VOL.81/2025.04

Lemon by Kwon Yeo-Sun

2025.04.07

Are you interested in psychological thrillers that leave you questioning everything? Do you enjoy stories that aren’t just about solving a mystery but about the aftermath of tragedy? Then Lemon (Changbi Publishers) is the book for you!

Kwon Yeo-Sun’s Lemon, translated by Janet Hong, is a gripping dive into the unresolved tragedy of the “High School Beauty Murder” in South Korea. In the summer of 2002, when everyone was caught up in World Cup fever, nineteen-year-old Kim Hae-on was murdered. But here’s the catch: the case goes cold when neither of the main suspects—rich kid Shin Jeongjun or delivery boy Han Manu—can be definitively tied to the crime. So, what’s left? Grief, guilt, and years of unanswered questions.
Fast forward seventeen years, and Hae-on’s sister, Da-on, is still trying to put the pieces together. But instead of a simple detective plot, Lemon takes you deep into the emotional wreckage left behind. It’s about the people who were left behind, still haunted by the unknown, and how the unresolved can fester into something much darker.
If you’re looking for a quick whodunit, this might not be your cup of tea. Lemon isn’t so much about who committed the crime, but about what happens to the people left behind when they can’t move on. The alternating perspectives of Da-on and two of Hae-on’s classmates add layers of depth to the mystery, revealing how the unsolved crime continues to haunt their lives.
What really sets Lemon apart is how it explores grief—what do you do when you’re stuck in the past, unable to let go? The book isn’t just about the pain of losing someone; it’s about the confusion and darkness that come when there are no answers. It’s a slow burn, filled with moments of haunting clarity and complex emotions.
So, if you’re into stories about grief, trauma, and the psychological aftermath of an unresolved crime, this novel will hit you right in the feels. Lemon isn’t just about uncovering the truth—it’s about the emotional baggage that comes when the truth remains hidden. Get ready for a read that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Trust me, this one’s worth it.

Written by Julia Kaminska (Reader of K-Book Trends)