Mystery Novels by Neil S. Plakcy
I write mysteries because I’ve always been fascinated by what people hide—and what it takes to uncover the truth. I began as a kid, reading Freddy the Detective, then graduated to the classic British authors like Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. I moved on to a variety of others including Dick Francis and Lilian Jackson Braun. When I moved to South Florida in 1986, I discovered so many local authors and met many of them, and they influenced my writing as well.
Whether it’s a murder in a quiet community, a crime buried beneath sun-soaked beaches, or a case that lands on an FBI analyst’s desk, my stories explore the moment when something goes wrong… and someone has to make it right.
You’ll find amateur sleuths, professional investigators, loyal dogs, and characters who don’t always have it all together—but who keep going anyway. Justice matters. So does connection. And sometimes, the smallest clue changes everything.
Explore the Series
Mahu Investigations (Hawaii Mysteries)
Set against the beauty and complexity of Hawaii, the Mahu series follows Kimo Kanapa‘aka, a Honolulu detective navigating difficult cases, cultural tensions, and his own place in the world. Mahu was my first published novel, and I wrote it partly because I had been to Hawai'i and fell in love, and couldn't find many authentic-sounding mysteries set there.
Golden Retriever Mysteries
When crimes hit close to home, Steve Levitan and his golden retriever Rochester are on the case. These mysteries combine suspense, heart, and a dog who often notices what humans miss. These were inspired by my love for my own golden, Samwise, and have many of the characteristics of Lilian Jackson Braun's works.
→ Discover the Golden Retriever Mysteries
Angus Green FBI Thrillers
Fast-paced and high-stakes, these stories follow FBI analyst Angus Green as he’s pulled from behind a desk into dangerous investigations where data alone isn’t enough. These were inspired by my completion of the FBI Citizen's Academy course, as well as seeing how open my young gay college students were.
George Clay Mysteries
George Clay’s cases dig into the human side of crime—motives, secrets, and the complicated lives people lead beneath the surface. I was first inspired by a request for a short story featuring a 1960s private eye for an anthology. The George Clay stories are a bit darker than my other work, like the early Mahu books, because of the time and the attitude toward sexuality.
→ Explore the George Clay Mysteries
Other Mysteries & Standalones
Not every story fits neatly into a series. These standalone mysteries offer fresh settings, new characters, and unexpected twists. The Bucks County mysteries are set in the area where I grew up, and Genie for Hire is a funny, dark private eye mystery with a genie as a protagonist, and an intuitive squirrel sidekick.
Where to Start?
If you’re new, start with Book One in any series—or choose the setting or character that intrigues you most. Each series offers a different entry point into my world of mystery and suspense.