Break Room

Break Room by Miye Lee | Psychological Workplace Thriller

Introduction

Break Room by Miye Lee is a darkly funny psychological thriller that turns workplace politics into a high-stakes reality show. When eight office workers are invited to compete for a prize, they soon discover that they were selected because their own colleagues consider them the people they would least like to share a break room with.

About This Book

What initially looks like an exciting opportunity quickly becomes an unsettling social experiment. The eight contestants are forced to confront how their co-workers perceive them, only to learn that one participant is secretly working as a mole for the show's producers.

The contestants must identify the hidden saboteur before time runs out if they want to win the prize. As suspicion grows, ordinary conversations become potential clues, alliances begin to shift, and every participant becomes uncertain about whom they can trust.

Beyond the mystery, the novel examines the uncomfortable gap between intention and perception. The contestants are forced to consider how their behaviour is interpreted by others and what their reputations say about who they really are.

What You’ll Discover

• A reality-show mystery: Enter a competition where identifying the hidden mole is essential to winning the prize.
• Workplace politics: Explore office rivalries, reputations, grudges, and the complicated relationships between colleagues.
• Shifting alliances: Watch trust break down as contestants question every conversation and interaction.
• Perception versus intention: Examine how people's actions can be interpreted very differently from how they were meant.
• Psychological suspense: Follow a growing atmosphere of paranoia where anyone could be deceiving everyone else.
• Dark humour and social commentary: Experience a sharp look at modern workplace culture, judgment, identity, and reputation.

Perfect For

• Readers of psychological thrillers and mystery novels
• Fans of workplace suspense and office dramas
• Readers interested in Korean and translated fiction
• Fans of dark comedy mixed with psychological tension
• Readers who enjoy unreliable perceptions, social experiments, and mind games
• Fans of Miye Lee and character-driven speculative or contemporary fiction

Why You’ll Love This Book

Break Room transforms familiar workplace dynamics into an unpredictable psychological game. Its central premise makes every interaction significant, while the hidden mole creates a constant sense of uncertainty about who is telling the truth.

By combining suspense with dark humour and observations about reputation, judgment, and office culture, this paperback offers more than a conventional mystery. It asks readers to consider how easily people can be labelled—and whether surviving the game means discovering the villain or understanding yourself.