Resurrection Bay: Emma Viskic 5 STARS

Author: Emma Viskic
Format: Kindle Edition
Print Length: 231 pages
Publisher: Echo Publishing (1 September 2015)
ASIN: B013U6TSX
Source: Own Copy

5 stars

Publishers Summary
Caleb Zelic, profoundly deaf since early childhood, has always lived on the outside - watching, picking up telltale signs people hide in a smile, a cough, a kiss. When a childhood friend is murdered, a sense of guilt and a determination to prove his own innocence sends Caleb on a hunt for the killer. But he can’t do it alone. Caleb and his troubled friend Frankie, an ex-cop, start with one clue: Scott, the last word the murder victim texted to Caleb. But Scott is always one step ahead.
This gripping, original and fast-paced crime thriller is set between a big city and a small coastal town, Resurrection Bay, where Caleb is forced to confront painful memories. Caleb is a memorable protagonist who refuses to let his deafness limit his opportunities, or his participation in the investigation. But does his persistence border on stubbornness? And at what cost? As he delves deeper into the investigation Caleb uncovers unwelcome truths about his murdered friend – and himself.

Review
How must it feel? Your best mate lying in your arms, dead, his throat cut, blood everywhere. 
Caleb tortured himself with the thought that he should have got there quicker, if only he had read Garys' desperate text sooner.

This is how the book starts, by hooking the reader straight in from the very beginning and it never loosens it grip.

The murdered man was Senior Constable Gary Marsden, he and Caleb grew up together in Resurrection Bay.
Caleb, an insurance investigator, had taken on a big job investigating a warehouse robbery, a job that Frankie, his partner, had tried to talk him out of. The workload was more than Caleb had expected so he had asked Gary to help out for a bit of extra money.

Frankie, an ex police officer, had her own demons to deal with. Sometimes her behaviour was a little erratic and Caleb could never feel quite convinced that she could stay off the booze. 

Detective Tedesco, the officer attending the crime scene, thought  that Gary must have been involved with some shady dealings and this is what got him killed. Another cop, Detective Sergeant  Mcfarlane, from Ethical Standards was also asking questions about Garys’ activities and movements.

Frankie and Caleb don't know why a detective from Ethical Standards would be involved in a murder case, both sure that Gary was a clean cop.

Caleb searched for answers and, in the process, got himself injured. With nowhere else to go he turned to his estranged wife Kat for help. He thought that the bad guys might come after Kat, and to protect her he must get her out of town. His health deteriorated and not wanting to risk attending a hospital, he and Kat returned to their home town, Resurrection Bay.

Kats mother is a doctor, the first Koori doctor in Resurrection Bay, she could be an intimidating woman, and she hadn’t thought too well of how he had treated her daughter, but Gary had no choice, he had to let her help him.

Resurrection Bay is where Gary and Caleb grew up together, when Caleb recovered enough he began to ask questions of all their friends. Caleb trusted no-one, including his own brother, Anton. 
Instead of answers he found  yet more questions but still got no closer to finding Scott, and the danger mounted ...

Once you start reading this story, your meals will be late, chores will be forgotten and you won’t want to stop reading, not even to sleep, it is relentlessly gripping.

Beautifully written with interesting, believable and well rounded characters.  This really is a proper whodunnit that cuts no corners, and the reader is not cheated out of the chance to solve the crime.  All the subtle little clues are cleverly woven in throughout the story but, I’m afraid I was truly hoodwinked by Ms. Viskic!

The ending is tension filled and unexpected - A wonderfully satisfying read.

Emma Viskics'  "Resurrection Bay" has won three Davitt awards including readers Choice, and a  Ned Kelly for Best First Fiction  visit her WEBSITE

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