Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. The writing style was not what I expected and I did not enjoy.

I’m developing a definite liking for Australian lit. This book in particular has an edgy, noir-ish feel that worked well for me. Having a detective who is essentially deaf and uses powerful hearing aids and carefully learned skills of reading body language and situations as well as lips makes for a different type of mystery. Caleb Zelic has tried to surround himself with people who can help and complement him in life and work, but it doesn’t always work and he’s often his own worst enemy. We see everything through his eyes and senses...also an interesting and different experience.

As this story begins, Cal has hurried to a friend's house, summoned by a text message telling him of trouble. He arrives to find his friend slashed, bloody, dead. There is nothing he can do for this friend who was helping out on one of his burglary cases (and also was a policeman) except to find out what happened. Will that put him at odds with the police? Of course. Does he care? Not much. As long as they don't arrest him for it!

This is a good series opener. I plan to follow this author and Cal Zelic.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Resurrection Bay is Aussie author Emma Viskic's debut crime novel and the 1st book in her Caleb Zelic series.
A clever page turner enhanced by a deaf protagonist. Caleb is a fascinating character who investigates the death of a close friend. However, difficulties present themselves when his hearing aids are not working properly and he is quickly surrounded by danger.
An enthralling, intense read and I look forward to the next book in this series.
The audiobook was narrated by Lewis Fitzgerald and I had to listen at a slower pace in order to understand and enjoy his wonderful Australian accent.

The best debut I’ve read this year! “Resurrection Bay” won numerous awards in Australia and it’s publication in the US is cause for celebration among crime fiction lovers.

Viskic has created a new breed of investigator with Caleb Zelic. Caleb is severely hearing-impaired and relies on sign language with friends and lip reading with everyone else. His hearing impairment has trained him to be very visually focused - this allows him to read lips, but has also facilitated his abilities to closely observe people and their behavior. Caleb receives a desperate text from his best friend Senior Constable Gary Marsden and when he arrives at Gary’s home Caleb discovers that Gary has been brutally murdered. The police conduct their inquiry which seems to point to the fact that Gary was either a dirty cop or that he ran into some bad characters while assisting Caleb with an insurance investigation. Caleb doesn’t believe either theory and uses every resource available to track down the murderer and protect the people he loves. Caleb is a fully realized and brilliantly drawn character and the writing is powerful and propulsive. Viskic also provides remarkable insight into the world of the hearing impaired. A great read and highly recommended!
Viskic’s second book in this series “And Fire Came Down” will be available Oct. 2018 and I can hardly wait!

My review was posted on Goodreads on 3/16/18

This book had me enthralled from start to finish! It was a very well written and original story that I just couldn't put it down.
Wow what an intense story! Caleb is a fascinating character. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you Net Galley. This was a so-so read. The plotting was routine and the book was predictable. While the writing was good it could not make up for the hackneyed plot and routine story. The protagonist's character is interesting but again the routine treatment does not leave you asking for more.

Caleb Zelic was not your typical detective. Profoundly deaf since age five, he navigated the world by lip reading, watching facial expressions and viewing body language. His hearing aids enabled him to discern distant sounds and the occasional warning horn. Caleb and partner Frankie Reynolds owned Trust Works, a company that did corporate security fraud investigation. Frankie was a crusty, potty-mouthed ex-cop in her 50's. She was a recovering alcoholic. Caleb hired childhood friend, Senior Constable Gary (Gaz) Marsden to help investigate a series of warehouse robberies.

A text message sent from Gary to Caleb was unnerving. The message: URGENT-SCOTT IS AFTER ME-COME TO MY HOUSE. Upon arrival, Caleb finds that Gary has been executed. Why would anyone enter Gary's house, break his fingers, upend file cabinets and slash his couch and chair cushions? Caleb is covered in blood from cradling Gary in his arms. This seems suspicious to Detective Tedesco as well as Detective Sergeant McFarlane from the Ethical Standards Division. Why does McFarlane insist upon attending Tedesco's interrogation of Caleb? Caleb has no idea where Gary's laptop is or who Scott might be? Caleb and Frankie embark upon their own investigation to find Gary's killer.

The list of suspects expands and those close to Caleb get caught up in the web. Caleb must depend on his instincts while battling communication difficulties. He must protect those he loves including ex-wife Kat, and question his brother Anton, a shady character. Any and all people are examined for complicity in Gary's death. No one is allowed to fall under Caleb's radar. His snooping places him, and those he cherishes, at risk.

"Resurrection Bay" by Emma Viskic is an excellent debut novel with lots of punch. The twists and turns in this crime thriller are fast paced and exciting. It is refreshing to read about an obstinate, hearing impaired detective as the protagonist. I look forward to reading Caleb Zelic's next investigation in this new series.

Thank you Pushkin Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Resurrection Bay".

This book was a shotgun blast from the first page. We are introduced to Caleb Zelic. He runs a security firm with retired policewoman Frankie. Caleb is almost completely deaf. Wears a hearing aid in his highly impair good ear in order to pick up partial words. He relies on lip reading, sign language, and text messaging. His best friend and current police officer, Gaz, has been brutally sliced to death. He had been working on interviewing people for Caleb on a possible insurance scam. No big deal. So why was he killed in such a vicious and callus manner. Enter homicide Detective Tedesco and Detective Sargeant McFarland from Internal Affairs.

What I particularly liked was the use of a deaf person as the main protagonist. Not only is he deaf but he overcompensates by refusing to let people know to slow down, face him, repeat things. The deaf culture is an interesting one. This comes through a bit in the book. Caleb stays true to his character throughout the book. The writing is crisp, clean, vivid, and paced fairly well. That this is a first novel bodes well for Emma Viskic and for Caleb. The character has a lot of room to grow. Other characters are less fleshed out but you get a bit of backstory on Caleb’s ex-wife Kat and his brother Anton. Detective Tedesco seems like a character who would be added into the mix but that remains to be seen.

The shotgun effect is apparent in a downside of unneeded events, characters, and a somewhat muddled plot. But The bones of a very good story are here.

I wish to thank Echo Publishing, Emma Viskic, and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Resurrection Bay, Emma Viskic's debut crime novel, is set in Australia. (review published in July 2016)

What I liked: the setting -- in both Melbourne and the small coastal town of Resurrection Bay; a protagonist who is profoundly deaf and struggles to understand what others are saying; and his ex-wife and her Koori family who give some insight into the struggle of native aboriginal peoples.

There are some humorous moments in this dark novel--but make no mistake, there is a lot of violence. The story begins with the murder of Caleb Zelic's friend Gary, who was aiding Caleb in an investigation into warehouse robberies. Caleb's partner Frankie is a 57-year-old former member of the police force and an alcoholic who has been clean for several years, but Caleb wonders how trustworthy she is after finding a bottle of Jack Daniels.

Caleb's information is often faulty because he must rely more on reading lips than on his hearing aids, and anyone who is not directly facing him causes gaps and misunderstandings in what is said. Caleb's problems are exacerbated by his unwillingness to admit to his disability; his attempts to appear "normal" cause additional problems when he refuses to ask people to repeat themselves or he appears to be ignoring people who talk to him.

An intriguing novel that sets a fast pace, Resurrection Bay has an original protagonist who is flawed more by his pride than by his deafness. This is a case of who, as well as why. The novel has plenty of tension with a mysterious villain, secrets and betrayals, and the uncertainty of who is to be trusted.

NetGalley/Echo Publishing/Pushkin Press US, UK

Crime. Sept. 1, 2016. Print length: 231 pages. (new publication date is Jan. 9, 2018)
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The original publication was in 2016, so you shouldn't really have to wait for the new publication date next month. Check your library, too. :)

I like the new cover, too. The original cover seems to depict Melbourne and the new cover, Resurrection Bay. I like both. If you missed this book the first time around, give Emma Viskic's Resurrection Bay a try. You'll be glad you did.

Hey, Ho! I just downloaded the sequel. What perfect timing--everything from the first novel is fresh on my mind!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

I had read the 2nd book in this series -- And Fire Came Down, before this one and immediately started looking for this one (not available in the US at the time). I was thrilled when Netgalley granted my request for Resurrection Bay ahead of it's US publication date.

Resurrection Bay provided a little more of Caleb's backstory and his relationships with his brother Ant, ex-wife Kat as well as with Frankie, his business partner. It was even a bit "twistier" than the second book. Hard to believe there's so many miscreants in Australia! I found it to be a fast paced story with just a few distractions to keep me on my toes. I especially enjoyed Tedesco and the beginnings of their relationship.