Jack Irish (Guy Pearce) is a man getting his life back together again. A former criminal lawyer whose world imploded, he now spends his days as a part-time investigator, debt collector, apprentice cabinet maker, punter and sometime lover, the complete man really. An expert in finding those who don't want to be found dead or alive, Jack helps out his mates while avoiding the past. That is until the past finds him. A phone message from an ex-client, Danny McKillop, doesn't ring any bells for Jack... Life is hard enough without having to dredge up old problems; his beloved football team has moved interstate, the odds on his latest bet at the track seem far too long, and he's still cooking for one. But then Danny turns up dead and Jack is forced to take a walk back into a dark and dangerous past.