Death on the Coast

Death On The Coast is the third book in the West Country Crime Mystery series. It actually reads well as a stand alone as we get to see a mix of Hellier's private life as well as working one.

The case that Hellier and his team find themselves working on is certainly a unique and gruesome one. It certainly has the reader intrigued as to why anyone would want to kill, let alone burn, someone that's homeless. Either way it ensured that the reader keeps turning those pages to find out all the answers.

As well as the horrific case, Hellier has a few issues of his own in the form of his sister. The story line surrounding her and his family makes for some really interesting reading. It does make you question how many times you would give loved ones a chance. Definite food for thought.

Death On The Coast, though a gruesome subject matter, was an easy read that I flew through in no time at all. Hellier is a likeable character and will win readers over with his personality alone. He's one of those really likeable characters like Jack Frost or John Barnaby from Midsomer Murders. If you love seeing how the police close in on their suspects whilst getting taken on a thrilling journey, you are going to love this series.

Death on the Coast is the third book in the Dan Hellier series by Bernie Steadman and is another solid police procedural thriller.

This time a burnt body is found and the newly promoted DCI Hellier and his Team have a complicated murder to solve.

The twists and turns keep the story moving along at a decent pace and whilst I would have liked a little bit more about Hellier's sister and her issues overall this book is another goid addition to the series

This is the third in DCI Hellier series. This time he is dealing with a fire cult or is He? Homeless men are being sacrificed on bonfires. It up to Hellier and his team to find out why and catch the killers.
This book was a really good read, it was fast paced, full of red herrings and the ending was a shock.
What is it they say REVENGE is a dish best served cold. Can't wait to read the next in this series.
I would like to thank the author Bernie Steadman, Bloodhound books and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

An informative look at student involvement in mysterious cults with lots of twists and turns about past political connotations and involvement in the involvement of the English secret service and a rural police force with a sting in the tail. A good read , well recommended.

I thought it was a bit formulaic - delinquent kids killing homeless people - until a serious twist in the story in the middle of the book. Was far more interesting from that point. Will have to try others by this author

Death on the Coast, A West-Country Crime Novel, Book 3, follows Dan Hellier. now DCI, and his team as they relentlessly track down those responsible for the gruesome death by fire of homeless men. The reader quickly learns that behind the murders is a cult of students who appear to be led by a young woman bent on revenge. The “why” behind the murders has Dan and his team baffled. There’s a point in the story where it looks as if the case will be solved quickly when suddenly it takes on a whole new perspective and we are plunged into even more mystery.
Weaving throughout the story we are given peeks into the private life of DCI Hellier, his relationship with Claire and his struggles with his sister. With each new book in the series, Ms Steadman continues to build her characters, characters I so enjoy. These characters are real, they make mistakes, they get annoyed with each other, they struggle with aspects of their personal lives. DCI Hillier is working hard to build a cohesive team under his leadership even as he himself learns and grows into his new responsibilities.
I enjoyed every minute I spent with Death on the Coast. As always, I thoroughly enjoyed the brainstorming in the Incident Room, the repartee between team members, the twists and turns of the story line, and the ongoing look into the personal lives of the characters. I read late into the night to finish.
I have no hesitation in highly recommending Death on the Coast to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloodhouse Books for providing an ARC of Death on The Coast in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

DCI Dan Hellier responds to a call about a body in a fire. The burned person turns out to be a homeless man who bashed and then thrown into a fire on Exmouth Beach. The investigation is set in motion. Dan has a large team and he sets them about doing various tasks. They get some good leads from the autopsy that eventually lead them to an identification of the burned man.

From the beginning of the story, the reader knows who the perpetrators are. They are posting still pictures and videos on Instagram. The police are frantically trying to get the site shut down.

Meanwhile, the group of people who are committed the burning is falling apart at the seams. One denies all knowledge of the act, while another is trying to run from the group, horrified by their actions.

Then it happens again; another man is burned. Following clues, they bring in three suspects to interview. Interestingly enough, all three confess.

At the same time the gang is planning their third murder. The group is showing severe signs of wear.

A connection to The Troubles in Belfast becomes clear as the story goes on. The team gets a more clear idea of who they are after. The more or less isolate the site of the third murder and are pretty sure they know the name of the victim. A plan comes together to capture the remaining members of the cult. It only partially goes wrong.

Dan Hellier is much more confident in his decision making and clearer about his goals in this book than in the last one. I was so pleased to see the growth he presented. His team has gelled and they work well together with only a few minor issues. This book was fairly well written and there were a couple of police procedural issues that I had with the book. I enjoy reading Bernie Steadman’s novels and look forward to the next in this series.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for forwarding to me a copy of this good book to read, enjoy and review.

Having read the first two Dan Hillier mysteries by BA Steadman, I was intrigued to see whether there would be changes now that the series is branded West Country Crime Mysteries and the writer now Bernie Steadman. Thankfully, the high standard is maintained and this is an excellent novel. It is clever, erudite and intriguing, dealing as it does with death by burning, ritualistic murder, the IRA, MI5 and more! I loved it!

Death on the Coast is the third book in the Dan Hellier series by Bernie Steadman, although it could be read as a standalone.
I'm thoroughly enjoying this series, the characters are very likeable and so are the plots. Keep them comiing -please! Highly recommended.

Death on the Coast sees Dan Hillier and the team trying to discover who is responsible for the death of a homeless man who was found burned to death on the beach. When another body is discovered in similar circumstances they worry that they are dealing with a serial killer and the race is on to solve the case before another person is targeted. As the investigations progress they are led into the world of fire cults.
Dan has now been promoted to DCI and is slowly getting used to leading 2 murder teams and all the decisions and paperwork that go with the new responsibilities. He still doesn’t feel quite ready to let go of the challenges of being a hands on detective so is still getting involved in chasing the leads and questioning the suspects, and his keenness in this area means that he is still sometimes prone to rookie mistakes, thankfully without the same fatal outcomes of the past but at least you can see him as a human being. His relationship with Clare, who he met whilst investigating the murder of teenager Carly Braithwaite is going from strength to strength and she is managing to keep him grounded, especially when dealing with his sister.
The rest of the team are really settled, but you do get the feeling that trainee DC Adam Forster still has a lot to learn. His bull in china shop attitude and apparent inability to follow orders at times saw him sustain injuries to his throat, yet this has not changed his approach to his work which can at times rub his more experienced colleagues up the wrong way.
I love the rapport between Dan and DS Sally Ellis. Despite him being her superior officer you can Once again Bernie Steadman has produced a cracking read. Her characters are easy to warm to and the investigations go off in several different ways before they eventually solve the case. With Death at the Coast you are in the unusual position of knowing who the killer is right from the start, you are not totally sure of their motives until the end of the book. I am certainly hoping that this is not the last we will see of Dan and the team.

4/5 Stars!

This book has everything needed to make a great mystery: cults, murder and plenty of juicy secrets - Oh My!

The set-up is great, with people participating in dangerous and violent rituals, in over their heads before they know it. From there, it's anybody's guess how everything works out, and there are plenty of good twists in there to keep readers on their toes.

I really enjoyed the level of detail in this book - nothing is insignificant and it all fits together perfectly to create an intense ending.I also really enjoyed the police team, and would absolutely read more with them as the main characters. (I am also really invested in Hellier's personal life too, so I would like to see more of that too!)

Overall, fans of police procedurals will really enjoy this one. It's creepy, twisty and has plenty of drama!

This is the third book in the series and if you have read the previous books it's like meeting previous acquaintances back again and become involved in their lives
The book can easily be read as a stand-a-lone but be warned you might be temped to go buy the first two books to get to know more about the characters.
These books keep you engaged till the end. A lot of twist and turns. You think you have it all figured out only to find out that you got it wrong. I highly recommend this book and thanks to Bloodhound Books publishing I got to read a pre-publish copy. Liked it enough that I pre-ordered my own copy from Amazon.

A very good police procedural, full of twists , that deals with interesting themes like cults, IRA and ghosts from the past.
The plot is solid and fast pace, the cast of characters interesting, and it's a lot of fun to read.
A very good book that keep the high standards set by the previous ones in this series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Bloodhound Books and Netgalley for this ARC

I thoroughly enjoyed this "West Country Crime Mystery" Death on the Coast by Bernie Steadman, even though it was book 3!

Set in Devon, DCI Dan Hellier and DS Sally Ellis' crew make a gruesome discovery; someone is burning body parts in a very ritualistic way. Could a cult be responsible for this? What are their motivations? Can his team work out what is happening before another death hits their shores?

I whizzed through this story and although the title suggests cozy mystery, this is a much darker and more realistic police procedural. It's got everything I love in a good thriller; a great cast of people with their own issues to contend with, interesting plot twists (despite knowing who is responsible all the way through the book) and enough intriguing goings on to keep me reading long well into the night until I finished it! Bernie Steadman is on fire with this book! I must keep up with this series from now on!

Thank you to Bloodhound Books, and #NetGalley for my ARC copy. This is my own opinion and not biased in any way.

OMG. I loved it. When I said this series was getting better and better I meant it. This was a bloody brilliant read. I devoured it. I was very fascinated with the whole cults subject within the book. I havent read many books which include cults and I was hooked.

Death on the Coast reads well as a standalone but does make some references to the previous books but with no spoilers. I would highly recommend this series, I’ve loved every book!!! Well written, gripping and fast paced. A well deserved four stars.

A brilliant team. Brilliant stories. One I will remember for a long time. Dark, Gripping. It will have the reader intrigued just after reading the first chapter alone.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloodhound Books for a review copy of Death on the Coast, the third novel to feature DCI Dan Hellier of the Exeter police.

When the body of a homeless man is found burned to death in a fire and videos of his killing appear on the internet Dan is in no doubt that they are dealing with some kind of fire cult so how to find and stop them is his main problem although sorting through the lies he is told and outside interference don't help.

I thoroughly enjoyed Death on the Coast which is an entertaining read with a clever plot and some good twists. The plot probably doesn't bear close scrutiny but who cares when it's an exciting and absorbing read? There is always something going on to occupy the reader's attention as they try to work out what will come next. The identity of the cult members is not a secret to the reader as the novel has a dual perspective, giving the reader more information than the police and allowing them to see the wider picture. I found Ms Steadman's pacing of the reveals very good and they had me hooked as she slowly reveals that there is much more to the killings than "simple" cult activity. She has a devious mind and the last chapters are devasting, clever and a final irony in a twisted tale.

Dan Hellier is a good protagonist, an ordinary bloke who wants to be ordinary, unlike many fictional detectives. He wants a relationship and kids, occasionally overdoes the drink and cycles for relaxation. He has a poor relationship with his sister, a former junkie, but I think I might be as intolerant as he is given the hurt she has caused over the years. He's not a super detective, he feels his way on his cases and makes mistakes, such a pleasant change to see a real person in charge.

Death on the Coast is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Bernie Steadman’s Death on the Coast is a tightly-plotted, wonderfully suspenseful and highly intriguing police procedural fans of Ann Cleeves’ Shetland and Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks books are going to love.

Newly promoted DCI Dan Hellier is determined to prove his mettle and show that he is more than up to the job, however, his latest case has got him and his team stumped. The ritualised burning of homeless men on Devon’s beaches has got everybody talking. A twisted mind is behind this sick and evil crime and with this ritual showing no sign of abating, DCI Hellier and his team are up against it as they try to find the sadistic perpetrator who is behind these atrocious acts – before they strike again! But time is not on their side, leads are very thin on the ground and dead ends abound. Will DCI Hellier catch this criminal? Or is this one mystery he simply cannot get to the bottom of?

One thing is certain: the DCI is not going to give up without a fight. As images from the burning are shared on social media, the team realise that they are not merely dealing with criminals, but with a cult that has links to the Irish troubles. As they start to dig deeper and deeper, the DCI and his loyal team find themselves tangled up in an intricate web of vengeance, deception and redemption. With the clock ticking, can the team work together and find the mastermind behind these deplorable killings? Or will a man who has been plotting his revenge for twenty years without a care for the lives he destroys succeed in evading capture…to kill again?

Bernie Steadman is a talented crime writer who has written a fantastic mystery that I simply could not stop reading. Fast-paced, taut, tense and full of suspense, tension and intrigue, Death on the Coast is an excellent crime read to lose oneself into. The pace never flags, the twists come thick and fast and the mystery is so well plotted that readers will be kept on the edge of their seats desperate to find out what happens next.

Readers looking for their new favourite crime fiction author, need to look no further than Bernie Steadman and her West Country crime novels. Having loved Death on the Coast, I’m off to get the previous two books in the series and shall wait with bated breath for the next thrilling installment.

Death on the Coast by Bernie Steadman
West Country Crime Mysteries #3

Mind-boggling, horrifying, devious and deadly are terms I would label the wannabe cult members committing murders on the coast of Exeter. Step in CDI Dan Hellier and his team of investigators and you end up with a police procedural that had dedicated police men and women working almost around the clock to stop murderers that kill in a way nobody should die.

Knowing from the beginning who the killers are does not take away from the suspense of catching the group. Finding out the whys and the underlying reason behind the creation of the group and what fuels the determination for revenge made my skin crawl…as did finding out who the true mastermind actually was.

With each book the author asserts herself as an author to reckon with and follow as she fleshes out each member of the team solving murders. Dan started the series a bit heartbroken and without friends with a sister with issues and by book three he is in a relationship, has at least one good friend and the issues with his sister are becoming clearer to Dan and to the reader.

This was an intense story that had me reading into the wee hours of the night. It had me wondering how people could do what they did in the book even knowing that worse has been done in the past.

Words that come to mind after reading (and not being able to go to sleep quickly after I finished) are:
*Sacrifice
*Revenge
*Cults
* Manipulation
*Emotions
*Family
*Team
*Treason
*Growth
*and more

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Will it stick with me for a while? Definitely
Do I want to read more about this author? Without a doubt

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4.5 Stars

The third (and final?) book in the West Country crime series sees Dan Hellier newly promoted, but with just as many matters vying for his attention as before.

The less-than-straightforward (is anything ever straightforward?) case concerns a body burned on a beach bonfire. It won't be the last fire that Dan has to contend with.

Easily the most gruesome crime, but probably the weakest plot of the series, I felt that the ending didn't really stand up to close scrutiny. That said, it didn't detract from the enjoyment

Death On The Coast is the third book in the West Country Crime Mystery series but I think that it also reads fine as a stand alone.

I am really enjoying the characters in this series and Hellier is great as the lead. I loved the writing style, it flows very well and you are carried off right from the first page to the last - it really had me gripped and I loved how the story unravelled as I got towards the end. I really enjoyed it!

Five stars from me for this one, it is a really enjoyable story and a great addition to a fantastic series!!