Review by Kiana Wall
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.
Neil Plakcy is on fire! He has written four books this year … oh wait … make that five! Or maybe even more! That’s right, my favorite author is back with another book featuring our favorite dog, Rochester, and a new mystery for him to solve along with his owner, Steve Levitan. It could be easy to let Rochester fade to the background, but he is the real star in this book as always, providing a steady presence for the next case.
Steve and Rochester find themselves called to a residence to comfort and steady a young man named Daniel who has just received the shattering news that his parents were killed in an accident. However, his grief twists into something else as Steve’s friend Rick from the police department reveals that Daniel’s parents weren’t killed in a freak accident––it wasn’t an accident at all.
With no idea who can be trusted, and dangerous information about what Daniel’s father left unsaid, it is up to Rochester and Steve to keep Daniel from shutting down and helping them face his parents’ killer.
One of my favorite things about Plakcy is how he balances depth with lightheartedness. I always choose a single word to describe the theme of his latest book, and this book brings to mind the word “steady.” I am a fan of his Smiling Dog Cafe series because he covers some of the hardest topics in them while making them easy to read and understand. Even though this book covered an unsettling murder case, it was a comfort book for me. I settled in to read this book before going to bed, after work, and during my in-between times at college. Plakcy understands tone, the art of what goes unsaid, and readers very intimately, and I cannot appreciate that enough.
I highly recommend (as always) Neil Plakcy’s latest book. If you haven’t been keeping up with the series, this is a great place to jump in, and you won’t feel lost at all. If you have been following the series, I’m sure you have been waiting for this book as eagerly as I have!
To enter to win a copy of Dog of Secrets (print or ebook, winner's choice), simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "secrets,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 10, 2026. US residents only for the print copy and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email and you prefer a print copy, please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors!
You can click here to purchase this book.
Kiana Wall is currently attending Reedley College, majoring in Administration of Justice and waitressing on the side. In between writing reviews, she enjoys writing her own short stories, poems, crocheting, reading for fun, and DIY. As a former Decathlete with a silver medal in essay writing, she specializes in reviewing fantasy and cozy mystery books.
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.
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