Author: Kwon Park
Translated by: K.H. Yoo
Publisher: Nabiwabook, 2023
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In a peaceful village in Joseon Korea, the newly appointed governor is startled to learn that all the butterflies have disappeared. He proceeds to investigate the peculiar case in this poignant short story that is at once historical fiction and cozy mystery.
On a peaceful spring day, the young governor is looking forward to a leisurely cup of tea when his assistant Lee Bang appears at his door with strange news: all the butterflies have disappeared from the village within a span of just a few days. Determined to get to the bottom of this case, the governor sets out all around town—meeting with a disgruntled farmer with a hatred of caterpillars and a town elder who has been conducting his own informal investigation—asking questions and gathering clues. When Lee Bang witnesses a young boy catching a butterfly the moment it metamorphosizes from a caterpillar, the governor follows the boy deep into the mountains and comes face to face with an unexpected culprit…
Offered here in both the original Korean and translated English, The Governor’s Case File explores themes of familial love, filial duty, and poverty. A fun and ultimately uplifting romp, this mystery proves that not all secrets are sinister.
Source: Amazon