June Hur has created a fun and exciting tale that grips you in all the right ways. Filled with mystery, terror, romance, politics, and more, The Red Palace is like the best drama you love to watch but better.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE RED PALACE (TRP), my first read by this author.

From the very first pages, I felt like I was watching a Korean Drama unfold. I actually hope it will get picked up and adapted into a Korean drama, especially after the success of the recent drama, THE RED SLEEVE CUFF.

We first enter the palace through Baek Hyeon’s eyes, who is a nurse working the palace. The story hits the ground running right from the first pages with its gripping mystery of the Crown Prince. (If you’re familiar with the story of Prince Sado, you’ll have an idea of this.) But fret not, you don’t need to know the story of the crown prince to understand this story. The focus is centered on our protagonist, Baek Hyeon, whose quiet strength, intelligence, and boldness gets her at times, into trouble. For good reason though. As she’s trying to navigate the murders that happen, and save her mentor, who is accused of the crimes. Her first encounter with the love interest, Eojin, an investigator also working on the murder case, is not your typical, “love at first sight”. Which is lovely as the two characters size each other up and wonder if they’re able to work together.

June planted several red herrings throughout the story that I feel was done well. But it was spectacular to see how she wove truth with fiction through these snippets of different people’s lives at the palace.

Something major, perhaps a spoiler, so fair warning ahead, is that the antagonist fell flat a bit at the end. The confrontation between the Baek Hyeon and the antagonist was lackluster, almost too easy of how things were resolved. The antagonist went through great lengths to exact revenge, but when the time came, the antagonist kind of just gave up after a talk from Baek Hyeon. I did enjoy the rest of the story, but wish the case was resolved differently.

But I will say, THE SHIP! Eojin is such an endearing love interest. He respects Baek Hyeon, has chemistry with her, and they make a wonderful couple. He’s such a good counter to Baek Hyeon and quite progressive for that time period. I love that they started off as friends, respecting each other’s intelligence and line of work, to gradually developing feelings for one another. It was wholesome and healthy to see this relationship.

A fun historical YA novel. I really enjoyed this as a book after some of my adult romance books and heavier fantasy novels. I liked the setting and the premise.

"Everyone must choose the paths they will walk. And when you choose, remember to count the cost. Do not live with regrets."

June Hur continues to craft compelling mystery/thrillers in her latest novel, The Red Palace. The story follows our main character, Hyeon, throughout her time in the palace as a nurse, and as blood begins to spill with more women showing up murdered, a killer is on the loose. Hyeon wants to help find the killer, and with the help of Eojin, they might find the answers they are seeking. One thing after another is pointing to the Crown Prince as the killer. Is he the murderer, or is he someone else entirely?

"Who was this prince everyone whispered about? Was he a killer, or an innocent young man being framed?"

With secrets swirling throughout the palace walls, everything is not quite what it seems. Is everyone who they say they are? Each turn of the page leaves readers wondering what will happen next in the story and what will happen to our characters.

"I did not want to be like this, a girl too afraid to do what was right for fear of what others would think. And I did know what was right. I recognized it as clearly as I did the sun in the sky."

Hyeon is questioning and coming to terms with her life and her family. Trying to save the people she cares about and seeking the truth, Hyeon is thrust into a world she might never have imagined. With palace politics, secrets, and a romance, The Red Palace is a story that focuses on a character's growth and their determination for justice.

"One doesn't always need a sword to find the truth."

Thank you to Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan Children's Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Preview: So so excited to read this!!

This book is SO good. As usual June creates a lovely background full of culture. Her books are always fully immersive. The characters are easy to love (except for when you think they're the murderer.) Her story is so easy to follow and it's one you want to keep reading. The more answers you find, the more unsure you become of knowing who exactly is the killer. The ending is unexpected as always. June Hur's books are always a must read for me and this one is no different, highly recommend!

Thank you to Fierce Reads for a finished copy of this book.

Hyeon has worked her way up to being a palace nurse in 1758 Korea. But when her mentor is accused of murder, Hyeon must find the culprit to save her.

This was a great Historical Fiction Mystery! I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole read and really enjoyed myself. Hyeon is a great protagonist and I really liked reading about her internal conflicts and the decisions she was forced to make. Eojin is also such a great side character and I loved him the entire time.

Great and tense read!

Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Abandonment, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Police brutality and Violence

The Red Palace by June Hur is an excellent historical mystery. It features an engaging plot, three-dimensional characters, and beautiful writing resulting in an absorbing tale.

It’s a book that slowly but steadily sneaks into your heart. Now you might be wondering this is an odd thing to say about a murder mystery. However, this book is set in Korea in 1758 during the reign of the Joseon dynasty. That period is wholly unlike the present day where a fast-paced life is a norm. June Hur’s writing made me fall in love with the beautiful countryside of Korea with its lush green paddy fields as well as the imposing Changdeok Palace with its distinct architecture.

Moreover, I was intrigued by both the court politics and the killer’s identity. All through these, Hur spins a delicate tale of innocent love. While the romance is not the centerpiece of this novel, the novel would have been incomplete without the romance between the quiet Palace Nurse of extremely humble origins and the young, handsome, accomplished Inspector.

Further, all the characters added depth to the story. Hyeon and Eojin were my favorites, however, the other characters also deeply impressed me. Hyeon is a resilient girl who deals with the blows of life with incredible grace. We get glimpses of her grief upon being neglected by both her parents. However, she accepts her fate and instead channeled her grief into becoming a palace nurse, a position that is highly difficult to obtain for an illegitimate girl child.

Due to its consistent pacing and atmospheric writing, I enjoyed reading The Red Palace by June Hur and would highly recommend it to lovers of historical mysteries. Thank you, June Hur, for gifting me such a satisfying tale to begin my New Year with.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me a complimentary digital copy. I opted to provide an honest review.

Set in Korea in 1758, this tells the tale of Hyeon, a palace nurse who stumbles onto a murder mystery. With the help of Eojin, a young, up and coming police detective, they break societial norms by teaming up to solve the mystery. I haven't read anything of June Hur before, but she is going on my list of authors to follow. I love when you read a historical mystery and HISTORY is as fascinating as the storyline. Definately a great read.

Excellent mystery set in an interesting time and place! The author creates rich characters and I could picture the Korean setting as I read. I immediately went back to read her previous book.

This book was masterfully done in terms of its plot and the characterization of its players. I normally don't reach for "thrillers" or a crime novel of any kind but the setting intrigued me... and I'm so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone! I loved this book and it did have me guessing until the very end. You won't be disappointed whether you're a thriller fan OR a historical fiction fan.

Thank you so much to MacMillan and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let's get this out of the way: I LOVED this. Historical settings are very rarely my thing (unless we're talking historical romance, honestly.). But a SURE way to hook me into any book regardless of the setting is to make it a murder mystery. And boy did we get one.

This takes place in 1700s(?) Korea and follows Hyeon, an 18 year old palace nurse who is immediately thrown into the deep end when not only is she expected to lie and keep a secret of the Prince (or risk being killed), she leaves and finds out 5 women in her former place of work have been brutally murdered and her mentor is being charged with the crime.

It got off to a quick start and didn't slow down for the entirety of the books. Once I started reading this, I couldn't put it down and I honestly enjoyed Hyeon and Eojin so much, I wanted more of them at the end. I will say I didn't guess who the murderer was, but I spend less time guessing when I read these types of books and more time just going along for the ride, so it might have been obvious to everyone else, but I enjoyed finding out who it was.

I had a great time with this and gave it five stars! I'll definitely look forward to whatever this author comes out with next.

Once again, June Hur has written a beautiful, well-researched, and well-paced historical thriller/mystery! I love her writing, her characters, and her world-building. I especially love the way each of her books incorporates a very different but equally interesting family dynamic. Parent-child and sibling relationships are always rich with complexity in June Hur's books. Unlike in her first two books, there is a romance in The Red Palace, but I rarely find myself drawn to romances in books, so I won't speak to it other than to mention that it's there. Overall, this was a great read that I'd definitely recommend to anyone interested in Korean history or historical mysteries.

Thank you Feiwel & Friends for providing an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t read murder mysteries but if anyone can motivate me to, it’s June Hur. I absolutely loved this book. It was dark, atmospheric, and the twists and turns captivated me. Just as in Silence of the Bones, Hur paints such a vivid picture of the world. The Joseon time period comes alive in her descriptions without ever being info dumpy.

There is a strong theme of duty vs justice - two things that you would assume go hand-in-hand, except lines get blurred when you factor in political machinations that can easily result in your death.

I really liked our main character, Hyeon. She was super smart, tenacious, noble, and intuitive. Inspector Eojin was an alluring hero with a knight-in-shining-armor vibe, but not in a patriarchal way. He didn’t have as much personality as Hyeon but I felt his quiet admiration for Hyeon from the start. He’s just more reserved.

I really liked how this story was essentially people going rogue and working together to solve the mystery. The Inspector is not well-liked and basically conducts his own investigation without much interference while Hyeon acts as the inside person who gather palace secrets. They really worked well as partners and not as though Hyeon was Eojin’s sidekick.

The romance was built so well. I love how we see their trust, respect, companionship, and attraction for each other increased as the story continued. By the last quarter, there was this angst between them that made the romantic declaration totally satisfying.

Overall, I really loved this story. The world-building, historical details, character relationships, murder mystery, and romance were all done so well the story just flowed so smoothly to me.

CW: violence, torture

I adore historical fiction, and this is such an interesting premise. I recommend because of the story itself, writing style, and its ability to transport you into a different world/time period.

My Thoughts:

Mystery is not really my genre, but I do enjoy a great Asian historical court drama, so add that to a juicy multiple murder mystery and I was hooked! The story takes place in 1758 Korea where an illegitimate woman has worked her way up to a prestigious role as a palace nurse. Hyeon, the 18-year old main character, has done well for herself, but she is quickly thrust into court intrigue as well as pushed into a role of forensic scientist as a way to try and get her mentor out of jail. Along the way, she meets a young police inspector and together they try to find the murder before more nurses are killed.

This mystery will grab readers who like secrets and court intrigue. Add in romance, changing family relationships and a 1700 medical drama. I want to read more. This really has it all.

From the Publisher:
June Hur, critically acclaimed author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls, returns with The Red Palace—a third evocative, atmospheric historical mystery perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kerri Maniscalco.

To enter the palace means to walk a path stained in blood...

Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father's approval.

But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night, and the prime suspect is Hyeon's closest friend and mentor. Determined to prove her beloved teacher's innocence, Hyeon launches her own secret investigation.

In her hunt for the truth, she encounters Eojin, a young police inspector also searching for the killer. When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer, Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed.

3.5 stars

It’s 1758 and Joseon dynasty Korea is a difficult place for illegitimate daughters. Eighteen-year-old Hyeon was born to Lord Shin and one of his concubines, but the girl is considered a vulgar commoner.

Hyeon’s father has no use for her, and—when Hyeon was eight years old—her mother abandoned her in front of a geisha house, hoping the girl would be taken in and trained to be an entertainer.

Shivering and frightened, little Hyeon was rescued by a passing woman, Nurse Jeongsu, who said, “I am an uinyeo (medical woman). You aren’t alone now.” Nurse Jeongsu took Hyeon to the Hyeminseo (medical clinic), and over the following years, trained her to be a nurse. Between caring for commoners and assiduously studying, Hyeon received the best marks, and now, having just turned eighteen, she’s achieved the high rank of palace nurse. In Joseon era Korea males are forbidden to touch women unrelated to them, so nurses examine female patients and report their findings to male doctors.

As the story opens, night is approaching and Hyeon and her fellow nurse Jieun are summoned by Physician Nanshin, who leads them to the palace of Crown Prince Jangheon. When the healers enter the royal’s bedchamber, the Crown Prince’s wife Lady Hyegyoung loudly announces—so the servants and court ladies can hear—that His Highness has been ill for two days and is getting worse.

While Physician Nanshin examines the patient Hyeon is shocked to see that it isn’t the Crown Prince at all. Instead, the royal’s bed is occupied by an old man dressed in the Crown Prince’s nightgown. The healers remain in the palace all night, pretending to care for Crown Prince Jangheon. At one point Lady Hyegyoung summons Nurse Hyeon and Nurse Jieun. Lady Hyegyoung prevails on the nurses’ discretion and asks them, if the King summons the Crown Prince, to say he’s indisposed. Lying to the King is a death penalty offense, but Hyeon agrees, all the time wondering where Crown Prince Jangheon disappeared to.

The next morning, as Hyeon and Jieun are leaving the palace, they hear a servant tell Lady Hyegyoung that four women were murdered at the Hyeminseo. The nurses rush to the medical facility and see four bodies laid out in the courtyard, under straw mats. Hyeon pretends she was summoned to view the bodies and quickly examines the four corpses, who turn out to be a head nurse, two student nurses, and a court lady. Police Commander Song arrests Hyeon’s mentor, Nurse Jeongsu, for the murders, but Hyeon is certain her teacher is innocent. So Hyeon decides to look for the real killer herself.

Hyeon’s astute observations about the corpses impress a young police inspector called Eojin, who allows Hyeon to join his investigation. Meanwhile, handbills are going up around the city, claiming the Crown Prince killed the women at the Hyeminseo. Eojin tells Hyeon that his superior, Police Commander Song, will be even more determined to blame Nurse Jeongsu now, to protect the royal family.

According to the law a verdict must be passed on Nurse Jeongsu within ten days of her interrogation, so Hyeon and Eojin have to hustle to solve the crimes. They look for the murder weapon and travel around the region to speak to witnesses and search for the truth. As the duo work together, romantic sparks ignite, but the situation is complicated by Eojin’s much higher social status. A man of his class would normally take a vulgar commoner like Hyeon as a concubine rather than a wife, and Hyeon would never agree to that.

A highlight of the book is the peek at customs, laws, and palace politics of 18th century Korea, which was a paternalistic society with rigid social stratification, strict rules for men and women, and domestic spies everywhere. The novel also presents an informative picture of nursing in 1700s Korea, which was divided into three specialties: pulse reading to determine the level of balance in the body and mind; diagnosing illnesses and concocting and administering medicines; and acupuncture to alleviate illness and pains using the body’s pressure points.

In an author’s note at the end of the book, Hur explains that the story is loosely based on the real life of Crown Prince Sado (1735 – 1762). Crown Prince Sado was a murderer who allegedly killed a hundred people in his lifetime. To punish Sado, his father King Yeongjo had the prince enclosed in a rice chest, where Sado died of starvation eight days later. However, that doesn’t mean Crown Prince Jangheon is the culprit in this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Jane Hur, and Macmillan Publishers for a copy of the book.

This is a compelling historical mystery in a unique and interesting setting.

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks to author June Hur all about her new book, The Red Palace, which is described as, “A palace nurse and a royal investigator team up to look into a pattern of grisly murders when the Crown Prince becomes the prime suspect in this romantic YA historical mystery from the author of The Silence of Bones.”

To listen to the full author interview, click the link below...

https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/shows/everything-is-canon-the-red-palace/

“To enter the palace means to walk a path stained in blood, our medical teachers had whispered. There will be bloodshed. I only hope it will not be yours.”

“I could never call myself a nurse again, not in good conscience, if I turned my eyes away from injustice. I must do something.”

“I did not want to be like this, a girl too afraid to do what was right for fear of what others would think. And I did know what was right. I recognized it as clearly as I did the sun in the sky.”

“Jieun set the book aside and walked off, her steps determined; I had planted a ridiculous idea in the head of a girl who spent all her earnings on purchasing romantic literature.”

“I would not love, unless I was loved first and loved the most. I would be nothing at all, if I could not be the first”

“Everyone must choose the paths they will walk on. And when you choose, remember to count the cost.”

As the illegitimate daughter of an aging concubine, Hyeon does not have many options. The strict laws of Korea in 1758 separate her from the rest of society. She is bound by the invisible chains of the caste system until her mentor shows her how to break them.

June Hur’s story chronicles Hyeon’s quest to outsmart a system designed to crush her. At just eighteen, Hyeon is a skilled palace nurse. She spends her days attending to the ladies of the court. However, she lacks the cunning to avoid the danger within the walls of the Changdeok Palace and soon finds herself entangled in a series of gruesome murders. Hyeon risks everything as she uses her medical training and fearlessness to find a killer and save her mentor.

This novel is everything a reader wants in a murder mystery and a romance, but it is so much more. Hur has the uncanny ability to immerse readers in a faraway world and make them instantly feel at home. She seamlessly weaves rich historical details into the action and explains a brutal caste system, complicated political landscape, and fascinating medical practices through Hyeon’s eyes. She provides a delicate balance of details that show both the beauty and the horror of an ancient land. I highly recommend this book for readers 13 and up.

When I first saw the author June Hur post a summary of The Red Palace last year - I was beyond thrilled and excited. She’s a new-ish author I discovered during the pandemic I could really relate to her writing style and story telling. This book definitely did not disappoint! The way June uses her poetic words is amazing on creating vivid historical and fictional worlds. The real life story of Prince Sato is a sad one. June writes a great mystery novel surrounding his palace life with fictional characters of palace nurses and govt officials. There is just so many details and threads within the book that weaves a vivid story to read thru the night. Also she does such a heart wrenching job of creating daughter and father drama - a concubine’s illegitimate child that grows up only wanting the approval and recognition of her absentee father.