Join the Bondi Literary Salon for our next book club, hosted by Emma Selby. In our gathering, we will discuss Minyoung Kang's new novel, Plant Lady.

WHEN: Tuesday, 20th October 2026, at Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore; please arrive at 6.45pm for a prompt 7pm start.

TICKETS: Admission: $25.00 (excluding external fees). Your ticket includes a drink on arrival and nibbles during the evening.

Bad men make excellent fertiliser.

The Book:

Tucked away in the corner of a neighbourhood in Dosan, South Korea, is the Plant Shop. Its owner, Yoohee, has started anew, while her meticulously grown foliage thrives under her tender care. Plant Shop is her refuge, where petunias and marigolds bloom, and the air itself is like an elixir of peace.

By day, Yoohee dispenses gardening advice, but she also offers a special service after hours. Desperate women come to her about a man they hope will disappear from their lives.

Because Yoohee has encountered these kinds of men in her own life, men who treated her (and her beloved plants) with utter disrespect.

So as night falls, Yoohee trades her apron for a shovel and a hoe and vanishes into her moonlit garden. There, she buries not just the remains of the day, but also the bloody remnants of a few unfortunate incidents.

As more men are reported missing, a determined young detective comes knocking.

The Author:

Minyoung Kang is a writer and editor-in-chief of film magazine CAST. Her publications include the novel Don’t Let me Freeze Up, Please and the essay collection Ride a Bicycle and Keep Going. She also publishes short stories on the popular Korean e-book platform, RIDIBooks. She lives in Korea.

In the heart of a quiet town, a young woman tends to her plant shop, but beneath the soil of her lush, green sanctuary lies something far darker.

About The Bondi Literary Salon

Bondi Literary Salon was established in 2018, it is the in-house book club of beloved Bondi institution, Gertrude & Alice. The group endeavours to explore the vast world of literature each month, with a selection that reflects a focus on diverse writers and stories; delving into both classic and contemporary fiction, as well as non-fiction.

Our philosophy has always been to use language and literature not only as a tool for connection and community, but as an insight into worlds we have not had the pleasure of visiting ourselves. We welcome all - young and old, those with a life-long love of literature, or whose relationship may be only beginning. Join us in the unmatched comfort of an after-hours bookstore, accompanied by wine and cheese, for an evening spent discussing books and building community.

About Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore:

Rated as one of the top 10 bookstores in the world by National Geographic, Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore is an oasis for writers, readers, and coffee lovers. Books overflow from the shelves of their store, featuring a mix of new, second-hand, antiquarian and rare books. Stay a while & enjoy some homemade chai, and amazing coffee, and unearth a book treasure or two. Read more about the bookstore's story here, and about the real Gertrude & Alice here.

Contact the host of Plant Lady, Bondi Literary Salon Book Club