Release date: June 25, 2018
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Blurb:
Life is good for DI Dan Hellier until the discovery of two headless, handless bodies buried in a bog on Dartmoor. But how can he identify the victims when nobody has reported them missing?
The tension mounts when the death of a young man plunges Hellier into the murky world of the Garrett family. Could the peaceful, family-run Animal Rescue Centre really be a cover for murder and other criminal activity?
Hellier is about to learn just how far people will go to get what they want.
And this investigation will challenge Hellier’s decisions as he races to catch another murderer before it’s too late.
*** Death On Dartmoor was previously published as Death and The Good Son by B.A. Steadman***
Welcome to my stop on the blog blitz for Death on Dartmoor.
Review:
I had such fun reading this one, which is not a word I would usually choose to describe my reading experience when I’m engrossed in a mystery/thriller. However, there was such an endearing quality to this book that really added so much depth and substance to the story that fun is exactly how I have to explain my time with this book.
This is the second book in a series, I didn’t read the first one but I’m regretting that now. It read perfectly well on it’s own though, any pertinent backstory was explained to my satisfaction and I didn’t experience any confusion at all. DI Hellier is the protagonist here and I really warmed to him. He’s sharp, fast on his feet and a quick thinker, all good qualities for a competent DI. The rest of the team was compromised of Sally, Lizzie, Adam, Ben and Bill. All of them have a great sense of camaraderie and are willing to go the extra mile to solve a case. Thank god for that, because they have their work cut out for them when they’re tasked with solving two cases simultaneously. First, two skeletons are found in a bog but they’re missing their heads and hands. Doesn’t get much creepier than that. Meanwhile, a local teenager dies after taking a bad batch of drugs and the team must work quickly to get the dealer off their streets.
Some of my favorite scenes were when Dan and Sally were working the cases together. They have an amazing rapport and they gave me a good laugh when they ribbed each other. Young Adam, the newbie to the team also added some lighthearted moments when he was rather eager to impress his superiors. I so appreciate when authors add humor and warmth to crime novels, it’s such a nice touch and it really breaks things up. There was a perfect balance between Dan’s personal and professional life which really allows the reader to connect with him on a deeper level.
Crime fiction fans looking for a new series have no need to look further, this is an excellent book to lose yourself in. This took quite a few surprising turns and there were some great action scenes that got my heart beating faster. I’ll be anxiously waiting for the next book in the series and I may even try and squeeze the first book into my TBR at some point.
Overall rating: 4/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
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