A Pen Dipped In Poison by J. M. Hall

 

Staff at a primary school become the target of poison pen letters. The contents of the letters indicate that it must be someone close to the school. Thankfully retired teachers Pat, Thelma and Liz are on hand to help uncover the malicious letter writer.

This is the second book by J. M. Hall which features the retired primary school teachers Pat, Thelma and Liz. In the first book, A Spoonful Of Murder, the trio investigated the mysterious death of an ex-colleague. A Pen Dipped In Poison has a slightly less menacing tone as the crime involved is the sending of malicious letters, this means that this novel feels much more like a cozy mystery.

The contents of the letters show that there are lots going on in peoples lives and that even the smallest thing can tip the balance where mental health is concerned. Our sleuths point out that letters have a limited circulation unlike social media which can be much more damaging as it has a wider spread and is far quicker than the gossip grapevine. 

There are a number of lighter touches that brought a smile to my face. The image of the gerbil is imprinted in my mind! J. M. Hall also seems to have tapped in to the mentality of our middle-aged women really well - a security wee before setting out on a journey is spot on.

Working in a primary school means that the author is able to describe what happens in schools when academisation takes place. The descriptions of how the primary school operates, a business rather than a place that nurtures children, is very sad and, unfortunately, very real. As Pat, Thelma and Liz dig deeper into the mystery of the anonymous letter writer they also uncover ways in which the business model of running a school can be manipulated.

A Pen Dipped In Poison by J. M. Hall will be published on 30th March 2023 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a review copy.