When transvestite community activist Paula Prince hires Syd Fish to do a spot of surveillance work while a property dispute is taking place, it seems as though Syd could look forward to some easy money. But when a murder is quickly followed by another, and both closely related to his case, all hell breaks loose and Syd is left to try to pick up the pieces.

Syd chooses to begin investigating not one but two murders, both seemingly linked to one another. But by doing so he finds that he is nosing his way into some log-term underworld deals that have been struck by Kings Cross locals for many years. When crooks get comfortable with the status quo, they rarely enjoy the attention of nosy private detectives particularly the really, really dogged ones.

The property dispute that started the whole business fades into the background and the shady business dealings of Chicka Chandler, the cranky old man who was originally being guarded, takes its place. But the question remains to be answered, who has committed the murders...or are there two murderers? By choosing to find out, Syd could be walking into big trouble.

So just what sort of private investigator is Syd Fish, well here's an appropriate summary from the man himself.

He eyed me keenly, pricing my clothes, no doubt, and figuring out how tough I was. I could have saved him the trouble by telling him I'm not in the least tough. I try to be devious enough to obviate the necessity for muscle. That's my story, anyway.

Syd certainly isn't one to let the grass grow under his feet and the story moves along quickly as a result. Thanks to an army of friends ranging from a journalist to a Kings Cross nightclub bouncer, he manages to keep the pot boiling steadily, although not always with complete success. Throughout the book, there are return appearances from a few of the characters who took part in the short stories in Shaved Fish giving us a comfortable feeling of continuity in the world of Syd Fish.

Set in Sydney's inner-city suburbs of Kings Cross and Darlinghurst, Geason vividly captures the mood and the atmosphere of the place.

The story is told from the first person perspective of Syd Fish and we get the full effect of Syd's laconic manner and his occasionally cynical view of the city in which he lives. Sharp-witted observations and some snappy dialogue ensures that Dogfish maintains a good-humoured tone, but this is tempered by ventures into the hardboiled detective realm with some sharp plotting and edgy moments.

Although the story is centred around Syd, he works with a team of friends and acquaintances who provide him with all manner of expertise. He's got it all covered with backup muscle coming from an imposing nightclub bouncer and vital background information provided by a reporter friend. Of course, all of this outside help doesn't stop him from mixing it himself, getting beaten up on the odd occasion, or putting himself in the firing line.

Transitioning from bodyguard duty to murder investigation and on to political intrigue at the local and state government level, Dogfish caters to many tastes. For local readers, Kings Cross and the surrounding suburbs are depicted with unerring accuracy and the nuances of Syd as a character ensures that he is a bloke who is well worth following.