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Doubleday pre-empts 'cult' international bestseller from Kang Jiyoung
Doubleday has acquired the "cult" international bestseller Mrs Shim is a Killer from Kang Jiyoung in a pre-empt. Jane Lawson, deputy publisher for Doubleday, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in a pre-empt from Lisette Verhagen at Peters, Fraser and Dunlop on behalf of Jaeum and Moeum, Korea in collaboration with Shinwon Agency. Rights have sold swiftly at auction or in a pre-empt in 10 territories already, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands. US rights have sold to Harper Collins.
The synopsis reads: "How will Mrs Shim make ends meet, now she’s unemployed and the only breadwinner? When she responds to a job advert at a detective agency, Mrs Shim’s unremarkable looks and impeccable butcher skills make her their ideal candidate. The agency offers her an advance payment of ₩70m, that’s more than a three-year salary. Mrs Shim doesn’t have to think twice. What could possibly be harder than slicing open a huge animal’s stomach?"
Lawson said: "I simply could not resist the lure of this gripping and exquisitely characterised tale of the unlikely female assassin. Translated beautifully by Paige Aniyah Morris, Mrs Shim offers a humorous and moving twist on this much-loved trope, in which a woman with no husband and no job suddenly finds her metier in a man’s world, and in this case, through her underrated skills with a butcher’s knife. It has clear appeal to fans of "Mr & Mrs Smith" and "Killing Eve" and to the bestselling satirical thriller, Butter. Doubleday loves to publish in this vibrant area of East Asian fiction-in-translation, and Mrs Shim represents a daring marriage of genres that readers love to discover. We’re excited to welcome Kang Jiyoung to Transworld."
Jiyoung said: "I always wanted to be a strong woman, and Mrs Shim became that woman. I’m overjoyed that Doubleday will publish my book. It’s a dream come true. I’m deeply moved by the thoughts of standing in solidarity with the strong women of the UK."
Doubleday will publish in Demy trade paperback in Spring 2026, alongside HarperCollins US.
