Highlights & News Praise & Reviews Interviews
HIGHLIGHTS & NEWS
In Her Debut Novel ‘Miracle Creek,’ Angie Kim Taps Into Themes She Knows Well (Author Interview with NPR All Things Considered Host Ari Shapiro)
Angie Kim’s debut novel, Miracle Creek, is a courtroom thriller that tackles heavy themes like immigration, parenting and autism.
“I Thought We Were the Unlucky Ones”: The Experimental Treatment That Inspired a Murder Mystery (Author Interview with The Guardian Editor Sian Cain)
Angie Kim’s debut Miracle Creek is a dissection of US healthcare and immigration, wrapped in a courtroom thriller. She talks about her son’s medical crisis, ‘goose fathers’ and Trump’s slurs.
The May 2019 Indie Next List
Miracle Creek is a courtroom drama with impeccable pacing, an original plot, and stellar writing…A great read that deserves broad success
Book of the Month Club Selection for April 2019
This stunning debut is a family drama, courtroom thriller, and a mystery, all of which add up to one of the most incredible novels of 2019.
Amazon Editors’ Pick: An Amazon Best Book of April 2019
Angie Kim’s intricately-plotted courtroom thriller, Miracle Creek, isn’t a conventional whodunit… Kim has weaved a more complicated web than that, one that ensnares characters many readers will empathize with–and that only adds to the suspense.
April 2019 LibraryReads: The Top Ten Books Published This Month that Librarians Across the Country Love
Part family drama, part whodunit, Miracle Creek is a gripping debut. For fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty.
The 11 Best Fiction Books of 2019 So Far
Gripping . . . Although the plot of Miracle Creek is propelled by a murder trial . . . the book shines when the characters involved open up about what it’s like to make intense sacrifices for the people they love. From the immigrants who ran the facility to the single mother of the child who was killed, Kim makes a case for compassion that surpasses the suspense of her page-turner.
12 of the Best Recent Mystery Novels That Will Get Your Blood Racing
Told through multiple POVs, Miracle Creek is a quick-paced murder mystery that plumbs the power and perils of community.
10 Debut Authors We’re Excited About in 2019
A thrilling debut novel for fans of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng about how far we’ll go to protect our families—and our deepest secrets.
In 2019, Immigration Novels Are Especially Timely
Angie Kim began her first novel, “Miracle Creek,” several years ago. But as she finished the final draft of her story about a Korean immigrant family at the center of a Virginia murder case, Trump had been elected. Kim began adding, not consciously at the time, material on immigration.
With Her Son Suffering from a Mysterious Illness, One Mother Finds Hope in an Experimental Treatment
Our baby is two days old when our pediatrician sits us down and says, “We got an abnormal test result.” The terror I feel at these words must show because she immediately adds, “But it’s a screening, not a real test—definitely not definitive. Very high false-positive rates.”
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim: A Visual Guide
GIFnotes: Giving you the basic plot summary of an upcoming book with the help of the Graphics Interchange Format.
PRAISE & REVIEWS
The Twenty Books to Read This Summer
Shortly after an explosion at a medical facility kills a young boy, his mother is charged with murder. Although the case seems open-and-shut, nothing is quite so simple in Kim’s compulsively readable debut.
Best Books April 2019
Angie Kim’s debut novel Miracle Creek is both a courtroom drama and a family saga…Kim has crafted a page-turner that also reflects on the lives of immigrants and parents of children with special needs.
PEOPLE Picks: The Best New Books
A Virginia courtroom is the setting for this elegant edge-of-your-seat debut.
April Reading List
Engrossing . . . Miracle Creek turns a courtroom murder trial into a page-turning exploration of parenting, experimental therapies, and the emotional toil of immigration.
The Short List: Five Books That Won’t Disappoint!
Great for book club… In Miracle Creek, Angie Kim (a former trial lawyer) delivers a propulsive courtroom drama.
April Jewels
An experimental medical device explodes and kills two people. But rather than spin a typical whodunit, Kim uses the courtroom-drama format for a rigorous character study, touching on themes of immigration and motherhood as secrets boil to the surface.
The 8 Most Buzzed About Books Right Now & 12 New Binge-Worthy New Books
Intricate plotting and courtroom theatrics, combined with moving insight into parenting special needs children and the psychology of immigrants, make this book both a learning experience and a page-turner. Should be huge.
10 Best Books to Read This Spring
Every month, Amazon staffers sift through hundreds of new books searching for gems. Here’s what Amazon editor Chris Schluep chose especially for Post readers this season.
These Thrillers Will Keep You Glued To The Page This Summer
Take the taut pace of a police procedural drama and infuse it with the deftly wrought relationships of a Celeste Ng novel, and you’ll get Miracle Creek…Miracle Creek is a page-turner backed up by big ideas about family and what we’d do for them.
20 New Books To Read This Summer, According To Authors
Jean Kwok recommends Miracle Creek. “The novel is a gripping page-turner, but what I loved most was Kim’s thoughtful, honest exploration of parents of children with special needs, and immigrants. Perfectly paced, filled with wisdom and compassion, this is a book you don’t want to miss.”
The 18 Best Buzzy Books to Read Right Now
What does it mean to be a buzzy book? It’s pretty simple; these are the books that people read, love, and can’t wait to share with others right here, right now. The best books to read right now are ones you not only want to read, but also talk about, making reading them a social experience. This list of recent great reads include ones that have lived up to their hype, came out of nowhere to be a smash success, won awards, and/or are the kind of book you want others to read so you can gush about it.
15 Women to Watch in 2019
It wouldn’t be Women’s History Month at BookPage without our annual list of Women to Watch. Keep these 15 female authors on your radar in 2019—big things are coming… South Korea-born Kim was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, then practiced as a trial lawyer, and she’s also won a handful of awards for both nonfiction and fiction writing. She brings her two talents together in her debut.. Immigration, autism, mysterious notes, a murder trial—it’s a book club bonanza.
Best New Books Coming Out in Spring 2019
Virginia-based writer Angie Kim makes her debut with this propulsive new novel about a couple, Young and Pak Yoo, whose work running an experimental medical treatment comes under intense scrutiny when an accident—and an ensuing trial—threaten to upend their lives.
The 15 Best Books to Devour This Winter
There is a specific kind of pleasure that comes from reading a really, really good book. Whether it’s the can’t-put-it-down obsession, the swelling prose that makes you stop every few lines just to revel, or simply the physical act of sitting and turning pages, books are a form of self-care we never get sick of. If you’re looking for a new read to add to the top of the list—something that ticks all three boxes above—we’ve the list for you.
Like a Law & Order episode tossed into an immigrant’s bildungsroman, Miracle Creek has the heart of a Celeste Ng novel and the pacing of a thriller.
No People Were Harmed During the Reading of This Book:
As soon as I finished it, I wanted to jump up and down and find everyone I know and run around in circles and hit them upside the head with the book until they read it. That is how I measure the success of a really awesome book. Do I want to whack someone over the head with it until they agree to read it?…I cannot give this book enough stars or enough praise.
20 New Spring Books Recommended by Librarians
Need assistance finding a great book? Librarians to the rescue! Librarians are some of our favorite people, introducing countless readers to their new favorite books every day. So we’ve rounded up some books librarians are loving this spring, with recommendations coming from hard-working book-lovers all over the country.
APB (All Points Bulletin) – Spring 2019
Since Angie Kim’s debut is not being marketed as crime fiction, it may not yet be on your radar. It is now! This courtroom thriller is easily one of my most favorite reads of the year-to-date and the industry buzz is massive. Pre-order this one, so that you can read it before all your friends start talking about it.
Winter/Spring Bests | Debut Novels 2019
Immigrants Pak and Young Yoo live in Virginia, where they practice hyperbaric oxygen therapy until an accident blamed on a client proves deadly. Kim’s promising debut will…have readers looking forward to her next offering.
2019 Books You’ll Want to Keep on Your Radar
When the machine explodes, the couple are put on trial, in a case that upends the entire community, unearthing shameful secrets, rivalries, and scandals.
50 Best Books You’ll Want to Read in 2019
This stunning debut by Angie Kim is both an utterly engrossing nail-biter of a courtroom drama and a sensitive, incisive look into the experiences of immigrant families in America.”
23 New Books by Women Authors You Should Read in 2019
What better time of year to celebrate women authors, than Women’s History Month. 2019 is bringing us the release of new books by some of our favorite classic authors and some new voices that could become classics.
Reading Women’s Top 8 Books of 2019 So Far
Overheard on the latest Reading Women podcast: “It has everything you’re looking for in a book.”
Most Anticipated: The Great First-Half 2019 Book Preview
This debut has it all—a novel of the Korean immigrant experience, a courtroom thriller, an exploration of controversies over autism therapies (specifically here, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, HBOT). Kirkus calls it “deeply satisfying” and says “it should be huge.”
The Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2019, Part 1
Angie Kim’s masterpiece of grief, hope, and recrimination takes place in the small town of Miracle Creek… A complex novel of parenting, prejudice, and putting blame where blame’s due, this one is not to be missed.
10 Debut Novelists to Watch Out for in 2019
The last time I read a courtroom drama novel was probably during my John Grisham obsession. Angie Kim feels like a writer who is going to bring that obsession back..Not only that, the narrative’s focus is on a Korean immigrant family and the struggles they faced coming to settle in America, something that is based on Kim’s own experiences. The first rule of being a writer is to write what you know, and it looks like Angie Kim has taken these words to heart and crafted a spell-binding novel from it.
R.O. Kwon’s List of Books to Read in 2019
Miracle Creek is a courtroom thriller about a Korean immigrant entrepreneur and a murder trial. According to Alexander Chee, this is “a bold debut novel about science and immigration and the hopes and fears each engenders―unforgettable and true.”
39 Big Books of Spring
This contemporary courtroom drama follows a Korean immigrant family whose medical-treatment device ends up killing two people. The ensuing murder trial raises more questions than answers as to who is truly responsible.
14 Spine-Tingling Psychological Thrillers Hitting Shelves This Year
Book clubs will be drawn to this suspenseful debut, which calls to mind the complex courtroom drama of a Jodi Picoult novel combined with the sensitive portrayal of an immigrant family.
The Best Psychological Thrillers to Add to Your TBR in 2019
As the trial goes on, strange secrets surrounding the case are revealed: trysts in the woods, mysterious notes, child abuse charges. In this debut, Author Angie Kim draws from her life experiences as a Korean immigrant, former trial lawyer, and mother of a real life ‘submarine’ patient.
How to Read More in 2019, According to Your Favorite Authors
From Whitney Scharer: “Be on the lookout for…Angie Kim’s Miracle Creek.”
The 10 Most Anticipated Novels to Read This Spring
Celeste Ng meets Jodi Picoult in this (literally) explosive debut about a fatal tragedy during an experimental therapy session. One year later, when the criminal trial begins, the culprit and motive seem clear-cut. Until, of course, nothing is what it seems. This page-turning novel is told from multiple perspectives, and you’ll soon learn that everyone has a secret (or two).
These 5 Thrillers Will Take You on a Wild Ride
Small secrets add up to big tragedies in this courtroom drama about a risky medical procedure that goes wrong.
Spring’s Must-Read Mysteries & Thrillers
Immediately, people in town are suspicious that the explosion might not have been an accident. Some people believe that the Yoos did it intentionally for the insurance payout; others are convinced that a single mother in town is responsible. A trial ensues and will leave readers hanging on Kim’s every word.
Mila Kunis Snaps Up TV Rights to Andrea Bartz’s The Lost Night
An upcoming novel that’s getting a lot of attention: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
50 Spectacular New Books You Need to Read This Spring
In rural Virginia, Young and Pak Yoo operate a pressurized oxygen chamber known as the Miracle Submarine patients enter hoping it will cure issues like autism and infertility. But when the Miracle Submarine explodes, killing two people, the Yoo’s life is turned upside-down and shocking secrets from the night of the explosion are revealed.
18 Books with Shocking Endings
Is there anything more satisfying than a really surprising plot twist? The kind you can’t believe you didn’t guess earlier. The kind that makes you want to go back and reread the whole book to spot all the red herrings? We can’t get enough of them, which is why we’ve rounded up a list of new reads with totally shocking endings. From books that will remind you of Big Little Lies to taut courtroom dramas, these new books with plot twists will keep you guessing.
The Crime World Took a Holiday PODCAST
Katie and Rincey talk about the 2019 mysteries and thrillers they’re most excited for!
Diversity on Most Anticipated Lists
Many of the authors are well-known, having won awards for their previous books, but several debuts receive multiple shoutouts: [Kim’s debut Miracle Creek,] previously titled Miracle Submarine, has been getting positive response from librarians on GalleyChat ever since August.
New Books 2019
A couple find themselves embroiled in a murder trial after their experimental medical treatment device kills two people. This is being compared to Everything I Never Told You and Defending Jacob! YES PLEASE.
INTERVIEWS
In Her Debut Novel ‘Miracle Creek,’ Angie Kim Taps Into Themes She Knows Well (Author Interview with NPR All Things Considered Host Ari Shapiro)
Angie Kim’s debut novel, Miracle Creek, is a courtroom thriller that tackles heavy themes like immigration, parenting and autism.
“I Thought We Were the Unlucky Ones”: The Experimental Treatment That Inspired a Murder Mystery (Author Interview with The Guardian Editor Sian Cain)
Angie Kim’s debut Miracle Creek is a dissection of US healthcare and immigration, wrapped in a courtroom thriller. She talks about her son’s medical crisis, ‘goose fathers’ and Trump’s slurs.
Angie Kim Tears the ‘Good Mother’ Myth Apart in Debut Novel Miracle Creek
“We demonize mothers who don’t love the experience of mothering and parenting every single moment of every day.”
The Deepest Dive: BookPage Interview by Alice Cary
“When you have a kid that’s sick, it just brings so many things to focus. And when you have three kids that are sick with three different things, it’s just awful. I probably have many, many novels where I could talk about this stuff.”
Angie Kim on the Myth of the Good Mother: Reading Women Podcast with Kendra Winchester & Autumn Privett
“I think we have such unrealistic expectations for mothers, and what that does is it makes it impossible for mothers to talk about the difficulties…So for me it was really important for me to highlight these mothers who are at the extremes of self-sacrifice.”
The Who-/How-/Why-dunit: PW Talks with Angie Kim
“I certainly hope my novel will lend insight to the plight of immigrant families. Novels exploring immigrants’ lives are imperative right now, when there is so much hostility to people seen as ‘foreign’ and ‘different.’ Just as importantly, I hope my novel will raise awareness of the challenges that parents of special-needs children face… If I can build even a pinch of empathy for those especially burdened in today’s climate, I’d consider that my proudest accomplishment.”
“I’m Still Getting Used to the Idea of Being a Writer”: Q&A with Angie Kim
“Yes, I hoped and dreamed, of course (don’t we all?), but in the same way that you hope and dream you’ll win the lottery, not in the way that you think it will actually happen.”
Interview with Angie Kim, Author of Miracle Creek
Three different strands of author Angie Kim’s life come together to create her debut novel, Miracle Creek. This interview with Angie Kim is a must listen for a must read. Excellent choice for book discussions.
The Liars Club Oddcast #113: Angie Kim, Thriller Author
Angie Kim’s debut novel Miracle Creek is a psychological thriller that is winning rave reviews and appearing on “best of” lists just about everywhere. On this week’s Oddcast Kim talks about her books, her writing process, and her journey from pre-teen immigrant to editor of the Harvard Law Review to trial lawyer to writer to big-deal debut author, with cohosts Jon McGoran, Merry Jones, Greg Frost, Kelly Simmons, and Keith Strunk.
Writer Types Podcast: Angie Kim, Sophie Hannah, Crime Writers of Color
Steve and Eric talk to author Angie Kim about her debut novel, Miracle Creek.
Structural Options: Angie Kim and Lisa Gornick In Conversation
“You should see the walls of my tiny writing nook; they’re covered with charts and pictures with colored-pencil scrawls and arrows indicating changes everywhere.”
