The Silence of Bones

Seol is sixteen, orphaned and homesick in Joseon Korea in the year 1800. Indentured to the police bureau, she is expected to keep her mouth shut, her ears closed and her eyes lowered. Her new task is to assist a respected young inspector who is looking into the murder of a noblewoman, a case with heavy political weight.

As the two dig into the dead woman's secrets, an unlikely friendship grows between the servant girl and the inspector. That bond is put under strain when suspicion falls on him and he becomes the prime suspect. Seol may be the only person able to learn what happened on the night of the killing.

This is historical crime fiction for young adult readers, a murder mystery set in a society that prizes obedience and silence. Seol is the point of view, and the case is tied to court politics as much as to personal secrets.

The mood is dark and bloody, with a haunting atmosphere. Asking questions is dangerous for a girl in her position, and the tension builds from the cost of curiosity as the inspector's fate comes to rest on her choices.