Author of the Devils Prayer, Luke Gracias latest offering is Dogboy v Catfish. An unusual thriller it had light suspense, intrigue, action, murder, revenge, gas lighting, great police work and some crazy twists and turns! Not surprising as this is a Luke Gracias novel. Both Dogboy and Catfish are monikers for the two main protagonists. The story opens with an incident that occurs as a group of mates are returning home after a night out. This results in one of them earning the nickname Dogboy. A onetime model Katherine Kelly Fisher had elected to give herself the moniker Catfish Kelly. Dogboy and Catfish are a couple and this thriller is largely their story.

After exactly 18 months of being married Catfish decides to take her husband to the cleaners. Australian divorce laws require that one should be married for at least 18 months before they can expect their spouse to support them. Catfish aware of the law intends to benefit from it Meanwhile Lindsay Kramer aka Dogboy is missing. Catfish Kelly shows her true colours as Dogboys grieving wife. Police investigation into his disappearance leads them into the dark world of counterfeit goods and narcotics.

This novel is very different from Gracias previous novel. He is questioning the rather harsh Australian divorce laws and has chosen to weave this thrilling twisty mystery to emphasise his premise. Boy did it grab me from the start. He uses the very differing characteristics of the two main protagonists to good effect skilfully painting vivid scenes that thrilled me. The suspense increased as the pages turned thanks to the gripping storyline. Gracias also raises numerous side issues. What I found delightful was that he had woven so many exciting tropes into this high octane thriller. It had surprises galore which I can’t reveal as it would be a spoiler. Its obvious that Gracias is passionate about these injustices.

Dogboy vs Catfish is a worthy read. Hats off to Gracias for a thrilling original and his courageous expose.

This book reads more like an incident report than a story; but while we don't necessarily learn a lot about the characters themselves, we follow their actions and there are plenty of surprises.

Katherine Fisher has built a name for herself as an influencer and purveyor of high end fashion goods. Her first husband committed suicide in Thailand and she married again - to 'Dogboy' Lindsay Kramer, a very successful entrepreneur. However, not all was for love - she intended from the start to divorce him 18 months after the marriage, which would entitle her to half their assets and maintenance.

Just as she starts to set the divorce proceedings in motion, Dogboy disappears. From there we see this materialistic woman determined to overcome all obstacles to getting her hands on his cash... but Dogboy has made arrangements of his own! Add to the mix some serious drug dealing, counterfeit design and money laundering and it makes for a high octane read. As a reader I was really rooting for Dogboy and hoping Catfish would get her come-uppance!

A really good read. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Melbourne financial tech wizard millionaire Lindsay Kramer got the nickname ‘Dogboy’ because of his amazing affinity for attracting and communicating with dogs. A quiet, unassuming millionaire he meets ex beauty queen and social influencer Katherine ‘Catfish’ Fisher when she rents a shop from him for her high-end fashion shop. A young widow left with a child, when her husband committed suicide in Thailand, she sees an opportunity and it’s not long before she’s moved in with and then married the smitten Lindsay. Eighteen months on she’s preparing to file for divorce so she can get her hands on the bulk of Lindsay’s fortune in the settlement, but is thwarted when he disappears while on a business trip. Now he’s a missing person she’ll have to wait 90 days to get power of attorney over his bank account and seven years before he can be declared dead and his will read.

This is such a fun, clever, suspenseful thriller, full of twists. Catfish is smart and devious and likes to think she’s pulling all the strings, utilising her social media profile to garner public sympathy. But Dogboy is even smarter and has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. As the police investigate his disappearance, they begin to focus more and more on Catfish and the disappearance of her previous husband and soon a lot of red flags are being raised. As they dig deeper, the suspense rises as the fast-paced plot reveals a clever international crime ring but have to work out how it operates so smoothly. An excellent page turner that will keep you reading just one more chapter.

Just finished Dogboy , had to finish it to find out if…… What a roller coaster it turned out to be. Brilliant plots and so informative. Loved it and of course it should be a film.

Let me start off with saying I loved The Devil's Prayer.

Unfortunately this book didn't work at all for me. The style of writing didn't work at all for this type of novel. It almost read like we were ticking off a checklist, rather than getting us engaged in the plot and the characters. Sure, maybe the whole intricate details of the counterfeiting operation were interesting, but that was about it.

Thanks NetGalley and the Author for the Review Copy.

I liked the premise of this book and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. I found it a bit slow to start and some of the details felt a bit over my head, but it was certainly a read that kept me intrigued enough to want to know how it finished.I would have liked a bit more about Dogboy, as he seemed a very sketchy character, I would have liked to know more about his affinity with the dogs, The author has obviously researched the different subjects and country’s well, it’s a nicely thought out plot and a satisfying read. 3 1/2 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I came to this with high expectations but was disappointed, sorry. It was a great story with much promise, and could have been a fast moving thriller. But, for me, it was heavy going and the narrative and intrigue was slowed down by the multiple and inconsistent viewpoints. Dogboy was a mysterious character from the outset and could have been made more so. Catfish was obviously a baddie from the start so the reader knew exactly where they stood. I would have liked more character development and page turning plot points. However, this book has a lot of good reviews on NetGally so I think the problem might be me rather than the novel;
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this book.

Dogboy V Catfish by Luke Gracias is a captivating literary journey full of suspense and intrigue that keeps you guessing from start to finish. The well developed plot unfolds with unexpected twists and turns, making Gracias storytelling masterful. The characters are meticulously crafted, each with their own layers and motivations, making the story feel incredibly real. The title and the book cover made me want to read this intriguing thriller encompassing drug dealing, homicide & money laundering. The story is set in Australia and covers a topic very much in the media right now "Seven out of nine suicides in Australia are men" The female protagonist in the book, Katherine Fisher AKA Catfish, decides to divorce her husband Lindsay Kramer AKA Dogboy, one day exactly after 18 months of marriage. This book is a real page turner making it a must-read for those who crave originality and creativity in their literary adventures.
Thank you to NetGalley for an APC copy to review. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this excellent read.

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I started this I had not heard of this author before but wow am I glad I read the first chapter. That’s all it took and I was hooked into a suspenseful, twisty, turning ride I couldn’t get enough of.
The story is fast paced and I definitely stayed up too late reading wanting to know what happened next.

The story was quick, engrossing and interesting right up until the end. I was at the edge of my seat until the very end.
I will be reading the authors other books for sure!

4.5/5⭐️ rounded up

I don't usually like books that spend more time telling than letting be experience a story, but this had a very interesting premise that kept me reading. Too bad there was so much info-dumping and action happening off scene, or prior to the start of the story. Otherwise I probably would have given this five stars.

The title of this book intrigued me and after reading it I must say it did not disappoint. A tale of deceit,abandonment and friendship.

Thanks NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read dogboy v catfish. I am sorry to say that I did not enjoy this book. The characters and the plot were unbelievable and outlandish. Sorry

I liked this story, it was interesting even though I couldn't quite work out the mechanics of the scam. I'd like to know more about Dogboy but Catfish was a right piece of work.

<b>Not About Superheroes</b>
<i>Review of the Authors Upfront Kindle eBook edition (May 18, 2023)</i>

Despite the quirky title, this book is not about superheroes. It is about a battle between opposing forces though. The entrepreneur Lindsay Kramer is nicknamed Dogboy as they have been known as a “dog whisperer” since their youth. The story involves the aftermath of his marrying a Miss Australia beauty contest finalist and later social media influencer Katherine Kelly Fisher, nicknamed Catfish as a contraction of her name i.e. “Kat Fisher”.

Katherine Fisher shows up at a lawyer’s office to start divorce proceedings on Lindsay Kramer. The lawyer’s suspicions are aroused by the timing of exactly 18 months after the wedding (after which she is entitled to a substantial portion of the marriage assets) and the degree of advance financial research which she provides. At the same time, Lindsay Kramer disappears from a hotel where he had been staying on a business trip.

The book carries on with Katherine’s machinations to obtain Lindsay’s assets, only to find that he has anticipated her every move and has already made an advance countermove. Meanwhile, he himself may have committed suicide as he cannot seem to be located. The suspense ratchets up as further revelations occur, including the discovery of the suspicious death of Katherine’s first husband in Thailand. Might she have murdered both of her husbands?

I thoroughly enjoyed <i>Dogboy v Catfish</i> with its devilish game of a gold-digging influencer versus a husband on the run. Luke Gracias was a new name to me, and appears to have previously written horror books, but this lawyer / crime novel was extremely entertaining and even had a satisfying redemptive finale.

I read this Free Reading Copy of <i>Dogboy v Catfish</i> in eBook format thanks to the author Luke Gracias, the publisher Authors Upfront and the NetGalley website in exchange for which I provide this honest review.

I loved this book, loved the mystery and thriller element, it had my heart pounding at times and just couldn't put this book down it kept me hooked till the end.

A complex novel with a very interesting Title! I struggled about midway through the book trying to follow, the web of all the crimes. However I like a good challenge and am very pleased that I navigated the plot right through to the conclusion. I definitely would recommend reading Dogboy v Catfish.

I loved this book from start to finish! A great opening really hooked you in to the characters and story and I really enjoyed the way the suspense unfolded. Took a bit of concentration around the 'Endless Knot' bit to full understand what on earth was going on but some real laugh out loud moments as well, Ended as it should in my view. We all need a Dogboy in our lives!

My apologies to all those who gave glowing reviews to this book, but I didn't make it past the 20% mark.
The formatting was off (dialogue and exposition jumping from one character to another within the same paragraph makes for a difficult read) and the actual dialogue seemed to have come by way of a bad translation from another language. It was stilted, overly formal, and just didn't sound at all natural.
The character of Catherine (Catfish) was shallow, uninteresting, and one-dimensional. I notice others mentioned this as well. Dogboy might have been more interesting if I'd got to meet him.
I really wanted to read and enjoy this book. The blurb and premise were so promising. Unfortunately, life is too short to waste on books that aren't enjoyable.

Well this new novel from Luke Gracias is definitely different to his previous novels, The devils prayer & no light without shadow. I can't say I enjoyed it as much as his previous work, it has a very convoluted plot which has been well researched, but it seemed a bit 2 dimensional, most of the characters are not pleasant but then they are not meant to be and it did gave a very interesting insight into the Australian divorce laws, which seriously need changing. It would probably make a good tv series though.

An incident in September 1999, when Lindsay Kramer attends the University of Melbourne, explains why he is known as “Dogboy“. Remember, dogs are very good judges of character. In 2015, Melbourne boutique owner, Katherine Kelly Fisher, a.k.a. Catfish, wealthy, immaculate and beautiful meets with family lawyer, Freya Keogh. Katherine marries Dogboy/ Lindsey in 2013 but she believes he has cheated and she wants to get even. To say that Kat has thoroughly prepared for the meeting is an understatement and her eagerness has an adverse effect on Freya. Is Catfish well named? However, where is Lindsay? He’s gone missing from the Excelsior Sydney where he’s been staying. His case is investigated by Detective Stavropolous in Sydney and in Melbourne by Detectives Green and Finlay who soon discover that things are way more complicated than anyone foresees. The novel is into three parts – Greed versus Trust, Power vs Justice and Dogboy vs Catfish. It is fair to say that what starts out in one place, ie divorce proceedings ends up some place entirely different.

I really like the way that Luke Gracias tells this complex and well thought out story as it has a kind of documentary feel to it which works really well and makes it easy to read. It seems to give a gravitas to the plot which gets deeper and murkier with the mystery of both key players intensifying so provides an authenticity which is more than can be said of one character in particular. Right from the start Catfish gives off the wrong vibes and if ever there’s a character I want bad things to happen to, it’s her! She gives a whole new spin on manipulation. She is all too easy to picture and though Dogboy is central to what unfolds he isn’t present much but you definitely feel as if he is.

The fast paced, ever evolving plot takes the reader into the shadowy and dangerous world of the massively lucrative counterfeit designer goods industry and once that ‘bump in the road’ is established the danger levels rise and plot tentacles spread wide. It’s a very intriguing and well thought out plot that has exciting twists. It’s entertaining, engaging and enthralling with tension and suspense.

Overall, an enjoyable rollercoaster of a read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to the publisher for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.