What's New

Here are the latest novels, stories and other books that I've been publishing lately. I like to alternate between a variety of genres, from the cozy world of Steve and Rochester to the police procedurals of the Mahu Investigations.

I'm also branching out into translations. See my translation page for more information.

He’s covering Formula 1’s hottest rising star.

He never expected it to be the man who broke his heart.

Journalist Wally Pulaski is sent to cover Formula 1’s most exciting rising star—Jonathan Hirsch. The same Jonathan Hirsch he lost in college—and never got over.

Now Jonathan is on the verge of a championship, with the world watching his every move. Wally’s job is to report the truth. No bias. No exceptions. No matter how much it hurts.

But as the season intensifies, so does everything they left unfinished. Old feelings resurface. Lines blur. And every stolen moment threatens to become tomorrow’s headline.

Because in Formula 1, nothing stays private for long.

And this time, they have more to lose than just each other.

A second-chance MM romance set in the high-pressure world of Formula 1, perfect for readers who love emotional tension, high stakes, and hard-won happily-ever-afters.Driven Together features:

• Second-chance MM romance
  • Formula 1 glamour and behind-the-scenes access
  • High-stakes sports competition
  • International settings and armchair travel
  • Mature protagonists with real-world careers
  • Slow-burn emotional tension
  • Found family and father-son bonds
  • A hard-won, satisfying HEA

Buy for Kindle

Lights, cameras… and sabotage in the kitchen.

Steve Levitan expects summer at the Friar Lake Conference Center to be peaceful—until the Cuisine Network shows up with a full production crew, celebrity chefs, social media dogfluencers, and a brand-new reality show: Dog’s Kitchen, where every dish must be safe and delicious for both humans and their dogs.

Steve agrees to put up with the chaos to save his budget…and maybe his job. His golden retriever, Rochester, just wants to stay close to the food.

But as filming begins, things start to go wrong. Equipment fails without explanation. Key ingredients disappear. A star chef threatens to walk. Someone swaps precious truffles, ruins dishes, and injures a staffer in the chaos. If the show collapses, Friar Lake’s future might go down with it.

Buy for Kindle or in print.

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Steve needs Rochester’s nose for trouble to follow a trail of suspicious scents. It’s a mystery without a murder, but careers, reputations, and futures are at stake. And the truth could cost more than money.

Dog’s Kitchen serves up a delightful blend of culinary creativity, behind-the-scenes TV drama, lovable dogs, and light-hearted mystery—perfect for fans of cozy fiction who prefer tension without tragedy and sleuthing with a wagging tail.

Five things you’ll love about Santa and the Slay Dogs

1. Adorable dogs, from Great Danes all the way down to Pomeranians, with a whole novella about Rochester the golden retriever.

2. Charming holiday vibes at Eastern College and Kiki’s craft store, Time in a Bottle.

3. Two clever mysteries in one volume

4. Favorite sleuths Steve & Rochester and Kiki & Gracie teaming up with their human colleagues for a season of suspense and cheer.

5. The perfect cozy mix of friendship, humor, and holiday spirit—plus a bonus Christmas craft project from Joanna Campbell Slan. Buy for Kindle or in print from Amazon.

A heartfelt MM romance of love, forgiveness, and second chances, The Big Race reminds us that the most important finish line isn't always the one you can see—it's the one you cross together.

When a marriage hangs in the balance, sometimes the greatest race is finding your way back to each other. After twenty-five years together, Jeffrey and Ray's marriage is crumbling. Ray's affair has shattered their trust, and both men are questioning whether their relationship is worth saving.

In a desperate attempt to reconnect—or find closure—they apply for The Big Race, a reality TV competition that sends couples racing around the world for a million-dollar prize. From the tropical heat of Panama to the snow-capped peaks of the French Alps, from Thailand's bustling markets to Venezuela's treacherous jungles, Jeffrey and Ray must navigate not only physical challenges but the emotional minefield of their broken relationship.

With cameras capturing their every move, they're forced to confront the patterns that drove them apart while rediscovering what brought them together in the first place. As they face bungee jumps, cultural challenges, and elimination pressure, Jeffrey—the cautious computer programmer—must learn to take leaps of faith, while Ray—the competitive former athlete—discovers that some victories can't be won through sheer determination.

Buy for Kindle or in print.

Come in from the cold. The coffee’s brewing, and the dogs are waiting.

At a quiet Brooklyn café watched over by painted dogs and warmed by just the right cup of coffee, two teenagers arrive—lost, hurting, and unsure where to turn next.

In this deeply compassionate third entry in the Smiling Dog Café series—fully enjoyable as a standalone—author Neil S. Plakcy shares two powerful novellas about grief, resilience, and the unexpected ways we find our way home.

In Grounds for Hope, Miguel is alone on the streets after his father is deported back to their violence-plagued homeland. Cold, hungry, and nearly out of hope, he’s led to the café by a mysterious pit bull named Baxter—and taken in by Betty, the wise café owner whose coffee and compassion help restore his sense of safety and purpose.

In Finding Grace, Tanya is reeling after her mother’s decision to walk away from their life to “find herself.” Angry and unmoored, Tanya is gently nudged toward the café by Kiyomi, a calm, three-legged Samoyed—and slowly begins to rediscover her strength, her voice, and her path forward.

This tender volume celebrates how healing begins—in community, through ritual and memory, and with the quiet guidance of a dog who always knows exactly who needs help next.

Buy for Kindle or in print.

Hawaiian secrets meet Silicon Valley ambition

When tech entrepreneur Noah Kim is found murdered outside his office in Honolulu, Kimo and Ray must unravel a complex web of academic rivalries, cultural conflicts, and family secrets. Kim's startup, Kahola.ai, promised to revolutionize medical care for Pacific Islanders through artificial intelligence, but his death exposes the dark side of mixing traditional knowledge with modern technology.

As Kimo investigates, his own family life is upended when his partner Mike is injured in a fire investigation. Suddenly juggling full-time parenting of their twelve-year-old twins with his police work, Kimo finds uncomfortable parallels between the case and his own understanding of what makes someone a father. The trail leads him from the tech startup world to fertility clinics, from sacred Hawaiian traditions to the raw wilderness of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

In this fourteenth Mahu Investigation, Kimo must confront questions of identity, family bonds, and the intersection of modern science with indigenous culture. When the truth finally emerges, it challenges everything he thought he knew about fatherhood, biology, and the choices we make to protect those we love.

Buy for Kindle or in print.

Murder disrupts a joyous carnival

When Steve and Lili attend Stewart's Crossing's first Purim carnival, Rochester discovers a shocking find behind the bounce house—the body of Yakov Shmerler, a young Orthodox diamond dealer.

The investigation draws Steve and Detective Rick Stemper into the secretive world of Kiryas Lev, an ultra-religious community plagued by poverty and oppression. The victim was supposed to marry Hadassah Schildkraut, an eighteen-year-old woman who fled an arranged marriage to live with her cousin, Rabbi Shimmy Haveson.

As Hadassah launches a blog exposing the community's problems, Steve uncovers Yakov's involvement in a drug smuggling operation using yeshiva students as mules. The corruption reaches the highest levels of religious leadership, threatening anyone who dares speak out.

Blending Orthodox Jewish culture, contemporary social issues, and cozy mystery elements, Dog of Deliverance delivers a mix of computer sleuthing, canine detection, and thoughtful exploration of tradition versus progress.

Audio also available from Audible, iTunes & other sites.

In Victorian London, Reed Lydney's carefully constructed life has fallen apart. Dismissed from the Foreign Office for an indiscretion, he now lives with his sister Cadence, whose husband's recent suicide has left her nearly bankrupt. When Reed encounters Israel Kupersmit, a Jewish scholar fallen on hard times, their immediate connection goes beyond their shared love of poetry. Together they uncover a web of espionage, blackmail, and murder that threatens the British Empire's interests in The Great Game against Russia. As they race to expose a dangerous conspiracy, Reed and Israel must navigate their growing feelings for each other while staying one step ahead of a Russian spymaster who will stop at nothing to protect his secrets. The fourth installment in the acclaimed Ormond Yard series delivers a gripping tale of forbidden love, international intrigue, and the courage to forge a future together against all odds.

The Lord's Gambit is another tale of two wounded men finding each other and fighting for their true love match in a restrictive society. Fourth in the Ormond Yard series of historical romances, it can easily be read as a standalone.

Buy for Kindle or Print

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When enemies share a hotel room in a Boston snowstorm, things are bound to heat up...

Miami preservationist Victoria Whitmore has met her match in Alex Rivera—a devastatingly sexy developer who's determined to tear down the historic neighborhood she's sworn to protect. With his smoldering dark eyes and perfectly tailored suits, he's temptation personified. Too bad he's also her sworn enemy.

Self-made developer Alex Rivera has always gotten what he wants through hard work and determination. But proper, passionate Victoria Whitmore tests his control like no one else. When she challenges him with that aristocratic tilt of her chin, he doesn't know whether to argue with her or kiss her senseless.

Forced to work together against a ruthless competitor, Victoria and Alex find themselves sharing a hotel room during a Boston snowstorm. One bed, two stubborn hearts, and enough chemistry to power all of Miami Beach.

Buy for Kindle

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