WEL to Bantam
Arabic Rights to Arabic Scientific Publishing
Published by Aphrosmedia, Korea (2023)
Translated by S. L. Park
Sold to Fischer Verlag/Germany, Giunti, Italy

A Twist of Fate" by Se-Ah Jang delivers a pulsating ride reminiscent of Hitchcock's suspense and the sharp intricacies of Patricia Highsmith. Set against a uniquely Korean backdrop, this thriller introduces two young women, both "eeing from their tormented pasts, who cross paths on a train. Their shared commiseration hints at a budding friendship, yet their exchanges are laced with enigma.

While the narrative's universal appeal makes it relatable for Western readers, its Korean essence lends a distinctive "avor, creating a truly riveting feminist thriller.

Drawing parallels with the haunting allure of Daphne DeMaurier's "Rebecca", the plot weaves themes of gaslighting and deception. But who is the real puppeteer? The truth remains tantalizingly out of reach until the !nal page, where revelations shine light on the resilience of our protagonists.

For beneath their complex veneers lie heart-wrenching tales, painting them not as mere schemers, but as indomitable survivors.

A woman with trauma finds out that the women-only townhouse she moved into offers a “revenge support exchange service.”

Central Theme / Concept
Vigilante justice, revenge, female relationships, and secrets

Seo Jisoo, working as a psychologist at a probation office, welcomes into her home a seemingly innocent teenage couple who have come to buy used furniture. But when they suddenly turn into robbers, threatening her and taking nude photos of her, she jumps off her apartment balcony to escape, breaking her ankle. After this horrific experience, Jisoo falls into an alcohol addiction to cope with her PTSD. And because she no longer feels safe at home, she tries to overcome her alcoholism by staying at a yoga center run by a friend.

One day at the yoga studio, a big, loud, and kind woman named Mi-Joo approaches Jisoo after seeing the scar on her ankle, tells that she too has "escaped from hell" and introduces "Safe Town," a closed townhouse that guarantees complete safety.

Five beautiful houses where only single women can live. This perfect townhouse with strict security checkpoints that keep anyone out, is available only through the recommendation of existing residents.

Jisoo is introduced to 4 female town residents of varying ages, backgrounds, appearances, and personalities. She feels peace of mind for the first time in a long while in this perfectly comfortable residence, but at the welcome party at a pub, she makes the mistake of drinking alcohol and blacks out.

The next day, Jisoo wakes up with a hangover and learns that the man she briefly met at a pub the day before has been found dead in a car in the parking lot from exhaust fumes poisoning. Jisoo notices the strange stares of her townhouse neighbors and, as she searches through her fragmented memories, realizes that she has been invited to the most perfect and dangerous private revenge gathering.

This novel can be called a ‘modern single female version of The Stepford Wives’. Using the proverb “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” as a motif and blends the trendy themes of 'mob mentality' and ‘Vigilantism’ into the fun of genre novels.

To modern people who are familiar with online witch hunts and have a fixed view of the world, it presents an ironic horror where past acts of good intentions turn present life into hell. “Was my good intention really good for everyone?”

In Safe Town, nothing is certain - gender, past, real villain, good and evil, or anything else. From beginning to end, You have to doubt everything. The secrets of all the characters are revealed one by one, providing an unstoppable thrill of twists.