Diary of a Murderer

Kim Byeongsu is losing his mind. Quite literally. He keeps forgetting the little things in life, like basic words, whether or not he has a dog, the last time he killed someone...

In his prime, Byeongsu was one of the best murderers around, spending years obsessively trying to perfect his technique, only killing in the pursuit of artistry. And then he gave it all up to be a dedicated father to his adopted-daughter, Eunhui. Now though, suffering from the onset of dementia, he decides to come out of retirement one last time and for one final target: his daughter's boyfriend, who he believes is a serial killer just like him. After all, it takes a one to know one.

In other dark and glittering tales, an affair between two childhood friends questions the limits of loyalty and love; a family disintegrates after a baby son is kidnapped and recovered years later; and a wild, erotic pursuit of creativity might just come at the expense of all sanity.

'Filled with the kind of sublime, galvanizing stories that strike like a lightning bolt, searing your nerves' Nylon

Review: Filled with the kind of sublime, galvanizing stories that strike like a lightning bolt, searing your nerves ... It's easy enough to see why Kim is acclaimed as the best writer of his generation; pick up this book and find out for yourself. * Nylon *

Kim employs a wry, detached style throughout this collection. There's much dark humour, which spills into absurd comedy in his final tale... Emotional displacement is the heart of the matter and Kim reminds us of the peril, in our personal lives as well as in society at large, of forgetting our history. * Guardian *

This dark, innovative story collection from Kim is rife with grim plots and unreliable narrators ... The best stories are engrossing and disturbing, and are excellent showcases of Kim's talent. * Publishers Weekly *

Kim is expert at finding the humanity inside the other, the comedy inside the tragedy, and the twisted within the seemingly normal. * CrimeReads *

These tales of obsession reverberate with the hard, cool, and dryly comic voice of one of South Korea's most versatile writers ... Creeping anxiety and Kafkaesque humor meld in [the] deceptively intricate novella...The other three stories retain the first one's chilliness (sustained nicely with help from Lee's translation) ... A lively, enthralling introduction to [Kim's] eclectic artistry. * Kirkus Reviews *

Needless to say, I'm already beguiled. * Huffington Post *

Explosive stories in which fathers are serial killers, the kidnapped find their way back home and more. * Paperback Paris *

Kim delicately weaves philosophical debates on the nature of happiness and morality into his characters' inner narrations. Both jarring and atmospheric, this is a cerebrally satisfying collection. * Booklist *

Spiky, quirky reading for all short story fans, whether of literary or pop bent. * Library Journal *

Quirky... draws readers deeply into the protagonist's voice... a compelling narrator * Alana Mohamed, The Atlantic *

Diary of a Murderer and Other Stories is a brilliant collection... [A] visceral gut punch...Young-ha Kim is exceedingly good... Young-ha Kim is an author who deserves to be very famous. * New York Journal of Books *

Darkly humorous * AM New York *

This collection from the award-winning South Korean novelist [Kim Young-ha] has unsurprisingly won rave reviews. Split into four tales, 'Missing Child' charts the emotional toll of a couple losing their child only to be reunited a decade later while, the titular 'Diary of a Murder', charting a relapsed serial killer, is as chilling as it is captivating. * AnOther Magazine Online *

Dark and twisted * Daily Mail *

Satisfyingly versatile... spiked with mordant humor and surrealism. * Book Riot *

Diary of a Murderer is a powerful piece of writing, a breath of fresh air in a pretty breezy field of fiction anyway. It strides the gap of contemporary fiction and literary crime writing... A perfect example of original writing that combines fine character, psychological insight and radical storytelling... Brilliant writing, gripping drama, exotic locations, a real winner of a book. * New Books Magazine *