Neil S. Plakcy

This is the first book I have read by Neil S. Plakcy and therefore the first book I have read in this series. I had heard wonderful things about this series but still nothing prepared me for the richness and depth of the story and characters. The characters range from low level thugs to runaway teens, to high society lawyers and businessman, and everything in between. All the characters have a defining “voice” consistent with their histories and culture. Kimo and his partner track down show more two suspects in the case. We travel with Kimo and Ray as they travel from one side of the island to the other, collecting Hawaiian history and geographical facts as we go. The murder has a complex history. The foster child part will make you laugh and cry, sometimes both together. We also get to observe Kimo and his partner Mike work through yet another potential obstacle to happiness with regard to surrogate fatherhood and still read in amazement as the author rolls in more layers much like the tropical habitats that abound in Hawaii. If I thought they would have heard it, I would have offered a round of applause upon finishing this story. show less

Heartbreaking and heartwarming, healing and hopeful stories are all connected by a magical coffee shop and its canine caretakers.

The Smiling Dog Café: Healing Fiction, Volume 1 by Neil S. Plakcy, is a two-novella collection of what is known as “healing fiction,” a style of story of Japanese origin. As the stories unfold, not only do the characters undergo positive restorative change, but readers may also experience hope and satisfaction as well.

In the first story, readers are introduced show more to Betty Martinez, the owner of The Smiling Dog Café, a magical coffee shop well off the beaten paths in Brooklyn, and as such, a recurring character for each of the stories. I loved the concept that while some of her customers just stumbled across the café, many are led there by following one of the unusual dogs memorialized by Betty’s deceased wife in paintings adorning the walls. Each of the customers brought there by the supernatural canines is hurting, damaged, or lost in some way, and Betty, a retired grief counselor, skillfully serves up hope and wisdom along with her special coffee.

In “Code of Silence,” Jeff Hodges, the product of an abusive childhood home life because of his frustrated, alcoholic father, learned early on from his downtrodden mother that silence and invisibility are the safest routes through life. Jeff takes that lesson to heart, and despite his almost genius-level understanding of computing, computer science, and coding, he hides his abilities, choosing to be safe and secure over even a hint of risk and a fulfilling life. When his skills inadvertently put himself and his coworkers out of a job, he’s led through the side streets and alleys of Brooklyn to The Smiling Dog Café by a mysterious golden retriever.

In “A Mother’s Heart,” Sophia Greenwood’s young daughter, Emma, ends up in the local hospital’s pediatric cardiac unit, suffering from the same congenital heart problem that she has and that killed her mother. Sophia is overcome with guilt, fear, and the belief that she isn’t up to the task of mothering her daughter under the same circumstances she endured as a child. Following a three-legged Irish Setter to The Smiling Dog Café, she discovers Betty and the help she needs to recognize her past has prepared her to be a strong, capable woman and mother.

Both stories are told in mesmerizing dual timelines, detailing how the characters came to this point in their present lives. Jeff’s regrets and fears have hobbled him from living an authentic life, much like Sophia’s childhood medical restrictions could have denied her had it not been for the series of vastly different women who had a hand in her upbringing and care. The author’s writing style puts the reader in the characters’ lives and makes the intervention by the mysterious dogs seem natural while maintaining its magic. Two stories were absolutely not enough!

I recommend THE SMILING DOG CAFÉ to readers of healing fiction and fantasy, especially those who enjoyed the BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD series or similar works.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery. show less

4.5 stars
Ono (means yummy or good). Pogs! Boogie boards! Oahu! I wanna go back. There's nothing like getting to the end of a book and wanting to continue. Unfortunately, I only just ordered the rest of the series this morning, so it'll be at least a week .... >sigh
At first, I thought the writing a little choppy and slow, but it soon picked up and smoothed out, sweeping along like a perfect wave under a surf board, making the story fly in a almost perfect ride. (For the record, the closest I show more ever got to surfing was a boogie board, which holds its own magic.)

I like Kimo, the protagonist, who, at the start of the story is in denial of his orientation, dating women one after another, trying to find the one who would make him happy until the night he walks into a gay bar, witnesses a murder, and finds his old life unraveling along with the lies and the denials. Along the way we meet his parents, who, though confused, prove to be the most supportive people he could have, his brothers, Haoa and Lui, who are not happy at their youngest brother's unexpected revelations, and his best friend, Harry. The brothers soon come around (thanks in part to their wives) and help at a critical juncture in the story.

At its heart, this book is about a guy who is just beginning to discover himself. He's a homicide detective and proud of the fact, but dismayed by the possible loss of his job due to prejudice (note this book was originally published in 2005; hopefully, things have improved since then in reality). He's ostracized by his boss and his colleagues and finds himself in hot water for some missteps at the beginning of the case he and his partner, Akoni, are investigating. To make things more confusing, Kimo finds he's attracted to one of the suspects in the case.

There's a nice mix of personal angst, family unity of all sorts, unexpected support from unexpected places, walking around Waikiki, surfing lore, lovely Hawai'ian words, and the music of the islands. This is a definite reread. show less

Dog's Green Earth
The morning after a rancorous committee meeting of Steve Levitan's HOA board, the site manager's body is found in the park.

Par for the course in this mystery series, though a trifle platitudinous as Steve dishes out relationship advice.

A Litter of Golden Mysteries
Some short stories giving us a glimpse of Steve Levitan and Rochester's life in between murders.

Inevitably there is quite a lot of repetition of Steve and Rochester's back story as most of the stories had been show more published separately. Perhaps the stories best serve those who don't the series at all or who are completists.

Dog Willing
An unpleasant bookshop owner pursuing a vendetta against food trucks she claims are taking over the car park in the mall where her shop is located is found dead, poisoned after eating the food given to her by the food truck owners as a peace offering. The owner of one of Rochester's doggy friends is the main suspect so Steve investigates.

The mystery itself was OK but unfortunately Steve Levitan, the narrator, is getting involved in campus committees and his prose becomes as leaden as a worthy press release. show less