Mrs Shim is a Killer

Name: Mrs Shim is a Killer
Price: 34.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781529957518

Kang Jiyoung, Paige Morris

$34.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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Korean

Doubleday
28 April 2026

Fiction & Literature; Thriller & suspense; Fiction in translation; Greeting cards

From a major new international voice - gritty, humorous Korean literary crime novel about a housewife turned contract killer - for fans of BUTTER and KILLING EVE

Discover the Korean cult thriller, for fans of Butter and Killing Eve. A hilariously unsettling tale of love, food and one woman's unconventional quest to support her family by becoming a contract killer.

I am no ordinary ajumma. I am a killer

Recently widowed and unemployed, Mrs Shim and her two children face an empty fridge. As her job options run out, she answers an ad for the Smile Detective Agency.

Within weeks, she has turned it around. For Mrs Shim is sharp as a blade, handles business cleanly and is like a padlock when it comes to keeping secrets.

By day, she prepares kimchi for her family and her neighbour with dementia; by night Mrs Shim is out on a contract.

But what starts as a need for survival escalates into a thirst for vengeance. For Mrs. Shim is done with being everyone's doormat.

Diving headfirst into her new career among petty criminals, ghosts and assassins, Mrs Shim's past soon comes hurtling towards her.

Savage and unexpectedly moving, Kang Jiyoung paints a comedic world of twisted love, unhinged loathing and hopeful reinvention. Among the misfits and the meals is a powerful statement about class, capitalism and the role of women.

By: Kang Jiyoung
Translated by: Paige Morris
Imprint: Doubleday
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 214mm, Width: 136mm, Spine: 30mm
Weight: 382g
ISBN: 9781529957518
ISBN 10: 1529957516
Pages: 368
Publication Date: 28 April 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Kang Jiyoung (Author) Kang Jiyoung is an established Korean writer based in Paju, near Seoul. She is the author of the story collections Goodbye Paradise, Time for Dogs to Eat and The Killer's Shopping List. Her novels include Quarantine Station of New Culture, Elza's Ha-yin, Circus in the Dark Forest, Frankenstein Family, Yawning is Delicious, Pheromone Boutique and Shopping Mall for Killers. Shopping Mall for Killers was adapted for television by Disney+. Mrs Shim Is a Killer will be published in over twenty languages worldwide. Paige Morris (Translator) Paige Morris divides her time between the United States and Korea. Recent translations include works by Pak Kyongni, Ji-min Lee, and Chang Kang-myoung. She was recently longlisted for a National Book Award for her co-translation of Han Kang's We Do Not Part.

Reviews for Mrs Shim is a Killer

A struggling mother turns to contract killing to support her family in this darkly funny thriller... a rich narrative stuffed with surprises and grim humour. It's a sharp and satisfying crime novel. * Publishers Weekly * Told in a series of intertwined vignettes... this is a dark, disturbing book about love, loss, jealousy, friendship, and perseverance. The decidedly odd characters are riveting, with revealing descriptions of Korean culture. A fine pick for fans of quirky horror and gory mysteries. * Booklist *