Book Review — THE DARJEELING GHOST by Kulpreet Yadav

THE DARJEELING GHOST: A 120-year-old ghost warns a young woman that her life is in danger by Kulpreet Yadav

Pages: 51
Price: Rs. 49 INR(Kindle Edition)
ASIN: B08BK4RS87
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3doo35g

My take on the book:

Rhea and Rocky who are recently engaged and soon to be married, arrive in Darjeeling; they reach the bungalow provided to Rocky by his employer where Rocky will soon join as an intern. 102 years ago, the same place witnessed a young girl Ana went missing, her body not to be found to date and the case closed long back. Rhea presumes she has seen Ana on the day of their arrival, followed by hearing whispers, scratching sounds and someone’s suspicious presence.

Rhea continues to wake up every night and hears steps approaching her. Thapa and his wife Mala, the caretakers of this huge place are the only people around and as much they try to assure Rhea that she is safe, Rhea is perpetually disturbed. Is it really Ana who was chasing Rhea or it is Rhea’s imagination or someone trying to scare her to leave the place, forms the rest of the story.

The story setup in the backdrop of a hill station on a huge bungalow with one of the protagonists spooked by the place, coupled with a mystery of prior death at the same place, is a typical setup for a horror story. Even with the clichés the story is engrossing with fast paced narration, as the author’s livid description of the surroundings transports reader to the story setting, and the interesting twists keep the reader on edge. At only 51 pages, this one is a quick read and the few characters carry enough intrigue and mystery as the reader will keep suspecting each of them. The story is also given a proper conclusion unlike a lot of short stories that end abruptly.

However, I personally did not find it as scary or chilling as the warning on the book cover, though the story does have paranormal elements. Pick this one for a short, engaging horror story.

My rating:

4/5.