Shift

by Cho yeeun, Yewon Jung (Translator)

Detective Yi Chang needs another miracle. Ten years ago his sister was healed of her deadly cancer by a mysterious cult leader, but now his young niece has inherited the same disease. The only lead Yi Chang has is the body of a murder victim found in an abandoned building in the Korean seaside. The man was stabbed repeatedly, but the knife found next to the body is covered with someone else's blood. Even stranger, the victim's face is covered with malignant melanoma, a disease he did not have. With time running short, Yi Chang must discover how this murder is related to the cult leader he so desperately seeks.

Award-winning Korean science fiction and fantasy sensation Cho Yeeun, author of the hit The New Seoul Park Jelly Massacre, is back with a haunting tale that explores the price we pay for miracles.

Genres: Mystery

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 29, 2026

Reviews

[Sussu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always a little apprehensive with translated fiction, especially Korean and Japanese books. Not because there's anything wrong with them, the original languages are just so different from English that it's often really difficult for me to not constantly stumble on the original language shining through, taking me completely out of the story. Having said all that, this translation was very smooth and the book completely sucked me in.

I found the plot very interesting, as well as the characters. I was especially happy about all the non-romantic relationships driving people's motivations. Whether it was siblings, nieces, or friends, I always appreciate a book that recognizes that romantic love isn't the only kind that can drive a person into desperate action.

Beyond that, I also really appreciated the question of ""what (or who) would you be willing to sacrifice for those you love?"" as well as the notion that there is no such thing as a free lunch, not when you're talking about food and definitely not when you're talking about miracles.

I really enjoyed this book, even though it wasn't the lightest read in parts, and I'd be interested to read more translated fiction from the author in the future.

I received a copy of the book for free from Netgalley.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The synopsis is a bit misleading. Detective Yi Chang is a supporting character. This is the story of a boy with a supernatural gift, his brother and the adults that exploit them. This is what happens when the “powerless” brother grows up. It is a heartbreaking story of what we are willing to do for love. Shift is a short book and I’m not even sure of its genre. I guess it’s a thriller with supernatural elements. Some parts are really very suspenseful. My problem was that the writing was odd and I wonder if it’s a translation issue. Not the translation itself, but converting Korean speech and mind patterns into English. Or maybe it was on purpose, but the plot goes back and forth and moves from one character to another, leaving things unexplained. All this said, I enjoyed the book, it kept me invested int he characters and their plight.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Honford Star Ltd.

[pagebypayje · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was NOT bad by any means, but I really just couldn't get into it.

I chose to read this based on the cover (Yes, I judge books by covers often. Yes, sometimes it comes back to bite me.) and the description of the book. I was really interested in the plot and to see how the author would develop it throughout the story.

Unfortunately, however, I think the translation has made reading this book feel very.. clunky. Dialogue and descriptions just felt incredibly disjointed, and I really wasn't able to connect with the characters as well as I might have liked to. It did, however, deliver in the 'Mystery' department. I had a lot of questions I needed answers to in the first few pages, which kept me reading through my earlier-mentioned issues.

I don't want to be too harsh, as I'm sure this book reads differently in it's original form. So three stars :)

[eydis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually love this genre thriller/horror, and I'm not saying this story wasn't good, but there was something about it that just didn't really catch my attention, one chapter I was so connected with the characters and the next one I didn't really care what's going to happen to them, maybe the writing style is the reason, but overall it was good quick read with hints of mystery and horror.

3.75⭐️

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

The premise and cover caught my attention and overall, I think it was executed well. The reveal was a little predictable and I think the dialogue was a little too dry. I'm not sure if that is due to translation, but it made it a little less interesting at times.