I really love Claudia. I love the way she moves through the world and being a part of her inner dialogue. But I feel like I am missing something. I honestly don’t understand these tech issues. The stakes are posited to be so high and yet they feel so low. Why are people dying over this? I don’t understand.

This does feel like one of those second books in a series that's doing more work to set up the big finish than making for a satisfying read in itself, but I'm here for it! I love Claudia Lin and will follow her into any dramatic tech conspiracy she chooses to uncover. Whip-smart sense of humor, lots of classic mystery literary references, and wonderfully queer. I'm a fan!

I loved The Verifiers, but unfortunately I don't feel the same about The Rivals. I'm having a hard time putting my finger on why - the basic ingredients are the same! - but I think it comes down to finding the plot much more convoluted and difficult to follow. It seemed like there were a million things happening at once and I struggled to pull everything together, whereas with The Verifiers - even though we constantly bounced between Claudia's job + her unofficial sleuthing + her complicated family dynamics - it felt more like different pieces of the same puzzle.

I'm bummed because I really was delighted by The Verifiers, which I picked up on a whim thanks to Emily St. John Mandel's recommendation, and eagerly awaited Pek's sequel - but it didn't work nearly as well for me. That said, I continued to find myself impressed by her writing and still find Claudia a compelling protagonist. 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.

Thanks to NetGalley and Vintage for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thanks to NetGalley and Vintage for the advanced reader copy.

I really liked the Verifiers, so I thought this would be right up my alley. Somehow even though the tone was similar and slightly too intellectual, the pieces of this story didn't ever coalesce into something that was as compelling as the author's debut.

I loved this spy type thriller. Super interesting to follow the characters throughout the story and really enjoyed how the plot went. Definitely would recommend!

3.25 stars
Claudia is a partner at an underground company that investigates people on behalf of those who met them online dating. Somehow they have stumbled into an AI corporate conspiracy. This book is part spy novel, part mystery, part Sci Fi.

When I was 10% of the way through this book, I was absolutely all in. I love Claudia; she is brilliant, flawed, yet likable, with an interesting backstory. Her internal dialogue is really intriguing. The opening of this novel is great.

Unfortunately I think maybe I am just not smart enough to completely follow what was happening. The plot lost me a little in the middle. I have aspirations to be someone who would understand this novel, because it may be five stars.

Phrases like “his opinion of himself is so high, you can see it from outer space” and words like promontory. “Google, anticipating my needs as usual, asks if I would like to translate Gujarati to English. Yes please.”

This book is achingly well written, thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC.

To be honest, I struggled to get through this book. I read the Verifiers and while it wasn't a favorite, I liked our main character Claudia and enjoyed the book enough to want to read the sequel. However, The Rivals was so much more difficult for me to push through, and if there are any future books in this series, I can't see myself reading them.

I found it hard to understand what was going on at any given point during this read, and even after finishing, I still don't fully understand the plot of the book.

My favorite parts were anytime Claudia, Becks, and Squirrel interacted, as well as Claudia's family relationships. I enjoyed the characters a lot more than the actual book. I think if I got the same characters with a completely different storyline, I'd love it.

The ending of The Rivals felt extremely rushed. The final line read more like a chapter end than a book end. It threw me off with a "that's it?" that was not at all because I wanted to keep reading but because I had such a small grasp on what was happening.

I hope other people enjoy this book, because I truly did like reading about Claudia, but this book just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This sequel was even better the previous one. I especially liked how the familial relationships became more layered.

A sequel to “The Verifiers”. Claudia and her crew are back with more mystery around the matchmaking community. This time it’s a spy genre novel and I really enjoyed it. I could read about these characters all day!

I enjoyed it, but I didn't realize this was a sequel to The Verifiers when I began it, as opposed to just another book by Jane Pek. I have not read The Verifiers, but I found this to be a blast, and now I'm gonna have to go back and read the first one.

I love this series. I thought this was a great mystery book. I think everyone should read this series

This novel, a contemporary mystery, continues after The Verifiers. Claudia Lin is a queer Chinese American who co-operates a dating detective agency and is a part-time informal sleuth. Claudia stumbles into a complex mystery involving online matchmaking companies in this sequel. The story also features her strained relationship with her family and quirky co-workers, making it relatable and funny.

I very much enjoy Pek’s sense of humor and writing. I struggled with pacing and complicated information in both books. The case deals with data used by online match-making companies, which can be quite technical. While very interesting, it was at times hard to follow or easily understand. It felt complex for me, though it may not be for others.

Overall, I recommend it. Pek will keep you guessing. I am excited to see where this story will go if the author continues this as a series.

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, Anchor, and Net Galley for the ARC.

Not for me - i DNF'd it.
I loved the verifiers, but this one was too slow and boring for me. After two attempts, i decided to hang it up.

Jane Pek delivers another exhilarating literary mystery with The Rivals. Following The Verifiers, this novel dives deep into corporate espionage, family dynamics, and murder, blending classic detective fiction with a modern twist.

Claudia Lin, now a co-runner of Veracity, a dating detective agency, finds herself entangled in a dangerous AI conspiracy. The plot is gripping, with a perfect mix of mystery, romance, and tech intrigue. Claudia's interactions with her colleagues, especially the tech-savvy Squirrel and the enigmatic Becks, add depth to the story.

Pek's writing is sharp and witty, keeping you hooked from start to finish. The novel skillfully explores themes of trust and identity in the digital age. It's a fantastic read that will leave you eagerly awaiting the next installment.

A must-read for fans of smart, contemporary mysteries!

This was such a fun follow-up to The Verifiers, which was one of my favorite books in 2022. I love the meta-mystery plot and especially liked how that was developed in this one. I do wish that this book had seen more action of the Veracity team stopping the synths but I understand the need to go where the plot went and enjoyed the twist. I cant wait for the next book!! (also Becks and Claudia need to just get together already!!!!)