Official Bio:
JUNE HUR (허주은) is the critically acclaimed bestselling author of YA historical mysteries The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls, and The Red Palace. In addition to being nominated three times for the Edgar Awards, she’s been featured on Forbes, NPR, The New York Times, CBC and KBS. Her fourth novel A Crane Among Wolves comes out 2024. Her novels have been translated now into Korean, French, Italian, Russian and German. Born in South Korea and raised in Canada, she studied History and Literature at the University of Toronto, and worked at the Toronto Public Library. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband and two young children.
Longer Bio:
JUNE (JU EUN) HUR (‘Hur’ pronounced ‘her’ – 허주은) was born in South Korea and raised in Canada, except for the time when she moved back to Korea and attended middle/high school there. She studied History and Literature at the University of Toronto, holds a TESL Certificate from Seneca College, and worked at the Toronto Public Library. Most of her work is inspired by her journey through life as an individual, a dreamer, and a Christian, with all its confusions, doubts, absurdities and magnificence. June is a critically acclaimed author of The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls, The Red Palace, all three nominated as finalists for the prestigious Edgar Awards for Best Young Adult Novel, published by Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. Her fourth novel A Crane Among Wolves is set to be released in 2024. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband Bosco, and two young children.
Her YA debut novel THE SILENCE OF BONES, a murder mystery set in Joseon Dynasty Korea (early 1800s), follows a 16-year-old indentured servant within the police bureau who becomes entangled in the politically charged investigation into the murder of a noblewoman. It was named by the American Booksellers Association as one of the top ‘Indies Introduce’ debuts of Winter/Spring 2020, a Junior Library Guild Selection, American Library Awards 2021 Rise Selection, Freeman Book Awards Honorable Mention and 2021 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominee.
Her sophomore novel THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS is another YA historical mystery set in Joseon Dynasty Korea (early 1400s) about a teen who returns homes to pick up the trail after her father vanishes while investigating the disappearance of 13 young women. It is praised by New York Times-bestselling authors Adalyn Grace as “a haunting, breathtaking tale that will have readers on the edge of their seats” and Kathleen Glasgow as “rich, exquisite, and deeply atmospheric.” It was honored as another Junior Library Guild Selection. It received a starred trade review from School Library Journal that said “Hur’s worldbuilding is majestic, transporting readers to Joseon Korea to unravel a compelling mystery” and Publisher Weekly describes it as “a suspenseful, atmospheric historical mystery” that explores women’s lack of bodily agency during this time and the dangers of obsessive protection, adroitly interweaving the historical context of the real horrors that afflicted Korean women from the 13th-century Mongol rule until after 1435.” It was a Junior Library Guild Selection, YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Nominee, Forest of Reading 2022 White Pine Award Nominee, and and 2022 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominee.
Her third novel THE RED PALACE is a romantic YA historical mystery about a palace nurse and a royal investigator teaming up to look into a pattern of grisly murders when the Crown Prince becomes the prime suspect. Evocative and atmospheric, perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kerri Maniscalco. It received two starred trade reviews from School Library Journal that called it “A tense political thriller, a beautiful romance, and a coming of age all in one unique package” and from Booklist describes it as “A beautifully written story full of historical and cultural details that will leave readers aching for a follow-up.” Praised by New York Times-bestselling authors Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Inheritance Games) as being “compulsively readable and utterly unique…a must-read murder mystery steeped in royal intrigue” and Adrienne Young (Fable) saying that “court politics and hierarchal society are the stunning backdrop of June Hur’s page-turning, atmospheric…will have readers totally obsessed.” It was included in the sold-out Fae Crate Jan 2022 Book Box with a new exclusive cover, was selected as Forbes Most Anticipated Books of 2022, featured on CBC Radio, KBS World Radio, The Korea Times, an Indie Bestseller for week ending 1/31/2022, and 2023 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominee.
A fantasy short story set in Jeju makes a splash in the anthology MERMAIDS NEVER DROWN: TALES TO DIVE FOR, the second collection in the Untold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker alongside 13 other short stories from bestelling and award-wnning authors
Her fourth novel A CRANE AMONG WOLVES coming 2024 is YA historical mystery that follows a girl and a prince who must join forces to save her sister and the kingdom from King Yeongsangun, one of Korea’s most hated tyrants.
She is represented by literary agent Amy Bishop of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC.
(For blurb requests and for rights inquiries, please contact Amy at abishop [at] dystel [dot] com)
To request an ARC of my books or for general media or event inquiries, please contact: Brittany Pearlman childrens.publicity [at] macmillanusa [dot] com
To get in touch, or if you would like to request an interview, you can reach me at: writerjunehur [at] gmail [dot] com
June Hur 