Silent Fear is another page turner from Katherine Howell. Detective Ella Marconi is back at work unravelling a complex crime involving brothels, drugs, and murder. Holly, a paramedic, provides the other point of view for the story. It’s a good contrast between the conflicted paramedic and the dedicated detective.
As usual the cast of characters is large, interesting and oh so real. The suspects are linked by spidery connections that gradually pull together for the ending. Ms Howell’s stories are less of a ‘who dunnit’ and more of the ‘why dunnit’ which suits me as I’m not adverse to reading the end of a book before the beginning!
She digs deep into her characters’ motivations and the human psyche, and that makes for
strong characterisation. Along with snappy dialogue, a solid plot and plenty of action, Silent Fear kept me reading long after I should have been asleep.
Find Katherine Howell at www.katherinehowell.com
I read this as part of the Australian Women Writers Challenge 2012
I know, I know, Jayne, I’m a shocker…
I’m enjoying Intuition, but don’t have enough hours in the day! I love the premise and Olive is very engaging. Well done!
lol I can’t believe you read the ending first…and your a suspense writer!
This looks like a great read though Helene, thanks for your review 🙂
Thanks goodness I’m not completely alone, Amanda! GW thinks I’m strange too but I don’t do it to every book!!
OOohhh – will add this to my TBR pile – I laugh, I too often can’t help myself and read the end, and then get annoyed as I spoilt the suspense… BUT then, I get to see how the author builds it (I can be more obervant when I know what’s coming!!!!!!!!) – my husband thinks I am a raving lunatic!
I know, I know… I don’t do it with every book but sometimes….
I’m sure you’ll enjoy Silent Fear. If you haven’t read any Katherine Howell before then I’d suggest reading them in order so you get the growth of the Ella Marconi.
I agree with Shelleyrae, Helene!! How can you spoil the suspense?? Haha!! This is another book I’m yet to read, but want to soon 🙂
I know, Shelleyrae, I hate myself when I succumb, but sometimes I just can’t wait…
And yet I can’t write the ending for my own books first. I have to work my way through the story – no point in plotting it out before hand or I’ll just be bored with it.
Glad you enjoyed it Helene, but *horror* you read the end of the book before the beginning??