First published 2016
Dr. Clarice Watkins arrives in Littlefield, Massachusetts to study what makes this suburban town one of America's Ten Best Places to Live. The sociologist finds a community of psychologists and college professors who take pride in their excellent schools, successful girls' soccer teams, and tree-lined streets surrounding a picturesque village center. But shortly after Clarice begins her research, dogs throughout the town start dying from poison. The killings coincide with heated public debates over whether to allow off-leash dogs in Baldwin Park. Residents wonder if the poisonings represent protest against the proposed policy change or signal something more disturbing lurking beneath their community's polished surface. As Clarice investigates the elements that create quality of life, she discovers the anxieties and dissatisfaction that residents hide behind their well-maintained lawns and white picket fences.
Genres: fiction, mystery, contemporary, social-issues
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, social-commentary
Setting: Littlefield, Massachusetts
Period: contemporary
288 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster
Content warnings: animal-death