From the number 1 Amazon India bestselling author, indie filmmaker, and an ex-armed forces officer, Kulpreet Yadav, comes a novella that will scare the readers like never before. Set in quaint Darjeeling, this chilling, unputdownable horror story is about 18-year-old Rhea and her boyfriend, Rocky, as they encounter the ghost of a missing girl from colonial times.
"A young woman, who was brutalized as a child, is helped by a 120-year-old ghost to overcome her fears and face her killer."
1905. A British teenaged girl named Ana Collette arrives in Darjeeling where her father works as a manager in a tea estate. She falls in love with the place instantly but disappears one night. No one has any idea where she's gone. After years of search, the case is closed and her file is marked as - missing.
2020. A young couple named Rhea and Rocky arrives in Darjeeling. Engaged days before their arrival, their wedding is scheduled after a few months. They stay in the same bungalow where Ana Colette had stayed with her father 120 years ago. Right from their first night, Rhea begins to hear strange sounds and whispers, but Rocky can’t. When she shares it with him, he makes fun of her, saying he’s surprised that she still believes in bhoot-pret.
Rhea’s uncle had molested her when she was twelve and her first thoughts are that he is back. When she realises it is not him, her suspicion shifts towards the guard and the cook employed at the bungalow. But as the disturbances continue, her thoughts turn towards herself. Is she really losing her mind as no one else can hear these sounds and whispers? By now Rhea is fragile, she’s frightened, and she begins to feel lonely even in the presence of her fiancé, Rocky.
As an Army officer’s daughter, whose father had died fighting terrorists, Rhea finally decides to put all her fears behind her and find out the truth on her own. Her major shocking revelation is that an invisible spirit of a young girl is trying to communicate with her. As she learns that it is Ana’s ghost, she turns sympathetic towards her and secretly approaches a tantric baba named Gardan Baba whose head keeps moving in small circles due to a weak neck.
Rhea has no idea that she is about to embark on the scariest adventure of her life, one that will send her into the depths of the unknown.
One of the leading fiction writers in India, Kulpreet Yadav retired voluntarily from the armed forces to pursue a career in writing in 2014. Also a motivational speaker now, he has spoken at more than two hundred schools, colleges, and global corporate brands during the last four years. Popular for his Andy Karan series, his new spy novel, Murder in Paharganj, was published by Bloomsbury India in Oct 2017. Kulpreet lives in Delhi with his wife and two daughters.
'The Darjeeling Ghost' by Kulpreet Yadav is a book that revolves around a 120 year old ghost who is trying to warn a woman about a probable danger. So, the story begins when a newly engaged couple Rhea and Rocky come to Darjeeling due to work purposes. Rocky's company had given them a huge bunglow to stay but Rhea was constantly in dilemma and thought that there is something that is telling her to stop going any further. Soon they settle down and on the very first night Rhea started experiencing wierd things like some sounds as if someone is trying to convey a very important message to her. But on further investigations by her she comes to a conclusion that there's no one else who's can hear these sounds. Rhea starts questioning herself and thinks that there has to be something wrong with her only. Who is this ghost? What and from whom is the ghost trying to save Rhea from? To know more read 'The Darjeeling Ghost'
My thoughts: The story is short and really engaging. I liked how the plot is to the point and each page has a plot twist.
The characters are well developed and I really liked how Rhea after getting herself into this mysterious situation wants to know what exactly has happened in the past and get to the core of the main events.
The langauge is simple and lucid. The narration was well done and I must say that people who want to dive into horror genre can surely start from this book.
The book cover is interesting and gives us the horror/haunted feeling right away. The title of the book is also apt to the plot.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would surely recommend it to all.
Book Title: The Darjeeling Ghost Author: Kulpreet Yadav Format: Kindle
Book Title: The title of the book ' The Darjeeling Ghost ' is mysterious and scary.
Book Cover: The cover image of the book is a picture of an abandoned car. The Black and white image gives an eerie feeling. The title and the cover match with each other, but why a car is present in the cover image is mysterious.
My review: This is my probably 5th book from Author Kulpreet Yadav, and I am always fascinated by his writing skills. In this book, he has unveiled another layer in his writing style. The thriller element in the story is the brainchild, and he has excelled in presenting it.
What I like: 1. The plot 2. The emotional quotient 3. The mystery part of the story 4. The conversations and the approach.
What I didn't like: There is nothing to be disliked. It is a short and exciting story, as said.
Characters: The story has three central characters. Rhea and Rocky are married to each other, and Ana is the character which makes the story turn a large U. All the primary and other characters have been given equal space and strength in the story.
Narration: The story has an interesting and engaging narration. The mystery and the horror element in the story are well maintained and retained till the end. Author Kulpreet has done a great a work in this book like always.
Language & Grammar: Easy language with good vocabulary is found in the book.
My Final Verdict: Short and interesting story
Book Title: 3/5 Book Cover: 3/5 Inside the book: 3/5 Characters: 3/5 Narration: 3/5 Language & Grammar: 3/5 Final Rating: 3/5
“THE DARJEELING GHOST” is a horror novella by author Kulpreet Yadav. Set in the valleys of Darjeeling, the story starts with Rhea and her fiancé Rocky arriving at a bungalow from colonial times. As soon as they set foot in the house, Rhea begins to experience strange disturbances in the house. She is intrigued by a painting that adorns the house. It turns out to be the painting of the unfortunate Ana Collette who had suddenly disappeared one night, back in 1905. As her days in the house progresses, she finds herself getting caught in a web that spans across a century. When she starts to unravel the threads, she finds herself in grave danger, with a ghost of a young woman behind the scenes.
The cover of the story tells you not to read it at night. So I was probably expecting more from the book. Honestly, it failed to instill the horror that was promised. It may be because I have read too many horror books and the horror genre has been explored left and right. Coming to the premise of the story, I admit that a ghost in a lonely bungalow is the topic of terror for most people. I suppose given proper circumstances, the story would certainly allow horror to creep into the reader’s bones. But I do feel robbed of the horror element. I can not quite put my finger on the reason. The plot is packed with details and quite a few elements are floating around, from Rhea’s notorious uncle to the ghost to the colonial times. I felt there was very little suspense when it came to the story. Now in the Amazon description, the purpose of the ghost is already described. So there goes a plotline. The ghost element could have explored a bit more. She could have been made more terrifying, only to reveal her truth at the end. I did like the original ending. It makes me want to know the rest of the story. With only 51 pages, it is a quick read. It is horrifying in the sense that the supernatural meets reality that spans across decades. It is a good read. But it did not work for me as a horror story. The narration is good though. Readers will enjoy it, without doubt. #quickreads
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.
The Book - "The Darjeeling Ghost" mainly revolves around three characters - Rhea, Rocky and Ana. The story begins when Rhea with her fiance Rocky travels to Darjeeling due to some work and they stayed in the same bungalow where Ana had stayed with her father 120 years ago. But she was gone missing and no one knew where she had gone all of sudden. Her missing case remained an unsolved mystery. When Rhea first entered in the house, she could feel the presence of someone and also begins to hear strange sounds. Soon, she could feel that someone is trying to warn her about someone or trying to protect her from danger. As she was trying to connect one after another dot, to solve the mystery, she could feel that her life was in danger and the girl named Ana was not missing but killed long back. Who killed Ana? Who want to kill Rhea? Why was the ghost protecting Rhea? Why only Rhea could hear the strange sounds?
Overall, I really liked the story. Once I started reading, it was hard for me to put it down for a second because the story was quite interesting and engaging. This book is not one of the scariest book I ever read(may not be same for everyone) but it is definitely worth reading because the author did a great job in terms of narration and characterization. The language used is simple and lucid. This book is a kind of short read(51 pages), which will take an hour to complete. Highly recommend.
👻As the name suggests "THE DARJEELING GHOST" by Kulpreet Yadav is a horror genre. In this story a 120-year-old ghost warns a young woman that her life is in danger.
👻Rhea and Rocky are newly engaged couple who are soom to get married. As Rocky gets an internship in a tea estate in Darjeeling, Rhea also accompanies him there for two months. The company provides a bungalow for their stay. Thapa and his wife Mala are there for their service.
👻From the very first day, Rhea feels like the place is haunted. Only Rhea keeps hearing whispers, scratching sounds and few other suspicious things. None believes Rhea about this.
👻Meanwhile, 120-year-old ghost named Ana warns Rhea that her life is in danger. It gives clue on the hidden knife kept in Rhea's bedroom to kill her.
👻Is the ghost really helping her? Or someone else is playing tricks?
👻This is a new attempt from Kulpreet Yadav. After reading his other two books from different genre, horror genre is a different.
👻The thrill and horror was maintained till the end of the story. Title was chosen perfectly. Cover reflects well about the horror.
👻Character development was done well. Narration would have been better. Few logic went missing in the story.
👻Overall it is nice one time read. Would recommend to horror lovers.
I watch a lot of horror movies but usually stay away from horror books.
When I got an opportunity to read 'The Darjeeling Ghost' by @kulpreet_yadav I decided to take it up!
A newly engaged couple, Rhea and Rocky visit Darjeeling on a work assignment. They are given an age old bungalow where a girl named Ana Colette who went missing in her teens had stayed with her father over 100 years ago.
Right from seeing a girl in the window before entering the bungalow, to the portrait of Ana Colette and the sounds at night, everything spooks Rhea at this new place. She tries to explain things to Rocky but soon realises that nobody hears those sounds except her.
She decides to uncover the mystery on her own. Braving the odds, she begins an unexpected journey in an unknown place. Rhea succeeds in unwrapping some dark secrets and realises her life is in danger. What will be her next step? Read this novella to know more!
What I liked about the book is it's narration. There are enough twists and turns to keep you hooked and the suspense is sustained till the end.
With October fast approaching, if you are looking for a short read which isn't too scary yet manages to keep you glued throughout, then this book is for you.
The thing that most excited me to read this one was the caption on the book cover that says “Do not read it at night. You have been warned.” This year I read some horror stories and this one stood apart with its eeriness and the characters. It made my heart beat so fast. It was an exciting, haunting thriller of 51 pages. Rocky and Rhea are engaged. They go to Darjeeling and stay in a bungalow given to them by Rocky’s company where he interns. Rhea has a strange feeling from day one in the new house. It seems that there is a history of that place. Ana, a young girl goes missing a hundred years ago and the case is closed without finding her. Rhea feels that she is being warned by Ana by the impending danger in her life. Rhea gets pulled into a web of drama from the past. It is haunting to read the rest of the story. The writing is simple. You can follow the story with ease. Like all Kulpreet Yadav’s books, I am most impressed with the characters. The strength of this book lies in the characterization. It is the soul of this book. Since I don’t read a lot of horror genre, I started this book with no expectations. Just the warning on the cover made me read it in one go. I enjoyed the book. It was haunting and I was thrilled to read another spectacular Kulpreet Yadav’s creation.
Inspite of being a short story, the book is engaging from first page. The story build up is fast and nice, but i found climax to be disappointing.
So, rhea goes with her fiancé rocky in darjeeling and is allotted a big and ancient mansion to stay. There she notice a spirit of young girl who was killed/dissappeared earlier and is now trying to protect rhea from her killer. All suspicion points towards her fiancé whose family has reputation of killing people, but though help of spirit she is able to get hold of the killer, which of course is not Rocky.
With this the spirit is cremated as per rituals and she leaves happily assuring rhea that all is well now. However, at last it is revealed that killer caught earlier was the pawn used by her fiancé and he is actually the real killer. What didn't go well with me was this part. The spirit always knew who the real killer was and the entire story is based on theme that she was trying to protect her. So why did she left rhea inspite of knowing this danger? I found this to be unconvincing.
It would have been a very nice read if the climax would have been better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This novella starts with a young couple visiting Darjeeling and getting spooked on the first night itself.
Rocky worked with 'Golden Brew' tea company as an intern and is given a bungalow to stay in! He brings his fiancee, Rhea along with him without informing their respective families.
This bungalow has a history as almost a century ago, a British teenage girl named Ana Collette was brutally murdered there.
They are not even completely settled in the place that Rhea starts feeling uneasy. Soon inexplicable and eerie things happens where Rhea would hear noises during night time but couldn't trace the origins!
To her surprise, the bungalow's gatekeeper, his wife and even Rocky are behaving in a suspicious manner . She is also warned about her own murder plans. Soon, she discovers the dark and shady past of Rocky's family and tries to connect the dots, however finding it difficult to doubt her own lover.
Will she be able to find the truth behind Ana's murder and save her own life? Pick this short horror thriller to find out.
THE DARJEELING GHOST is the story of Rhea and Rocky who move into an old mansion as Rocky gets a new job in a company. Soon, Rhea realizes that they are not alone and the mansion is haunted by the spirit of Ana, a girl who was killed almost 100 yrs ago. As Rhea discovers further secrets about the mansion, she is startled to learn that someone is after her life. Soon, she must find out her would-be killer before the killer succeeds in his mission. The ambience of the mansion is spooky and it will make you feel scared in staying in such a place, alone. The suspense is well built and drags till the end. There are many moments in the story that will make the reader turn on the lights if by mistake he or she is reading in dark. With this book, the author has achieved a significant landmark by venturing into the Horror genre (my favorite) successfully after already claiming Crime fiction/non-fiction and Romantic fiction territory undisputedly. A must read for all horror fans!
Rhea and Rocky comes to Darjeeling to live in a house provided by Rocky's company. The house is huge and Rhea doubts Rocky's company because how can they give such huge home to an intern? As soon as she enters she could feel something weird, like something is stopping her to do something. It's their first night and Rhea starts hearing noises which are not heard by anyone else, nor Rocky and neither the maid or guard. She starts thinking she is getting crazy but one by one the layers start peeling off and she is in front of the truth which is not only dangerous but it can kill her too. What will she do? Will she survive? Or will she also vanish like just Ana, who got missing 120 years ago?
It's a short read, so the story was on the point and engaging. It was not horror to be but yes, thrilling and filled with suspense. Story was well written, language simple and understanding. Ending was unexpected! A must-read.
Fast paced. Unpredictable. An unexpected ending. All that set in idyllic and absolutely beautiful Darjeeling. I won't spoil the fun by revealing anything though.. Congrats to Kulpreet who forayed into a new genre with this one.