A Good Animal by Maurer, Sara

"A stunning, unforgettable, and deeply American novel." --Julia Phillips, National Book Award finalist and bestselling author of Bear and Disappearing Earth

"Maurer's prose is undeniably beautiful and evocative." --Kirkus Reviews

A heart-wrenching coming-of-age debut novel by a stunning new voice in fiction, for readers of Barbara Kingsolver and Ann Patchett.

Staying is his dream. Leaving is hers. One secret threatens them both.

In the farm country outside Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan--a border town where life moves slow and dreams run fast--most kids want out. Not Everett Lindt. He's set on staying put, rebuilding his family's sheep farm, and carving a future from the land he loves.

Then he meets Mary, a new girl in town with restless energy and bigger plans. When their relationship reaches a crossroads, Everett sees a life together. Mary, however, is desperate to find a way out. Together, they make an impulsive choice--one that could change everything.

Tense, lyrical, and deeply felt, Sara Maurer's unforgettable debut breathtakingly captures the ache of first love, the beauty and brutality of rural life, and how one decision can echo through generations and shape who we become.

Author: Sara Maurer
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 02/24/2026
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.47h x 5.69w x 1.01d
ISBN: 9781250383563

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 01/01/2026
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2026
Library Journal 11/01/2025 pg. 64
Publishers Weekly 12/15/2025

About the Author
SARA MAURER lives with her family in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She earned her bachelor's degree from Albion College and master's from Eastern Michigan University. She honed her creative writing craft while completing Stanford's Continuing Studies Novel Writing Certificate program. Her short fiction can be found in Dunes Review, Hominum Journal, and The Twin Bill. A Good Animal is her first novel.