Starred review from December 13, 2021
Set in New York “circa early twenty-first century,” Pek’s thoughtful, well-constructed debut introduces irrepressible Claudia Lin, who has recently been hired by Veracity, a low-profile, referrals-only company that checks information for mistrustful clients who want to know whether the people they meet on online dating sites are telling the truth. As Claudia notes, “Matching only fully succeeds if the dating platforms have access to accurate, complete information about the people on them. Problem is, people lie. All the time, especially on the Internet, and extra especially where anything with the potential for romance is concerned.” One client, Iris Lettriste, is different. She “sits down and tells us about the guy she wants us to verify like she’s ordering her first coffee of an arduous morning and it’s vital the that the barista gets it right.” Ten days later, Iris is found dead, apparently having killed herself. Claudia, who’s an avid mystery reader, decides to investigate and is pulled into a conspiracy, all the while dealing with her complicated, dysfunctional family. Claudia’s entertaining references to Inspector Yuan, the hero of her “comfort-read murder mystery series,” cleverly elucidate her views on literary structure as well as provide investigative tips. This nuanced novel will leave readers eagerly awaiting Pek’s next book. Agent: Julie Barer, Book Group.
February 1, 2022
Her boss calls Veracity "a personal investments advisory firm," but to Claudia Lin, "a month into the job, it's obvious to me that our clients think of us as a detective agency." What she's hired to do is verify details for clients who don't quite trust (over)statements made on dating app profiles by potential partners. And then Iris Lettriste walks in, requesting verification for a match she hasn't yet even met in person, and ends up not only dead but someone else. So much for reliable data. She's actually Iris' sister, Sarah Reeves, a drop-out journalist who allegedly overdosed. Literary Claudia, with her obsession for Inspector Yuan thrillers, isn't convinced it was suicide. She's determined to solve this labyrinthine mystery of Gordian knot twists, tracking cheaters, rivals, synths, and bots. Meanwhile, she's trying to live her life as the favored youngest of three raised by a judgmental Taiwanese immigrant mother, overshadowed by her financial genius brother and can't-turn-away-gorgeous marketing professional sister. Despite clever writing and headline-grabbing narrative spins, Singapore-born New York City lawyer Pek's debut disappointingly devolves into unwieldy sprawl.
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Starred review from December 15, 2021
A cool, cerebral, and very funny novel about a young woman who works for an agency that investigates potential online dating partners and who has relationship questions--and quests--of her own. Claudia Lin has a pretty excellent job. She works at Veracity, a detective agency that helps vet potential partners for clients pursuing romance via dating apps. Claudia is very much into literary mysteries--her go-to comfort reading is a murder-mystery series featuring one Inspector Yuan--as well as literature in general. Her astute, often acerbic observations prove a heady combination, contributing to Claudia's engaging voice: She keeps the narrative moving at a fast-paced clip. When a new client wants Veracity to investigate a recent online flirt who's ghosted said client--and when this request is followed in quick succession by another verification request--Claudia is all in, ably abetted by Finders Keepers, a proprietary app that can track people's whereabout through their cellphones. Meanwhile, in her personal life, Claudia has a stake in keeping her own secrets hidden from her more conventional immigrant family: Not only is she dead set against the type of Chinese husband her mom wishes for her, she also regularly measures herself against her much higher achieving brother and sister. Beautifully complemented by entertaining secondary characters that include Claudia's artistic roommate, Max, and Lionel, Claudia's sister's boyfriend, Claudia is the seductive protagonist in a tale that delves into the dark heart of contemporary technology, not to mention the foibles of the human heart. With an inquisitive, clever, and curious narrator, this adventurous mystery is both scary and hilarious.
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