Detective Kate Hamblin Books 1-10

Detective Kate Hamblin Mystery #1-10

by David Hodges

A strong female lead. A remote rural setting. Dark secrets buried deep.

Meet the Detective
Detective Kate Hamblin is a feisty, young police detective with a dynamic approach to her job. She is plucky and tenacious, but prone to being headstrong. This often lands her in tight spots, earning her the nicknames ‘Maverick’ or ‘Go-It-Alone’ Kate, and it puts her on a collision course with the more bureaucratic hierarchy of the force.

In stark contrast to Kate, her detective partner, Hayden, is an untidy ex-public schoolboy, with a pompous, laidback attitude, which drives Kate to distraction. But he is also highly intelligent, with a keen, analytical mind and a practical, reasoned approach to everything, which often acts as a brake on some of his partner’s more impulsive actions.

The Setting
A patchwork of fields, peat moor and marshland, dotted with picturesque villages and criss-crossed by man-made irrigation ditches or rhynes, the Somerset Levels covers an area of about 160,000 acres between the Mendips and Quantock Hills. Sparsely populated and prone to flooding with a brooding stillness, which creeps into the very soul; a secret place bound to fire the imagination of any self-respecting crime novelist, whose thoughts will invariably turn to . . . murder.

From killings echoing centuries-old crimes to poison-pen letters, suspected witchcraft, and a killer who targets elderly aunts, these ten gripping mysteries deliver tightly plotted investigations, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a heroine you’ll root for with every case.

Included in this 10-book box set:

•  Book 1:    Murder on the Levels
•  Book 2:    Revenge on the Levels
•  Book 3:    Fear on the Levels
•  Book 4:    Killer on the Levels
•  Book 5:    Secrets on the Levels
•  Book 6:    Death on the Levels
•  Book 7:    Poison on the Levels
•  Book 8:    Witch Fire on the Levels
•  Book 9:    Stalker on the Levels
•  Book 10:    Venom on the Levels

2705 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 25, 2026

About the author

A former superintendent with Thames Valley Police, with thirty years experience in the force, David Hodges is a prolific crime writer and author of twenty crime novels plus an autobiography on his life in the police service. His debut crime novel received critical media acclaim and a welcome accolade from Inspector Morse’s creator, the late great Colin Dexter, and since then he has become the author of several successful stand-alone thrillers, including BLAST, TARGET and BURNOUT, published by Lume Books (formerly Endeavour Media).

In particular, his Somerset murder series, published by Joffe Books, which is set on the mist-shrouded Somerset Levels in England and features the exploits of feisty detective, Kate, and her easy-going partner, Hayden, has gone from strength to strength. It has attracted keen interest in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia as well as in Britain.

The first six previously published thrillers in the series are also available on Audible for sight challenged readers and those who prefer the spoken word. All David's novels are available on amazon in paperback and Kindle format.

David's latest novel in his Murder On The Levels series, SHADOWS ON THE LEVELS, was published by Joffe books on 1st January 2025, and he has now been invited to talk about his books and his 'life of crime' at the Words In Watchet Literary Festival in Somerset. This will take place at the Methodist Church, Harbour Road, Watchet, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm on Sunday 23rd February 2025 and readers and non-readers will all be very welcome. (https://www.wordsinwatchet.com)

David has two married daughters and four grandchildren and lives in the UK with his wife, Elizabeth, where he continues to indulge his passion for thriller writing and to pursue his keen interest in wild life and the countryside.

He is a member of the Society of Authors, The Crime Writers Association, The Crime Readers Association and International Thriller Writers Inc.