Poison on the Levels

Detective Kate Hamblin Mystery #7

by David Hodges

A young woman snatched from a festival

A poison pen letter writer destroying the peace of an idyllic village

Treachery and murder await in the most deceptively picturesque of surroundings.

Tammy Logan is snatched in broad daylight by a mystery assailant after leaving the Glastonbury Music Festival. The pretty young woman disappears without trace.

At the same time, a peaceful village on the Somerset Levels is torn apart by a vindictive poison pen writer, who gleefully sets out to exploit a seemingly respectable community’s unsavoury secrets. The letter writer is driving people to take their own lives.

Kate has her work cut out solving the two cases.

Probing deeper, she soon finds herself caught up in a dark, complicated web of deceit, wagging tongues and false trails.

She realises that a shadowy figure seems to be watching her every move and is prepared do everything he can to cover his tracks — even commit murder.

Then when village residents start to die in suspicious circumstances, Kate finds that her stubborn, irascible boss, Detective Inspector Ted Roscoe, is in denial. He refuses to authorise the necessary criminal investigation.

In a heart-stopping finale Kate must find the missing young woman and will risk everything to save her life.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2020

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.

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young woman disappears after attending a music festival. She's taken in the light of day ...and no one witnesses anything. Was she abducted? Or did she decide to disappear on her own?

While DS Kate Lewis and her team are following up on that case, her boss sends her to talk to an older man in their village. It seems the gentleman has received a poison pen letter... threatening to reveal something that will cause him a great deal of stress, and ruin his marriage and his reputation. He later commits suicide.

And he's not the only victim of someone who seems to have a vendetta against a lot of the village residents. Someone seems to be watching her every move and is prepared do everything he can to cover his tracks — even commit murder.

Kate is married to one of her team ... Hadyn Lewis. He loves to eat and he's overweight. He's rather sloppy, with usually tangled blonde hair and wears shabby clothes. She's just about given up on changing him, but he also has a highly intelligent, analytical brain that balances Kate's rather headstrong instincts. He's also loving, kind, would do anything for Kate. In spite of the multiple insults she throws at him, she does love him and they work well together.

This is an excellent addition to this crime fiction series. Although 7th in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. It's well written by an author with a history of 30 years of police service, bringing a great deal of credibility to the plot. The mystery is nicely paced with standout characters. The ending was explosive ... and unpredictable.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books n All Book Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poison on the Levels: This book is phenomenal - I devoured it! I have read Death on the Levels, and I really enjoyed it so I knew that I was in for another entertaining read with this latest book treat.
Tammy Logan, 24, is sitting in a Cafe in Highbridge, minding her own business and waiting for her boyfriend, Tony.
Someone is watching her...
Straightaway, I was hooked! I just had to keep on reading, and honestly, the twists and turns, sharp and fast, but thanks to a clever and well structured plot, I never once lost my way. It really is very well written.
A beautiful Sunday morning and Peter Jackson wakes up and an envelope (addressed to himself) awaits him. No stamp and it's printed, not handwritten.
Who has sent it? And what does the envelope contain?
Peter isn't the only resident in the Levels to get a letter. Each lucky person to recieve one has a personal message inside.
Tammy Logan hasn't arrived home. Nothing much suspicious about that as far as Detective Inspector Ted Roscoe is concerned, she's young and she's only been 'missing' for a day...
Detective Sergeant Kate Lewis hears little alarm bells, but what can she do?
Anyway, Kate has a more important job to do, in visiting a property on the Levels. A possible suicide.
Another man, a nuisance, isn't happy as he has also received a letter and Kate is placed under pressure from Ted, as he is also being pressurised, from above, and so he wants Kate to find the culprit/s as soon as possible.
Kate and her team, including her better half, Detective Constable Hayden (loves-his-grub) Lewis, undertake the case looking into what is happening locally, and eventually the case that is opened whereby they are looking into the disappearance of Tammy.
I liked how we don't know who the culprit/s is/are, but we get to see at times what they're doing and a few clues are thrown up.
It became clear to me that the perpetrator was in immediate need of help and as the plot deepened, I understood what had incited them to commit the crime - although there was absolutely no excuse!
I couldn't wait to find out if the two cases were connected and if so, how?
The author of this book is very talented and I couldn't like this series anymore if I tried. I will say also, that each book in this series can be read as a standalone; each one tells us a different story and the characters are very easy to get to know. I love Kate. I love how she thinks and she isn't afraid to take chances - even if it means putting her own life at risk - in the later scenes especially; I felt as though I was with her and my heart was beating nearly just as fast as hers. I did actually feel quite scared!
I loved everything about this book: the writing is fluent and captivating and it really gets you guessing and hoping!
I have one complaint and it's a big one! -
Why, oh WHY?!! are these books not on TV? They would be fantastic brought even more to life! The setting is perfect and for people who for whatever reason, don't /can't read, they would also be able to enjoy these magnificent stories!
I highly recommend this book; it's definitely worth more than 5 measly stars!!!
Thank you very much to Joffe Books via NetGalley and to Books 'n' all Promotions.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Poison on The Levels, the seventh novel to feature DS Kate Lewis, set in the Somerset Levels.

When Tammy Logan disappears on her way back from Glastonbury Kate is worried. Technically there’s not much she can do as Tammy is an adult and in a volatile relationship but she still decides to make enquiries. She is diverted from this by a suicide in a local village, where a poison pen letter writer is threatening to reveal intimate secrets.

I quite enjoyed Poison on The Levels which has an interesting mystery. It is the first novel in the series that I have read so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It has all the requisite ingredients - smart detective with stupid boss so a touch of office politics, a touch of humour in the dialogue, a smart, twisted perpetrator who always seems to be one step ahead, plenty of action and a thrilling, dangerous finale. I don’t know why as this seems right up my alley but it didn’t spark any real sense of involvement in me. I think it just seems a little glib and clichéd. Kate’s boss DI Ted Roscoe seems to oppose everything she does - because he’s old school? Her husband seems to think of nothing but food although he’s supposed to be insightful (didn’t see any sign of it in this novel). The perpetrator, whom we hear from frequently, is straight out of central casting. Kate, who is referred to as Maverick, wouldn’t know a procedure if it smacked her on the head.

On the other hand I liked the hunt for the poison pen writer which is a bit more imaginative and perhaps a little old fashioned in this computer age but curiosity inducing. Unfortunately it was over too soon.

Poison on The Levels is a solid read.

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book number seven in the excellent series featuring DS Kate Lewis (formerly Kate Hamblin before her marriage to DC Hayden Lewis, overweight and slightly lazy public schoolboy type but who makes up for this with his sharp mind and unwavering devotion to her). She is still working for the chauvinistic and bad tempered DI Ted Roscoe who seems to delight in putting her down but they have strange grudging mutual respect for each other and they do achieve results between them. At the start of this story the police at Highbridge station in the Somerset Levels are called to the apparent suicide of a middle aged man in a peaceful village. It would seem that the arrival of a particularly nasty poison pen letter drove him to it. What's more, the detectives learn that many more people have received similar letters. There have been no blackmail threats and it looks like the only motive is the malicious pleasure of the writer. At the same time as investigating the letter writing, Kate also takes down the report of the disappearance of a woman on her way home from a music festival. At first it looks like the woman is merely avoiding her unfaithful boyfriend but as time passes with no sightings of her Kate starts to think they may be something sinister going on after all. Kate and Hayden certainly have their hands full as more suspicious deaths are discovered and they wonder whether their two cases could actually be linked in some strange way. It becomes much harder for them to decide who they can trust and as once again Kate rushes in without no thought for herself, it's a good job her husband is there at times to exact a more calming influence. I like the way the author gives the reader an insight into what is going through the mind of the killer, and it's a terrific and engrossing read all the way to the end as the reader watches the detectives finally make the connections. Some of the characters like Hayden and Roscoe are certainly a bit eccentric although both seem more sensible and grown up than in the previous story, but this makes the books more fun and distinctive, and together they all grow on the reader and compliment each other, forming a great team of detectives. Well written with a clever plot, this books works fine as a stand alone but it is definitely worth reading all the others in the series as they are all highly enjoyable. This series gets better with each new story and I am looking forward to the next one already! 5*

[Ruth Matheson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is book 7 in the series, I hadn’t read this author before and the book reads well as a standalone one. It features Detective Kate Lewis who is called upon to investigate, when a local man appears to have committed suicide due to receiving a poison pen letter along with photographs. It transpires that quite a few of the villagers have been in receipt of similar letters and when one by one , they have unexplained (though appear to be suicides) deaths, Kate eventually persuades her DI to investigate these as potential murders. There is also a missing young woman and so time is against them from the start.

Well written with plenty of clues interspersed along the way so, as the reader, you are aware that you should know who is responsible, yet cannot put your finger on them until the end.
Thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC to review.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another engaging, if disturbing read in the box set I have. A young girl is taken and poison pen letters are delivered throughout a village...

Kate's antenna is quivering amongst the building cases - which ones are real, are they connected? But, as usual, her boss discounts her thoughts and feelings, only interested in saving his job - as do those above him. They only cared about 'how things look' and helping those in power. Yes, like real life.

However, Kate is as tenacious as ever and will not give in to the disrespectful atmosphere, her only thoughts are about saving a life. I like how Kate thinks but she does make some stupid moves regarding her safety.

Overall, this was a well-written detective story.

Recommended.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

This is a compently written book. It has flashes of brilliance, then seems to descend into the zone of fair. I liked the search for the poison pen letter writer. The identity of the person surprised me. I would rather the book spent more time on that subject than on the search for kidnapped Tammy Logan. That was a little more cliché. I had the main suspect sussed out pretty early in the book. It could have only been them. Their behavior gave them away. But, all in all, not a bad book. Well done, Mr. Hodges.

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

[Nerys Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young woman disappears after leaving a rave which was held after the Glastonbury Festival. Tammy Logan’s boyfriend, Tony Samuel, reports her missing but as she’s 24 years old and hasn’t been missing for 24 hours there’s not a lot the police can do. Despite this DS Kate Lewis can’t help feeling a niggle about the case. She is then called to a shooting in a local village. Peter Jackson has shot himself in his barn after being sent a poison pen letter. It soon becomes apparent that several people in the village have received a nasty letter but no-one has any idea who the poison pen writer could be. As Kate and her husband and partner Haydn dig further into the case further suspicious deaths occur and it becomes clear that there is a link between the disappearance of Tammy and the deaths in the village. The discovery of the identity of the killer/kidnapper is a shock to Kate and all her colleagues.

Not read any of this series before but really enjoyed this one. Plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing as the story develops.

Thanks to Joffe Books and David Hodges for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic series of books of which Poison on the levels is number seven, featuring DS Kate Lewis or Hamblin as she was before she married DC Hayden Lewis. This book shows her still working in the same team. The book begins with a callout to an apparent suicide but it soon becomes clear that there is someone sending nasty poison pen letters to a number of people and his drove this particular recipient do kill himself, there seems to be no motive apart from the malicious pleasure the writer seems to derive from sending them. at the same time as the letter being investigated Kate has to report a missing woman who attended a music festival and never returns home. To Kate, it seems like a woman just evading her unfaithful husband initially, but as time goes by and she doesn't resurface Kate has to rethink her strategy and comes to the conclusion it is maybe something more sinister. There are more deaths that cannot be explained and eventually Kate and her husband wonder if the two cases could be connected at all. It becomes clear they are struggling with who can be trusted or not and Kate being Kate, ends up diving in to a perilous situation!
I enjoyed reading this and although I have not read any of the others, got the characters, I loved the way the team are all different but each ones weakness is complented by a strength in another member. I will be finding the other six at some point! I liked this story that much and I can only say, I bet it's even better after reading the rest.

[Liz Krummell · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are so many parts of the story that are weak \

In every book Kate either does not have her phone, the battery is low or she does not have her police radio -
- ‘Control room have been calling you up for half an hour.’ Kate glanced at Hayden and winced, suddenly realizing that they had forgotten to turn their radios back on again after their visit to Bishop’s caravan.”
- message was displayed, reading, “Low Battery.” A second later the screen went blank.”
From another book -
“police radio in the lane and, not for the first time, had also left her personal mobile in her car.”

Once again, as in every book, carelessly goes in by herself and no one knows where she is
“The easiest thing to do would be to get on her mobile and call for assistance, but what if she was wrong? What if, despite all the so-called “evidence” she had uncovered, the perpetrator was actually someone else? She would not only look a fool, never to be trusted again, but could end up in very hot water over illegal entry and search without a warrant—the very thing she had criticized Hayden”
“‘Where will you be, in case anyone asks?’ Crouch called after them. ‘Out,’ Kate replied, without offering an explanation either.”
Finally can confirm this takes place in current times as Kate refers to Brexit as a lead story - with Roscoe wearing a pork pie hat and hanging out in pubs with a beer during lunch and many other outdated clichés was never sure - he smells of stale beer and cigarettes
Tom Reeves was always around so I guessed pretty early he was the bad guy
Hayden was winded walking the 100 yards in back of the restaurant In earlier books he showed his analytical skills and now all he does is eat it was a 7 book set so I am happy to be finished

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poison on the Levels is part of a series featuring Kate Lewis and her partner and husband Hayden. They both work for the Somerset Police, Kate as sergeant and Hayden as her detective constable.

The book starts with a girl sat in a café. Tammy Logan is waiting for her boyfriend to arrive, yet as usual he’s late. An altercation with a young man makes her leave by the backdoor. That was the last anyone sees of her. Kate is given the mispers case. At first, she suspects the boyfriend has something to do with it.

Running side by side with a poison pen letter writer, she tries to balance both cases. Her husband, who appears to care more about his stomach than the cases, helps her out. However soon the village resembles Midsummer, than a sleepy backwater on the levels.

This book is well written. Being part of a series I wondered if it’d suffer from not reading any of the others, but it stands alone. We find out enough about Kate and Hayden to understand their chemistry. They’re a likeable pair, not just wooden characters that you don’t care about.

The writing at times is humorous, without being so funny that it’s a spoof. At times the writer grips you with his suspenseful writing style. I have to admit to not guessing the main killer or the poison pen writer, which is a nice surprise. Looking back, the clues were there so kudos to the author for the writing.

I enjoyed the book. it was a pleasant read and gives me a new series to explore in more detail.

[Brompton Sawdon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poison on the Levels is part of a series featuring Kate Lewis and her partner and husband Hayden. They both work for the Somerset Police, Kate as sergeant and Hayden as her detective constable.

The book starts with a girl sat in a café. Tammy Logan is waiting for her boyfriend to arrive, yet as usual he’s late. An altercation with a young man makes her leave by the backdoor. That was the last anyone sees of her. Kate is given the mispers case. At first, she suspects the boyfriend has something to do with it.

Running side by side with a poison pen letter writer, she tries to balance both cases. Her husband, who appears to care more about his stomach than the cases, helps her out. However soon the village resembles Midsummer, than a sleepy backwater on the levels.

This book is well written. Being part of a series I wondered if it’d suffer from not reading any of the others, but it stands alone. We find out enough about Kate and Hayden to understand their chemistry. They’re a likeable pair, not just wooden characters that you don’t care about.

The writing at times is humorous, without being so funny that it’s a spoof. At times the writer grips you with his suspenseful writing style. I have to admit to not guessing the main killer or the poison pen writer, which is a nice surprise. Looking back, the clues were there so kudos to the author for the writing.

I enjoyed the book. it was a pleasant read and gives me a new series to explore in more detail.

[Scilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good mystery, with two intertwining plots (a kidnapping and a poison pen writer) which finally become one. There are lots of twists and false leads, and a very exciting ending.

Tammy Logan is kidnapped on her way home from the Glastonbury Festival. Meanwhile, Peter Jackson has received a letter with pictures of him having sex with another man in his barn. He rips the letter, goes out in his barn, and shoots himself in the mouth with his double barreled shot gun.
Later, Tammy's boyfriend, Tony, comes to the police station and reports to Sargent Kate Hamlin that his girlfriend is missing. DCI Roscoe gives Kate a hard time most of the time. He doesn't want her bothering with the missing girl, and then asks her to see a friend of the super, Winston, who has received a letter. Kate and her husband/partner Hayden don't learn anything when they interview Colonel Winston, a wealthy man, who says he burned the letter, and it was full of lies. They first meet Winston's sexy and spoiled daughter Gabriella at this interview. It soon turns out that many people in town have received letters pointing out what they've done wrong.

Meanwhile, the kidnapper has Tammy in a locked room and is trying to get her to read the bible and seems to be confusing her with his daughter. Kate is beginning to think that someone is following her, and the kidnapper may be someone in the police. Somehow, the kidnapper is learning things that have been talked about in the police station.

After three more deaths, Kate knows she has to work hard and fast to prevent more deaths. In the process, she is in grave danger.

Very exciting clever mystery.

[Marion · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author, it is the seventh in a series featuring DS Kate Lewis and set in somerset.
A young woman Tammy Logan disappears on her way home from the Glastonbury Festival, as she is an adult there is not a lot the police can do. However Kate decides to make further enquiries.
Only to find herself handed another case involving a poison pen letter writer. Someone intent on revealing their local communities intimate secrets.
When one recipient dies after receiving photographs of himself in a compromising position Kate senses there is more to it than suicide.
As more deaths occur Kate convinced they have a serial killer on their doorstep is determined to find a link between both the cases.
I possibly would have enjoyed this one more if I had read the series from the beginning.
I enjoyed the investigation to discover the poison pen letter writer, sadly I guessed the identity of the kidnapper/ killer early on.
Not a bad book all in all though.
Thanks to Joffe books for the opportunity to read this as an ARC.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
Detective Kate Hamblin is investigating the disappearance of a young woman while at the same time a man in a nearby village shoots himself, his suicide the result of a nasty poison pen letter containing compromising photos of himself and his lover. Others in the village have also received similar letters.
Unfortunately I didn't connect at all with the characters and found the story a bit same old, same old. The relationship between Kate and her husband/co-worker is odd...she treats him with disdain quite a bit of the time as well as calling him 'fat man' because he loves good and needs to fuel up regularly. I guessed the identity of the murderer halfway through (not a criticism!), but the identity of the poison pen letter writer was a surprise. On the whole though the book felt flat to me and I didn't enjoy the read.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tony Samuels is concerned when his girlfriend Tammy Logan goes missing, but as an adult and missing for only a day the police are reluctant to start a major inquiry.
D.S. Kate Lewis offers to take his statement. Later she is called to a suspected suicide, and the discovery of a poison pen letter in his study points to a possible reason.
Are there more letters, who is sending them.
More deaths will occur and will Tammy be found in time.
An enjoyable and well-written read though I did have by suspicions for the murderer quite early on.
Received an ARC from the publisher

[Greta Halliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first novel by this author so I did not know what to expect but I thoroughly enjoyed the read. It is fast paced, full of exciting twists and turns and the storyline keeps you guessing until the very end. A series I must now read from the beginning. Strongly recommended for all crime lovers. Thanks to Joffe Books for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Star Brilliance!

Wow! What a way to finish this series of books (albeit temporarily I hope). The best book by far. Absolutely gripping! It had me wondering who on earth the baddies could be. I did get there in the end though. But this was a superb book. For all you crime readers out there...... Read this series!

[Mr Kenneth L Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story

Another great story featuring Kate and Haydn with plenty of twists and turns. Well written and crafted so that it kept you gripped from start to finish and an ending that I guessed but not who. More please.

[M R B Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this the last

A series of mysterious deaths occur in a renowned village. A girl goes missing. Another sends poison pen letters to the villagers. All comes together with the perpetrators identified and the murderer taken into custody. Where do things go next?

[L Jerome Krovetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

Characters are well drawn except for haydn. He is too different from his wife. Plot Is very gooD and story enjoyable.ip

[Cindy Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner

This was a fun read with a real twist ending. I really enjoyed this series and highly recommend it to who done it lovers!

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Again another fantastic thriller in this series. It's certainly a page turner Dr that will keep you guessing right unti! The end

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Series!

This is one of my favorite series!! The characters are great. The story is believable. And for the first time ever, I figured out the murderer!

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this over two wet and miserable days, well written and overall a good read !

[David Broad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

Having lived in the area (Clevedon) I enjoy being able to picture the locations in the storys. I look forward to the next one.

[Mr.R.Redfern · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not enough mystery.

Maybe the story could be made more serious with less humour and more mystery with a final explanation - religion once again the culprit!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story and kind of guessed but then was dissuaded later on! Really enjoyed this set and hope there will be more!

[Jacqueline Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent ending to the series with the usual surprise twist.

The whole Levels series was excellent. The characters are believeable . I would love to read more of these books.