This was another one of the books that appeared on the list of top ten crime books by Australian authors that I hadn’t yet discovered – what an oversight on my part! Resurrection Bay by Emma Viskic is a cracker of a read.

In this first book in what is clearly going to be a series, the reader is introduced to Caleb Zelic, a divorcee who runs a security business with his friend, older woman and ex-cop, Frankie. Because he’s differently-abled, Caleb is able to observe the world and people in ways those with hearing cannot, picking up physical signals and cues as well as possessing a terrific memory.

When the story opens, a childhood friend and policeman is murdered and Caleb, determined to prove the victim is not the corrupt cop some are trying to portray him as, finds his role in the crime being questioned. In a bid to prove his innocence, Caleb is drawn into a world that’s at once brutal and incredibly dangerous – and that’s not just because of the criminals who enter his sphere. Under investigation himself, Caleb moves between the city and the small town where he used to live, determined to clear his name and that of his friend’s. But when his beloved ex-wife is drawn into danger and people he love go missing, Caleb begins to doubt not just his stubbornness at being unable to let go of the case, but wonders who he can trust.

Well-paced, gripping and with a tight plot and wonderful narrative that invites the reader to deploy his or her senses, with a flawed and interesting main character and terrific secondary ones, this is an excellent addition to the marvellous canon of Australian crime fiction.

Cannot wait to read Viskic’s next book and learn more about her original and endearing protagonist, Caleb.