Darkness for Light, by Emma Viskic

Private detective Caleb Zelic is determined to make better decisions. He is in therapy, has reconnected to the deaf community and may be on the verge of reconciling with his pregnant ex-wife. But it’s not so easy to escape the past. The Australian Federal Police and his treacherous ex-partner Frankie will make sure of that. A brutal murder, a violent assault and a child in danger draw him away from his safer choices and back into a world of pain. He risks losing everything he has fought to gain, but there is a child’s safety on the line so good decisions are not an option. It’s satisfying to see Caleb growing and trying, but chilling to realise how a twist of fate could bring it all undone. A few minor plot holes and the odd typo could have been fixed with an extra edit and proofread, but the speedy action skates quickly over most concerns. Sometimes success can extend a franchise beyond its natural life. This is the third outing for Caleb Zelic and it will be interesting to see if there is sufficient energy and appetite for more.