Welcome to The Smiling Dog Café, where lost souls find their way home, guided by mysterious dogs and comforted by the scent of perfectly brewed coffee. This collection of two interconnected novellas brings the Japanese tradition of healing fiction to the streets of Brooklyn, where an unassuming café holds more magic than meets the eye.
In "Code of Silence," Jeff Hodges has spent his life afraid to speak his truth, until the day he loses everything and follows a golden retriever to a café that seems to exist between worlds. There, proprietor Betty Martinez serves coffee that tastes like memories, while her wall of dog portraits holds secrets that could help Jeff finally find his voice – if he's brave enough to face what he's been running from.
Neil Plakcy crafts engaging stories that celebrate love, identity, and found family across multiple genres of mystery and romance, often featuring clever and charming dogs inspired by his own golden retrievers. View all by Neil S. Plakcy
