Steve Levitan first appeared in In Dog We Trust and one of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Steve.

What is your name?
Steve Levitan. I love the fact that my last name connects back to my Jewish heritage and means that a few centuries ago, my ancestors belonged to the Hebrew tribe of Levi, and assisted the priests in the ancient Temple.

How old are you?
I’m in my mid-forties.

What is your profession?
I run a conference center for Eastern College, my undergraduate alma mater. I love that it’s a relaxed place and I can bring my dog to work with me.

Do you have a significant other?
I have two, really – a human sweetheart and a canine pal.

What is her name and profession?
Her name is Liliana Weinstock, and she’s a former photojournalist and the chair of the Fine Arts department at Eastern. She’s a Juban—the daughter of Polish Jewish immigrants who landed in Cuba, where she was born.

Any children?
Sadly, none. The two miscarriages that my ex-wife suffered still haunt me.

Do you have any sibling(s)?
Nope, I’m an only child.

Do your parents live near you?
They live in my heart, as both of them have passed away.

Who is your best friend?
Rick Stemper, a police detective in my hometown, was a pal when we were in high school together. When I returned home after my divorce, we bonded over some mutual bitterness. We’ve both moved on, though our friendship has remained strong.

Cats, dogs or other pets?
Rochester, my partner in sleuthing, is a big, happy golden retriever with a nose for crime.

What town do you live in?
We live in my hometown of Stewart’s Crossing, Pennsylvania, along the Delaware River in Bucks County. The area was a hangout in the past for writers and other celebrities, like James Michener, Pearl S. Buck, and the Berenstains (who wrote some wonderful kids’ books about bears.)

House or building complex? Own or Rent?
I inherited my townhouse in River Bend, a gated community, from my father.

What is your favorite spot in your house?
The sofa, with Rochester beside me and his head resting in my lap.

Favorite meal? Favorite dessert?
I like simple food like macaroni and cheese, pizzas and burgers, but I’m also a big fan of the Cuban food Lili learned to prepare from her mother. Rick and I enjoy drinking some of the great craft beers brewed in our area.

Favorite hobby?
I love to read and I’m often found with my Kindle in my hands. But I also have a habit of some almost-legitimate computer hacking when Rochester and I are nose down in search of a criminal.

Favorite color?
Gold – the rich color of Rochester’s coat!

Favorite author?
It’s a three-way tie: Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac and Jimmy Buffett. I love to read a good mystery, too.

Favorite vacation spot?
I grew up going down the shore with my folks – the Jersey shore, that is. I still like to visit funky spots like the 50s-inspired Wildwood Crest.

Favorite sports team?
I have fond memories of attending Philadelphia Flyers hockey games with my dad when I was a kid.

Movies or Broadway?
Broadway! When I was a teen I used to sing along with the original cast albums of Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats and A Chorus Line. I still like to get into the city to see a show now and then.

Are you a morning or a night person?
Having a dog has made me into a morning person. Rochester wakes me for his walk every morning like clockwork.

Amateur sleuth or professional?
An amateur for sure.

Whom do you work with when sleuthing?
Rochester is my sidekick, of course, and he often sniffs out important clues. When it comes actual police work I help Rick out with computer research.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
After an early morning walk with Rochester, I head up along the Delaware River to Friar Lake, the conference center I manage. It was originally a monastery called Our Lady of the Waters, and I love strolling around among the old stone buildings sheltered by oaks and pines. If Rochester and I are investigating, we may be walking our neighborhood asking questions, or I might be hunched over my computer searching for and organizing data.

You can read more about Steve in Dog’s Green Earth, the 10th book in the “Golden Retriever” cozy mystery series, released September 5, 2019.

A murder in Steve Levitan’s gated community is bad enough—but when someone puts out rat poison that innocent dogs could consume, he’s fired up to track down the villain and make his world safe for people and their canine companions.

With over 20,000 trade paperbacks and e-books sold, and hundreds of glowing reader reviews, it’s clear that Rochester, the hero of Neil Plakcy’s Golden Retriever Mysteries, has captured the hearts of dog lovers and mystery fans.

When his golden retriever Rochester discovers a body during one of their nightly walks, reformed computer hacker Steve Levitan must look to his neighbors for suspects. Could a killer be lurking along the oak-lined streets?

Steve inherited his townhome from his father, and it’s more than just a house to him—it’s the place where he recovered from the loss of two miscarried babies, the pain of losing his parents and the misery of his brief incarceration. Now that he has a new sweetheart, and a loving dog, protecting his home is even more important.

Could someone in the homeowner’s association be sabotaging efforts to keep River Bend a well-maintained place to live? It’s up to Steve and Rochester to dig up the clues to bring a murderer to justice, and protect the place they call home.

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About the author
Neil S. Plakcy is the author of over thirty mystery and romance novels. The highly acclaimed Mahu series stars openly gay Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka. He also writes the Have Body, Will Guard gay adventure romance books about bodyguards Aidan Greene and Liam McCullough, and the golden retriever mysteries, where (mostly) reformed computer hacker Steve Levitan solves crimes with the help of his golden retriever, Rochester.

He has also written numerous stand-alone mystery and romance novels, which can be found at his website, mahubooks.com. He also edited the anthology Paws & Reflect:A Special Bond Between Man and Dog, which was excerpted in The New York Times.

He is a professor of English at Broward College in South Florida, where he lives with his husband and their rambunctious golden retrievers.

All comments are welcomed.