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Detective Ella Marconi #6
Web of Deceit
When paramedics Jane and Alex encounter a man refusing to get out of his crashed car with bystanders saying he deliberately drove into a pole, it looks like a desperate cry for help. His frantic claim that someone is out to get him adds to their thinking that he is delusional. Later that day he is found dead under a train in what might be a suicide, but Jane is no longer so sure...Detective Ella Marconi shares Jane's doubts, which are only compounded when the case becomes increasingly tangled. Then, just when she thinks she's closing in on the right person, a shocking turn of events puts more people in danger and might just see the killer slip through her hands.
368 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2013
10 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Howell
15 books136 followersKatherine Howell worked as a paramedic for fifteen years while completing her Bachelor and Masters degrees in creative writing. Her first novel, Frantic, was published in 2007 by Pan Macmillan and set a paramedic alongside Sydney police detective Ella Marconi in 'an adrenaline rush of a thriller' (Sydney Morning Herald). It won the 2008 Davitt award for best crime fiction. Her second book, The Darkest Hour, continued the pattern with Ella and another paramedic in 'a finely paced and engrossing novel' (Guardian UK). The third in the series, Cold Justice, made the Australian bestseller list, saw Katherine travelling on a P&O cruise as guest author, and was described by NYT bestselling author Tess Gerritsen as 'one of my favourite books of the year'. It also won the 2011 Davitt award for best crime fiction, making Katherine the only author to have won twice. Her fourth book, Violent Exposure, was described by Bookseller & Publisher as 'arguably her best yet - four stars', while the fifth, Silent Fear, was chosen as a ‘Guaranteed Book You Can’t Put Down’ by the national Get Reading! programme. Katherine’s books are published in multiple countries and languages and have been likened to the work of Karin Slaughter and Patricia Cornwell. Katherine is studying female doctor investigators in crime fiction for her PhD at the University of Queensland, and teaches writing and editing. She lives in Queensland with her partner, who owns a bookshop.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
June 22, 2023
As I browse the reviews of this one, I see many of my friends have enjoyed this Ella Marconi best of the series so far. It's aged a little by now - my fault for leaving it so long, but as I have so many series on the go, I'm trying to rectify this and keep up with them all!
I love that the author writes from experience as she had been a paramedic in her past life, before writing studies, working as an RN and making beautiful leather goods. I want to buy one!
Detective Ella Marconi is investigating what she thinks to be a murder.. her boss is awful and is taking the assumed suicide route, she's firey and angry and knows he is lazy, refusing overtime and not allowing the case to truly be investigated. She's smart and we know she knows her stuff.
Her personal life is real, as is all the characters involved, the paramedic duo Alex and Jane. Ella is involved with Callum but is wanting more, Alex has an ex wife who abandoned their child and may be resurfacing to cause serious trouble with his troubled teenage daughter, and Jane has big problems with the wife of her ex.
All these things build to a cresendo and an exciting fast paced plot, Ella is always the lead but involves new paramedics in each book. The author's experience is evident, and I always enjoy the local Sydney settings. One of the locations in Pendle Hill, though not a real establishment, may as well have been the place where I met my husband. Funny.
A great series, I'm sorry Katherine Howell has stopped writing them.
A good BorrowBox listening experience, via my local library at 1.5 X speed.
I love that the author writes from experience as she had been a paramedic in her past life, before writing studies, working as an RN and making beautiful leather goods. I want to buy one!
Detective Ella Marconi is investigating what she thinks to be a murder.. her boss is awful and is taking the assumed suicide route, she's firey and angry and knows he is lazy, refusing overtime and not allowing the case to truly be investigated. She's smart and we know she knows her stuff.
Her personal life is real, as is all the characters involved, the paramedic duo Alex and Jane. Ella is involved with Callum but is wanting more, Alex has an ex wife who abandoned their child and may be resurfacing to cause serious trouble with his troubled teenage daughter, and Jane has big problems with the wife of her ex.
All these things build to a cresendo and an exciting fast paced plot, Ella is always the lead but involves new paramedics in each book. The author's experience is evident, and I always enjoy the local Sydney settings. One of the locations in Pendle Hill, though not a real establishment, may as well have been the place where I met my husband. Funny.
A great series, I'm sorry Katherine Howell has stopped writing them.
A good BorrowBox listening experience, via my local library at 1.5 X speed.
August 6, 2019
Preview:
When paramedics Jane and Alex encounter a man refusing to get out of his crashed car with bystanders saying he deliberately drove into a pole, it looks like a desperate cry for help. His frantic claim that someone is out to get him adds to their thinking that he is delusional. Later that day he is found dead under a train in what might be a suicide, but Jane is no longer so sure...Detective Ella Marconi shares Jane's doubts, which are only compounded when the case becomes increasingly tangled. Then, just when she thinks she's closing in on the right person, a shocking turn of events puts more people in danger and might just see the killer slip through her hands.
The 6th novel in the Detective Ella Marconi series, Web of Deceit, once again showcases all of Katherine Howell's trademarks in yet another brilliantly written novel! She has a masterful ability to draw you in with larger than life characters, seamlessly combining several individual story lines, without losing the reader in the process, all the while keeping the tension sky high from beginning to end.
Detective Ella Marconi and her partner Murry Shakespeare continue to fight to find the truth of what happened to Marko Meixner before he was found dead under the wheels of a train. They aren't willing to accept the easy answer and feel that this case may, in fact, be a homicide, despite their boss who is determined to conclude that the death is a suicide, and who continually tries to derail (no pun intended) the investigation at every turn. I personally wanted to reach in among the pages and throttle Ella's boss throughout the book!
To make matters worse, Ella is trying to keep a new relationship moving forward but it's not going so smoothly either.
Paramedics, Jane and Alex, each add additional elements of suspense with both separate and combined stories of their own.
Jane is involved in a new relationship which seems to be going well until she finds out he's been less than truthful with her. Then she becomes suspicious that he's somehow tangled up with her exhusband's jealous wife who's threats against her are becoming more and more violent.
Alex is struggling with his rebellious teenage daughter who's actions are making him increasingly fearful for her safety. He's also trying to come to terms with some personal demons stemming from a past case that ended in tragedy.
I highly recommend the Detective Ella Marconi series by Aussie author Katherine Howell.
As in all the previous novels she continues to submerse readers with electrically charged entertainment, complete with tricky twists and turns, a plot that speeds along like a runaway train at a nerve wracking pace, before it all comes to a screeching halt with a completely unforeseen finale!
I can't wait to read the seventh novel, Deserving Death.
When paramedics Jane and Alex encounter a man refusing to get out of his crashed car with bystanders saying he deliberately drove into a pole, it looks like a desperate cry for help. His frantic claim that someone is out to get him adds to their thinking that he is delusional. Later that day he is found dead under a train in what might be a suicide, but Jane is no longer so sure...Detective Ella Marconi shares Jane's doubts, which are only compounded when the case becomes increasingly tangled. Then, just when she thinks she's closing in on the right person, a shocking turn of events puts more people in danger and might just see the killer slip through her hands.
The 6th novel in the Detective Ella Marconi series, Web of Deceit, once again showcases all of Katherine Howell's trademarks in yet another brilliantly written novel! She has a masterful ability to draw you in with larger than life characters, seamlessly combining several individual story lines, without losing the reader in the process, all the while keeping the tension sky high from beginning to end.
Detective Ella Marconi and her partner Murry Shakespeare continue to fight to find the truth of what happened to Marko Meixner before he was found dead under the wheels of a train. They aren't willing to accept the easy answer and feel that this case may, in fact, be a homicide, despite their boss who is determined to conclude that the death is a suicide, and who continually tries to derail (no pun intended) the investigation at every turn. I personally wanted to reach in among the pages and throttle Ella's boss throughout the book!
To make matters worse, Ella is trying to keep a new relationship moving forward but it's not going so smoothly either.
Paramedics, Jane and Alex, each add additional elements of suspense with both separate and combined stories of their own.
Jane is involved in a new relationship which seems to be going well until she finds out he's been less than truthful with her. Then she becomes suspicious that he's somehow tangled up with her exhusband's jealous wife who's threats against her are becoming more and more violent.
Alex is struggling with his rebellious teenage daughter who's actions are making him increasingly fearful for her safety. He's also trying to come to terms with some personal demons stemming from a past case that ended in tragedy.
I highly recommend the Detective Ella Marconi series by Aussie author Katherine Howell.
As in all the previous novels she continues to submerse readers with electrically charged entertainment, complete with tricky twists and turns, a plot that speeds along like a runaway train at a nerve wracking pace, before it all comes to a screeching halt with a completely unforeseen finale!
I can't wait to read the seventh novel, Deserving Death.
July 22, 2015
Paramedics Jane and Alex attend the scene of a man who has crashed his car against a pole, but on closer inspection Jane and Alex soon discover the man has locked himself in and refuses to get out of the car. With a lot of talking and attempting to calm the man down eventually they are able to get the man out of the car. Although the man doesn't seem to be injured, he seems to be anxious, shaken and rather scared. The mans name is Marko and he doesn't have much to say only that someone is after him.
Nearing the end of their shift and after dropping Marko at the hospital Jane and Alex receive their next emergency call out to the Town Hall railway station. On arrival both Jane and Alex are shocked at the scene that they see before them. Someone it seems has been hit by a train. Jane and Alex soon realize it's the man they got out of the car earlier on in the day, Marko Meixner. It was seeming like a suicide, but no one could be certain.
As soon as Detective Ella Marconi and her partner, Detective Murray Shakespeare arrive at the scene they immediately begin interviewing witnesses. As time passes and Ella digs further into Marko's history, it appears there is more to this investigation than she first thought. What really did happen to Marko?
Aussie author Katherine Howell has written another riveting, fast paced novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.
Nearing the end of their shift and after dropping Marko at the hospital Jane and Alex receive their next emergency call out to the Town Hall railway station. On arrival both Jane and Alex are shocked at the scene that they see before them. Someone it seems has been hit by a train. Jane and Alex soon realize it's the man they got out of the car earlier on in the day, Marko Meixner. It was seeming like a suicide, but no one could be certain.
As soon as Detective Ella Marconi and her partner, Detective Murray Shakespeare arrive at the scene they immediately begin interviewing witnesses. As time passes and Ella digs further into Marko's history, it appears there is more to this investigation than she first thought. What really did happen to Marko?
Aussie author Katherine Howell has written another riveting, fast paced novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.
May 3, 2017
Web of Deceit is book six of Detective Ella Marconi Series by Katherine Howell. Web of Deceit is about Detective Ella Marconi investigation into the death of Marko Meixner. Everyone assume that Marko Meixner committed suicide. However, Detective Ella Marconi and paramedic Jane Koutoufides did not believe that. Web of Deceit follows Detective Ella Marconi investigation into finding out who killed Marko Meixner intertwine with Jane Koutoufides and Alex Churchill private lives. Also, the readers of Web of Deceit will be sad with the conclusion of this book.
Web of Deceit is the second book I have read of Katherine Howell, and I find them easy to become involved with the characters and the story. Katherine Howell does an excellent job in portraying her characters.
Readers of Web of Deceit will learn about issues that can affect law enforcement investigation into a case. Also, readers of Web of Deceit will learn about the problems of having teenage kids from the parent perspective. Web of Deceit highlights the importance of communication and not take things at face value.
I recommend this book.
Web of Deceit is the second book I have read of Katherine Howell, and I find them easy to become involved with the characters and the story. Katherine Howell does an excellent job in portraying her characters.
Readers of Web of Deceit will learn about issues that can affect law enforcement investigation into a case. Also, readers of Web of Deceit will learn about the problems of having teenage kids from the parent perspective. Web of Deceit highlights the importance of communication and not take things at face value.
I recommend this book.
June 2, 2015
This was another excellent crime novel from Katherine Howell, possibly her best so far in this series. Featuring Detective Ella Marconi and her partner Murray and paramedics Jane and Alex, the author carefully builds her tangled web of lies and deceit into a complex mystery building up to a final explosive scene.
It all starts when Jane and Alex are called out to a minor accident where a man claiming to being followed has run the car he was driving into a pole. Fearing he has a psychiatric problem they leave him at hospital for assessment only to be called out later in the day to a fatality at a train station where he is the body under the train. Suspecting foul play, Ella must now try to discover who was responsible.
One of the reasons I enjoy these novels is that each of the characters has a distinct life with problems of their own. Ella's relationship with Callum has cooled somewhat and she is keen to see more of him. Jane is dealing with her ex's jealous new wife and seeing a man, a celebrity who wants to keep their relationship secret. Alex is a single Dad recently traumatized from attending an accident involving the death of a young girl. That his own teenage daughter, Mia, has recently become difficult and uncommunicative doesn't help. Some of these stories also become entangled in Ms Howell's web leading to unexpected twists and turns in the story as it gathers momentum and suspense.
March 2, 2013
When paramedics Jane and Alex arrived in their ambulance, the man whose car was jammed up against a pole seemed to be trapped. But it turned out he had locked himself in, and was refusing to get out. Witnesses had tried to talk to him, but he seemed terrified, uninjured but badly frightened. After they had managed to talk him into the ambulance, and were headed for the hospital, Marko Meixner wouldn’t tell them anything, other than to say he was being followed, that someone was out to get him. He was frantic, but seemed delusional.
An emergency call to Town Hall railway station at the end of their shift had Alex and Jane heading out again. Peak hour commuters were rushing to their destinations, but when Jane and Alex arrived at the scene, horror sent chills down their spines. A person had been hit by the train which was stopped in the station, and on checking the body, they discovered it to be their patient from earlier in the day, Marko Meixner. It looked like suicide, but Jane wasn’t so sure. She remembered the terror in Marko’s eyes earlier in the day…
When Detective Ella Marconi arrived on the scene with her partner Detective Murray Shakespeare, they began the task of interviewing witnesses. On learning of Marko’s history, she also was doubtful about the verdict of suicide. The investigation deepened, becoming a confusing tangle of strange events, of clues which didn’t gel and a frustration which grew with each passing day. Ella’s budget conscious boss was holding them back with his abrupt ways, and rigid nine-to-five attitude, until she thought she would explode.
In the meantime both Alex and Jane were having problems of their own in their personal lives, Alex with his fourteen year old daughter Mia, and Jane with her ex-husband Steve and his new wife Deb.
The intense and gripping plot was fast paced and full of suspense. The extreme twist at the end had me literally gasping out loud…I most certainly didn’t expect it! Once again, Katherine Howell has proven to be a master at her game. I can’t wait for the next one!
Highly recommended.
An emergency call to Town Hall railway station at the end of their shift had Alex and Jane heading out again. Peak hour commuters were rushing to their destinations, but when Jane and Alex arrived at the scene, horror sent chills down their spines. A person had been hit by the train which was stopped in the station, and on checking the body, they discovered it to be their patient from earlier in the day, Marko Meixner. It looked like suicide, but Jane wasn’t so sure. She remembered the terror in Marko’s eyes earlier in the day…
When Detective Ella Marconi arrived on the scene with her partner Detective Murray Shakespeare, they began the task of interviewing witnesses. On learning of Marko’s history, she also was doubtful about the verdict of suicide. The investigation deepened, becoming a confusing tangle of strange events, of clues which didn’t gel and a frustration which grew with each passing day. Ella’s budget conscious boss was holding them back with his abrupt ways, and rigid nine-to-five attitude, until she thought she would explode.
In the meantime both Alex and Jane were having problems of their own in their personal lives, Alex with his fourteen year old daughter Mia, and Jane with her ex-husband Steve and his new wife Deb.
The intense and gripping plot was fast paced and full of suspense. The extreme twist at the end had me literally gasping out loud…I most certainly didn’t expect it! Once again, Katherine Howell has proven to be a master at her game. I can’t wait for the next one!
Highly recommended.
February 4, 2013
Once I started Web of Deceit I couldn't put it down, which led to a very late night given I had intended, at midnight, to read only a chapter or two before getting some sleep. I really should have known better as I always find Howell's series to be compulsive page turners, packed with intrigue, action and excitement.
Web of Deceit opens as Sydney paramedics Jane and Alex attend a minor car accident. The driver, Marko Meixner, blames the incident on a stalker and even though his almost incoherent ravings suggest a psychiatric disorder, Jane wonders if there might be some truth in what he is saying. Unfortunately there is little more they can do other than deliver him to the local hospital and notify the staff of their concerns. The incident is quickly forgotten as they continue on with their day, Alex's mind is on his rebellious teenage daughter and Jane is simply eager for their shift to finish so she can rendezvous with her secret lover. Nearing the end of shift, Jane and Alex are annoyed when they are called to extricate a body from under a city train, but when they identify the corpse as the morning's patient, Jane feels compelled to share her concerns with the on scene detective, Ella Marconi and her partner. Now it is up to the detectives to determine is Marko fell, pushed or jumped in front of the train, dragging them into a tangled web of secrets, lies and violence.
While Ella and Murray follow paper trails, badger unreliable and reluctant witnesses and try to avoid the censure of their penny pinching captain, they become convinced that Marko was in fact murdered. Their prime suspect is a newly released parolee who was incarcerated after Marko testified against him for murder more than a decade previously, but they can't easily dismiss Marko's boss and his partner, who have been siphoning the company's funds. As always I love the realism Howell injects into the police procedure - mountains of paperwork, petty office politics, leads that don't pan out and the sheer leg work to solve a case.
Detective Ella Marconi is the anchor of this series, but in each book Howell introduces a new paramedic team that are integral to the plot, ensuring the series never goes stale and the installments work well as stand alone novels. The paramedics contribute their own subplots as Howell skillfully weaves the personal and professional stories of each character into the main storyline, often with surprising crossover. In Web of Deceit, Jane is dealing with her ex-husband's crazed wife and her new lover's secret identity while Alex is struggling with PTSD and a recalcitrant daughter. Both are fully realised, complex and likeable characters.
The patients, victims and perpetrators are also of interest in the story. Rarely is any character, even the villain, a convenient stereotype. Howell demonstrates insight into the emotions and motivations of each - a wronged wife, a frightened girlfriend, a frantic father, heightening the tension by connecting the reader with characters that feel familiar.
Web of Deceit is Katherine's sixth novel, and I think has edged out the others in the series as my favourite by the slimmest of margins. Fast paced, slick and utterly absorbing this is a fabulous read which I recommend without reserve.
July 9, 2014
Another really enjoyable book from Katherine Howell. I stayed awake until after midnight determined not to put it down until I had finished it. As usual Detective Ella Marconi's story is paralleled with that of a female ambulance officer. In this case they are both suffering from disappointment in their romantic lives and are both handling it in quite strong minded ways, although it was nice to see Ella at least make some forward progress by the end. A really good read - recommended to anyone who enjoys a light, comfortable thriller.
January 26, 2013
There are people who think Australian women crime writers are somehow inferior to their international counterparts. My challenge to them is simple: read Katherine Howell. I picked up her first book, Frantic, a few years ago and was intrigued. It is Howell's style to tell a story through two sets of eyes; her Sydney homicide detective, Ella Marconi and the paramedics who invariably open the stories. The author is a former paramedic herself, so she brings a gritty, realistic tension to those scenes that I've never seen done by another author.
Web of Deceit is the sixth novel in the Ella Marconi series, and it's a ripper. The plot moves at a cracking place, intertwined with enough subplots and backstories to keep us edgy and entertained. In the true spirit of all good storytellers, Howell captures us, dares us to go on this journey with her, and has us turning page after page as, wide-eyed we ask ourselves: "And THEN what happened?
Web of Deceit is a great read for everyone who loves crime. You don't need to have read any of her earlier books to pick up and run with this story - or to enjoy it.
Web of Deceit is the sixth novel in the Ella Marconi series, and it's a ripper. The plot moves at a cracking place, intertwined with enough subplots and backstories to keep us edgy and entertained. In the true spirit of all good storytellers, Howell captures us, dares us to go on this journey with her, and has us turning page after page as, wide-eyed we ask ourselves: "And THEN what happened?
Web of Deceit is a great read for everyone who loves crime. You don't need to have read any of her earlier books to pick up and run with this story - or to enjoy it.
January 17, 2013
Well what can I say??? Another brilliant piece of writing by one of our talented and amazing Aussie female authors. Of course... one character in particular is outstanding!! *cough cough*
Love the way it all came together...not going to say any more coz I don't want to spoil it for others. GET THIS BOOK.....
Love the way it all came together...not going to say any more coz I don't want to spoil it for others. GET THIS BOOK.....
November 25, 2014
I liked this book, but for some reason I struggled with my reading time. My focus was not on this book the way it should have been.
The story line was good and the characters lived up to their standings, and there was just enough angst - maybe a bit too much, where the over 35's were acting like 16 year olds - just my feeling. From snipers, to impersonators, to kidnappers - lots going on in this book :)
I do recommend this book, and give it 4 stars and a thumbs up.
The story line was good and the characters lived up to their standings, and there was just enough angst - maybe a bit too much, where the over 35's were acting like 16 year olds - just my feeling. From snipers, to impersonators, to kidnappers - lots going on in this book :)
I do recommend this book, and give it 4 stars and a thumbs up.
January 21, 2013
I don’t know why I do this to myself. Every time I pick up a Katherine Howell book, my fate is sealed. For the next how ever many hours, I will barely eat, sleep or blink until I finish the story. And don’t try talking to me while I have my nose in the novel – I am unable and have no desire to hold a conversation let alone compose a coherent response to a question – I simply have to know what happens next. Call me a glutton for punishment or someone who just knows a wonderful book when she opens one – maybe both ☺
Now, imagine this is how I have responded to all Howell’s Ella Marconi novels and then multiply that reaction a hundredfold with the latest in the series, Web of Deceit. This book is an emotional, psychological and narrative time bomb that ticks away, putting you on the edge of your seat and making it impossible to leave the gritty, complex and marvellously tangled world and crimes that Howell has woven.
Web of Deceit opens with two paramedics, Jane and Alex, being called to an accident where a vehicle has hit a pole. No speed is involved and the driver has no injuries yet, he refuses to leave the car. Terrified, convinced someone is following and “out to get” him, it takes a great deal of persuasion to get him to exit. When, later that night, Jane and Alex are called to an apparent suicide at a train station and recognise the victim, events are set in motion that draw in both the paramedics, their families and, of course, detective Ella Marconi and her partner Murray as well.
Determined to prove the suicide was in fact a murder, Ella finds herself up against a new, number crunching boss for whom over-time and even lateral thinking around a case, appears to be an anathema. Combined with demands from her family and cutting her teeth on a promising new but frail relationship, Ella has to work against the odds to bring justice to the dead man.
Parallel to and interwoven with Ella’s dogged investigation is the story of Alex and Jane both of whom have their own lives and problems. As these are played out in ugly and complex glory, they find that the sinister warnings and fear of the man in the car may not have been the product of a deluded mind after all and, in fact, are simply a prelude to an all too real and terrifying series of events....
What I particularly love about Howell’s novels, apart from the tight and utterly believable plotting is the way she portrays her characters. They are never two-dimensional but fully rounded personalities whose motivation, while you might not always understand or approve (which makes you anxious for them) makes sense. She gives them back-stories and rich, interesting lives, even when they are quite ordinary, demonstrating their strengths, weaknesses, self-doubt, mistakes and hubris and the consequences of all of these.
Howell also has this marvellous ability to not only bring the paramedics’ work to life, but to show their humanity and the stress and strain under which they work as well. There’s a specific scene about halfway through the novel that is so heart wrenching and heart-warming, the words were swimming all over the page and it was a while before I could compose myself and move on. Kudos to Howell that in the middle of a grisly investigation, where tension is mounting, she could include such a scene and without missing a beat. On the contrary, it adds another layer to the tale and the characters.
Similarly, the way relationships are constructed and deconstructed in the tale rings so true – both professional and personal. There are characters you love and champion but whose actions you sometimes question – just as in real life. There are also those you loathe and others who arouse a visceral fear, the type that makes the hair on your body stand to attention and your heart race that little bit faster.
Reading isn’t just about the eyes and mind, not when you’re in the hands of a master – and Howell is undoubtedly that. She plays with all the readers’ senses making the act of reading almost as exhausting and exhilarating as Marconi’s investigation.
Full of twists and turns, always narratively dependable but never, ever predictable, Web of Deceit will keep you captivated until the very last line. It’s as if you’re riding in an ambulance, the siren wailing, and someone else is driving, their foot increasing the pressure on the accelerator as you’re taken on a ride, replete with running red lights, dodging cars and pedestrians; one you’ll never forget or regret.
Completely enthralling, Web of Deceit places Howell right up there with the absolute finest in the genre. Even among such luminaries, she shines.
Now, imagine this is how I have responded to all Howell’s Ella Marconi novels and then multiply that reaction a hundredfold with the latest in the series, Web of Deceit. This book is an emotional, psychological and narrative time bomb that ticks away, putting you on the edge of your seat and making it impossible to leave the gritty, complex and marvellously tangled world and crimes that Howell has woven.
Web of Deceit opens with two paramedics, Jane and Alex, being called to an accident where a vehicle has hit a pole. No speed is involved and the driver has no injuries yet, he refuses to leave the car. Terrified, convinced someone is following and “out to get” him, it takes a great deal of persuasion to get him to exit. When, later that night, Jane and Alex are called to an apparent suicide at a train station and recognise the victim, events are set in motion that draw in both the paramedics, their families and, of course, detective Ella Marconi and her partner Murray as well.
Determined to prove the suicide was in fact a murder, Ella finds herself up against a new, number crunching boss for whom over-time and even lateral thinking around a case, appears to be an anathema. Combined with demands from her family and cutting her teeth on a promising new but frail relationship, Ella has to work against the odds to bring justice to the dead man.
Parallel to and interwoven with Ella’s dogged investigation is the story of Alex and Jane both of whom have their own lives and problems. As these are played out in ugly and complex glory, they find that the sinister warnings and fear of the man in the car may not have been the product of a deluded mind after all and, in fact, are simply a prelude to an all too real and terrifying series of events....
What I particularly love about Howell’s novels, apart from the tight and utterly believable plotting is the way she portrays her characters. They are never two-dimensional but fully rounded personalities whose motivation, while you might not always understand or approve (which makes you anxious for them) makes sense. She gives them back-stories and rich, interesting lives, even when they are quite ordinary, demonstrating their strengths, weaknesses, self-doubt, mistakes and hubris and the consequences of all of these.
Howell also has this marvellous ability to not only bring the paramedics’ work to life, but to show their humanity and the stress and strain under which they work as well. There’s a specific scene about halfway through the novel that is so heart wrenching and heart-warming, the words were swimming all over the page and it was a while before I could compose myself and move on. Kudos to Howell that in the middle of a grisly investigation, where tension is mounting, she could include such a scene and without missing a beat. On the contrary, it adds another layer to the tale and the characters.
Similarly, the way relationships are constructed and deconstructed in the tale rings so true – both professional and personal. There are characters you love and champion but whose actions you sometimes question – just as in real life. There are also those you loathe and others who arouse a visceral fear, the type that makes the hair on your body stand to attention and your heart race that little bit faster.
Reading isn’t just about the eyes and mind, not when you’re in the hands of a master – and Howell is undoubtedly that. She plays with all the readers’ senses making the act of reading almost as exhausting and exhilarating as Marconi’s investigation.
Full of twists and turns, always narratively dependable but never, ever predictable, Web of Deceit will keep you captivated until the very last line. It’s as if you’re riding in an ambulance, the siren wailing, and someone else is driving, their foot increasing the pressure on the accelerator as you’re taken on a ride, replete with running red lights, dodging cars and pedestrians; one you’ll never forget or regret.
Completely enthralling, Web of Deceit places Howell right up there with the absolute finest in the genre. Even among such luminaries, she shines.
May 2, 2013
Best yet ... no lie! I'm a huge fan of this series but for me Web Of Deceit was the consummate blend of paramedic voyeurism and investigative punch. Smart, tight and pacey made for seriously compelling reading.
Obviously Detective Ella Marconi is the constant but with each book we're introduced to new paramedics, in Web of Deceit it's Jane and Alex. Each book I reiterate that the Ella Marconi novels work fabulously well as stand alone's, but I love the continuity that the series brings to Ella's personal story.
Katherine's trademark instinctive writing guarantees an intimate view of the paramedic's world and I've got it on the best authority that she "nails it" with the investigative process. My partner's dad is a retired detective and lover of crime fiction. I've been beating him round the head with Katherine's books for quite some time - being a bit of cynic it's taken him a while to succumb to my 'gentle' persuasion but he's begrudgingly admitted they're "pretty damn good."
Something else I love about Katherine's work; the plot doesn't come at the expense of character development. Gritty realism, wicked pace and a gnarly plot work hand in hand with the characters' personal struggles and relationship issues. Toss in an asshat boss and bureaucratic BS and funnily enough it's just like real life.
Recommend: mad if you don't :)
Obviously Detective Ella Marconi is the constant but with each book we're introduced to new paramedics, in Web of Deceit it's Jane and Alex. Each book I reiterate that the Ella Marconi novels work fabulously well as stand alone's, but I love the continuity that the series brings to Ella's personal story.
Katherine's trademark instinctive writing guarantees an intimate view of the paramedic's world and I've got it on the best authority that she "nails it" with the investigative process. My partner's dad is a retired detective and lover of crime fiction. I've been beating him round the head with Katherine's books for quite some time - being a bit of cynic it's taken him a while to succumb to my 'gentle' persuasion but he's begrudgingly admitted they're "pretty damn good."
Something else I love about Katherine's work; the plot doesn't come at the expense of character development. Gritty realism, wicked pace and a gnarly plot work hand in hand with the characters' personal struggles and relationship issues. Toss in an asshat boss and bureaucratic BS and funnily enough it's just like real life.
Recommend: mad if you don't :)
June 10, 2020
4.5 stars
Caroline Lee the narrator of Web of Deceit is excellent, her narration is spot on and does such a fantastic job changing tone and tempo.
Another incredible book of Katherine Howell’s to fall in love with, to revel in, and to dive in to. A fast paced and gripping novel set in various suburbs of Sydney, with engaging and credible characters. The days seem to be flying by so I’m grateful for audiobooks to help me get through my TBR (coffee table) stack faster, tuning in to an audiobook makes a whole lot of sense when there is no time to pick up the book, although I did read the last 5 chapters! And, I did savour every word that was read by Caroline Lee.
Love Katherine’s books and I have no trouble in recommending this one highly.
*Book #64/72 of my 2019 coffee table to-read challenge, cont. 2020
Caroline Lee the narrator of Web of Deceit is excellent, her narration is spot on and does such a fantastic job changing tone and tempo.
Another incredible book of Katherine Howell’s to fall in love with, to revel in, and to dive in to. A fast paced and gripping novel set in various suburbs of Sydney, with engaging and credible characters. The days seem to be flying by so I’m grateful for audiobooks to help me get through my TBR (coffee table) stack faster, tuning in to an audiobook makes a whole lot of sense when there is no time to pick up the book, although I did read the last 5 chapters! And, I did savour every word that was read by Caroline Lee.
Love Katherine’s books and I have no trouble in recommending this one highly.
*Book #64/72 of my 2019 coffee table to-read challenge, cont. 2020
March 20, 2018
Just couldn't get to grips with this one. Started well: man fell / pushed in front of a train, boss tries to hang himself after menacing calls, but then it got bogged down in the emotional baggage of police inspector and ambo. After 170 pages I gave it away.
March 6, 2017
This author's books were mentioned in the Aussie Readers group, and this was the only book I could find via my library's OverDrive collection. It was quite good, kept my interest, even though there's a great deal of jumping between the paramedics' stories (drama for each of them) and the homicide detectives' story.
BTW, somewhere I read a review that said this (or another of this author's books) were rather like a TV drama, in the way things jump from one story line to another. This is a very good description. You do need to pay attention.
Sadly, I didn't like this enough to want to buy more of this author's books from Amazon US, or from Audible.
BTW, somewhere I read a review that said this (or another of this author's books) were rather like a TV drama, in the way things jump from one story line to another. This is a very good description. You do need to pay attention.
Sadly, I didn't like this enough to want to buy more of this author's books from Amazon US, or from Audible.
February 5, 2016
Initially it seems like just another routine call out for busy Sydney paramedics Jane and Alex - a single vehicle car accident with only minor injuries. Although sympathetic towards the victim (who claims to have been chased by a stalker), it appears he has some kind of psychological problem and the pair can only deliver him to hospital before continuing onto their next call. It is not until several hours later when they are called to a fatal train accident that they realise it is the same victim and this time he is dead. Although they have many issues of their own to deal with, Jane and Alex can't help but be drawn into the web of intrigue the accident leaves behind.
Detective Ella Marconi makes her sixth appearance in Katherine Howell's series, when she and partner Murray are assigned the case. Facing the uphill task of trying to determine whether the victim Marko was pushed or jumped himself, Jane shares her earlier experience with Ella. Determined that it won't simply be written off as a suicide, Ella pushes any necessary boundaries to find the truth.
Woven into the storyline are Alex and Jane's own personal tribulations. Alex's teenage daughter Mia is undergoing a rebellious phase that is causing him a great deal of stress and Jane is battling to break ties with her ex (whose current wife has taken to harassing her, believing she and Steve are having an affair). Tensions on all fronts combines and builds as Ella and Murray do their very best to uncover the truth.
It is always refreshing to read a crime novel set in an Australian city
and Katherine Howell's books have the added bonus of combining the amazing work paramedics do into the storyline. It is a combination that works well and in this case it certainly adds another layer to a suspenseful and riveting plot.
Web of Deceit certainly lives up to its name. It is a fabulous read that kept me engaged from start to finish.
Detective Ella Marconi makes her sixth appearance in Katherine Howell's series, when she and partner Murray are assigned the case. Facing the uphill task of trying to determine whether the victim Marko was pushed or jumped himself, Jane shares her earlier experience with Ella. Determined that it won't simply be written off as a suicide, Ella pushes any necessary boundaries to find the truth.
Woven into the storyline are Alex and Jane's own personal tribulations. Alex's teenage daughter Mia is undergoing a rebellious phase that is causing him a great deal of stress and Jane is battling to break ties with her ex (whose current wife has taken to harassing her, believing she and Steve are having an affair). Tensions on all fronts combines and builds as Ella and Murray do their very best to uncover the truth.
It is always refreshing to read a crime novel set in an Australian city
and Katherine Howell's books have the added bonus of combining the amazing work paramedics do into the storyline. It is a combination that works well and in this case it certainly adds another layer to a suspenseful and riveting plot.
Web of Deceit certainly lives up to its name. It is a fabulous read that kept me engaged from start to finish.
March 7, 2013
Katherine Howell is one of my “must buy as soon as a new book” comes out authors. I can guarantee that if you pick up any of her books you will not be able to put it down until you are heaving and panting for breath at the end. Errrr, no not that … get your mind out of the gutter – this is a mystery. And it is a damn good mystery with twists and turns and a feeling that it is all building up to something, but you’re not sure what.
WEB OF DECEIT is Katherine’s sixth novel and Detective Ella Marconi is back; she appears in each of the books however the paramedic team that the mystery focuses on and around changes. Katherine has a talent for being able to combine both the personal and professional lives of each of the main characters and always there is a cross over where you least expect it. The two paramedics in this tale are Jane who is dealing with her ex-husbands deranged second wife; and single dad Alex who is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress after a rescue gone wrong and dealing with a rebellious teenage daughter. I really related to Alex’s struggle with his troublesome daughter, and while I wasn’t a single parent when I struggled with mine, I think Katherine handled the scenario so well that I found myself nodding at Alex’s responses often. I always seem to find one character in her books which personally speaks to me.
Each character, both major and minor, appears in the book for a reason, not one is superfluous to the story. One of the characters in the book is a very nasty person – but who was it? Tension ran high both in the book and in me until all was revealed and the world was temporarily safe once again, well at least until book seven. WEB OF DECEIT is a fast-paced, edge of the seat story that will have the reader totally engrossed.
WEB OF DECEIT is Katherine’s sixth novel and Detective Ella Marconi is back; she appears in each of the books however the paramedic team that the mystery focuses on and around changes. Katherine has a talent for being able to combine both the personal and professional lives of each of the main characters and always there is a cross over where you least expect it. The two paramedics in this tale are Jane who is dealing with her ex-husbands deranged second wife; and single dad Alex who is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress after a rescue gone wrong and dealing with a rebellious teenage daughter. I really related to Alex’s struggle with his troublesome daughter, and while I wasn’t a single parent when I struggled with mine, I think Katherine handled the scenario so well that I found myself nodding at Alex’s responses often. I always seem to find one character in her books which personally speaks to me.
Each character, both major and minor, appears in the book for a reason, not one is superfluous to the story. One of the characters in the book is a very nasty person – but who was it? Tension ran high both in the book and in me until all was revealed and the world was temporarily safe once again, well at least until book seven. WEB OF DECEIT is a fast-paced, edge of the seat story that will have the reader totally engrossed.
February 7, 2013
This title was reviewed for the Newtown Review of Books
"The lives of paramedics entwine with a police investigation to remind us just how good Australian crime writing can be.
Web of Deceit, the sixth book by ex-paramedic Katherine Howell featuring Detective Ella Marconi, continues to build a solid, clever police-procedural series with an ongoing paramedic viewpoint, an element that seems even stronger in this book."
For the full review: http://newtownreviewofbooks.com/2013/...
"The lives of paramedics entwine with a police investigation to remind us just how good Australian crime writing can be.
Web of Deceit, the sixth book by ex-paramedic Katherine Howell featuring Detective Ella Marconi, continues to build a solid, clever police-procedural series with an ongoing paramedic viewpoint, an element that seems even stronger in this book."
For the full review: http://newtownreviewofbooks.com/2013/...
February 14, 2018
Paramedics respond to a car accident in which the victim is refusing to get out of the car. He is afraid of someone. Is he delusional maybe not as he turns up dead shortly after. Detective Ella Marconi wants to investigate but her superior wants the case ruled a suicide and is hampering her investigation. I feel I might have enjoyed this book more if I had read some of the earlier books as it was the characters didn't really grab me.
February 13, 2013
Loved it, as I have all of Katherine Howell's books! I love how Ella Marconni's character is developing throughout the series and I really enjoyed the smaller storylines playing in conjunction with the main and then intertwining at the end - brilliant :)
May 28, 2013
Loved this book, just as much as her others. When is the next one coming out?
March 11, 2014
Another fantastic read from Katherine Howell.
July 7, 2021
Average at best
December 29, 2017
Paramedics Jane and Alex are called to the scene of a car accident and find the driver, Marco Mikesner, afraid to even open the door. He finally does and, though uninjured they convince him to go to the hospital. He is clearly paranoid and they both suspect he needs to talk with a psychiatrist. The hospital is very busy and he is sent to the waiting room. Just before Jane and Alex are to sign off for the day they are sent to the metro train station where they find Marco dead under the wheels of a train.
Ella Marconi and Murray Shakespeare get the case are being hurried along by their new interim boss to rule it a suicide, but they don’t feel that it is and are both seriously irritated with the new boss, and for more reasons than just this.
As they continue to investigate and talk to people about Marco, things begin to get more and more confusing and they become much more convinced that Marco did jump in front of that train. But did he fall or was he pushed? And if he was pushed, then by whom? But no matter what the new boss says, Ella will see justice done.
As usual in this series, there are also the issues facing the paramedics. Jane is secretly involved with a new man, but her husband’s new wife is convinced that they are seeing each other again so she is harassing Jane daily, even going as far as to file a complaint against her with Human Resources. Alex’s 14-year-old daughter Mia, meanwhile, hates the rules that he has to keep her sage and has told him she wants to live with her mom. The mom who walked out when Mia was three and has had no contact in the last 11 years.
As I have written reviews on the other books in this series (see my reviews of Frantic, The Darkest Hour, and Cold Justice HERE and Violent Exposure HERE) you can tell that I really like the characters. Ella Marconi is a get-to-the-bottom of things person who also has an amazing empathy for the people her job brings into her path. Unless they cross her – then all bets are off and I really like that combination and have a bit of that in me, as well.
Detective Shakespeare has someone new in his life and it has certainly changed him for the better. He is much less surly and angry. The fact that the new boss angers him as much as he angers Ella goes a long way toward making him much more likable. Maybe there’s hope for him yet.
As in the rest of the series, Caroline Lee is the narrator and I am more than a little in love with her narration. She does an amazing job changing tone, pace, cadence, and sound for each character so there is no doubt who is talking. I cannot say enough about how much I love listening to her. She is my all-time favorite narrator. And the Australian accent certainly adds to that.
I highly recommend this book. If you have read the others, this one is just as well written. If you have not read them, you may want to start at the beginning of the series, but it is not imperative as all of the detective work and the paramedics’ stories are stand alone for each novel, there are just references to personal situations from previous books, but you would not get lost starting anywhere in the series.
https://propensitytodiscuss.wordpress...
Ella Marconi and Murray Shakespeare get the case are being hurried along by their new interim boss to rule it a suicide, but they don’t feel that it is and are both seriously irritated with the new boss, and for more reasons than just this.
As they continue to investigate and talk to people about Marco, things begin to get more and more confusing and they become much more convinced that Marco did jump in front of that train. But did he fall or was he pushed? And if he was pushed, then by whom? But no matter what the new boss says, Ella will see justice done.
As usual in this series, there are also the issues facing the paramedics. Jane is secretly involved with a new man, but her husband’s new wife is convinced that they are seeing each other again so she is harassing Jane daily, even going as far as to file a complaint against her with Human Resources. Alex’s 14-year-old daughter Mia, meanwhile, hates the rules that he has to keep her sage and has told him she wants to live with her mom. The mom who walked out when Mia was three and has had no contact in the last 11 years.
As I have written reviews on the other books in this series (see my reviews of Frantic, The Darkest Hour, and Cold Justice HERE and Violent Exposure HERE) you can tell that I really like the characters. Ella Marconi is a get-to-the-bottom of things person who also has an amazing empathy for the people her job brings into her path. Unless they cross her – then all bets are off and I really like that combination and have a bit of that in me, as well.
Detective Shakespeare has someone new in his life and it has certainly changed him for the better. He is much less surly and angry. The fact that the new boss angers him as much as he angers Ella goes a long way toward making him much more likable. Maybe there’s hope for him yet.
As in the rest of the series, Caroline Lee is the narrator and I am more than a little in love with her narration. She does an amazing job changing tone, pace, cadence, and sound for each character so there is no doubt who is talking. I cannot say enough about how much I love listening to her. She is my all-time favorite narrator. And the Australian accent certainly adds to that.
I highly recommend this book. If you have read the others, this one is just as well written. If you have not read them, you may want to start at the beginning of the series, but it is not imperative as all of the detective work and the paramedics’ stories are stand alone for each novel, there are just references to personal situations from previous books, but you would not get lost starting anywhere in the series.
https://propensitytodiscuss.wordpress...
October 31, 2022
5*s are saved for books that have that something special that will stay with me. Usually a Strong character driven storyline. Where I feel a connection to the book or characters or really loved me emotionally.
This is for my absolute favourite books, the ones I can only describe as a feeling. A story I fell so deep into I felt the hangover when I came out of it. Not just a book I enjoyed but one I LOVED. Elite level
4* A brilliant book that I’ve loved. A story with a great storyline and characters. One I really enjoyed reading.
It has everything I want in a book, and I would recommend to others.
It is only missing that little bit of magic or depth that would make it 5*s. Top level
3* A good book, enjoyable and nice/easy to read. Great filler books to read between the deep heavy ones. Most good books fall into this category. Usually a good or gripping storyline but are more storyline driven rather than character led and driven. Books that I enjoy but probably won’t remember the details of this time next year. May recommend to others for a filler book or binge series. Decent level
2* Finished it and it was Ok. Story was ok but not amazing or gripping. Characters were likely forgettable or unlikeable. Maybe a weak too perfect ending. Probably a shallow storyline and very forgettable. Probably wouldn’t recommend to others. Weak level.
1* I hate giving 1*s because I feel bad for the author who I know has worked so hard on a book. I just didn’t like it. I probably couldn’t get into it or didn’t finish it. Basic level.
This is for my absolute favourite books, the ones I can only describe as a feeling. A story I fell so deep into I felt the hangover when I came out of it. Not just a book I enjoyed but one I LOVED. Elite level
4* A brilliant book that I’ve loved. A story with a great storyline and characters. One I really enjoyed reading.
It has everything I want in a book, and I would recommend to others.
It is only missing that little bit of magic or depth that would make it 5*s. Top level
3* A good book, enjoyable and nice/easy to read. Great filler books to read between the deep heavy ones. Most good books fall into this category. Usually a good or gripping storyline but are more storyline driven rather than character led and driven. Books that I enjoy but probably won’t remember the details of this time next year. May recommend to others for a filler book or binge series. Decent level
2* Finished it and it was Ok. Story was ok but not amazing or gripping. Characters were likely forgettable or unlikeable. Maybe a weak too perfect ending. Probably a shallow storyline and very forgettable. Probably wouldn’t recommend to others. Weak level.
1* I hate giving 1*s because I feel bad for the author who I know has worked so hard on a book. I just didn’t like it. I probably couldn’t get into it or didn’t finish it. Basic level.
January 8, 2018
My biggest complaint was that this is the only Ella Marconi mystery in the King County Library!
It seemed like there was a great deal going on that related to past cases so I was a bit confused at times. But maybe I was just confused because the story jumps between two teams and I had to reorient myself to visualizing which team the author was talking about and the drama with the man-friends and ex-husbands and wives. Is she the one sleeping with a newscaster or a doctor?
The mystery wasn't straight forward so I couldn't really figure out what was going to happen. So that was a good thing since I stayed interested.
One of the things I liked was the extra details from a female author--scratchy lace underwear and references to raising kids such as memories about nursing and having bleeding nipples. You never forget those experiences. I was surprised that Ella didn't worry about getting cancer though--if you have finished menopause and start spotting that's what most doctor in the the US would wonder.
The other thing I had to keep remembering was that it is set in Australia. The editing was excellent but I was surprised that there weren't more colloquialisms. It easily could have been in Britain or the US except for a few terms like 'fireys'.
It seemed like there was a great deal going on that related to past cases so I was a bit confused at times. But maybe I was just confused because the story jumps between two teams and I had to reorient myself to visualizing which team the author was talking about and the drama with the man-friends and ex-husbands and wives. Is she the one sleeping with a newscaster or a doctor?
The mystery wasn't straight forward so I couldn't really figure out what was going to happen. So that was a good thing since I stayed interested.
One of the things I liked was the extra details from a female author--scratchy lace underwear and references to raising kids such as memories about nursing and having bleeding nipples. You never forget those experiences. I was surprised that Ella didn't worry about getting cancer though--if you have finished menopause and start spotting that's what most doctor in the the US would wonder.
The other thing I had to keep remembering was that it is set in Australia. The editing was excellent but I was surprised that there weren't more colloquialisms. It easily could have been in Britain or the US except for a few terms like 'fireys'.
February 2, 2020
This is the first book I read by Katherine Howell about Ella Marconi and the paramedics, and I loved it! Other than the Phryne Fisher historical mysteries, I haven't read any mysteries set in Australia. I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Howell, and will probably look for the earlier books in the series. Ella is a strong female character, but she is also very human, as she is looking for love (and maybe in the wrong places.) The same goes for paramedic Jane. Paramedic Alex is also struggling with his rebellious teenage daughter. These personal stories humanize the characters and I think there is just enough of these issues in the story, without taking up too many pages. The detectives are relentless in their work (despite their difficult boss Langley) and their instincts are proven correct in the end. It was neat how Alex's personal story tied into Marko's murder.
February 15, 2019
Although this is promoted as number 6 in the Detective Ella Marconi series, I felt just as much focus was given to the paramedics Jane and Alex. These two characters were developed in the sub-plots and came to be seen as believable, empathetic people with strengths and weaknesses.
Detective Marconi and her team concentrated on two major suspects, but a few red herrings were thrown in to keep the reader engaged.
A competent murder mystery for fans of the genre.
Detective Marconi and her team concentrated on two major suspects, but a few red herrings were thrown in to keep the reader engaged.
A competent murder mystery for fans of the genre.
March 3, 2024
This series certainly continues to keep my interest. While the Detective carries over, we get different ambulance officers every time, but the twist here certainly kept me hooked. The plot twists came thick and fast, and the three plots came together in the climax in a delicious way, so much so that it wasn't until they were resolved that I could tease out the separate threads. I would have preferred more of a resolution, but what was there made me smile.
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