The Red Palace

Hyeon is seventeen and works as a palace nurse in Joseon in 1758. She earned the post through hard study and long hours, and her aim is modest: stay out of trouble and win back the respect of the father she is estranged from.

That plan ends when four women are murdered in a single night. The prime suspect is her closest friend and mentor, the woman who taught her the work.

Hyeon sets out to clear her mentor's name. She joins forces with Inspector Seo Eojin, and together they hunt for whoever really committed the killings.

The case pulls Hyeon in two directions. Her parents and the society around her expect one kind of life from her, while she wants another, and each step of the inquiry sharpens that conflict.

The murders are inspired by the history of Crown Prince Sado. As the investigation widens, it brings the abuses of power inside the monarchy into view. This is a historical murder mystery with a young woman at its centre, and it asks how far Hyeon will go for her mentor when the truth lies inside the palace walls.