George Clay

Finalist for the 2025 Shamus Award for Best Paperback Private Eye Novel

Neil S. Plakcy, author of the acclaimed Mahu Investigations, turns his lens to Miami Beach, 1968, and another hero determined to find his way in an unfriendly world.

Fresh out of the Navy with little more than grit, a moral compass that skews toward survival, and a taste for men he can’t safely admit to, George Clay is trying to reinvent himself as a private investigator. But when a teenage boy—known only as “Worm”—turns up brutally murdered in the hidden thickets of Matheson Hammock Park, George is pulled into a case where class, powr, and desire collide beneath Miami’s humid neon glow. And the one man who hires him—a closeted aristocrat with far too much to lose—may be the person he should fear most.

As George digs deeper, he uncovers a Miami rarely shown in the postcards: gay bars tucked into industrial zones, wealthy heirs hiding vices behind family names carved into bank facades, and teens navigating danger in a city obsessed with respectability. The police want the case buried. The Broadwater family wants their reputation untarnished. But George—haunted by the ways he, too, has survived in the shadows—can’t let the boy’s death be dismissed. Not when so many people would prefer it forgotten.

"Bless Our Sleep" offers a fresh take on the classic hardboiled detective novel, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the power of love to transcend social boundaries. Set against the backdrop of a changing Miami, where the sexual revolution clashes with conservative values, the novel provides a vivid portrayal of a city in flux.

Tropes & Search-Friendly Themes:
✔ Reluctant PI • ✔ Queer noir • ✔ Working-class vs. elite tension • ✔ Found family in unexpected places • ✔ Corrupt cops • ✔ 1960s Miami setting • ✔ Moral gray protagonist • ✔ Hidden identities • ✔ Justice for the overlooked • ✔ Slow-burn queer desire

Michael Nava, author of the Henry Rios novels, praises the book:

"Bless Our Sleep is the best kind of classic noir, richly atmospheric with a flawed but sympathetic hero trying to untangle a complex web of money, sex and politics to avenge the murder of an (almost) innocent. There's nothing sentimental about Bless Our Sleep but it does have heart—the heart Clay wears on his sleeve. I highly recommend this moving and entertaining novel."

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DJPYCZ6L
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8345847312
  
  Reviews:
  There were plenty of twists and turns to the mystery and edge-of-your-seat action. The world of Miami, Florida in 1968 comes vividly to life, as do the struggles of the gay community during that difficult time. If you enjoy a good P.I. novel with great characters and are looking for one that is a bit different from your typical hard-boiled mystery, don’t miss Bless Our Sleep. (KIngs River Life)

"Billie Jean" in Thriller

I was delighted to be invited to contribute a short story to the amazing Thriller anthology. I love the story I wrote, "Billie Jean," inspired by the Michael Jackson song.

My 1968 gay private eye, George Clay, has a problem. His boyfriend is accused of fathering a child during a one-night stand. But George knows it's not true, because they were together that night. How can he save his boyfriend's honor without outing him?

"Cabbage Key" in Cupid Shot Me

The second George Clay story is "Cabbage Key," which appeared in the Valentine's Day anthology Cupid Shot Me. Michael Nava wrote the introduction to the collection, and mine was one of his two favorite stories!

A romantic Valentine's weekend at a secluded island resort turns deadly when George Clay and his boyfriend Alex Reyes witness a murder. When a local mobster threatens to expose their relationship unless George investigates the killing, the PI must navigate dangerous waters – both literally and figuratively. Set against the backdrop of 1969 Florida, this atmospheric mystery weaves together Cuban exile politics, organized crime, and one man's struggle to balance his professional integrity with his personal life. "Cabbage Key" captures both the natural beauty of Florida's Gulf Coast and the complex social dynamics of Miami during a pivotal time in history.

"Heir Apparent" in Groovy Gumshoes

"Heir Apparent" is the first story I wrote about George Clay, a gay private eye in Miami Beach in 1969.Michale Bracken, an excellent writer and editor, was putting together an anthology about private eyes in the 1960s and he invited me to submit a story.

George's voice is a bit darker than my usual-- because after all, he's living a closeted life in a very different time. It introduces his boyfriend, Cuban exile Alex Reyes, and highlights the differences between wealthy and poor Miami.

The story appears in Groovy Gumshoes, and then I expanded it into the first George Clay novel, Bless Our Sleep.

"Lost Boy"in Black Cat Weekly 101

When a ten-year-old Indian boy vanishes at Miami International Airport, George takes on the case at the urgent request of his flight attendant neighbors, Sandi and Patti. It seems simple enough - a child separated from his vacationing family in a crowded terminal.

But as George digs deeper, he uncovers an unexpected connection to Hindu funeral rites and a grieving widow's desperate plan. Set against the vibrant backdrop of 1960s Miami, this compelling mystery showcases George's keen instincts and understanding of cultural traditions as he races to reunite a family before their Florida vacation becomes a permanent nightmare.

"The Missing Delegate" in Private Dicks and Disco Balls

When an eighteen-year-old delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention vanishes in Miami Beach, George is hired to track him down. Navigating through a city transformed by protesters, hippies, and political activists, George's search leads him from Flamingo Park's makeshift tent city to the darker corners of Miami's underground scene.

As he races to find the missing delegate before the convention begins, George must confront both the dangers of the case and his own complicated relationship with identity and sexuality in 1970s Florida. This atmospheric mystery captures a pivotal moment in American history while exploring themes of self-discovery and personal freedom.

"Oyster Creek" in Crime Hits Home

I've been a member of Mystery Writers of America since I began my career as a crime writer, and one of my bucket list items has been to have a story accepted for their annual anthology. That wish came through with "Oyster Creek,"  is in Crime Hits Home, edited by SJ Rozan.

When George receives news of his mother's death in a hit-and-run accident, he returns to his Maryland hometown seeking answers. In Wright's Head, a close-knit community on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, George uncovers surprising truths about his mother's life – and death.

As he navigates through long-buried secrets and small-town whispers, he must confront both his family's painful past and his own conflicted feelings about love and identity. This poignant mystery explores the complexities of family bonds, hidden relationships, and the steep price of truth in a town where everyone knows everyone else's business – or thinks they do.

Also reprinted in Black Cat Weekly #123 and short-listed in Best Mystery and Suspense Stories of 2023. 

"The Shandiclere" in Black Cat Weekly #150

When George agrees to escort his flight attendant neighbors Sandi and Patti to a seedy riverside bar to see a country singer perform, he has no idea he's about to be pulled into a deadly investigation. After a talent booker for The Jackie Gleason Show is found murdered behind the bar, George must navigate the dangerous intersection of the music business and organized crime to clear an innocent man's name.

Set against the gritty backdrop of 1960s Miami, this atmospheric mystery weaves together mobsters, musicians, and murder as George races to catch a killer before becoming the next victim. I was delighted to place it with Black Cat Weekly.