Review: COLD JUSTICE - Katherine Howell

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Published: February, 2010
ISBN: 9781405039277
Format: Trade paperback
336 Pages
RRP $25.00 (Aus)

When Georgie Riley was a teenager she stumbled upon the body of seventeen-year-old Tim Pieterson who had been murdered. Georgie is now a paramedic and finds herself teamed up with an old school friend. Freya was Georgie’s best friend who departed with her family without a word after Tim’s death. Why did Freya leave town so abruptly? What is she hiding?

Nineteen years later, the case is still open. Tim’s younger cousin, Callum is now a politician and has agitated to have the case reviewed. Detective Ella Marconi is returning to work after recovering from injuries. It is decided that the best way to ease her back into the job is to assign her to the Unsolved Cases Unit. In his welcoming speech her boss tells her “the past haunts the present” and in this case it proves to be true. Ella’s investigation opens up old wounds for the family and puts pressure on her relationship with Wayne who seems to want to dictate how and when Ella works. Wayne is also becoming way too cosy with Ella’s family for comfort.

“Write what you know” aspiring writers are often told. Katherine Howell has done that to good effect. She worked as a paramedic for many years and her detailed knowledge of both the job and the physical and emotional toll it takes are vividly portrayed.

COLD JUSTICE is Katherine’s third book (the previous two are Frantic and The Darkest Hour) and her writing seems to get better and better . COLD JUSTICE not only has the fast pace of a thriller, it also has multiple threads which are gradually pulled together. Katherine is also a dab hand at knowing exactly when to change threads in the plot to leave the reader in suspense.

I was lucky to receive a copy of the book in advance of its publication. COLD JUSTICE is due in book shops on 1^st February 2010. I recommend you be in line on that date to get a copy. You won’t regret it.