The Kingdom of Dog

Golden Retriever Mystery #2

by Neil S. Plakcy

Rochester goes to college-- but he's not digging up a degree! When his mentor, Joe Dagorian, director of admissions at prestigious Eastern College, is murdered during a fund-raising event, Steve Levitan feels obliged to investigate. He and his golden retriever, Rochester, go nose to the ground to dig up clues, including a bloody knife and some curious photographs. But will Steve’s curiosity and Rochester’s savvy save them when the killer comes calling? A cozy mystery for dog lovers! Second in Neil S. Plakcy's Golden Retriever Mysteries, The Kingdom of Dog is funny and charming-- and who can resist a gregarious golden character like Rochester?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Animals, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Dogs

Nook

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

I have been a voracious reader all my life, mostly in mystery, romance, and science fiction/fantasy, though a college degree in English did push a lot of literary works into my list of favorites.

Quick note: sign up for my newsletter at plakcy.substack.com to get free prologues, epilogues and short stories.

I began writing seriously in high school after an inspiring assignment with A Separate Peace by John Knowles. I didn't know I was gay then, but I knew I was longing for an emotional connection with a best friend. That desire shows up across my writing, from romance to mystery to adventure. I am lucky to have found my special person, and I want to inspire readers to make those connections, to one person or a found family.

It took getting an MFA in creative writing to kick-start my career. That's where I honed my technical skills and began to understand what kind of storyteller I am.

I remember reading Freddie the Detective about a very smart pig inspired by Sherlock Holmes. I’ve always believed that dogs make the best detectives. They notice what humans miss — a faint scent, a subtle shift in body language, the hidden treat in your pocket. That belief inspired my Golden Retriever Mysteries, where Rochester helps his human, Steve Levitan, nose out the truth.

My passion is telling stories where community, loyalty, and sometimes love solve problems just as much as clues do. Whether it’s a cozy mystery in Bucks County, a thriller on the streets of Miami, or a romance unfolding under the Mediterranean sun, I want readers to feel the heartbeat of the place and the people.

I write because stories helped me feel less alone growing up, and now I want to give readers that same feeling: a companion, a puzzle, and maybe a laugh.

When I’m not writing, I’m probably walking one of my own goldens, teaching writing, or daydreaming about my next story.
Since then I've written dozens of books, won a couple of treasured awards, and enjoyed the support of readers.

Every place I’ve lived has made its way into my fiction: the rolling hills of Bucks County, the neon heat of Miami, the beaches of Hawaii, the cobbled streets of Europe. I love exploring how communities work — from a café where dogs guide healing, to a fraternity house in South Beach, to a police unit in Honolulu.

My goal is simple: to write stories that feel grounded in real people and real places, but with enough twists, romance, or danger to keep you turning pages late into the night.

I hope you'll visit my website, where you can sign up for my occasional newsletter, and also follow my author page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy.

Reviews

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

At a big alumni fund raising event, one of the unpopular administrators is murdered, and Rochester and Steve are on the case. This book seemed to have a rushed ending, and I didn't find it as engaging as others I've read in the series.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve and Rochester are back with another mystery geared for the dog lover in all of us. In this sequel, Steve is working in the PR department at Eastern College. When his mentor is murdered at a fundraiser, Steve is pulled into the case once Rochester starts nosing out clues.

This is the second in a series of seven books starring the duo, but it can be read as a standalone. It's a clean read with no cliffhanger. Like the first book, the author writes in a simple and straightforward manner with plenty of day to day details. Because of this, we know everything about Steve from what he wears every day and eats at every meal, to every facet of his job. While I missed the hacking that Steve did in the last novel, and I wish it had been included in this one, I thought the inner workings of the college were interesting. I had fun guessing the mystery behind the murder. It was a nice easy listen and a great way to spend a few hours.

The narrator is a perfect match for Steve, he sounds just like I'd imagine him. His voice is pleasant and immersed me in the book. I received a copy of the audiobook at my request, and have voluntarily left this review.

[Neil Plakcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

About the title of the book: many years ago, a friend was visiting from Australia, staying with another friend and her mother. The Aussie lass lost her wallet and was understandably upset, and when the mother said, "Nothing is lost in the kingdom of god," the comment didn't help things. But I loved that phrase and kept it in the back of my mind.

In this second golden retriever mystery, Steve Levitan has fully embraced his love for Rochester, the golden he inherited from his late neighbor in the first book. I know what it's like to go dog crazy-- buying toys and treats and lapping up that canine affection, and I tried to convey that in this book.

I also have spent years in academia, first as an administrator at the University of Pennsylvania and at Columbia University, and then as first an adjunct English professor before I landed my full-time teaching gig. So it was fun to add in what I had experienced in alumni relations and also in the classroom.

And I got to indulge my love of punny names, too!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOL!! I loved this continuing story of Rochester, the Golden Detective and his human buddy, Steve. One of the things that was comical is how the author used terms for character names, eg: Sam Boni (zamboni), Rose Hippz (rosehips).

I loved how Rochester would pick up clues long before Steve or the investigators would. Then, Rochester would be quite forward in order to get the human's attention to what he was attempting to tell/show them. What a hoot!

I have certainly enjoyed the two books in the series, this one and "In Dog We Trust", and hope there will be more. One thing I did appreciate was that Steve (inevitably) found a love interest but the author left the details of their time together up to our imaginations. A great, refreshing, and most excellent read.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fast read with fun characters but oh boy could this book use an editor. Characters names change, words missing or wrong words used. not easy to read because of bad edits.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In this 2nd book in the 'Golden Retriever Mystery' series, amateur sleuth Steve Levitan - with help from his golden retriever Rochester - tracks down the person who murdered a college admissions officer.





Forty-three-year-old Steve Levitan, who's an experienced technical writer, is on parole after a short prison stint for computer hacking. To put food on the table - and kibble in Rochester's bowl - Steve takes a job in the Alumni Office of his alma mater, Eastern College, in Leighville, Pennsylvania. Steve is on the fund-raising committee, which hopes to collect 500 million dollars to upgrade the college facilities.



Eastern is kicking off the fund-raising campaign with a HUGE gala for bigwigs and alumni, and director of admissions Joe Dagorian is grousing about it. Joe would rather use the 'party money' for scholarships.



Joe has been head of the admissions office for 30 years, with the goal of recruiting the best and the brightest. Conversely, Joe rejects 'mediocre' applicants, some of whom nurse resentments for years.

During the gala, Joe Dagorian steps out for a breath of air and doesn't return.



Steve's golden retriever Rochester, who has a nose for trouble, finds Joe, who's lying dead with his throat cut.





Police detectives Tony Rinaldi and Rick Stemper investigate the murder.....





......and Steve, who's helped the police before, unofficially assists.



Possible suspects include:

✿ Joe Dagorian's ex-wife - who was seen arguing with him;

✿ the assistant admissions director - who got Joe's job;

✿ the college president - who wanted Joe to retire;

✿ a wealthy alumnus - whose son was rejected by Eastern;

✿ a mentally ill man - who's been writing Joe nasty letters for years;

✿ a student worker - who Joe threatened to expel; and more.

In the midst of all this, an adjunct professor named Perpetua Kaufman (who sounds like a Jewish nun) dies from carbon monoxide poisoning. Steve is asked to teach Perpetua's business writing class, where Steve suspects plagiarism that could lead to expulsion.



We follow along as Steve investigates the murder of Joe Dagorian; shares clues with police detectives; does his fund-raising job; helps students in trouble; takes care of Rochester; and ignites sparks with Professor Weinstock, the beautiful new chair of the Art Department.



Dog lovers will appreciate Steve's affection for Rochester. Steve takes Rochester to work with him; buys Rochester sandwiches and hamburgers (no buns); plays with Rochester; walks Rochester; and is solicitous in every way.

In return, Rochester digs up the knife used to kill Joe; tries to alert Steve to dangerous situations; and unearths a photograph that helps Steve expose the killer.



Author Neil Plakcy likes humorous names, and sometimes gives minor characters monikers like Rose Hipz; Nancy Fancy; Ike Arumba; José Canusee; Candy Cane; Lou Seegusey; Anna Rexick, Lay Zee; Dee Gamay; Barbara Seville; and more. Some reviewers complain about this, but I think it's hilarious.



This series has 20 books and is going strong. So if you like dog mysteries, you might give it a try.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Jerry Walch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Kingdom of Dog is Book 2 of the fourteen books in the Golden Retriever Dog Mystery Series. The Kingdom of Dog is the first novel by Neil S. Plakcy that I’ve read, but it will not be the last. Cozy mysteries aren’t my main genre. I read serious action/thrillers, but I read them as a change of pace when I’m looking for a break from all the blood and guts. When I read a cozy mystery, it is a cozy mystery where a dog or cat are the principal characters.

In The Kingdom of Dog, Rochester, a Golden Retriever, is the protagonist, or would be if such a role was given to animals. The Kingdom of Dog opens with Rochester discovering a dead body at a fund-raising event for a small, rural, Pennsylvania college. Rochester then finds the murder weapon. Plakcy captures the reader’s attention within the first few pages and then holds it until the very last pages.

I couldn’t, in all good conscience, call The Kingdom of Dog an adrenalin rush. A roller-coaster thrill ride. A page-burner. The Kingdom of Dog moves forward, and the tension builds from chapter to chapter as the plot and sub-plots evolve. There appears to be an endless list of suspects. We never discover who killed the two victims until the last couple of chapters.

I enjoyed this read. If you are looking for an exciting who-done-it, with no gratuitous sex, violence, and/or profanity, this is the book for you. I have six more of these Golden Retriever Cozy Mysteries in my eBook library and I will be binging on them.

[Maria E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plakcy's Golden book another winner

Each and every one of us who's loved a dog will fall inlove with this series of books. The author manages tocreate great and believable characters both good and 'not so much'. His characterization of the love between Rochester, the exhuberant and crime solving Golden and Steve his 'Daddy' is priceless. And ,like the previous book murder most foul again rears its head. The twists and turns inthis one will definitely keep youguessing; every time I thought ' ohyeah,that's the murderer', a new suspicious characters raises his/her ugly head. The background of the book, a College, is also very realistic with all the intrigues, jeaulousies, and its share of truly bombastic characters. All in all a joy to read, and reccommend this book to all mystery and dog lovers.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rochester is King (Audiobook)

I had started with the books towards the end of the series and tried to come back to the beginning.
Clearly, the author has grown and developed professionally. These characters are likable but not very fleshed out. A few things came out of left field, and then the author tried to explain it, which ended up dragging the story (i.e. The trip to the Big Apple.)
There was a bit too much explained about Steve's job and how he performed it. I thought it would bear evidence or assist with the mystery, but it did not.
I would still recommend this book and series as a fun and cozy mystery. It's light and innocent.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Mrs · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with first book, entertaining but the names are annoying

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Better than the first one, I think--both the writing & the reading of the audiobook. Since I was only listening, I don't know how the silly names were spelled, but it did make it hard to take the story seriously: Jose Canusee (Oh say can you see)? Ike Arumba (Ay Carumba!)? Lou Seegusey (Loosey Goosey)? Rose Hips? And one of the silly names turns out to be a bad guy! How am I supposed to take someone seriously as a bad guy when they have a silly name that makes me laugh? I was comparing it to other mystery books that include humor, trying to figure out why this doesn't work for me, & I think the difference is in the others the humor comes from the "inside"--from the characters, something they say or do, something in the character's nature, something small & subtle. e.g. I'm reading Louise Penny's new book now ("The Grey Wolf"); Ruth & her duck. These punny names imposed on us, Idk, they're like slapstick, Vaudeville, they're kind of funny & clever, but they take me out of the plot.

Other stuff: a girl that likes to dress in Fair Isle sweaters & kilts AGAIN?? "A Midsummer's Night Dream"; no, it's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Martin Luther's 95 "thesises"; the plural of thesis is theses. He goes out for a walk after the snow storm & doesn't take his phone?! I wouldn't leave home without it anytime, but especially in bad weather, surfaces slippery--AND things tend to happen to & around him! "Cleaning road salt from between Rochester's paws"; no, from between his TOES, between his paws is like the space between his legs.

Reading: "her UNCLOTHED arm", pronounced like cloth rather than clothe. "Teenage tempress"; no, "teenage tempTress"--there's a T in the middle. And some of the things in the previous paragraph might've been reading errors not writing errors, Idk.

[Irene · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I'm done with this series. I really enjoyed the first book, even though it had some odd typos and inconsistencies (like the main character worrying about paying his mortgage and car payment when he inherited his paid-off townhouse from his father and drove a 12-year-old BMW). But this book had even more problems, and I just couldn't stay focused on the story. For example, the main character hopes that God will be "graceful" when he really means "gracious." Then someone puts something "ahead" instead of "away." At one point, someone is praised for having a good "idea" for composition instead of a good "eye" for composition. The name "Kaufman" is sometimes spelled "Kaufmann." The bakery that was called The Chocolate Ear in book one is now called More Than Chocolate. The main character identifies himself (just once) with the wrong last name (which could have been used to throw someone off the track but in this case is an obvious mistake). The murdered person is also referred to once by the wrong last name. The odd word choices might be because the author dictates the books, and the software misunderstands and tries to guess the correct word. But the other problems are just sloppy. Whoever is editing is not paying attention.

[moxieBK · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Kingdom of Dog (Golden Retriever Mysteries # 2)— Neil S. Plakcy/Narrator: Kelly Libatique (31 chapters) May 7-8, 2022

In this second story, Steven mentor from college is murdered and he can’t seem to help himself in finding out who killed the guy. Not as strong as story with a diminishing role of Rochester as the main detective guide.

There seems to be a gap between the first book and this one, and the reader is left a bit in a lurch to decipher what happened between the two stories. In the beginning, this reader detected a more emphasis on religion (as the series progresses, each title is a play on a theme relating to god.) I was grinding my teeth a bit on this, but then that whole subplot went POOF! and it never returned to the story.

Disappointed that Rochester was neither as involved nor as savvy as the first time around and the characters I had grown to love were mostly muted, I don’t think I will continue beyond the third book I have.

The narrator who reads all three books I downloaded is very monotone and I almost felt they read robotic at times.

Three stars.

[Brigitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio book, which is not my preferred way to experience a story. Because of this, I think I may have missed some crucial details. I think I retained a fair amount but I wasn’t terribly impressed with the reveal, the lack of explanation, and the random side stories crammed in at the end. Just didn’t do it for me. I really enjoyed the story up until the end though. The writing was simplistic but entertaining. I will always love a sweet golden retriever (and hate anyone who refers to our four-legged friend as a “bad dog,” especially when he’s helping to find clues!) It’s a fun premise. I’d like to solve crimes with my golden. He’s smart but I doubt he’d be as helpful as Rochester.
I may pick up another Golden Retriever Mystery down the road, but probably not anytime soon. Just didn’t grab my attention like I hoped. But I hope others enjoy it!

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read.

Who would expect a loveable golden retriever to be such an excellent detective?

Steve Levitan is back at Eastern College, this time with a full time job, an office with a view, and benefits, although he is still only half way through his 3 year parole period. At a fundraiser, a very old fashioned university recruiter is murdered in the woods and once more it is Rochester who finds the body.

When a literature professor is found dead from a "faulty" heater, Steve is asked to take over her class. He notices that a student is constantly working on papers on a wide variety of subjects.

Of course all the ongoing problems come together in the end and Rochester is the one who discovers the links.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Kingdom of Dog,” the second in the series and the second book I’ve read, is even more fun than I remember the first one being. The backstory develops nicely from the first book, but Plakcy fills in enough detail that the book can b read as a stand-alone. The characters are well developed and Rochester is adorable; his antics stay within the bounds of normal dog behavior, which I appreciate. Dogs are great enough when they’re just being dogs. The story is nicely plotted, although the action is a bit slow in places. Other than that and a few minor copy editing glitches, I loved this book.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

free ebook
this is part of the series i like, i wish i could have read them in order.

he was married and after his wifes second miscarriage , she over spends, so he hacked into the credit card data base so she couldnt (i dont know why he didnt just cancel them all)
he got caught, sent to prison and she divorced him (got married again and had a baby)
he moved into his dads house, his dad had died while he was in prison
the neighbor was killed and he got her golden retriever
the dog helps him solve cases

he is working at a univ in pr and it sounds like the administrators are the same every where
a man gets killed and one of the profs dies (he takes her class too) and the dog helped solve the cases
it was a students dad , some rare plant was growing on his land

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I was thinking this book to be a bit better than book one, but the ending just kind of slammed into a brick wall as if running out of time to tell the story. Let’s just have the killer confess. Let’s just have the dog knock down a grown man with a gun, knock the gun away, and restrain the man long enough for our human hero to borrow a scarf and tie him up. Let’s just have the dog also find illicit drugs and fend off football players. Let’s rush the love story, while we’re at it.

Having said all that, it wasn’t awful, but the ending fell very flat, very quickly.

[Catherine L Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful series! It's a perfect combination of the things I love. Realistic (flawed) characters learning how to use what they know best to get through some less than encouraging episodes. I can't wait to read more. This was part of a collection of the first three books in the Golden Retriever series. Obviously, the dog's role is major which makes me very happy. Rochester enters the picture in the first book in spite of the reluctance of the main (human) character. His share of the novel expands as the duo builds their inter-dependance.

[Neeta · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good editor could have made it a solid four stars

The mystery was mysterious, the heroes heroic and the villains villainous. I just wish they had taken more care with the mechanics. Example, in the beginning the college president had four daughters, A couple of chapters later he had never had kids. Those kinds of errors make it difficult to trust the clues as they are given. I will be reading #3 though in hopes they have a new editor because I love the whole premise of the series!

[NATIVE TEXAN · Rating 2 out of 5]

Annoying Names of Characters

Storyline is okay, reading about college life is nostalgic, mystery is interesting... but the author's penchant for naming his characters such quirky names detracts from what could be a pleasant reading experience. Names with spelling aberrations to play on Dijon mustard, Barber of Seville, La Vie en Rose, Zamboni, ay caramba; or outright ridiculous names like Candy Cane, Nancy Fancy, Lay Zee, Anna Rexick, Rose Hipz. This is officially my last book by Neil S. Plakcy.

[Mary Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Levitan professor and public relations director at Eastern College is working on a new fund raising campaign. His trusty golden retriever Rochester finds the cantankerous admissions director dead outside of the college event. The twist and turns of the many characters in this story which leads Steve to discover many secrets of many who work at the college. His dog discovers many clues to help him and the police discover the admittatur's murder and another death of a professor many months before.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet cozy mystery with a smart golden retriever and a lonely man trying to put his life back together after a terrible mistake, end of marriage, and death of his father. Then his neighbor is murdered. I am a dog lover and parent to a goldendoodle, which is actually a golden retriever without all the massive shedding, I enjoyed this book. It is a fluffy read in multiple ways. With daily attacks of psyche by news, fluffy is a good read before going to sleep. I recommend it for mental health.

[William Lewis Stern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great dog stories

I wasn't sure I was going to like this series but Rochester (the golden in the series ) won me over. The characters are fleshed out so they seem like real people. The college seems like the small college I went to many years ago.

I recommend you dog into this series and get to know Steve and Rochester.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a bit slow paced after the murder but it picked up soon enough. The book wasn't wasn't as well crafted as the first book, with only one plot line and a small subplot that didn't really tie into the main plot line It's a light, breezy read, not terribly deep but not glaringly obvious either.

[Naahma Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding!

While the mysteries are head scratchers, and Rochester makes me laugh out loud, it's the character that carry the day. For example, Lou Segusi, Juan Tanamera, Rosie Hippz, and my favorite, Ike Arumba. And that's only four! You'll have to read the book to catch the rest. Great dog and chuckles along the way. Well worth the read.

[Sharon Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Kingdom of Dog review

I have read I have the first four books of this series. I enjoyed the others but this was my favorite. The dialog flowed uninterrupted. Mr.Plakcy kept the characters interesting.

[Laura Poppenwimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although 2nd in series, recaps of what happened in the first book explained, so it can be read alone and not in order, but why do that when the books are so enjoyable to read. Not deep literature, but just good entertaining reading. Hard to put down once you start.

[Karen Kepner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rochester, the dog detective

Rochester and his human, Steve, get involved in murder, plagiarism, and drug dealers leading to another interesting and entertaining read. This time with a love interest.

[Marianne Shymanik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kingdom of dog

While I enjoy reading cozy mysteries with dogs this one seems monotonous and long winded. There are 17 books in this series ongoing to give it one more book to see if the writing improve.