Author: Jane Pek
Publisher: Vintage
Released: February 22, 2022
Received: Own (BOTM)

You see, this is why I love Book of the Month. It helps me find new books that I otherwise missed out on. In this case, it was The Verifiers, written by Jane Pek. This has got to be one of the most original novels I have ever read, and I sincerely look forward to reading more by this author (hopefully in the near future!).

Claudia Lin is one of those girls who grew up devouring mystery novels. As an adult, she’s struggling to find a balance between her desires (and her fascination with mysteries) and what her family expects of her.

This pressure is arguably why Claudia didn’t tell her family when she quit her boring job following a highly unique offer. Now, Claudia works for The Verifiers, a company that deep dives into online dating profiles. This job helps to satisfy her naturally curious nature until a real mystery falls into her lap. One she can’t walk away from.

“I bet somewhere inside there’s a custom-made dining table built out of reclaimed telephone poles and it costs more than a year of my rent.”

Man, BOTM knocked it out of the park with their March picks! Two of the books I grabbed (this and The Cartographers) are arguably the most unique books I’ve read in quite some time. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like The Verifiers.

The Verifiers is one part mystery, one part contemporary fiction, but honestly? That hardly does an accurate description for this book. There are many different elements happening within, including family drama/issues, the need to be oneself, and finding a job you love. Again, that description feels shallow compared to the book itself.

This book is quick-witted, funny, emotional, and thrilling all in one. It reminded me of the mystery novels I read growing up (which I’m sure was intentional, given Claudia’s love of the same), but with a twist.

The familial drama made the story heavier at times, but I think that weight was essential. It balanced nicely with Claudia’s humor and added a different intensity to the murder case Claudia was following.

In other words, The Verifiers had a delightful balance of events, characters, and story. I loved every minute of this book. I’m going to be adding Jane Pek to my auto-buy list; that’s how much I enjoyed this story.