SOCIAL ANIMALS

Dogs in dresses meet espionage in an affluent suburb of Washington, D.C.

Valerie Caruso isn’t fond of dogs, especially not the Muppet-like Brussels griffon (a so-called “Velcro dog”) that’s now permanently attached to her side. She is, however, fond of the dog’s namesake: cash. She’s a private investigator, and she’s been hired by Environmental Protection Agency toxicity expert Silas Kennerson to spy on his wife, June, because he thinks she’s having an affair. June and her golden retriever mix, Willow, frequent the Hamilton Dog Park in Bethesda, Maryland, and Silas thinks this would be the perfect place for Val to gather intel on June—thus Val’s new pet. Val thinks it’ll be an easy job, but then she notices someone else who seems to have set her sights on June. Alex Miller has begun frequenting the park by herself, claiming she lost her dog in a divorce. June, eager for connection outside her strained marriage, makes it her mission to befriend the two newcomers, neither of whom are who they seem. Perri maintains a playful tone, and her attention to the absurdities of dog park culture feels truly affectionate. The story is occasionally weighed down by heavy-handed foreshadowing—we are repeatedly reminded that “someone here is going to end up dead”—and the final twist feels like an afterthought. But though the novel is full of aliases, stakeouts, and white-collar crime, it’s no loss that the mystery takes a back seat. It’s the bonds that develop among the three women—and, for Val and Alex, between them and their new pets—along with the ragtag group’s resolute quest for justice, that gives the novel its heavy dose of charm.

A feel-good comedy for people who want to make the world a better place for everyone—including furry friends.