Mothersucker - by Kim Bohyun (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A chilling Korean novel of literary horror, following a grieving mother's transformation into a vampire that targets men who have harmed women--in the present, past, and future--and the female-led task force entrusted with solving the murders

On top of a mountain in Korea, buried underneath a mound of soil, 51-year-old Geum-hong wakes up transformed. Her senses are vivid, she has Herculean strength, and her appetite is deadly. The last thing she can recall of her old life is her grief. On the mountain, before losing consciousness, she had been scattering the ashes of her only daughter, who was brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend at the age of 26. After a long trial, he received only a three year prison sentence. Geum-hong has no idea how long she's been buried on the mountain, but she doesn't mourn her former frailties. Her abilities may have changed, but her rage remains...

Days later, a man's body is discovered in a nearby park. Detective Jin-seon Noh is called to the scene but soon discovers this case is unlike anything she's seen before. The man, who was accused of stalking and harassing his ex-girlfriend only weeks before, was killed with startling force and drained of blood. As the weeks unfold and more men turn up murdered, Detective Jin-seon must race against the clock to uncover the killer before the country is upended by their dark justice.

A propulsive, lacerating exploration of power, privilege, and bigotry, Mothersucker reveals just how far a mother will go to protect the ones she loves.

About the Author

KIM BOHYUN debuted her literary career in 2011 when her short story "Swan" was awarded Consonant and Vowel literary magazine's New Writer's Award. She has gone on to win other prizes including the Korea Story Contest's Excellence Award in 2015 for "Peng: When I Lay Dying" and in 2013 for "Owl Boy," which would go on to be adapted into the 2022 film, Owl. She is the author of three novels. Mothersucker is her first novel to be translated in English.

ARCHANA MADHAVAN translates Korean poetry and prose into English. Her past book-length works include Kim Hyun's Glory Hole (co-translation, 2022) and Amil's Roadkill (2025). Her translation of Lee Jenny's first book of poetry was shortlisted for the Granum Translation Prize in 2023 and won the Malinda A. Markham Translation Prize in 2024. She lives in San Jose, California.