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 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.

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC. I recently completed reading Something in the Water, and I totally enjoyed it. I am hoping this book is likely to remind me of the later, because of the description and title.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.