Kang Jiyoung's Mrs. Shim Is a Killer is a kaleidoscopic novel of murder-for-hire, crisscrossing loyalties, self-determination, and dark humor. In Paige Morris's translation from the Korean, Kang's matter-of-fact prose reveals a sly, absurdist wit. This playfully murderous thriller is not soon forgotten.
Since the death of her husband five years ago, 51-year-old Mrs. Shim has struggled to provide for her family by working in a butcher's shop. When she loses her job, she is desperate for other work--not easy for an ajumma, or middle-aged woman, to find. At the Smile Private Detective Agency, however, she meets a boss impressed by her use of a knife. "I'd like you to become a killer," the man says matter-of-factly, and Mrs. Shim finds she is in no position to turn down the gold bar he offers. Reluctant at first but driven by her need to provide for her children, she becomes Smile's best killer yet, causing surprised rumors to circulate about the knife-wielding ajumma.
Mrs. Shim Is a Killer shifts perspective to follow one character and then another. Aside from the title character, chapter titles refer to them by epithet: The Boss, The Shaman, The Confidant, The Daughter. Intrigue unfolds in this series of puzzle pieces, and through it all, readers root for Mrs. Shim, a reluctant but determined assassin.
Kang (The Shop for Killers) plays off expectations about mothers, lovers, and cultural norms. With a complexly twisting plot, disarming characters, and a deceptive sense of humor, Mrs. Shim Is a Killer breaks genre boundaries in a surprisingly hopeful package. Bloody but cheerful, this unusual tale is entertaining and strangely cozy. --Julia Kastner, blogger at pagesofjulia