A Good Animal
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 she discovers she’s pregnant, Everett sees a life together; Mary, however, is desperate to find a way out. Together, they make an impulsive choice—one that will change everything.
Tense, lyrical, and deeply felt, this unforgettable coming-of-age 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.
Additional information
| Genre | Literary Fiction |
|---|---|
| Age | Adult |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
| Imprint | St. Martin's Press |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format(s) | Audiobook, Hardcover, Trade paperback |
| Author | Sara Maurer |
| Release Date | 24 February 2026 |
| Release Month | February Releases |
About the Author
Sara Maurer’s debut novel, A GOOD ANIMAL, is forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press in February 2026. Place deeply informs Sara’s writing, particularly how it influences identity and choice. She attended Albion College and Eastern Michigan University and completed the Stanford Continuing Studies certificate in novel writing in 2022. In 2023, she was selected as a Suzanne M. Wilson Artist-in-Residence at the Glen Arbor Arts Center.
She lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with her husband, two kids, and mini Dachshund. Carrie Howland and Zoe Howard of Howland Literary represent her.
