A Twist of Fate, SeAh Jang
A Twist of Fate, SeAh Jang
List: $23.00 | Sale: $16.10
Club: $11.50

A Twist of Fate

Author: Se-Ah Jang, S. L. Park

Narrator: Michelle H. Lee, Shannon Tyo

Unabridged: 11 hr 44 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/29/2025


Synopsis

Two women meet on a train. Each is running from a deadly secret. When one disappears, the other decides to take her place—for better, or for worse.

A CRIMEREADS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Jae-Young has just left everything she’s ever known, not that it was much: her thankless job, her infested apartment, and her abusive boyfriend—who happens to be dead on the kitchen floor. Murder was never the way she envisioned leaving, but times were desperate. Now on a train to the bustling city of Seoul, Jae-Young is hoping to escape her transgressions and just become invisible—safe.

On the train, she meets a chatty mother fleeing with her infant son from an unfaithful husband and hoping to find refuge with the in-laws she’s never met. To avoid further conversation, Jae-Young excuses herself for a moment. When she returns, the woman is nowhere to be found. But her crying child remains with a note, pleading with Jae-Young to take him to his father’s family in a remote province far from Seoul. It’s not an ideal pit stop, but for the sake of the child, she can’t ignore the request.

When Jae-Young arrives, the house takes her by surprise. It’s a gated manor oozing with opulence and the finest luxuries—the kind of place she could only dream of setting foot in. What’s more, the family assumes Jae-Young is their daughter-in-law and invites her to stay. She imagines an easy life in their care, free of worry and fear. And Jae-Young realizes: There’s nothing more invisible than becoming someone else.

But both women have ghosts in their pasts. Though unaware of the rot lurking beneath the shiny veneer of her new life, Jae-Young will do whatever it takes to make sure she never goes back.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Cara on July 24, 2025

A Twist of Fate written by Se-Ah Jang was well interesting. The first half of this debut novel was a strong four stars for me, but the second half took a complete turn of events that just didn't make any sense, I felt like it was executed very poorly, it was rushed, it took a weird turn that just......more

Goodreads review by Nilufer on April 12, 2025

Oh my goodness! This book is a hidden gem I need to put on your radar! So many jaw-dropping twists, so many mind games that’ll have you fidgeting in your seat—and when you reach the end, you’ll be screaming, “What the hell did I just read?!” It’s cunning, entertaining, full of clever schemes, and ab......more

Goodreads review by Alix on July 31, 2025

I really enjoyed this gothic thriller set in South Korea. The story kicks off when our protagonist meets a woman on a train and ends up assuming her identity. She soon finds herself living in a sprawling mansion, surrounded by a mysterious family and whispers of a past “incident.” Naturally, she’s a......more

Goodreads review by tati on May 14, 2025

When Jae-young leaves her house one morning–abandoning her life and her dead boyfriend on the kitchen floor–she meets a young mother on the train, looking for refuge with in-laws she has never met for her and her new baby. They talk for a bit when Jae-young excuses herself to the restroom, on her re......more

Goodreads review by Jen on June 26, 2025

Imagine escaping your past… only to step into someone else’s life—and deciding to just stay. That’s what Jae-young does, and from there, it’s pure chaos in a silk robe. This book is eerie, luxurious, and dripping with dread. The manor she moves into? Straight-up haunted vibes without the ghosts. The......more


Quotes

“This South Korean thriller is twisted, playful, and will keep the pages turning faster than a bullet train.”CrimeReads

“Tense and richly atmospheric . . . Perfect for fans of Parasite and gothic mysteries . . . a haunting summer read with sharp class commentary and simmering suspense.”Mochi Magazine

“Compulsively readable and steeped in deception . . . the fast pace and mounting tension make it hard to stop reading. . . . A Twist of Fate isn’t merely a story of reinvention—it’s a gripping exploration of the lengths one will go to vanish into a new life, and the steep price of finally stepping into the light.”The Seattle Times