This was my first book by June Hur but it definitely won't be my last. What an amazing talent for bringing a historical place and time to life. I was completely unfamiliar with Korea in the 18th century, but reading this book made me want to learn more about it. I loved Hyeon and Eojin, I loved the mystery, and I loved the details of how medicine was performed at that time. Can't wait to read more from this author.

4.5/5
The Red Palace is a vivid historical fiction with a disturbing mystery. Hyeon is thrust into the midst of dangerous court politics while she searches for answer to clear her mentors name. In the palace everyone is watching and listening for their own benefit. The story was captivating and I love the romance that was included. Inspector Eojin was the perfect partner for Hyeon. He was adorable and acted grumpy and that he didn’t care while actually caring. Hyeon was a wonderful kind and competent character. I loved her dedication and the conviction she had for justice.

This story had so many layers. The pacing was well done and the twists and turns keep the story going. It was easy to get swept away and feel like I was where’s in the palace trying to look for clues about who the killer could be. I also loved that this story was inspired by the real life of Crown Prince Sado. This was a fascinating element and really made the story feel like it could have been real.

Overall I really enjoyed this dark historical fiction story. If you love her other books or you like darker mystery’s mixed with a bit of romance I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for review.


This was the first book I have read by June Hur, and I devoured it in two days. It is definitely on my list of favorite reads in 2021!

I started this novel knowing embarrassingly little about Joseon Dynasty Korea. As a result, the historical context about the royal family, nursing, the police, and social customs that Hur effortlessly weaves into the story was one of the most fascinating aspects of the book. A huge sin in historical fiction is when characters’ speech is too casual and modern, and they shamelessly flout social conventions without consequences. Hur’s characters spoke and acted as though they lived a few hundred years ago, when social rules and hierarchy really mattered, but without losing any emotional verisimilitude. I know that not every detail in a work of fiction will be historically accurate, but Hur’s research combined with well-crafted prose made the setting come alive.

Hyeon is a great protagonist, a bright and hardworking nurse whose unwavering loyalty to her mentor drives her involvement in the investigation. Outside of the central mystery, Hyeon’s complex relationships with her parents develop in interesting and poignant ways. Hyeon’s investigation partner, Eojin, is the sort of reserved but caring police inspector archetype I have encountered in many other mysteries, but their dynamic is lovely, so I did not mind one bit.

The gruesome but effective mystery itself revolves around four slain women at a nursing school. The Crown Prince, known to fly into sudden violent rages, is the prime suspect, especially because Hyeon knows the secret that his location was unaccounted for the night of the murder. (It was a shock to me when I learned the novel’s version of Crown Prince Sado is toned down compared to real life). Hyeon is caught in a web of palace intrigue and spies which provides a tangible sense of danger.

Hur expertly balances history, relationships, and murder in this standout Young Adult novel. Highly recommended!

I’m excited to see that Hur has previously written two other mysteries set in historical Korea, which I immediately requested from the library. My interest in the 500-year-long Joseon Dynasty has now been piqued, and I might find myself watching some Korean dramas before too long…

This was my first read in 2022 and I am speechless because The Red Palace is a perfect crime/thriller book for young adult readers. It has perfect group of characters, a slow burn romance that everyone will love to read, and a narration that keeps you guessing till the end who is the killer. The Red Palace is a contender for best book to YA readers.

June Hur has done it again, crafted another deliciously devious historical murder mystery.

All June Hur's mysteries so far have involved a tension between truth and cover-up for political reasons. This time, the political web is enlarged, and the protagonist is directly (rather than indirectly) tangled in it as we enter the royal palace, where one misstep around all the political factions will lead to death.

Unlike a lot of contemporary mysteries, which can feel very frenetic, the tension in June Hur's books all have this slower, constant throb of tension. There's a slower pace to them. This draws out the tension into something akin to dread that makes these mysteries even more gripping. It feels like a really deft signature writing style now, three books in.

You know something awful and world shattering is going to happen (or already has and the protagonist is about to stumble over it), and that it might not always be allowed into the open because it's not only the murderer covering matters up. The slower pace really lets that dread and anticipation sink in (as well as providing the time for the world to be beautifully built around the characters.)

The world feels so real and touchable. The settings jump out at you, but also feel rendered in the perfect way to add to the sense of foreboding. There are so many lovely details in the clothes and objects that help flesh out the world.

Thankfully, another June Hur book has been announced for next year!

I absolutely LOVED this book! It was the right mix of mystery, historical context and romance...When I wasn't reading, I was pining to go back to read it and when I was reading, I didn't want to stop. It read like a Period K-Drama and I lived for every moment of it! I finished this book in 24 hours and I was so sad to finish! The only thing I would've loved is Eojin's perspective but really, this book was so awesomely done that it was okay for it to be singular perspective since Hyeon is super persistent & Resilient! This is my favorite of June's 3 books, FOR SURE! I was invested from beginning to end! I can't wait to add a copy to my library!

Hur stuns with her historical fiction once again: a murder mystery filled with slippery villains, dark shadows of corruption, and a brilliantly tender romance that had me turning the pages with bated breath to see what would happen next. The pacing was excellent, and supported the plot twists and dramatic reveals well; this novel walked the perfect line of not being unpredictable, yet leaving just the right smattering of clues to feel like I was solving cases along with Hyeon. The personal character development and romance was written equally well, and I loved both Hyeon and Eojin, as well as the side characters who were given interesting and complex motivations. I think the background conversation of class, privilege, and the ability of the powerful to avoid consequences deepened the main plot of the murder/mystery and made for an even more compelling story. Paired with the budding friendship and romance between Hyeon and Eojin, there wasn’t a single aspect of the book I didn’t fall in love with. The slow-burn was magnificent, and their relationship was written so romantically that I often felt like an interloper reading their scenes together. The Red Palace was a stunning historical fiction melded with a murder mystery, and I can’t wait to read Hur’s next book.

Firstly, I want to thank June Hur for writing young adult historical-fiction books set in the Joseon period. I'm a huge fan of sageuk k-drama, and June Hur's books are the only ones (that I know of, so far) that's set in the Joseon period. It's an absolute delight to read something that I usually watch.

The Red Palace is June Hur's third book, and like her previous books, it's also a murder-mystery. Unlike her previous books though, The Red Palace revolves around a real historical-figure, Crown Prince Sado, who was known as a murderer. In this book, we follow Baek-Hyeon, a palace nurse, and Inspector Seo Eojin, who were trying to find the truth behind the massacre.

I'm not going to explain the plot in detail, but suffice to say, it doesn't go into the direction that I originally thought it'd go. Despite knowing the history behind Crown Prince Sado, June Hur still manages to constantly surprise me. I do recommend reading a bit about the history before diving into this book so that you'll be more familiar with the side characters.

All in all, I definitely recommend The Red Palace! If you love June Hur's previous books, I'm sure you'll love this one too.

The Red Palace has it all: court intrigue, a murder mystery, characters you want to root for (and some you love to root against), and lots and lots of drama. I love historically based fiction, and this did not disappoint. Definitely made me interested in finding the author's others works.

I admire how Hur can deliver such a beautiful, atmospheric historical tale like this with such ease and expertise in The Red Palace.

I loved seeing a mystery like this unfold in such a rich setting like the Joseon period, and was impressed with how the simplicity of keen observations and intentional dialogue kept the investigation within the story moving along at a lively pace. ​

In addition to themes of acceptance and belonging, a refreshing and bold protagonist among a cast of other strong, complex characters made this book an engaging and moving read that takes readers beyond the expectations of a typical mystery/historical thriller.

Baek-hyeon, known as Hyeon, is serving as a palace nurse when a massacre occurs one night. In the morning, her mentor and mother figure is wrongly accused as the murderer.

But the commander is set on accusing her mentor, not even listening to Inspector Seo Eojin, and the only way for Hyeon to prove her innocence is by working with Inspector Seo.

When rumors start going around that the Crown Prince himself is the killer, Eojin and Hyeon must find all the evidence they can to back up the claim. But in the palace walls, secrets are hidden. And the price that comes from revealing them is far worse than they can ever imagine.

The historical elements in the book were really intriguing. I wanted to find out who the killer was the minute the murder happened and also learned history along the way.

I loved the teamwork between Hyeon and Inspector Seo. Although reluctant to work with him in the first place, Hyeon ends up solving the mystery with him. The brewing attraction between them is so good.

Overall, The Red Palace was an amazing historical novel based on the death of Crown Prince Jangheon, also known as Crown Prince Sado. Yes, I'm one of those people that read the Author's Note at the end of each book. I can't believe I haven't picked up other books by the author!

Reading this feels like walking straight into a historical k-drama. One thats filled with murder, secrets and spies, court politics and a tragic crown prince, a mysterious investigator, and a palace nurse just trying to make a life for herself.

While there were times this feels like it's a modern story, I am still in awe at JH's ability to create such a moment in time. Especially when it comes to the police investigation and seeing basic principles of observation and interviewing put to good use. I also loved reading the author's note and seeing the influence of history throughout this in the form of Prince Sado, who is such an interesting figure.

And with multi-dimensional characters, easy-going writing, an engaging plot, and consistent pacing, it wasn't hard to enjoy this. JH not only continues to deliver great historical stories, but has further developed her storytelling with this latest novel!

When four women are brutally murdered at the Hyeminseo, where nurses learn their practice, palace nurse, Hyeon, is compelled to investigate. Though she is warned not to interfere, she continues to look into the murders when her mentor is charged with the crime. I truly enjoyed the story, both the intrigue of the murder and the historical background. The backstabbing and spying within the palace grounds and the corruption of the town officials makes the reader feel as if sand if shifting constantly beneath their feet. A well written mystery in a fascinating historical period.

I love how satisfying June's books are. They're like a comfort meal for me at this point. The mystery she weaves in these incredible settings are so meticulously done with love, that your cannot get enough. You want seconds.

Another piece of brilliance. Hur shows again why she is an auto-buy author for me. Like her debut The Silence of Bones, The Red Palace is a murder mystery. The mystery this time is intertwined with the intrigue of the palace and the royal court with the Crown Prince in the center of it all. I LOVED watching this mystery unfold. Even with all the clues I was stunned by the culprit in the end. Several moments had my pulse racing and met reading until the middle of the night wishing to finish. A great way to close 2021 with a solid enjoyable read. I don't care what she publishes next, I will buy it.

Another strong book by June Hur, I always feel like I learn something new when I read her books. Thanks to NetGalley I received an ARC of this book for an honest review!

Our heroine is a palace nurse who gets wrapped up in a murder investigation after her mentor gets accused of a string of gruesome murders. She knows her mentor is innocent and she will prove it. She runs into the youngest police investigator and together they search for the truth.

They learn that another palace nurse is the murderer, she was seeking vengeance against the Crown Prince, who murdered her mother. So she murders everyone who played a role in her mother’s death, hoping to set up the Crown Prince for it instead.

But when the culprit learns she’s being investigated she tries to kill our main character and the police investigator. Luckily, that doesn’t happen and the truth is set free to the King. The police investigator goes away to heal and vows to return for our heroine. And I guess he does, the ending is a little bit ambiguous.

Love that our main character comes into her own learning that her father’s approval is likely never coming and that she should follow her heart and stand up for what she believes in.

June Hur has done it again! Wonderful mystery and thrills for the YA audience looking for a different kind of historical novel or for a k-drama on the printed page!

I've adored each and every one of Hur's books. I didn't know YA Sageuk (Korean Historical Dramas) was something I needed until I had it in my hands. Now she fills this niche so fully and I'm always eagerly awaiting her next book.

THE RED PALACE is the first of Hur's books to feature romance, but that doesn't mean she's forsaken the complex familial relationships that have been a feature in her previous works. Hur takes so much care in exploring the complexities of family dynamics, and she extended this care when covering a very real historical figure in Korean history known as Prince Sado. I was able to read the straightforward article-like newsletter from Hur that detailed the facts surrounding the prince, and she was able to craft a wonderful story that showed from an observer's point of view that his life was one of shadows, some of his own making and some of them thrust upon him. She managed to show multiple sides of this figure will not excusing his wrong actions. This care of detail is something more authors, especially of fiction historical nature, could stand to learn.

This will be a close call with Hur's previous book, THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS, for my favorite of her works, but what's clear is that she is consistently strengthening her craft and I continue to look forward to her future works!

A teen historical mystery follows a young nurse as she attempts to clear a friend's name. Baek-Hyeon is a nurse at the palace in 18th century Korea. Having left her tumultuous childhood behind, she is driven to continue on her path, but everything changes the night she is summoned to watch over a member of the royal household. Later, she learns a massacre has happened at her former school and her teacher Nurse Jeongsu has been named the culprit. Baek-Hyeon doesn't believe the right person was arrested, and decides to investigate herself, and that puts her into the path of inspector Seo Eojin. As the two begin to work together, what will they uncover and how much danger are they now in?

An interesting blend of mystery and historical fiction, the characters work together with the suspenseful plot to bring an enjoyable story.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this book. The characters were so likable, and realistic. The world building was stellar—I felt like I was there, in the story, watching as everything unfolded. The plot was gripping and well-paced. The romance was SO PERFECT in the time period and culture—so poignantly written. I really enjoyed the author’s note at the end and the glimpse into a part of history that I haven’t ever heard much about before.

Through years of hard work, Hyeon has risen as high as an illegitimate girl can hope: nurse in the imperial palace. It's simmering with conspiracies, so a newcomer like Hyeon is the only one who can be trusted when the Crown Prince needs a false alibi for the night four women are slaughtered. When her beloved mentor is blamed for the crime, Hyeon and Eojin, a police inspector as new at his job as she is, are the only ones who seem to care about finding the truth. They must tread carefully, for more than their lives are at stake. Light on the romance, heavy on the intrigue.