the lack of spoilers because this is my first time reading the Hampton Home & Gardens series, but it won’t be my last. The characters come in three varieties, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and none of that is related to physical beauty. Meg is a very good character who has overcome a hearing problem and uses her ability to read lips to her advantage. Not to mention that she is a good person, just ask her boyfriend, successful mystery writer Patrick Seaton. She is supported by her best friend Elle Broder who is VERY pregnant and not able to take part in the sleuthing as much as usual, but she does pass along bits of info that she picks up from her police officer husband, Aurthur. Meg’s dad, Jeff, retired Detroit detective and his buddy Doc aka Marshall Heckler, a retired corner, are good for bouncing suspect scenarios off of. To round out the good is Annabelle, Elle’s mature neighbor and green witch. I love all of the herbal information that is shared in the book and am thinking of tinkering in tea making.
That brings us to the bad and the ugly, in other words, the suspects. Rudolph did not kill himself; he had a bit of help so was it because of the business fraud? Was it his wife Bunny who was filing for divorce? Maybe his daughter was enraged because she wasn’t going to be able to live the posh lifestyle anymore, not with what her husband Michael makes for a salary. The mysterious horror writer Storm Stoddard, cousin to Bunny and her sister Grace, swooped in and bought the Stoddard family mansion unbeknownst to the cousins. Storm, formerly known as Stuart, has some serious animosity for Rodney that has not dissipated even with the death. Remember what I said about Meg being a good character? Well, her good heart gets her involved in this mystery because Michael looks beyond hound dog haggard and pleads with her to look into the murder. There is something about this murder mystery that niggles at the very curious and plucky amateur sleuth.
This was an enjoyable story with all the cozy feels. The characters are well created and the interactions are compelling. I was drawn into the story and did not want to put the books down. I also enjoyed reading about the various antique odds and ends. I have always said that cozy mysteries are both entertaining and educational. I look forward to making the top-secret cheeseball recipe as well as going back over my odds and ends to determine if I am displaying them with intention or if they are just collecting dust in a box.
August 23, 2026
While finishing up collecting props and other items from a television show she works on, Meg stumbles upon a garage with smoke pouring out of it and upon dashing to the rescue, she finds a dead body.
I enjoyed this cosy but I definitely felt at a disadvantage coming into this without having read any of the previous ones in the series. Plenty of in jokes, relationships and development that I felt a little disconnected from because I hadn't read them.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of and equal attention would be paid to them in a chapter, be they a main suspect or someone who literally would only appear in that chapter. Plus some characters had multiple names and would be called different ones by different people, it got a little overwhelming at times. And then on the flip side, two times I can think of, where a name is thrown in for one page and they are sort of important to the plot or the characters.
I really enjoyed Meg as a character. She's brave, she's willing to do the right thing but she's also very aware of the risks that come with investigating a murder. She deliberately makes choices to keep her and those she loves safe which is an amazingly refreshing change. I don't think I shouted at her once while reading it. Of course, on the downside, there is very little in actual 'investigating'. She plans to talk to people, she drives, she talks to people. And a couple of times she thinks about going to a location to examine it but never actually does.
And then there is Storm. Who lives up to his name by being a storm in the book. He is just... completely unlikeable, there are no layers to him, no shades. He is just a jerk and he does on being a jerk, getting worse and worse, throughout the whole book.
There wasn't really any way to work out who the killer was until pretty much the same time as our main character. The motive was actually pretty dark and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
The rest of the characters were good though, the location was fun, I liked all the antiques even though I don't really know anything about them. There was a secondary mystery that was only lightly explored which had great potential.
All in all, this was fun, I would probably recommend this but with the caveat of try and read them in order. I enjoyed it enough to want to read the next and see what happens.
~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~
I enjoyed this cosy but I definitely felt at a disadvantage coming into this without having read any of the previous ones in the series. Plenty of in jokes, relationships and development that I felt a little disconnected from because I hadn't read them.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of and equal attention would be paid to them in a chapter, be they a main suspect or someone who literally would only appear in that chapter. Plus some characters had multiple names and would be called different ones by different people, it got a little overwhelming at times. And then on the flip side, two times I can think of, where a name is thrown in for one page and they are sort of important to the plot or the characters.
I really enjoyed Meg as a character. She's brave, she's willing to do the right thing but she's also very aware of the risks that come with investigating a murder. She deliberately makes choices to keep her and those she loves safe which is an amazingly refreshing change. I don't think I shouted at her once while reading it. Of course, on the downside, there is very little in actual 'investigating'. She plans to talk to people, she drives, she talks to people. And a couple of times she thinks about going to a location to examine it but never actually does.
And then there is Storm. Who lives up to his name by being a storm in the book. He is just... completely unlikeable, there are no layers to him, no shades. He is just a jerk and he does on being a jerk, getting worse and worse, throughout the whole book.
There wasn't really any way to work out who the killer was until pretty much the same time as our main character. The motive was actually pretty dark and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
The rest of the characters were good though, the location was fun, I liked all the antiques even though I don't really know anything about them. There was a secondary mystery that was only lightly explored which had great potential.
All in all, this was fun, I would probably recommend this but with the caveat of try and read them in order. I enjoyed it enough to want to read the next and see what happens.
~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~
August 24, 2026
Meg is an interior designer, set dresser and occasional accidental amateur sleuth. While striking a set, she stumbles upon the scene of an apparent suicide. She finds disgraced former media mogul Roland Whitney dead in his car, in a closed garage with the engines on two cars running. To add to the awkwardness, Meg used to be engaged to Rolands current won-in-law, who asks Meg to look into things and decide whether this really was suicide.
This was an enjoyable read and the story was a lot darker than I anticipated. I liked Meg as a lead character - for a start it's rare to have an LFC in her mid-thirties with hearing loss. Unlike a lot of other LFCs Meg is very secure in her own identity and relationship and she doesn't run blindly into danger. Instead she's very considered, she has plenty of courage but isn't foolish with it - she talks to the people around her and actively listens to their advice. Patrick, her partner, seems like a genuinely likeable person and has his own strong backstory - he's not there just as an opposite to Meg.
There are a lot of characters who are quite 2D. I haven't read any of the previous books in this series so maybe I would feel differently if I were more familiar with them but in this book it seems that Annabelle's defining feature is 'green witch' and Elle's is 'heavily pregnant' rather than having their own story arcs. Storm is just the worst. He's a horrible person and only gets more so, though there is some satisfaction in following his progress.
The motive and the culprit make sense, I thought it was a shame that the reader couldn't easily have worked it out for themselves but that's just me. I did get frustrated with the fact that a lot of the book was recapping what had been learned and a lot of discussion about who to talk to next and about what rather than digging into the investigation.
I had fun with this and I would definitely come back to this series. Hopefully there will be more to come from Meg soon!
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -
This was an enjoyable read and the story was a lot darker than I anticipated. I liked Meg as a lead character - for a start it's rare to have an LFC in her mid-thirties with hearing loss. Unlike a lot of other LFCs Meg is very secure in her own identity and relationship and she doesn't run blindly into danger. Instead she's very considered, she has plenty of courage but isn't foolish with it - she talks to the people around her and actively listens to their advice. Patrick, her partner, seems like a genuinely likeable person and has his own strong backstory - he's not there just as an opposite to Meg.
There are a lot of characters who are quite 2D. I haven't read any of the previous books in this series so maybe I would feel differently if I were more familiar with them but in this book it seems that Annabelle's defining feature is 'green witch' and Elle's is 'heavily pregnant' rather than having their own story arcs. Storm is just the worst. He's a horrible person and only gets more so, though there is some satisfaction in following his progress.
The motive and the culprit make sense, I thought it was a shame that the reader couldn't easily have worked it out for themselves but that's just me. I did get frustrated with the fact that a lot of the book was recapping what had been learned and a lot of discussion about who to talk to next and about what rather than digging into the investigation.
I had fun with this and I would definitely come back to this series. Hopefully there will be more to come from Meg soon!
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the ARC of this book.
3 stars (2.5 rounded up)
To me, this book was a mess and I felt zero investment into any parts of the story. Perhaps I should have tried to read book 1 of this series before (or instead of) requesting to read this ARC, as maybe I would have had more interest in the main character; but alas, I read it anyway.
There were WAY too many characters, and therefore names to keep up with. At the halfway point of the book, there were still more names being thrown in, or re-emerging. And two (scratch that, three) characters had other given names that the author sometimes referred to them as. Additionally, the writing was not for me. There were so many descriptors of everything, but the strangest were when people were talking to each other and they would include a descriptor/title of a person where you would never actually have one. For example (not from the book, but to illustrate the point) a person talking to their boyfriend and saying, “your stepfather Ned.” Um, I think the boyfriend knows who Ned is.
The entire book felt like I was reading the script for a daytime soap opera and it did not feel particularly “cozy”; it felt chaotic.
(There were also strange mistakes, which perhaps will be cleaned up before final printing, such as referring to “sixty-one degrees of separation” and getting the name of the house in Downton Abbey incorrect.)
3 stars (2.5 rounded up)
To me, this book was a mess and I felt zero investment into any parts of the story. Perhaps I should have tried to read book 1 of this series before (or instead of) requesting to read this ARC, as maybe I would have had more interest in the main character; but alas, I read it anyway.
There were WAY too many characters, and therefore names to keep up with. At the halfway point of the book, there were still more names being thrown in, or re-emerging. And two (scratch that, three) characters had other given names that the author sometimes referred to them as. Additionally, the writing was not for me. There were so many descriptors of everything, but the strangest were when people were talking to each other and they would include a descriptor/title of a person where you would never actually have one. For example (not from the book, but to illustrate the point) a person talking to their boyfriend and saying, “your stepfather Ned.” Um, I think the boyfriend knows who Ned is.
The entire book felt like I was reading the script for a daytime soap opera and it did not feel particularly “cozy”; it felt chaotic.
(There were also strange mistakes, which perhaps will be cleaned up before final printing, such as referring to “sixty-one degrees of separation” and getting the name of the house in Downton Abbey incorrect.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a very cute cozy mystery! I loved the home designer aspect! It was new to me. The fact that they had and have so much going on in their lives is pretty amazing. They run business, shot a series, own business, and somehow still find time for tea and murder.
This is my first installment I've read in the series, but I feel like it have been here all along with every inside joke explained and made. It was a very cute close knit group to be around. I love having a bestie pregnant and the other older.
The murder was good with lots of suspects. I did not see it coming! I was shocked Meg jumped to murder so quickly after seeing the suicide scene set, but her quick mind filed away so many details! I was impressed by every explanation and detail she took in!
I don't think this series is for me, but if you find history and vintage fascinating I would recommend this! It feels like a gab session with your best friend over treats!
This is my first installment I've read in the series, but I feel like it have been here all along with every inside joke explained and made. It was a very cute close knit group to be around. I love having a bestie pregnant and the other older.
The murder was good with lots of suspects. I did not see it coming! I was shocked Meg jumped to murder so quickly after seeing the suicide scene set, but her quick mind filed away so many details! I was impressed by every explanation and detail she took in!
I don't think this series is for me, but if you find history and vintage fascinating I would recommend this! It feels like a gab session with your best friend over treats!
June 30, 2026
The Corpse at the Cottage is the latest Hampton Home and Gardens mystery by Kathleen Bridge. It was a really enjoyable summer read and it was great to read a book by Kathleen Bridge again. I realized after I started this book that I had not read a couple of previous books in the series, but this book works fine as a stand alone or as part of the series. The mystery was complicated and it was fun to try to figure out who the killer was. It ended up being someone I did not expect at all! There were so many people with a motive that it was really fun to try to figure out who really did it. Meg is a great protagonist and I really enjoy that she has learned from past mistakes and keeps more people aware of what she is doing. I will definitely be going back and reading the books I missed. I forgot how much I enjoyed this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. All opinions are my own.
August 3, 2026
This was a solid mystery that kept me guessing with all the twists and turns but it can be a bit hard to keep straight all the characters and the interrelated drama. Meg, an interior decorator and scene worker on a streaming mystery show that is shot on Long Island, runs into too many dead bodies and ends up sleuthing. Meg is hard of hearing but her lip reading skills is helpful at times during investigations. Some of the characters and drama builds upon things that happened earlier in the series that would help to read to keep everything straight but can be read without it.
I enjoy Meg, her relatively new relationship with the writer of the mystery series, and her circle. They provide a lot of fun to the series and their developing relationships makes you want to come back and see what it going to happen.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
I enjoy Meg, her relatively new relationship with the writer of the mystery series, and her circle. They provide a lot of fun to the series and their developing relationships makes you want to come back and see what it going to happen.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
July 1, 2026
Meg is helping to pack up the old set and decorate a new one. But when Meg finds her ex boss, and ex fiancé’s father in law, dead in the garage, it seems murder may have once again found its way into Meg’s life.
Meg should just walk away and let the police handle it, but finding the body and being asked to prove the man did not commit suicide is too much for Meg to pass up. With more than a few suspects, Meg finds that it may be easier to find the right furnishings for the new set than finding a murderer.
I adore this series. I love Meg, because like me she has hearing loss and lives a totally normal life. I love protagonists that are strong and don’t let anything side line them. I’ll be back for this series a long as the author continues writing them…and I hope that is for a very long time to come.
Meg should just walk away and let the police handle it, but finding the body and being asked to prove the man did not commit suicide is too much for Meg to pass up. With more than a few suspects, Meg finds that it may be easier to find the right furnishings for the new set than finding a murderer.
I adore this series. I love Meg, because like me she has hearing loss and lives a totally normal life. I love protagonists that are strong and don’t let anything side line them. I’ll be back for this series a long as the author continues writing them…and I hope that is for a very long time to come.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Corpse at the Cottage by Kathleen Bridge is the 9th instalment in the "Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery" series. I really enjoy this series, although this can be read as a stand-alone I do recommend you read from the beginning. When the patriarch of an old-money Hamptons family is found dead, interior decorator Meg Barrett discovers that some family secrets are better left buried . . .
I found myself engrossed in this story, I like the setting of the Hamptons and the overall feel of the place. I really enjoyed catching up with the main character of Meg, and her bff Elle. I’m also glad to see where their relationships are heading …
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, full of twists and turns. I can’t say I guessed who the killer was but I was starting to lean towards them.
I recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
I found myself engrossed in this story, I like the setting of the Hamptons and the overall feel of the place. I really enjoyed catching up with the main character of Meg, and her bff Elle. I’m also glad to see where their relationships are heading …
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, full of twists and turns. I can’t say I guessed who the killer was but I was starting to lean towards them.
I recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
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July 2, 2026I just really enjoy this series. I have come to really enjoy the characters and the setting. Meg and team are back to their set design ways and another mystery falls in her lap. She is immediately suspicious and teams up to help her ex and his wife to solve the murder. I like her relationships with Patrick and Elle so much.
I think this is the only cozy mystery series I read where the MC has a disability (hearing) and I like that it is not something mentioned and forgot but part of the story telling. Meg having issues hearing people behind her is a great example but I also like seeing how she has adapted to have a successful career, dear friends, and a loving romantic partner.
5/6 stars
I think this is the only cozy mystery series I read where the MC has a disability (hearing) and I like that it is not something mentioned and forgot but part of the story telling. Meg having issues hearing people behind her is a great example but I also like seeing how she has adapted to have a successful career, dear friends, and a loving romantic partner.
5/6 stars
July 1, 2026
It has been quite some time since the last book in this series and I was thrilled to see this one! I love this series and thought it might have come to an end. I truly hope this means there are more to come. Meg and Elle are back at it. While Elle has some physical challenges at the current time, she still plays a significant part in the mystery. I did not have this one figured out. Well written and a very enjoyable read. Made me want to go back and read them all again from the beginning. Please keep them coming!
August 25, 2026
I have loved this series from the beginning. I love vintage things and enjoy looking up items mentioned in the books. I also love that you are experiencing the Hamptons but not from the ultra rich point of view. This title had an abrupt surprise ending that kind of threw me. New readers to the series would benefit from reading the series in order. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eArc in exchange for a review.
July 2, 2026
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kathleen Bridge for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Corpse at the Cottage coming out June 30, 2026. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I enjoy cozy mysteries. It was interesting but I was hoping for a little more. I would check out more books by this author.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I enjoy cozy mysteries. It was interesting but I was hoping for a little more. I would check out more books by this author.
June 30, 2026
I loved this book. The author's style of writing made me feel like I'm right in the Hamptons and the mystery and plot twists kept me engaged. Meg is a really likeable protagonist and I like how the author makes her feel like a real person. Highly recommend.
July 26, 2026
Writers, film sets, old family grudges and a big painful secret combine in this mystery for Meg, Elle and co to unravel. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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