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A Novel
by Jane Pek
A witty and thought-provoking mystery that reimagines the spy story to explore the nature of relationships in a digital age: the follow-up to Jane Pek's "thoroughly modern twist on classic detective fiction," The Verifiers (New York Times Book Review)
Claudia Lin—mystery novel superfan and, until recently, clichéd underemployed English major—has scored her dream job: co-running Veracity, a dating detective agency for chronically online New Yorkers who want to know if their prospective partners are telling the truth. Unfortunately, along the way, she and her colleagues—tech savant Squirrel, and the elegant and intimidating Becks—have uncovered a far-reaching AI conspiracy. And the corporate matchmakers may be resorting to murder to protect their secrets.
In the wake of a client's sudden death, Claudia convinces his ex, an industry insider, to turn on his employer and feed the verifiers information about what the powerful dating platforms are really up to. But even as Claudia starts to get a feel for this new genre—just call her Lin, Claudia Lin—she's distracted by the possibility of romance with both Becks and a very charming target. She also fears that her beloved older brother is unwittingly being drawn into the matchmakers' deadly web. And as Becks reminds Claudia: spy tropes dictate that someone you trust will betray you.
"Excellent... . Pek has glorious fun with a cornucopia of references to both classic mystery tropes and espionage thrillers... . Tangling with intriguing techies while juggling challenging family dynamics and her growing attractions to both Amalia and Becks, Claudia has her hands—and her heart—beyond full." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Cunning... . Emotionally complex characters and Claudia's snarky yet achingly candid voice earn readers' investment. Lisa Lutz and Rosalie Knecht fans should take note." —Publishers Weekly
"A testament to Pek's skill in building a story arc, at once aware of its tropes and seamlessly threading them into a tightly woven plot that grows ever more complex from start to cliffhanger finish. Within this, Pek nestles timely and increasingly relevant questions about the role of technology in our everyday lives... . The Rivals is the best kind of second-in-a-series: the kind guaranteed to leave readers eager for more." —Shelf Awareness
"Jane Pek's writing is really fun and will keep you hooked." —Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"A clever, clear-eyed take on the modern spy novel, full of wisdom and sly humor. I'd follow Claudia Lin anywhere." —Grace D. Li, New York Times bestselling author of Portrait of a Thief
"Claudia Lin serves as the perfect guide to this captivating mystery." —Kevin Wilson, bestselling author of Now Is Not the Time to Panic
This information about The Rivals was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jane Pek was born and grew up in Singapore. She holds a BA from Yale University, a JD from the New York University School of Law, and an MFA in Fiction from Brooklyn College. She is the author of a novel, The Verifiers, and her short fiction has appeared in The Brooklyn Review, Witness, Conjunctions, Literary Hub, and twice in The Best American Short Stories. She currently lives in New York, where she works as a lawyer at a global investment company.
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