Social Animals

By: Camille Perri

Published by Penguin Group, 2026-06-09

Primates of Park Avenue meets Finlay Donovan is Killing It in a witty and fast-paced comedy about three women whose fates collide at an affluent suburban dog park in Maryland, from the highly acclaimed and beloved author of The Assistants and When Katie Met Cassidy.

Val Caruso, Alex Reed, and June Kennerson come from completely different worlds—Val is a tough-talking private investigator; Alex is reticent, nervous and on the run from her past; and June is an athlete turned housewife whose true love is her pup.

When Val is hired by June’s husband to find out if June is cheating on him, it sets these three women on a collision course. Amid a colorful cast of characters who spend time at the shabby but beloved Hamilton Park Dog Park, they find they have more in common than they thought. Soon June is nearly brave enough to aim for what she wants, Alex finds excitement she never expected, and Val is reluctantly opening her heart to the most high-maintenance dog she’s ever met. But when their secrets catch up with them, will their newfound friendships be able to withstand the pressure? Or will they find themselves in the doghouse?

Social Animals is a funny and sharp social commentary on community, privilege, dog ownership, and the ultimate power of finding your people (and your pets).