It’s been a bit longer than I would have liked, but I’m back at expanding the Most Popular and Recommended Series list, which is composed of both my own personal favorites that I’m rereading as well as series that Cozy Mystery site readers have suggested in the monthly recommendations posts. This month, I’m trying to read several novels – the first of which is Kathleen Bridge‘s Hampton Home & Garden Mystery Series. I read the first book in the series, Better Homes and Corpses.
The sleuth of the novel, Meg Barrett, left her editor job at a top home and gardens magazine in New York City after learning that her boyfriend/boss was cheating on her. Naturally, this leaves her free to pursue her true passion – home restoration and decoration for the wealthy living in the Hamptons of New York.
Since she’s still growing her business and trying to get more connections among the Hamptons Elite, Meg lucks out when she runs into her old college roommate, Jillian Spenser, who happens to be the daughter of the “Queen Mother of the Hamptons”, Caroline Spenser. But when Meg goes to visit the Spenser estate, she arrives to find Caroline Spenser dead and Jillian injured. Unfortunately, despite Jillian surviving, she appears to have come down with a case of short term memory amnesia – which her doctors consider relatively expected, due to both a blow to a head and the trauma of her mother’s death.
This might have ended Meg’s connection to the murder, but between her connection to one of the victims and a request from another appraiser to help catalog the estate to determine if anything was missing in the wake of the murder, Meg quickly finds herself further embroiled in the mystery. Fortunately, Meg has law enforcement in her blood, as her father is a retired police detective.
The novel spends a fair amount of time on its specific focus point, interior decorating and home improvement, so fans of those particular focuses will definitely find a lot to enjoy in the novel. There’s also a strong romance element.
Kathleen Bridge also writes the By the Sea Mystery Series, which stars Liz Holt, who works at a family owned inn on Melbourne Beach in Florida.
Click here to read more posts about the most popular and recommended Cozy Mystery series.
PS: For readers who are fans of recipes, this series includes a few at the end of each novel – as well as home improvement tips to fit with the “Home & Garden” theme!
Cathi says
I just finished High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews. I enjoyed the suspense and decscription of the location in South Georgia. It’s her best book yet with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader unable to stop reading.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Cathi, thanks for the recommendation!
Kimberley C says
I love Kathleen Bridge’s work. I have read both series and they are markedly different but still very entertaining reads. Happily, Bridge confirmed that the Hampton Home & Garden series will continue!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kimberley, I’m glad to hear that too – I hadn’t heard anything about this series for a year or so, so I wasn’t sure it was being continued after she started the new series.
Debbie C says
I found all 3 books in this series absolutely delightful. My favorite of the 3 was Ghostal Living. Was so emersed in the characters & their surroundings I didn’t want it to end!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Debbie, I’m glad to hear that the series continues on such a positive note!
Bek says
I give up. You got me again. With both recipes and decorating tips, I just have to. LOL, I do hope you know I’m grinning like a monkey every time I grouse about a new series!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bek, as always I’m glad to be able to add to the number of books you’ll have to pick up at some point!
MJ says
I’ve enjoyed the three books in the Home and Garden series and have recommended them on this blog. The stories are a lighter fare with some humorous elements. Smart and savvy characters are important to me………..and this series provides that.
I just started “Death By The Sea’ (first book in the second series) tonight. If I like it, I’ll put it in my May recommendations list. One thing I KNOW Danna will like about this book ………it’s only 196 pages!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, as always thanks for your recommendations – suffice to say, I definitely look closely at your detailed review/synopses when I’m deciding which books to feature in this series.
And you’re definitely right that I’m always glad to hear when a modern Cozy manages to clock in at under 200 pages! Sometimes it feels like brevity is a lost art.
Susy S says
One of the things I like about the home and garden series is that the heroine is hearing impaired. While it is discussed and the realities of dealing with hearing aides and other challenges is a part of the series, the books show that it does not prevent her from doing anything that others can do.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susy, you’re right – that’s a very interesting detail that is worth touching on that I didn’t mention in my review.