Web of Deceit: An Ella Marconi Mystery    by Katherine Howell Order:  USA  Can Minotaur, 2015 (2015) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Katherine Howell's Web of Deceit was shortlisted for the 2013 Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction. It features Australian Detective Ella Marconi (whose relationship with physician Callum hasn't been the same since she put his dad in jail), but also follows two paramedics, Jane Koutoufides (whose ex's new wife Deb has it in for her) and Alex Churchill (who's always anxious about his daughter Mia's safety). In fact, the story starts with the paramedics as they help a man who apparently deliberately crashed his car. Marko Meixner appears paranoid, claiming that someone is trying to kill him and warning the paramedics that they are endangering themselves simply by talking to him. When he is later found to have fallen in front of a train, it is at first believed to be suicide. Ella Marconi's budget conscious boss encourages that belief, but she is far from sure. Though the victim did have a history of depression, he was also thrilled about his young wife's pregnancy. And he definitely had an enemy. Meixner had testified in a murder case at age nineteen and the killer recently came out on parole. Also a former co-worker of his wife's was stalking her - could he have pushed Meixner? This tangled web of plot threads gets ever more complicated but both paramedics and police do their jobs and it's eventually all sorted. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews