Shadows on the Levels by David Hodges

Shadows on the Levels by David Hodges
published 7 January 2025

PUBLISHER: Joffe Books
FOMAT: Digital
PAGES: 280

This review is provided as part of the Virtual Book Tour hosted by Zooloo’s Book Tours which runs 7-13 January 2025. Follow along, using the links provided on the Book Tour Schedule

Thank you to the author David Hodges, publisher Joffe Books, and, of course Zooloo’s Book Tours for including me on this book tour and introducing me to this author and new series to get stuck into!

Five old friends. One guilty secret. A crime that won't stay buried.

Detective Kate and her husband Hayden are hoping to ease in gently after a year-long sabbatical. But on Kate's first day back in the job, she's called out to Pagan's Clump, an isolated, eerie spot on the Somerset Levels. Human remains have been discovered. Kate races to the scene. Only to learn the bones have been there for many years. This cold case is going nowhere.

Then Kate's called out to a break-in at bestselling novelist Lizzie Johnson's stunning country home. Another false alarm. Lizzie contacted the police with wild tales of a nightmarish face at her window. Now she thinks she was mistaken.

Two days later, Lizzie Johnson is dead. An accidental overdose, it would appear. Kate is not convinced. She doesn't believe in ghosts and ghouls - but the dead woman was clearly terrified of something.

Then Kate uncovers a link between Lizzie Johnson and the bones at Pagan's Clump - and the case takes a shocking twist . . .

A former superintendent with Thames Valley Police, with thirty years experience in the force, David Hodges is a prolific crime writer and author of eighteen 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 FLASHPOINT (now out of print) BURNOUT, SLICE, BLAST and TARGET.

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 and Crime Readers Associations and International Thriller Writers Inc.

David Hodges is not on social media.

The Somerset murder novel 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.

Joffe Books have recently, November 2024, republished the first 8 Detective Kate Hamblin novels in this series as a box set for kindle readers:

Get eight compelling crime mysteries in one great-value box set — hours of quality reading at your fingertips! (Kindle Unlimited or buy for 99p) – of course I bought them!

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

My Review

David Hodges’ Shadows on the Levels (Detective Kate Hamblin Mystery #14) is an absolute must-read for fans of gripping, edge-of-your-seat thrillers! From the very first page, this book sinks its claws into you and doesn’t let go. I was so immersed in the eerie atmosphere and the twists and turns that I found myself glancing over my shoulder and double-checking my locks while reading—it’s that intense!

The writing is fast-paced and captivating, weaving a story that’s both unsettling and addictive. This was my first introduction to Detective Kate Hamblin, and now I can’t wait to dive into the 13 previous books in the series to see how her character has evolved. Even so, this book works wonderfully as a standalone, pulling you into the chilling mysteries of Pagan’s Clump and Lizzie Johnson’s haunting story.

The blend of a cold case, a suspicious death, and a sinister small-town secret kept me guessing until the jaw-dropping conclusion. The atmosphere Hodges creates is pitch-perfect for a scary thriller—so vivid it had me second-guessing every shadow and creak in my house as I read late into the night.

If you’re looking for a thriller that will make your heart race, your pulse quicken, and your mind spin, Shadows on the Levels is a brilliant choice. This book is a reminder of why we love thrillers—it’s a hauntingly good time! Highly recommended.

I highly recommend this book to fans of chilling mysteries, edge-of-your-seat thrillers, and compelling detective series that keep you guessing until the very end. If you love authors like Val McDermid or Ann Cleeves, this one’s for you!

I’m incredibly thankful to have been included on the blog tour for Shadows on the Levels by David Hodges. The tour runs 7th to 13th January 2025 and is being hosted by ZooLoo’sBookTours. A huge thanks to ZooLoo’s Book Tours, Joffe Books, and David Hodges for the opportunity to be involved.

All views expressed are my own. This review, or parts of it, may also be shared on my social media channels and various book platforms. Links are accurate at the time of publication.

#ShadowsOnTheLevels #DavidHodges #JoffeBooks #ZooLoosBookTours #VirtualBookTour #CrimeThriller #BookReview

MoMoBookDiary