Shooting a historical (sort of) mystery series should be routine for some. That is, until the director is killed and nearly everyone has a motive. It is up to the set designer, Meg, to figure out who killed him and why before someone she loves is accused of the crime, or even herself arrested.
This book is set in modern times but the TV series they film is historical mystery. Kind of a mix of genres to a degree. But the reader gets a good feel for the time of the TV series through dialogue and the scenes where the filming is done. This all makes the story interesting apart from the characters and plot. 
To the characters…Meg is the main one though she has friends who appear to carry on through the books. I say this only because I'm reading the series out of order. They are supporting members of the story but carry a lot of weight with their positions within Meg's life and within the working of the filming crew. The focus is really on Meg. She is an ordinary person with her own personal challenges in life to overcome. I like that about her. Meg is just an observant woman who seems to stumble upon murder quite regularly. 
The story starts with the final scene of the current filming. Things seems normal for what one would assume at such a moment. Yet there is an obvious tension between the director and everyone else. No one likes him. The ideal murder victim for sure! But as the events play out, it proves that there is more to the story. In this, the story is the expected cozy mystery. Nothing disappointing. Don't get me wrong. I read enough to enjoy the familiarity of a cozy mystery. It is the backdrop that intrigued me the most. 
The scenes are mostly on the set of the filming. That means the reader is given a glimpse into the early 20th century where the story within a story is set. The antiques described aid in transporting the reader into the period enough to make us wanting more. It is almost disappointing to stay in the modern world. 
A wonderful cozy mystery read. If you like them, you have to give this series a shot. I'll be looking for book one here soon so I can enjoy even more.

I have enjoyed the books I have read so far in the Hampton Home and Garden series. The characters are well developed and with the murder mystery aspect in each one, they are a delight to read. I love the setting on Montauk Point, Long Island. The storyline will keep you interested and the intrigue of the murder mystery will keep your attention. There is a great surprise at the end which is something I love in a book. I am looking forward to the next adventure with Meg and the rest of the gang!

Good mystery but wasn’t a fan of the ending. Still a series I enjoy and I look forward to more Hamptons mysteries with Meg and the gang.

This series is a fun little peak into life in the Hamptons and the world of decorating and antiques. Believable characters, great dialog and a fun plot. Highly recommend!

This had a great setting for a story. It was filled with an interesting cast of characters with lots of details on who may have done the murder. I like it’s cause it’s part of a series but this had enough in it that you didn’t need to start series from the beginning.

I love a good cozy Murder Mystery with an ametuer sleuth.

I haven’t read the first 6 books in the series but I don’t feel like I was missing much. I didn’t feel like a couldn’t read the rest of the book.

I don’t like Paul and Megs relationship. I feel like Meg is putting all in and Paul is not putting as much in. Meg blames that on the death of Paul’s wife and daughter, but I still don’t like it.

I did like the plot line of the book. We didn’t only have the murder that was going on but a couple other sub plots that were going on.

I didn’t guess the reason on why the person who murdered. It was definitely a plot twist there and it really surprised me. I am definitely going to read the rest of the books in the series.

Readers who enjoy their cozy mysteries paired with movies, the stage, and actors will surely enjoy this clever story featuring a dirtbag director who everyone loves to hate. Motives abound but nothing is too mysterious for our intrepid heroine, who leads us on a fine adventure. Nice addition to the cozy mystery genre.

The Perfect Staging for Murder is book #7 in the Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery series by Kathlenn Bridge.

I liked this being set in The Hamptons and on the set of a TV show. Where there is as much drama behinds the scenes as there is on the show. The victim was disliked so there were suspects from both his personal and professional life. It was an interesting mystery with twists that keep you guessing.

Thank you to the author, Beyond the Page Publishing, and NetGalley for the copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Wow, filming a mystery series is certainly not all fun and games. What a great story line. How fun would it be to have Meg’s job and do all that decorating? I loved Meg and Elle’s relationship. True best friends! These characters are great and I totally enjoyed the story. There are even a couple pizza recipes and some decorating tips from Meg and Elle at the end of the book. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

What an ending! Kathlenn Bridge surprised me at every turn.

I love to watch mysteries on television. Reading them, however, is not my normal go to genre. The book blurb and cover art enticed me enough to request reading this book. While I did not fall in love with the characters, I found many to be charming. (Most likely because it is not my go to genre) Meg hailing from my home state of Michigan just made this a more interesting read.

Bridge kept me guessing at every turn. As in any resort area, the people are 'interesting' and many times unlikable. I found that to be true in The Perfect Staging for Murder. Although, the background involvement with the community, in my opinion, was a red herring and I had chosen my murderer half way through. The ending just gave me proof that I should not ever consider going into a detective line of work. Or was the real killer found? You'll have to read the book to form your own opinion. (My opinion is that I am correct, not the police)

Three and a half feathers from me.

Super quick murder mystery read that kept me interested and intrigued. I kept jumping around trying to decide who was the killer the whole time and was still surprised in the end. I will definitely be reading the other books in the series.

Release Date: March 28, 2023

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As shooting concludes on the season finale of the TV mystery Mr. & Mrs. Winslow, interior decorator and set designer Meg Barrett can feel the hostility in the air. The show’s new director had already alienated the entire cast and crew, and now Meg’s boyfriend, Patrick, was ready to throttle him for taking liberties with the script. Meg thought the director was a very lucky man to have gotten out of there in one piece—until a few nights later when she stumbles over his dead body. As she begins to dig into every facet of the victim’s life, she soon discovers that his children resented him for a lifetime of mistreatment, and his new fiancée had a history of leaving dead husbands in her wake. Certain that this was a family affair and that she was closing in on the killer, she’ll have to rely on all her wits and cunning to nab the culprit, because they’ve decided to set the stage for her final scene . . .

This is the seventh book in the #hamptonshomesandgardens mystery series by @authorkathleenbridge and I really love Megs tiny slice of the Hamptons. The book brought back many of my favorite characters including Claire, Doc, Georgia, etc. I’ve read a few of these in the past but not the whole series. I’m really looking forward to jumping in! I would definitely recommend this series!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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This is my first read in this series. However, it won't be my last. Both the mystery and the characters drew me in. The Hampton setting makes for a wonderful historical backdrop for a mystery to occur. When suspicion of murder falls on Meg's boyfriend, Patrick, she has even more of a motive to find the suspect before the police arrest him. Will definitely be going to back read the series. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

The Perfect Staging for Murder (Hamptons Home & Garden, #7) by Kathleen Bridge opens with the final scene television show called Mr. & Mrs. Winslow being filmed when an argument ensues between the screenwriter and the director. A few days later, the director is murdered at the wrap party. Did the screenwriter kill the director, or was it someone else?

Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond The Page Publishing for the Advanced Readers Copy of The Perfect Staging for Murder (Hamptons Home &Garden, #7) by Kathleen Bridge. I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review, and I was excited to read it.

Since I hadn't read any of the other books in the series, I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep up with all the characters and get to really know them. However, the author did a fabulous job of summing up the backstories of all the different characters so I didn't feel like I missed anything from prior books in the series. I ended up liking several of them, and now I want to read the rest of the books that came before The Perfect Staging for Murder.

There was a couple of big twists that I didn't see coming, but one of the twists explained why two of the characters were getting close to each other. I loved the fact that the book revolved around the television industry since I grew up in the industry. I also enjoyed learning a little bit about the area as I don't really know much about the Hamptons.

The Perfect Staging for Murder (Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery, #7) by Kathleen Bridge was the first book I've read by this author, and it certainly won't be the last. I enjoyed this cozy mystery a lot because it let me escape reality for a bit. Four out of five stars.

The Perfect Staging for Murder Earns 5/5 Take Twos … Engaging Page-Turner!

A public confrontation between screenwriter Patrick Seaton and director Brett Gordon that included yelling and threats will be hard to dismiss when Brett is found murdered. Add Patrick’s lack of an alibi and disappearance, the cops think they have an open and shut case. Calling Meg … Investigate! Kathleen Bridge’s writing style is one by which I am very entertained with her attention to detail, endearing relationships, and of course, a complex mystery to challenge my armchair detective. The victim appears to be a karmic choice with varied conflicts from coworkers to family, but his fiancée is also one needing closer scrutiny due to several dead husbands in her past. The avenues of interest kept me guessing, personal connections were great motivation, Meg and her fashionista BFF were an entertaining duo, and plenty of perilous fun to keep the reader on the edge, but I really enjoy Meg Barrett who’s a great example of one who overcomes a physical challenge. I find it isn’t necessary to be a series addict to join in with this seventh book, just sit back and enjoy!

A really interesting take on a cozy mystery. I loved the idea of a writer on the set of a 20s/30s era tv show and having an inside look into how all of that runs. Meg clearly has a lot of people who care about her and look after her. Yes, I am starting at book number 7, so I am a little bit behind. I understood enough to follow the mystery and to know who everyone was and how they played a part in it, however, that being said, I did feel a little bit lost. As though I was starting in the middle of a story. (Which in all fairness, I am.)

It didn't keep me from enjoying the dynamics of the characters and how they interacted. I really enjoyed Elle and her enthusiasm for things. And I really liked Meg's character to. She seems very likable. I am still on the fence about Peter, but that could just be because I am a bit behind on everyone's history.

I also liked that I was reading about a part of the country that I don't know that much about. Montauk seems like a very quaint place to live, and I love the idea of living so close to the water. All in all, it sounds like a beautiful place to create a world in.

I loved the book, and I really enjoyed this author's style of writing. I will definitely be reading more of her books.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are my own and completely honest.

This cozy mystery has a great setting in the Hamptons of New York, a cast of interesting characters, and a murder mystery to solve with a small pool of suspects. The director of a TV mystery series is found on the floor of the library in the house where the series is being filmed with a prop cane with a blade stuck in his back. He was quite obnoxious and made some enemies. Meg who does some set designing for the company is in a panic because her boyfriend and author for the series had a vocal and public argument on set with the director. She is especially upset when she cannot find Patrick. This was a fun mystery to read and has a little bit of surprise whodunnit ending for me. Recommended for cozy mystery lovers with recipes included.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

This is the first book I’ve read by Kathleen Bridge, and it won’t be the last.

Meg Barrett is a set designer on a television show, Mr. and Mrs. Winslow. Meg begins an investigation into the murder of the show’s director, Brett. Meg whittles down her long list of suspects and quickly narrows it down until she knows who the killer is.

The characters are fun and interesting in this story. There are twists and turns that kept me reading. This is the seventh book in the Hampton Homes & Garden Mystery series, but I was able to read it as a stand alone without any problems.

I received a copy of The Perfect Staging for Murder from Netgalley. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

'The Perfect Staging for Murder' held a little darkness for me juxtaposed to moments of great light and joy. Kathleen Bridge has a way of drawing me in with her imperfect characters and life's difficult challenges. The story was full of surprises and parts of the ending were very unsettling. Those parts have stuck with me. I look forward to more, especially with Megan's surprise visitor at the end of the book. I highly recommend that one reads the entire series to understand the atmosphere that is present in the series. By the way, I will be trying the Detroit pizza recipe that was featured.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Perfect Staging for Murder is a new-to-me cozy mystery series that had me guessing until the very end. Set on a TV show set, I found the premise to be interesting. Meg Barrett, our main character, is definitely a typical cozy heroine who finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation after discovering the body of the show's new director. With her boyfriend, Patrick, as the prime suspect and nowhere to be found, of course Meg takes it upon herself to investigate the crime. I thought the middle of the book had a few pacing issues, and there were times I struggled to keep all of the characters straight in the beginning. Overall, I found it to be a solid cozy, and was pleasantly surprised at the Detroit references (I am a Michigander!)...not to mention the inclusion of yummy recipes at the end. Not to be missed- the Detroit-style pizza recipe!

Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.