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Bonus Novella: Dog's Punishment, in Death at the Dog Park


Dog Park 200

Two Gripping Novellas

Murder, mystery, and mayhem at the local dog park in this unique collection from authors Neil Plakcy and Joanna Campbell Slan.

In "Dog's Punishment," Steve Levitan and his intuitive golden retriever Rochester uncover dark secrets when investigating the death of a controversial dog trainer. After Melissa Kawamoto is found dead at the local dog park, Steve must untangle a web of professional rivalries, stolen patents, and bitter grudges to catch a killer who turned a revolutionary training method into a deadly weapon.

In "Lamb Chopped," scrapbook store owner Kiki Lowenstein's peaceful morning at the dog park turns horrific when her Great Dane Gracie digs up a severed hand. The discovery pulls Kiki into a disturbing investigation involving missing pets, corrupt officials, and a shadowy network trafficking shelter animals to research facilities. With help from her homicide detective husband, Kiki must expose the truth before more animals—and humans—become victims.

Both stories showcase the unbreakable bonds between humans and their canine companions while delivering clever mysteries filled with twists, turns, and compelling characters. A must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and anyone who believes dogs have an uncanny ability to point us toward the truth.

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New books and stories. New freebies. Hire me as a speaker for your group!


DESIGNER 200 Dog Grant Me 200  BOXER 200  Bless our Sleep final 200

While I don't miss grading papers or sitting through meetings, I do miss the student contact I had as a professor. So I've been giving Zoom lectures to libraries and writers' groups. Right now my passion is Ethical Uses of AI for Writers.

Do you belong to a group that I could speak to? Drop me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we'll schedule something. 

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.

Here's a free prequel to the golden retriever mystery series, narrated by Rochester himself. Rochester's Puppyhood

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


#20 Dog Grant Me


Dog Grant Me 200

Murder is Cooking at Friar Lake!

When Eastern College launches its first winter intersession program, administrator Steve Levitan is excited to host a course on Caribbean cuisine at Friar Lake Conference Center. His wife Lili is co-teaching with her friend, prominent food anthropologist Dr. Yesenia Ubeda. But before the first meal is served, threatening notes appear, old documents surface with explosive implications for US-Cuba relations, and a student with a hidden agenda is found murdered.

With Rochester at his side, Steve must untangle a web of long-buried secrets and dangerous obsessions. Someone at Friar Lake is willing to kill to protect—or destroy—Yesenia's reputation. As more violence erupts and a brutal winter storm isolates the hilltop campus, Steve races to identify the killer before they can strike again.

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George Clay Investigations: Bless Our Sleep