The title of this book almost called me not to read it, but when I read the synopsis, I was in. I really wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was, and that was a wonderful surprise.

Right from the beginning, I was drawn in, and the writing was so good that the characters seem to jump off the page. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Dogboy v Catfish is an absorbing and unusual Australian crime thriller which will keep you guessing until the end.
Lindsay Karmer, known as Dogboy for his strange ability to communicate with Dogs is a shy billionaire. Katherine Fisher or Catfish, is a grasping scheming beauty queen. Eighteen months after their marriage, she is plotting how to get hold of his fortune in a divorce settlement.

Unfortunately, her plans are derailed. Before she can set her plot in motion, Dogboy goes missing from his luxury hotel. As he is missing, she can not get her hands on his estate for seven years. Catherine begins proceedings to become an administrator of his estate, whilst the police investigate his disappearance.

What begins as a simple plot suddenly becomes more complex, leading into a complicated world of fake designer goods, money laundering and drugs. This is a fascinating and unusual book, that will keep you guessing until the end.

An intriguing story that climaxes in a very satisfying way.

Fascinating characters that the reader either will love or detest. The plot was engaging, and the reader will find it hard to put the book down as the suspense builds; not in regards to the crime, but as to whether a comeuppance would happen. The author kept the story flowing well, and wrapped it all up with a nice big bow.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes crime novels with a big dose of suspense.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

Katherine (Catfish) wants to separate from her husband Lindsay (Dogboy) and things seem to start to unravel:
•a missing person
•money laundering
•drug trafficking
•murder
•lies and manipulation
•AND more
This book will keep you riveted until the end.

It would make a good movie!

The book cover makes sense once you read the story.

As the author himself put it: this is the story of a woman with the mind of a catfish and a man with the soul of a dog. The cunning and beautiful catfish set out to devour the beautiful and innocent soul of the dog. But what she got—what we as readers get—is a whole different kettle of fish.

When lonely Lindsay Kramer met beautiful Katherine Kelly Fisher he thought his dreams had come true. It did not take long before he realized he was being used. He also realized that when their marriage reached the 18-month milestone, she intended to take him for everything he had worked hard to achieve. So before that day arrived, Lindsay disappeared. But was he dead or alive?

Katherine did indeed plan to take Lindsay to the cleaners on their 18-month anniversary. She had already collected all Lindsay’s financial information and visited a high-powered attorney. Then Lindsay disappeared and threw a monkey wrench into her careful plans.

That’s when the story goes from being a straightforward missing persons, husband versus wife, case to something wholly unexpected.

For me, the two police investigators in the case, Green and Finlay, represented the readers. They began their investigation believing the case to be solely focused on finding a missing person. However, as they looked more closely at the seemingly grief-stricken wife, they were astonished to find themselves in the midst of a sophisticated operation to import high-end counterfeit retail goods which were being used to launder drug money. It felt like everything I felt or thought as I read, was expressed by the investigators. And, even as they pursued this new and unexpected crime, the question remained, where was Lindsay Kramer?

I did get a bit frustrated that the investigation of the counterfeit ring seemed to have derailed the original story. However, all story threads were very satisfactorily concluded. This was an unexpected story but absolutely fascinating.

This is another fascinating book that took me places I had never been! Dogboy (Lindsay) and Catfish (Katherine) appear to be a happy couple until Dogboy suddenly goes missing and it seems Catfish is thinking only of his money as she posts grief photos on her growing Instagram account. Oh, but this is a much bigger plot than anyone could have imagined; Catfish makes a small fortune selling designer goods out of her storefront...but what else is involved? This novel has it all: drugs, the underworld, money laundering, murders, and characters who will do anything for what they believe. it's a fast-paced thrill-ride that will keep you up at night (maybe lock your doors) reading about the underbelly of a world most of us never see!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

A new author for me and one I will look into more as I really enjoyed this story even though I didn't care for the title. The title does make sense once you get into it, but it was a turn-off to me. I only read it based on the description of a story that sounded like it would challenge me when trying to figure it out; I'm glad I did.

Dogboy is actually Lindsay who is a successful businessman and the dogs really do listen to him and he to them to the point where it is obvious that he has a talent with them. Catfish is actually Kath who runs her own import business (designer purses mainly) and who marries him. All is not well in their marriage and this story is one of how they both dealt with the issues they had.

Saying much more about it will take away from reading the story. Suffice it to say that the Australian detectives want to see justice done and go all out to ensure they do everything they can to achieve it.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are mine and are freely given.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise was interesting, and the story had promise, but I found the writing style amateurish. The characters didn't come alive, and some of the scenes were described in a sterile, clinical way, with no detail. The book lacked passion, in my opinion.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, reading a book based in Australia enchanced the enjoyed more than I thought.

The characters were very believeable and learning more on the trade fake designer goods, provided an insight into another world, which not surprisingly is linked to the criminal underworld.

The relationships were relatable and the author paced the conclusion.

Loved the triumphant ending, very cleverly pieced together, in a puzzle like sequence of events.

Would highly highly recommend this author and have now researched Luke Gracias and plan to read Luke's prior novels in the near future. I hadn't heard of this author previously and its always a gift, finding another talented author.

On the day of her second wedding, Katherine Fisher, aka 'Catfish' set the date for her divorce. In precisely 18 months, she would be entitled to half of their combined assets and receive maintenance payments until her five- year-old daughter, Emma, turns 18. Just as Catfish was about to take her husband, Lindsay 'Dogboy' Kramer (a successful businessman and dog whisperer) to the cleaners, he goes missing.
The police investigation into Dogboy's disappearance leads them into the dark world of counterfeit designer goods, money laundering, and drug smuggling. With Dogboy's assets frozen and the mob protecting their interests, the missing persons case escalates to homicide. Catfish is in a race against time to get hold of Dogboy's assets before the police get hold of her.

Wow, this is a great story, written well and paced to make for a quick read. It’s probably the best book I have read this year. There is a lot of complexity in the plot but it doesn’t feel contrived at all. The explanations really make this a very believable plot, with characters who stand out and are memorable. I was intrigued initially by the title but it fully explained and fits the story perfectly.

An intriguing mystery, where very little is as it seems. Gracias did an amazing job of bringing "Catfish" to life, and it's easy to imagine her as a real person, (just not one you'll like very much). The story has so much tension, it makes it hard to set down. You really get drawn in quickly, with new aspects coming to light and making the puzzle all the more tangled the deeper you go. I loved how Gracias kept the reader engaged, and kept you guessing until the very end. Highly recommend for all mystery lovers!

This is a thriller and mystery all rolled into one, the author keeps the reader guessing.
Money, power and greed drive the two main characters, Dogboy and his wife Catfish.
The storyline offers a typical wife wanting to leave her husband, with as much money as possible scenario. Catfish leads us on her rise to fame, her attempt to start divorce proceedings and then the mystery of Dogboy’s disappearance.
There are so many questions, how do you leave without a trace, how do you carry on living with the wondering?
I enjoyed the intrigue, the suspense and sense of entitlement, I didn’t enjoy the negativity against family law.
A good read to keep you wondering..

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a twisty tale of viperous, malevolent manipulation by a woman who marries a wealthy man with the firm intent to divorce and fleece him of his money and assets in eighteen months time! The man, however, nicknamed Dogboy as he has an innate affinity with all dogs who whisper to him and warned him about his intended, known as Catfish, anticipates her every move and plays her game with equal skill and sleight of hand.
When Dogboy goes missing, Kat must engage the legal system to try and access her husband’s money as well as trying to stop the police becoming suspicious about her shady business activity selling designer high end goods and consorting with underground criminal figures.
Katherine Fisher is thoroughly despicable and you feel for her poor daughter (although we never actually meet her in the novel) while Lindsay Kramer (Dogboy) comes across as a kind of mysterious Svengali, pulling the strings, punishing his wife, yet behaving honourably to those to whom he had obligations.
Written by Luke Gracias with a unique style and in three quite distinct sections, I enjoyed this novel which highlights some of the vagaries of the Australian justice system. Any break up will see winners and losers of varying degrees but it is a messy business.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't tend to read crime thrillers but decided to give this book a try as the description sounded interesting.
What a great decision to make.
From start to finish this book just kept growing and developing.
From a simple missing person story it suddenly grew into a fully fledged drama that is so well researched that you can't stop reading plus it shows what could be happening now.
Luke has written a great story with characters to either love or hate.
Definitely worth a read if modern crime thrillers is your thing but also if you just want to read a true page turner.

I really enjoyed this book. I started off being team #catfish but then changed to team #dogboy as the police investigated further. It was easy to read with just the right amount of detail. I was drawn in and wanted to learn more about CatFish's shop operation. I was disappointed when it appeared the police operation would be called off and really felt for the officers. There were cleverly forged bank documents, tag twists and movement of goods. Both characters were very intelligent. I was intrigued by DogBoy and his connection to dogs. I still am baffled by how their behaviour changes around him.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review

lawyers, thriller, suspense, Australia, Australian-author, money-laundering, customs-fraud, counterfeit-merchandise, counterfeit-documents, mystery, smuggling, disappearance, international-crime-and-mystery, law-enforcement, egoist, influencer, social-media, procedural, due-diligence, murder, family, friendship, friends*****

A man who has an affinity with dogs and an amoral player whose nickname is Catfish were married for a time until she got greedy and he disappeared. Then things got diabolical and really fascinating.
I requested and received an EARC from the author via NetGalley. Thank you!
#AustralianAuthor

Dogboy v Catfish was a surprise for me. Although I knew who the villain was, I was surprised by the direction the mystery took. It was interesting and twisty and a quick read.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this book and the opportunity to provide feedback.

Thank you to Net Galley & the author, Luke Gracias for an ARC of this book!

Lindsay Kramer aka 'Dogboy' finds and marries the love of his life Katherine Fisher aka 'Catfish'.
Wealthy Lindsay and beauty queen Katherine make a dashing pair but things are not what they seem on the surface. Katherine has been waiting until the 18 month mark of their marriage to divorce and ensure she is set up financially. Suddenly, Lindsay disappears from his hotel without a trace.

When the police begin looking into the disappearance they get dragged into the dark and twisted underbelly of major crime - counterfeit designer goods, money laundering, the mob, and murder. While the police try to connect Katherine and her designer shop to the crimes she is trying to get a hold of her missing husbands assets before it's too late.

The premise of this book was very interesting and keeps you hooked trying to figure out who will win this tug of war between Dogboy and Catfish. There were so many fascinating aspects that would be revealed, such as the "movie" *wink wink* which made me laugh with the outrageousness of it. Lindsay Kramer is one smart man to say the least.

My only criticism would be that I found the writing to be choppy occasionally and I desperately wanted to know more about Dogboy and his abilities with canines, it was such an interesting aspect of this story but felt like it needed more! If you're looking to read something unique and outside the box, look no further!

This is a compelling thriller which combines mystery, crime and legal drama. It involves a marriage about to break up between entrepreneurial genius Dogboy, remembered by his student friends for his amazing capacity to communicate subliminally with dogs, and glamorous influencer Catfish, who has immaculately planned the timing of her divorce to maximise her financial benefit. Before this happens, Dogboy goes missing, which puts these plans on hold and results in a police investigation which turns out to be far more complex and intriguing than anybody would have thought. What makes this interesting is the virtually complete absence of Dogboy from the narrative, with most of the focus on the unsympathetic character of Catfish and the detectives investigating her husband’s disappearance. As the investigation reveals links to organised crime, the reader is kept in suspense over whether Dogboy is the unfortunate victim of this complicated crime web, or the genius puppet master leaving a breadcrumb trail for his wife to incriminate herself and for the detectives to uncover. This is a beautifully plotted and extremely well executed mystery, though the unravelling of the criminal money laundering network needs a fair bit of reader concentration.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this excellent thriller from a new-to-me author.

Lindsay Kramer aka "Dogboy" meets his match in Katherine Kelly Fischer aka "Catfish" in this extremely clever story about extremely terrible people.

I enjoyed every minute of this riveting tale of determination, greed, and diabolical behavior. It was so juicy and gratifying!

Thank you to publisher for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own!