If you’re a fan of slightly ambiguous crime novels that are less about the crime itself and more about the lives of those involved and left behind, you definitely need to check out Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun! Translated from the Korean by Janet Hong, this is a super short novel that deserves to be read in one sitting, as I think that heightens the impact of the ending!

.

Since it’s so short I don’t want my review to be too lengthy. It’s basically the aftermath of the unsolved murder of a 19-year-old girl, where the two prime suspects were never apprehended due to lack of evidence. The story is told in a series of short vignettes over the 17 years after the young woman’s murder.

.

I often love narratives which aren’t clear cut, and indeed I did enjoy this one a lot! I do wish though that maybe it was clearer who was speaking at the start of each chapter, as I feel like I took too long to grasp it each time and that lessened the effect. I often had to go back and reread the first half of the chapter once it had clicked who it was!

.

It reminded me a bit of Elly by Maike Wetzel, which is another unconventional sort of mystery novel!