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Detective Ella Marconi #4
Violent Exposure
When Suzanne Crawford is found stabbed to death and her husband Connor is discovered to be missing, it looks like just another tragic case of domestic violence to Detective Ella Marconi. But as the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems. Why is there no record of Connor Crawford beyond a few years ago? Why has a teenager who worked for the pair gone missing too? And above all, what was the secret Suzanne knew Connor was keeping at all costs – even from her?
As Ella begins to build a picture of the Crawfords' fractured lives, things around her are deteriorating. Her relationship with a fellow officer is hanging by a thread and her parents seem to be keeping secrets of their own. But Ella only has time for the job she loves, and she knows she has to see her way through the tangled web of deceit and lies to get at the truth – before it's too late.
As Ella begins to build a picture of the Crawfords' fractured lives, things around her are deteriorating. Her relationship with a fellow officer is hanging by a thread and her parents seem to be keeping secrets of their own. But Ella only has time for the job she loves, and she knows she has to see her way through the tangled web of deceit and lies to get at the truth – before it's too late.
312 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2010
6 people are currently reading
230 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 51 reviews
August 6, 2019
Another excellent installment in the Detective Ella Marconi series by Katherine Howell.
While paramedics Carley and trainee Aiden are on duty they are called to a case at the residence of Conner and Suzanne Crawford with a report of possible domestic violence. When they arrive both Conner and his wife, Suzanne, deny an argument or fight but are checked for injuries while waiting for the police to arrive. While Carley takes a report from Conner, Aiden takes Suzanne to the bathroom to bandage a minor injury to her ear. Both of the Crawford's deny needing transport to hospital and are left in the hands of the police who are now on scene.
The following night senior paramedic Mitch is paired with Aiden when they are called to a scene of a stabbing. They arrive and Aiden realizes that it is the same residence, the Crawford's, that he and Carley were at just the previous night. Only now, Suzanne Crawford is found stabbed to death in her kitchen, and her husband, Conner, is missing.
Homicide Detective Ella Marconi and her partner, Dennis Orchard, catch the case. To Ella and Dennis it looks like just another tragic case of domestic violence. But is it?
As the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems and many questions come to light. Where is Connor Crawford and why is there no record of him beyond a few years ago? Why has a teenager who worked for the Crawford's at their nursery gone missing too? Could Aiden possibly be mixed up in it as well?
Violent Exposure is one of my favorites thus far! The pace is fast, never slowing from beginning to end. Taunt with suspense and anticipation and full of characters with depth, each portrayed with intricately detailed personalities. I loved all the separate stories that entwine together to form a complex plot that comes to a surprising conclusion but leaves tantalizing questions behind to be continued in the next book.
I can't wait to see what happens next with all the paramedics, especially Mitch, and his wife Jo, and, of course, what will Ella be up against in her new case.
This is an audio book narrated by Caroline Lee who made the personalities of the characters even more interesting by putting the finishing touches on each one with independent voices and emotions creating individuals who are even more vivid, vibrant, and realistic. By combining the creative writing ofKatherine Howell and the colorful Caroline Lee narration of the end result is a story that jumps right off the pages!
While paramedics Carley and trainee Aiden are on duty they are called to a case at the residence of Conner and Suzanne Crawford with a report of possible domestic violence. When they arrive both Conner and his wife, Suzanne, deny an argument or fight but are checked for injuries while waiting for the police to arrive. While Carley takes a report from Conner, Aiden takes Suzanne to the bathroom to bandage a minor injury to her ear. Both of the Crawford's deny needing transport to hospital and are left in the hands of the police who are now on scene.
The following night senior paramedic Mitch is paired with Aiden when they are called to a scene of a stabbing. They arrive and Aiden realizes that it is the same residence, the Crawford's, that he and Carley were at just the previous night. Only now, Suzanne Crawford is found stabbed to death in her kitchen, and her husband, Conner, is missing.
Homicide Detective Ella Marconi and her partner, Dennis Orchard, catch the case. To Ella and Dennis it looks like just another tragic case of domestic violence. But is it?
As the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems and many questions come to light. Where is Connor Crawford and why is there no record of him beyond a few years ago? Why has a teenager who worked for the Crawford's at their nursery gone missing too? Could Aiden possibly be mixed up in it as well?
Violent Exposure is one of my favorites thus far! The pace is fast, never slowing from beginning to end. Taunt with suspense and anticipation and full of characters with depth, each portrayed with intricately detailed personalities. I loved all the separate stories that entwine together to form a complex plot that comes to a surprising conclusion but leaves tantalizing questions behind to be continued in the next book.
I can't wait to see what happens next with all the paramedics, especially Mitch, and his wife Jo, and, of course, what will Ella be up against in her new case.
This is an audio book narrated by Caroline Lee who made the personalities of the characters even more interesting by putting the finishing touches on each one with independent voices and emotions creating individuals who are even more vivid, vibrant, and realistic. By combining the creative writing ofKatherine Howell and the colorful Caroline Lee narration of the end result is a story that jumps right off the pages!
March 16, 2017
I normally love Detective Ella and her escapades. As I do the paramedics stories. This one wasn’t for me unfortunately. I skimmed, wasn’t fully engaged. A little cardboard cut-out I felt were the story lines, the thrilling parts lacked the thrill. I am very much interested in Ella, and what lies ahead for her. She's complex, unsure of what she wants but won't settle on being 'comfortable'. The author has hooked us in to want to know what is next for this hardworking detective. I am still very much looking forward to the rest of the series, and am sad that Katherine Howell isn’t writing for the moment while she pursues her medical career. If she can write this well about the industry, she’d be a natural in her real life role.
June 4, 2014
Paramedics Carly and trainee Aiden are called out to a domestic disturbance to a private house of Suzanne and Connor Crawford. Once Carly and Aiden arrive at the address it's explained to them by Suzanne and Connor that it was nothing more than a disagreement.
The following evening police and paramedics are called back to the same address, but this time Suzanne Crawford is found dead and her husband is missing. Detective Ella Maroconi is assigned the case and at first it looks like a case of domestic violence, but the further Ella digs it seems a lot of things are not adding up which leaves her with more unanswered questions.
Trying to deal with her own personal issues as well as the case is a challenge for Ella and time is of the essence. So will Ella be able to gather enough information in time to solve the case or will she run out of time?
Another fantastic read by Katherine Howell. This is the fourth book in the Ella Maroconi series and I can't wait to read the next one. A fast paced and gripping read which I HIGHLY recommend.
The following evening police and paramedics are called back to the same address, but this time Suzanne Crawford is found dead and her husband is missing. Detective Ella Maroconi is assigned the case and at first it looks like a case of domestic violence, but the further Ella digs it seems a lot of things are not adding up which leaves her with more unanswered questions.
Trying to deal with her own personal issues as well as the case is a challenge for Ella and time is of the essence. So will Ella be able to gather enough information in time to solve the case or will she run out of time?
Another fantastic read by Katherine Howell. This is the fourth book in the Ella Maroconi series and I can't wait to read the next one. A fast paced and gripping read which I HIGHLY recommend.
April 6, 2014
This is the fourth book in Katherine Howell's series featuring detective Ella Marconi and a paramedic unit working out of Ultimo in Sydney's inner west and it's another excellent, fast paced story.
When police are called to the scene of a murder they find Suzanne Crawford stabbed to death on her kitchen floor and her husband Connor missing. Investigations into Connor's past find that no such person exists and the police must work hard to discover whether Suzanne's murder is just another domestic dispute gone too far or whether Connor's past has caught up with him.
What makes this novel more than another police procedural is the back story of the paramedics which are woven throughout the story. Some of the paramedics from previous novels make a re-appearance, but the main story revolves new trainee, Aidan, a wannabe actor with an attitude problem. The author's past experience as a paramedic adds realism to the events and make this an interesting aspect of the novel.
A great read! Looking forward to the next installment.
When police are called to the scene of a murder they find Suzanne Crawford stabbed to death on her kitchen floor and her husband Connor missing. Investigations into Connor's past find that no such person exists and the police must work hard to discover whether Suzanne's murder is just another domestic dispute gone too far or whether Connor's past has caught up with him.
What makes this novel more than another police procedural is the back story of the paramedics which are woven throughout the story. Some of the paramedics from previous novels make a re-appearance, but the main story revolves new trainee, Aidan, a wannabe actor with an attitude problem. The author's past experience as a paramedic adds realism to the events and make this an interesting aspect of the novel.
A great read! Looking forward to the next installment.
March 6, 2013
I was amazed to see that this novel was written in 2010 and still has only three reviews on Amazon! Could it be the kindle price is the same price as an Australian paperback and is preventing kindle owners from downloading it?
I won't repeat the synopsis, that is here for all to read. What I do want to say is that this is about the best crime novel written by an Australian that I have ever read. Brilliantly paced and written, the characterisation is detailed and believable for all the characters no matter how minor.
The major police player, Detective Ella Marconi is an intelligent person in whose success I was happy to invest care. The paramedics Mick and Aiden had their own problems showing human frailty, but ultimately growing in stature personally and professionally.
A truly splendid novel, which I sat up most of the night to read, unable to relinquish it, and now I am hoping that Katherine Howell is typing her fingers to the bone writing another Ella Marconi novel, a sequel to this one, purely for my enjoyment!
***
March 10, 2019
First time reading KH. An enjoyable crime thriller.
June 17, 2019
4.5 stars
Ooh, this series just gets better and better, this is the fourth novel in the Ella Marconi series and wowee this is one thrilling tale. Love love love Sydney therefore the setting was perfect and real-life settings are always a drawcard in the crime genre for me (not to say I don’t enjoy fictional towns, ‘cause I really really do) and I can’t go past mentioning how much I relished the alternating viewpoints between the ambos and police. Loved it.
A gripping, fascinating and addictive series.
*Book #16/72 of my coffee table to-read pile challenge
Ooh, this series just gets better and better, this is the fourth novel in the Ella Marconi series and wowee this is one thrilling tale. Love love love Sydney therefore the setting was perfect and real-life settings are always a drawcard in the crime genre for me (not to say I don’t enjoy fictional towns, ‘cause I really really do) and I can’t go past mentioning how much I relished the alternating viewpoints between the ambos and police. Loved it.
A gripping, fascinating and addictive series.
*Book #16/72 of my coffee table to-read pile challenge
May 30, 2012
Another brilliant, fast paced Ella Marconi novel by Katherine Howell!
When Carly and trainee paramedic Aiden Simpson were called to a domestic violence situation, Carly was cautious. There was always the risk of violence toward the paramedics, and she wasn’t prepared to take any chances. But things seemed fine with Connor and Suzanne Crawford...just a minor disagreement, or so they said.
But things rapidly went downhill the following day, when it was discovered that Suzanne had been stabbed to death, and Connor was missing. Of course, it seemed like a tragic case of domestic violence, but when Ella began to investigate, suddenly she could see facts weren’t adding up...why could no-one find any information about Connor? Why was there no record of him, no birth certificate, no driver’s licence, nothing beyond the few years the Crawfords had been married?
When Aiden seemed to have something to hide, and some street kids, who’d been working at the Crawford’s plant nursery, went missing, Ella and her fellow detectives could see there was a web of deceit and lies unfolding. The lives the Crawford’s had lived seemed shrouded in secrets, and untangling them soon became a race against time. With more bodies being found, was the truth going to come too late?
And with Ella also worrying about secrets her parents seemed to be keeping from her, and her relationship with a fellow officer fracturing, she needed to focus completely on her job. She needed her passion for solving the crime to be able to keep one step ahead of the criminals.
The twists in this, the 4th Ella Marconi novel, are compelling, and kept me turning the pages until the very end. Highly recommended.
When Carly and trainee paramedic Aiden Simpson were called to a domestic violence situation, Carly was cautious. There was always the risk of violence toward the paramedics, and she wasn’t prepared to take any chances. But things seemed fine with Connor and Suzanne Crawford...just a minor disagreement, or so they said.
But things rapidly went downhill the following day, when it was discovered that Suzanne had been stabbed to death, and Connor was missing. Of course, it seemed like a tragic case of domestic violence, but when Ella began to investigate, suddenly she could see facts weren’t adding up...why could no-one find any information about Connor? Why was there no record of him, no birth certificate, no driver’s licence, nothing beyond the few years the Crawfords had been married?
When Aiden seemed to have something to hide, and some street kids, who’d been working at the Crawford’s plant nursery, went missing, Ella and her fellow detectives could see there was a web of deceit and lies unfolding. The lives the Crawford’s had lived seemed shrouded in secrets, and untangling them soon became a race against time. With more bodies being found, was the truth going to come too late?
And with Ella also worrying about secrets her parents seemed to be keeping from her, and her relationship with a fellow officer fracturing, she needed to focus completely on her job. She needed her passion for solving the crime to be able to keep one step ahead of the criminals.
The twists in this, the 4th Ella Marconi novel, are compelling, and kept me turning the pages until the very end. Highly recommended.
November 5, 2014
Still getting a handle on the Aussie isms, who would have guessed that a "skip" is a dumpster!
There were so many characters introduced in this book, I had a bit of a time keeping them straight or separated.
The best part of the book was in the last couple of chapters, lots of action and a hint as to who the killer is. Street teenagers with their angst and all their worldly knowledge are very irritating to me, but I can understand their part in the book.
Again this book ended a chapter too soon, which leads me to believe that the story gets picked up in the next book - not sure I like this, it just leaves me feeling that the book is incomplete and just one of the reasons why I only gave this book 3.5 stars and one thumbs up.
Yes I will continue with the series, but I have now placed this series in the one read section, not worth 2 reads to me - just doesn't have that grip that can be found with some other authors.
There were so many characters introduced in this book, I had a bit of a time keeping them straight or separated.
The best part of the book was in the last couple of chapters, lots of action and a hint as to who the killer is. Street teenagers with their angst and all their worldly knowledge are very irritating to me, but I can understand their part in the book.
Again this book ended a chapter too soon, which leads me to believe that the story gets picked up in the next book - not sure I like this, it just leaves me feeling that the book is incomplete and just one of the reasons why I only gave this book 3.5 stars and one thumbs up.
Yes I will continue with the series, but I have now placed this series in the one read section, not worth 2 reads to me - just doesn't have that grip that can be found with some other authors.
January 9, 2018
I enjoyed this book but it took me a while to remember the characters as it is quite some time since I read the previous books in this series.
July 14, 2012
I don't read a lot of crime fiction, but picked this one up because it sounded interesting. A mix of paramedic and police procedural? Sounds like a great way to spend a few evenings.
The plot was interesting, the characters likeable, and the reading experience was about what IU'd expect from this type of book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the setting was Sydney, and that it had been included in the novel so completely that I really got to enjoy the sights and sounds of my favourite Australian city as though I was there. The author clearly had medical experience (possibly even paramedic), because the detail with which she talks about the paramedic's procedures is fascinating. All in all, it was an enjoyable book with a satisfying resolution.
However, it also struck me as being a bit awkward. There was a LOT of sub-plots going on during the novel. We had one of the characters desperately trying to conceive a child (which included awkward sex woven into the story), another character going through a romance sub-plot with a couple of guys that I really didn't care about (but was probably supposed to), and a character on trial for murder who was obviously supposed to matter, but felt irrelevant to the overall plot. All of these details actually felt like they detracted from the main theme -- which was about secrets coming back to haunt you.
(As a note, there were other sub-plots that fit into this theme very nicely.)
It wasn't until I'd finished the book that I realised the problem. This is book 4 of a series. And I haven't read any of the previous books.
I have no doubt that if I'd been reading the series in order, I'd be thrilled to know about IVF treatment and court case results. But since this was the first book I'd read, it felt... off. If you know what I mean.
The story still made sense as a stand-alone, and the writing was great. I'd just recommend reading the series in order if you're the type of person who expects all the scenes in the book to be part of an overall picture.
The plot was interesting, the characters likeable, and the reading experience was about what IU'd expect from this type of book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the setting was Sydney, and that it had been included in the novel so completely that I really got to enjoy the sights and sounds of my favourite Australian city as though I was there. The author clearly had medical experience (possibly even paramedic), because the detail with which she talks about the paramedic's procedures is fascinating. All in all, it was an enjoyable book with a satisfying resolution.
However, it also struck me as being a bit awkward. There was a LOT of sub-plots going on during the novel. We had one of the characters desperately trying to conceive a child (which included awkward sex woven into the story), another character going through a romance sub-plot with a couple of guys that I really didn't care about (but was probably supposed to), and a character on trial for murder who was obviously supposed to matter, but felt irrelevant to the overall plot. All of these details actually felt like they detracted from the main theme -- which was about secrets coming back to haunt you.
(As a note, there were other sub-plots that fit into this theme very nicely.)
It wasn't until I'd finished the book that I realised the problem. This is book 4 of a series. And I haven't read any of the previous books.
I have no doubt that if I'd been reading the series in order, I'd be thrilled to know about IVF treatment and court case results. But since this was the first book I'd read, it felt... off. If you know what I mean.
The story still made sense as a stand-alone, and the writing was great. I'd just recommend reading the series in order if you're the type of person who expects all the scenes in the book to be part of an overall picture.
June 30, 2011
Paramedics are called to attend a possible domestic, when they arrive at the scene the husband and wife, Connor and Suzanne Crawford, insist it was just a minor argument and that the neighbours were overreacting. The next night the police and paramedics are called back as Suzanne has been found brutally stabbed and her husband is missing.
Detective Ella Marconi is assigned to the case and immediately starts to focus on the missing husband as a suspect in his wife’s murder, only it would appear that he is not who he says he is. So if he is not Connor Crawford who is he? And how can you possibly find him? Infidelity, kidnapping, child abuse, temptation, lies, secrets and more murders all add to the story as the investigation progresses. There are multiple story threads taking place, each intermingling with the main investigation, author Katherine Howell doesn’t once drop a thread, and leaves none of the stories with a loose end.
VIOLENT EXPOSURE is a fast-paced, thought provoking and edge of the seat read that picks you up from the initial phone call on page one and doesn’t let you go until all is finally revealed and the last page is turned. I like how Katherine Howell is not afraid to add background stories with the different characters in her books. She doesn’t just have detectives and paramedics do their jobs, she has detectives and paramedics who have worries, personality clashes, temptations and problems in their personal lives, just like the rest of us, and still get on with the job at hand. Her characters are all complex and spring to life off the pages, even her minor characters have depth and meaning to their appearance.
As with all her books I was disappointed to come to the end, but I don’t have to wait for long until her next book; SILENT FEAR, is scheduled to come out early in 2012 and I will have it on pre-order as soon as I can.
Detective Ella Marconi is assigned to the case and immediately starts to focus on the missing husband as a suspect in his wife’s murder, only it would appear that he is not who he says he is. So if he is not Connor Crawford who is he? And how can you possibly find him? Infidelity, kidnapping, child abuse, temptation, lies, secrets and more murders all add to the story as the investigation progresses. There are multiple story threads taking place, each intermingling with the main investigation, author Katherine Howell doesn’t once drop a thread, and leaves none of the stories with a loose end.
VIOLENT EXPOSURE is a fast-paced, thought provoking and edge of the seat read that picks you up from the initial phone call on page one and doesn’t let you go until all is finally revealed and the last page is turned. I like how Katherine Howell is not afraid to add background stories with the different characters in her books. She doesn’t just have detectives and paramedics do their jobs, she has detectives and paramedics who have worries, personality clashes, temptations and problems in their personal lives, just like the rest of us, and still get on with the job at hand. Her characters are all complex and spring to life off the pages, even her minor characters have depth and meaning to their appearance.
As with all her books I was disappointed to come to the end, but I don’t have to wait for long until her next book; SILENT FEAR, is scheduled to come out early in 2012 and I will have it on pre-order as soon as I can.
November 16, 2010
The next installment in Katherine Howell's series featuring the cop with a heart, Ella Marconi, Violent Exposure is a beautifully written, tightly paced novel that I had to read in one sitting because I simply could not put it down. Commencing with the murder of a young woman, Suzanne, whose husband, Connor is subsequently missing, the novel moves between the hunt for her killer and the professional and personal lives of the investigators, including the paramedics, particularly, Mick and the obnoxious trainee, Aidan, who are also (without spoiling the story) intertwined in the case. The further Ella and the team dig into Connor and Suzanne's life, the more inconsistencies and gaps are exposed, all of which show that even a hidden past can impact upon the present in unforeseen and horrific ways.
Howell writes with conviction and passion and takes the reader on a thrilling journey into not only police and paramedic procedurals, but parallel stories of love, loss, grief and hope and just what lengths people will go to in order to seek revenge and have dreams fulfilled.
A brilliant book. I can't wait for the next one.
Howell writes with conviction and passion and takes the reader on a thrilling journey into not only police and paramedic procedurals, but parallel stories of love, loss, grief and hope and just what lengths people will go to in order to seek revenge and have dreams fulfilled.
A brilliant book. I can't wait for the next one.
September 5, 2013
Another Detective Ella Marconi book set in Sydney which gives it an added pleasure. Katherine Howell writes well and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat the whole way through. She never errs on the side of the incredulous - the actions of all her charatcters are within the bounds of reason unlike some other popular authors in this genre. Howell knows her stuff having been a paramedic herself and it shows. An excellent, gripping read.
August 22, 2016
As usual I enjoyed this Katherine Howell novel. The story is centered around paramedics and their everyday working and personal lives. We also had a murder and a kidnapping. Did not pick the plot til close to the end....a must read ....love all the characters and their everyday problems...which is part of why I keep going back to read the next book. Ella Marconi is a tough female cop however, we see her emotional side. Well done Katherine.
May 14, 2017
I read this one and Silent Fear running on from each other in order, and they are kind of imprinted in my mind together, so I’m going to do a joint review! Classic Katherine Howell in the Ella Marconi style - we found out a bit more about her, and a bit more about the original paramedics from the first book (wished I hadn’t read the first book quite so long ago now…) and how things were tying in together.
October 16, 2017
When paramedics Carly and Aiden are called to a domestic disturbance call, trainee Aiden is sure there will be no issue. After all, his view is that no one ever wants help in these situations. The next night, however, when Aiden is working with Mick, the pair are called back to the same house. What they find there will bring Ella Marconi to the scene for another case of a very Violent Exposure.
In this 4th novel of The Ella Marconi Series, we meet up with an old acquaintance, who this time is taking more of a lead role. Remember Mick, Sophie’s partner in Frantic? Well, he’s back with his own set of worries, albeit none as serious as Sophie’s. Then there are Ella’s own personal problems that have her avoiding going home while also worrying about her parents.
The longer Ella and her former partner Dennis work this case the more intertwined the paramedics become with it, and the more questions are answered, the more loose ends are found. Ella and Dennis must work through all the lies and half-truths of those involved to even come close to figuring out what happened.
Katherine Howell has done it once again. She has managed several different storylines, run them all concurrently and tied them together so they in no way, seem outlandish. She has a way of getting to the heart of all of her characters and making them real people, whether good guy or bad. I am so excited to have found this series.
As I have previously mentioned, it was because Caroline Lee was the narrator of the Frantic audio version that led me to this series and once again she gives an amazing performance for the Violent Exposure audio version. I love listening to her narrations and when you add such great stories to that, you have a truly winning combination. At night I switched to the Kindle version when hubby was home so he wouldn’t hear bits and pieces.
Another great read!
Check out all the books, movies and TV shows I have reviewed on the blog by clicking this link: https://propensitytodiscuss.wordpress...
In this 4th novel of The Ella Marconi Series, we meet up with an old acquaintance, who this time is taking more of a lead role. Remember Mick, Sophie’s partner in Frantic? Well, he’s back with his own set of worries, albeit none as serious as Sophie’s. Then there are Ella’s own personal problems that have her avoiding going home while also worrying about her parents.
The longer Ella and her former partner Dennis work this case the more intertwined the paramedics become with it, and the more questions are answered, the more loose ends are found. Ella and Dennis must work through all the lies and half-truths of those involved to even come close to figuring out what happened.
Katherine Howell has done it once again. She has managed several different storylines, run them all concurrently and tied them together so they in no way, seem outlandish. She has a way of getting to the heart of all of her characters and making them real people, whether good guy or bad. I am so excited to have found this series.
As I have previously mentioned, it was because Caroline Lee was the narrator of the Frantic audio version that led me to this series and once again she gives an amazing performance for the Violent Exposure audio version. I love listening to her narrations and when you add such great stories to that, you have a truly winning combination. At night I switched to the Kindle version when hubby was home so he wouldn’t hear bits and pieces.
Another great read!
Check out all the books, movies and TV shows I have reviewed on the blog by clicking this link: https://propensitytodiscuss.wordpress...
January 19, 2021
Detective Ella Marconi is on another case. She feels the thrill of the chase in her bones. Her parents see it in her face when she visits them. The case becomes all-consuming.
Suzanne Crawford has been murdered in her home. Her husband Connor is missing. Will Ella and her team solve the mystery of who Connor really is? They are sure this man with no past is the killer but, is he? The Crawford’s have a nursery that employs kids from ‘Streetlights’, an organisation helping street kids get back on their feet. What’s the link? When another body is found and he had been an employee at the nursery, more questions arise.
Paramedics have a difficult role to perform and you must be suited to it. Mick and Carly are sharing shifts with an intern who really isn’t listening to their advice. Aiden is far from the ideal trainee, with an inflated ego as an actor and lady’s man. Carly and Aiden attend a domestic violence case. The next night Mick must endure Aiden’s ineptitude while he boasts of having a hot date. When they are called to a murder at the same address as he and Carly had attended the night before, things get complicated. Aiden admits to having slept with Suzanne that day.
Carly helps ‘Streetlights’ by doing acting classes with the kids. Her failing at her own auditions for bit parts and ads is frustrating. She has met and worked with these kids and know that they are hiding something from the police.
Mick goes home to Jo who listens to his complaints about Aiden and encourages him to apply for more jobs so they can continue to sign up for IVF treatment. They long to have a family. How far would they go to get back onto this treadmill? Mick discovers temptation is impossible to bypass and this leads to another complication with the snooping Aiden.
I love the layers of this story. This is book is beautifully written, and it’s a real page-turner. I’ve read several of Katherine’s books now including ‘Frantic’ and ‘Cold Justice’. I love the back story of Ella Marconi’s life, her own struggles with guilt about not being there for her family when she submerges herself in her cases, or her strained relationships and her difficult love life. That’s another reason I’ll go ahead and read more of Katherine’s books. Great Australian authors are a joy to find and she is definitely one of these.
Suzanne Crawford has been murdered in her home. Her husband Connor is missing. Will Ella and her team solve the mystery of who Connor really is? They are sure this man with no past is the killer but, is he? The Crawford’s have a nursery that employs kids from ‘Streetlights’, an organisation helping street kids get back on their feet. What’s the link? When another body is found and he had been an employee at the nursery, more questions arise.
Paramedics have a difficult role to perform and you must be suited to it. Mick and Carly are sharing shifts with an intern who really isn’t listening to their advice. Aiden is far from the ideal trainee, with an inflated ego as an actor and lady’s man. Carly and Aiden attend a domestic violence case. The next night Mick must endure Aiden’s ineptitude while he boasts of having a hot date. When they are called to a murder at the same address as he and Carly had attended the night before, things get complicated. Aiden admits to having slept with Suzanne that day.
Carly helps ‘Streetlights’ by doing acting classes with the kids. Her failing at her own auditions for bit parts and ads is frustrating. She has met and worked with these kids and know that they are hiding something from the police.
Mick goes home to Jo who listens to his complaints about Aiden and encourages him to apply for more jobs so they can continue to sign up for IVF treatment. They long to have a family. How far would they go to get back onto this treadmill? Mick discovers temptation is impossible to bypass and this leads to another complication with the snooping Aiden.
I love the layers of this story. This is book is beautifully written, and it’s a real page-turner. I’ve read several of Katherine’s books now including ‘Frantic’ and ‘Cold Justice’. I love the back story of Ella Marconi’s life, her own struggles with guilt about not being there for her family when she submerges herself in her cases, or her strained relationships and her difficult love life. That’s another reason I’ll go ahead and read more of Katherine’s books. Great Australian authors are a joy to find and she is definitely one of these.
January 2, 2023
I'm a little disappointed with this book, but I'll get to that. The action started from the first page, drawing me in with new ambulance officers, and soon I was embroiled in the story, as well as being led down the garden path. When the rug was pulled out from under my feet, it left me guessing, and I struggled back to a sense of a mental model, with the plot twists still throwing me off. The climax arrived with a bang, and it just felt all too rushed, and worse, there was no real resolution, which left me feeling a little bereft. I hope the next one in the series has a better ending.
December 22, 2018
Great read with interesting characters and complex plot. I’ll be reading more of Katherine Howell
August 31, 2021
The book kept my interest up and I finished it rather quickly. I did enjoy it as a result.
August 20, 2022
I’m enjoying this series. They are good books to read to fill the gaps between the big heavy novels.
March 12, 2017
Hoping to get more in this series!!
April 15, 2011
Katherine Howell is rapidly becoming one of my stars of crime fiction writing in Australia. Part of what really works in Howell's books (and VIOLENT EXPOSURE is no exception) is the way that the viewpoint is slightly skewed from the common police, detective, investigator concentration. In all the books there is a paramedic viewpoint (no surprise as she was a paramedic herself for 14 years), but I particularly like the way that even that predictable element is slightly twisted in all the books - but even more so in VIOLENT EXPOSURE.
The central thread of this book is the stabbing murder of Suzanne Crawford and the police search for her missing husband, believed to be her killer. The secondary thread is built around a crew of three ambulance officers. Carly and trainee Aidan are called to the Crawford home not long before Suzanne is killed. Aidan, the young trainee, is cocky, opinionated, his work record is poor. Sleeping with Suzanne after attending to her in the aftermath of a domestic assault is just another example of his incredibly poor judgement and behaviour. Carly and Aidan's other supervising senior, Mick, are already writing up very negative reports on Aidan's work performance before that event, but then Mick makes a mistake.
The interesting thing about VIOLENT EXPOSURE is that while that Detective Ella Marconi is investigating the murder of Suzanne Crawford, the thread involving the ambulance officers interweaves and balances out the book. At the same time, Ella's own life isn't left one-dimensional - the job and just the job. She has a teetering relationship with another police officer and aging parents to deal with as well as the day to day difficulties of finding Connor Crawford and working out if he did really kill his wife. These multi-threads create a very realistic feeling for a procedural style of novel, and, despite Howell's own personal background obviously informing one particular aspect, each of the viewpoints feels authentic, well-informed and well-formed.
Howell really writes her characters well, she makes them nuanced. What's particularly interesting in VIOLENT EXPOSURE is the idea that a likeable and sympathetic man like Mike can do something stupid and the reader is left trying to decide whether to condone or condemn. All of the while there's the matching idea that it's all too easy to assume that Suzanne's husband is guilty and to convict him before he's even found.
VIOLENT EXPOSURE has good pace, and a great set of characters. There's an interesting and nicely complicated story behind Suzanne's death, there are ramifications for lots of people's actions, and a nice piece of moral ambiguity to give readers something to chew on. Just some of the reasons Howell is becoming one of my personal stars of crime fiction writing in Australia.
The central thread of this book is the stabbing murder of Suzanne Crawford and the police search for her missing husband, believed to be her killer. The secondary thread is built around a crew of three ambulance officers. Carly and trainee Aidan are called to the Crawford home not long before Suzanne is killed. Aidan, the young trainee, is cocky, opinionated, his work record is poor. Sleeping with Suzanne after attending to her in the aftermath of a domestic assault is just another example of his incredibly poor judgement and behaviour. Carly and Aidan's other supervising senior, Mick, are already writing up very negative reports on Aidan's work performance before that event, but then Mick makes a mistake.
The interesting thing about VIOLENT EXPOSURE is that while that Detective Ella Marconi is investigating the murder of Suzanne Crawford, the thread involving the ambulance officers interweaves and balances out the book. At the same time, Ella's own life isn't left one-dimensional - the job and just the job. She has a teetering relationship with another police officer and aging parents to deal with as well as the day to day difficulties of finding Connor Crawford and working out if he did really kill his wife. These multi-threads create a very realistic feeling for a procedural style of novel, and, despite Howell's own personal background obviously informing one particular aspect, each of the viewpoints feels authentic, well-informed and well-formed.
Howell really writes her characters well, she makes them nuanced. What's particularly interesting in VIOLENT EXPOSURE is the idea that a likeable and sympathetic man like Mike can do something stupid and the reader is left trying to decide whether to condone or condemn. All of the while there's the matching idea that it's all too easy to assume that Suzanne's husband is guilty and to convict him before he's even found.
VIOLENT EXPOSURE has good pace, and a great set of characters. There's an interesting and nicely complicated story behind Suzanne's death, there are ramifications for lots of people's actions, and a nice piece of moral ambiguity to give readers something to chew on. Just some of the reasons Howell is becoming one of my personal stars of crime fiction writing in Australia.
January 25, 2011
What sets Katherine’s books apart from her Australian colleagues is not only the freshness of her main character – she is so ‘natural’ – but more so the ‘naturalism’ of the crime scenes the reader encounters. No, I don’t mean “Silent Witness”, etc–style gore. You see, Katherine brings to her writing what every writer does, I suppose – her own previous life. It’s just that pre-professional writing, Katherine was an “ambo” paramedic, for 14 years. Not only, then, do we get factual realism; she also brings us right into the personal experiences of these modern-day heroes. Indeed, though her paramedics are, on one level, supporting actors, their presence in each of the novels I’ve read are what holds the books together. And I mean that in the most positive sense. Think about it. Murder scene… there are going to be paramedics around, aren’t there – before the ubiquitous [on out TVs] CSI types get there. Ambo’s have long been sort of heroes of mine – and the SES people: they are there at all those horrible “accident” sites, night after night. What about their trauma? Katherine indirectly asks and answers this question.
Anyway I am sold on Katherine’s writing, especially on the newest book: I could see real development, particularly in the subtlety of the plotting here. The reader is led for a bit, up a cosy garden path: woman bashed, husband missing, as is a young female employee of the pair. Ah, domestic violence, we crow. Another procedural...Boring. Well, Katherine is too good for that. As we cruise the streets of Sydney, either in the ambulance or with Ella, we recognise that there is more to urban crime than gangsters.
Meanwhile, Ella’s romance is not so romantic and we get to know her Mum and Dad as Dad encounters illness – which happens with the parents of early-middle age cops!
Katherine’s Sydney is not so far as interesting as Peter Corris’ – or Garry Disher’s or Shane Moloney’s Melbourne for that matter [much less Rankin’s Edinburgh or Burke’s “bayou country”…I wonder why she didn’t try BRISBANE, a bit overlooked by our crime writers [though brilliantly depicted on the screen in that hilarious David Wenham Film…the name of which name escapes me.] The great David Malouf did some wonderful work with Brisbane…
Anyway the crime fiction of Katherine Howell is well worth a look.
Anyway I am sold on Katherine’s writing, especially on the newest book: I could see real development, particularly in the subtlety of the plotting here. The reader is led for a bit, up a cosy garden path: woman bashed, husband missing, as is a young female employee of the pair. Ah, domestic violence, we crow. Another procedural...Boring. Well, Katherine is too good for that. As we cruise the streets of Sydney, either in the ambulance or with Ella, we recognise that there is more to urban crime than gangsters.
Meanwhile, Ella’s romance is not so romantic and we get to know her Mum and Dad as Dad encounters illness – which happens with the parents of early-middle age cops!
Katherine’s Sydney is not so far as interesting as Peter Corris’ – or Garry Disher’s or Shane Moloney’s Melbourne for that matter [much less Rankin’s Edinburgh or Burke’s “bayou country”…I wonder why she didn’t try BRISBANE, a bit overlooked by our crime writers [though brilliantly depicted on the screen in that hilarious David Wenham Film…the name of which name escapes me.] The great David Malouf did some wonderful work with Brisbane…
Anyway the crime fiction of Katherine Howell is well worth a look.
Read
August 21, 2011Violent Exposure, by Katherine Howell, b-plus, Narrated by Caroline Lee, Produced by Bolinda Publishing, downloaded from Audible.com.
In this book we continue with the paramedics and the police. Two paramedics have a troublesome trainee in tow who has been there for three months but seems not to be picking up anything about the job. A paramedic and the trainee in question arrive at a scene where there is a possibility of domestic violence. But things appear to be fine and no one wants to press charges, so they leave. The next day that same trainee, now with another paramedic, are called back to the same house as the wife, Suzanne Crawford’s body has been found on the floor. The trainee admits that he met her that day and went to bed with her, and he fears that she was killed because of him. They immediately begin looking for the husband who has disappeared. A boy who worked in their nursery has also disappeared. The police have to solve the case before more people are killed. This book got graded down by me because the author made it clear through the decisions made especially by the paramedics, that the ends justify the means, especially if it appears that no one will be hurt. While I admit that it created a great story, because in theory I agreed that the villains got what was coming to them, I think there would have been a greater challenge if Howell had tried to find a way to solve the problems without that easier outcome. Maybe the consequences of this book will follow the characters of this book into the next one. I generally like these books a lot. Caroline Lee is a good reader. My problem with her remains that she reads too slowly, but she reads with very good dramatic inflection.
In this book we continue with the paramedics and the police. Two paramedics have a troublesome trainee in tow who has been there for three months but seems not to be picking up anything about the job. A paramedic and the trainee in question arrive at a scene where there is a possibility of domestic violence. But things appear to be fine and no one wants to press charges, so they leave. The next day that same trainee, now with another paramedic, are called back to the same house as the wife, Suzanne Crawford’s body has been found on the floor. The trainee admits that he met her that day and went to bed with her, and he fears that she was killed because of him. They immediately begin looking for the husband who has disappeared. A boy who worked in their nursery has also disappeared. The police have to solve the case before more people are killed. This book got graded down by me because the author made it clear through the decisions made especially by the paramedics, that the ends justify the means, especially if it appears that no one will be hurt. While I admit that it created a great story, because in theory I agreed that the villains got what was coming to them, I think there would have been a greater challenge if Howell had tried to find a way to solve the problems without that easier outcome. Maybe the consequences of this book will follow the characters of this book into the next one. I generally like these books a lot. Caroline Lee is a good reader. My problem with her remains that she reads too slowly, but she reads with very good dramatic inflection.
April 26, 2016
This was an easy read and remarkably enjoyable given I'm not a huge fan of crime fiction. It was my first experience of Katherine Howell and I will probably pick up another of her stories just to check consistency and because I love reading a book I don't have to struggle to read. Violent Exposure is the 4th in the Ella Marconi series. It didn't really matter that I hadn't read the first ones - I could pick up the story pretty quickly and there were only a couple of references to things that were from previous stories and which didn't interfere with my understanding of the main storyline.
Set in contemporary Sydney, the story looks at a murder investigation. Who is Connor Crawford and why did he seemingly murder his wife? The story begins with a paramedic crew following up on a domestic violence report and the fast-paced narrative really gets you in. I liked the paramedic angle which was something I hadn't encountered before in a crime read and particularly the relationship or interface with the police in their work. Katherine worked as a paramedic for 15 years and there is definitely the touch of authenticity in her characters' dialogue and mannerisms/personalities.
Above all, it's so good to have yet another Australian crime writer that I can confidently recommend to my customers who seem to have a never ending thirst for the crime genre.
PS Katherine will be speaking at Arana Hills library to help us celebrate our 40th birthday on 6th June at 6:30. Why don't you come along and help us celebrate? https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/sub...
Set in contemporary Sydney, the story looks at a murder investigation. Who is Connor Crawford and why did he seemingly murder his wife? The story begins with a paramedic crew following up on a domestic violence report and the fast-paced narrative really gets you in. I liked the paramedic angle which was something I hadn't encountered before in a crime read and particularly the relationship or interface with the police in their work. Katherine worked as a paramedic for 15 years and there is definitely the touch of authenticity in her characters' dialogue and mannerisms/personalities.
Above all, it's so good to have yet another Australian crime writer that I can confidently recommend to my customers who seem to have a never ending thirst for the crime genre.
PS Katherine will be speaking at Arana Hills library to help us celebrate our 40th birthday on 6th June at 6:30. Why don't you come along and help us celebrate? https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/sub...
April 9, 2011
WOW, I didn't think it was possible but Aussie author Katherine Howell has outdone herself, Violent Exposure blew me away. This is my favourite of Katherine's novels featuring Detective Ella Marconi and that's saying something, because I've loved them all.
Violent Exposure is an "edge-of-your-seat" ride blending the gritty realism of the paramedic scene (and years of Katherine's personal experience as a paramedic) with the nail-biting suspense of the investigative world. It moves along at a cracking pace but not at the expense of character development. With trademark attention to detail, Katherine gives us further insight into Ella Marconi's personal life, she delves into all facets of the paramedics' lives and provides so many unexpected twists and turns, my heart was literally in my mouth.
Katherine does a brilliant job tying the threads of this story into a read both compellingly subtle and exquisitely thrilling. If you haven't read a Katherine Howell novel then what are you waiting for?? I know I'll be one of the first in line to buy Katherine's 5th novel; Silent Fear.
Enter the awesome giveaway on my blog for 3 of Katherine's novels. Ends April 22nd
http://teddyree-theeclecticreader.blo...
Violent Exposure is an "edge-of-your-seat" ride blending the gritty realism of the paramedic scene (and years of Katherine's personal experience as a paramedic) with the nail-biting suspense of the investigative world. It moves along at a cracking pace but not at the expense of character development. With trademark attention to detail, Katherine gives us further insight into Ella Marconi's personal life, she delves into all facets of the paramedics' lives and provides so many unexpected twists and turns, my heart was literally in my mouth.
Katherine does a brilliant job tying the threads of this story into a read both compellingly subtle and exquisitely thrilling. If you haven't read a Katherine Howell novel then what are you waiting for?? I know I'll be one of the first in line to buy Katherine's 5th novel; Silent Fear.
Enter the awesome giveaway on my blog for 3 of Katherine's novels. Ends April 22nd
http://teddyree-theeclecticreader.blo...
February 11, 2011
What starts out as an apparent domestic abuse case turns into something much much more.
Howell has crafted a pretty good mystery revolving around the paramedics who attend the initial domestic abuse case to the detectives who attend the subsequent murder. The prime suspect, the victim’s husband, is not who he seems to be and the detectives find the leads take some unexpected turns.
I liked the snappy dialogue, and the banter between the work colleagues The paramedic scenes were very realistic and obviously drawn from experience, but the story involving the suspect I found a little hard to believe.
Having been bogged down with some heavy Classics lately, I found this was a quick enjoyable read.
This novel is Howell’s fourth and although it is good as a stand alone read, you would benefit from reading Frantic first.
Howell has crafted a pretty good mystery revolving around the paramedics who attend the initial domestic abuse case to the detectives who attend the subsequent murder. The prime suspect, the victim’s husband, is not who he seems to be and the detectives find the leads take some unexpected turns.
I liked the snappy dialogue, and the banter between the work colleagues The paramedic scenes were very realistic and obviously drawn from experience, but the story involving the suspect I found a little hard to believe.
Having been bogged down with some heavy Classics lately, I found this was a quick enjoyable read.
This novel is Howell’s fourth and although it is good as a stand alone read, you would benefit from reading Frantic first.
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