Ghosts in Our Backyard-Alisha ‘Priti’ Kirpalani

Book: Ghosts in Our Backyard: The Ramsay’s Real-Life Encounters with the Supernatural
Author: Alisha ‘Priti’ Kirpalani
Publisher: HarperCollins India

Do you believe in spirits and other supernatural entities?

Ghosts in Our Backyard by Alisha ‘Priti’ Kirpalani is a collection of supernatural incidents that the Ramsay Brothers, famous for their spooky movies, and their family endured off the camera. Said to be India’s first family of horror, their name is synonymous with supernatural and gore. Alisha is the granddaughter of FU Ramsay, who has grown up on the family stories of supernatural encounters, and following in her family tradition, she has seen past the barrier that separates this world from the other. Gripping collection of incidents, this is one book that would shake you from the very first page.

The book is a collection of 22 incidents that the Ramsay family encountered with the supernatural. Alisha narrates the incidents in the first person, and we get to understand the events playing out from the eyes of the person experiencing it, making it even more chilling. The stories span family members, and it seems none of them were immune to this ability to experience. Almost as if it were one of the Ramsay scripts, each of the stories is spine-chilling and might make you sit up while reading, praying that you get a good night’s sleep. The storytelling is engaging and makes for a wonderful read, and at the same time, gives us a unique insight into the lives of the Ramsay family from the eyes of an insider. One thing that makes the book interesting are the micro poems that signal the start of a new story, which are very apt and excellently written.

GIOB works because of the sheer simplicity in the way things pan out. There is no exaggeration of horror, or unnecessary sounds and visual cues. It is subtly communicated and that is what makes some of the stories terrifying. I was chilled to the bone reading “The Hitchhiker” and “The Jogger”. These 2 stories were specially quite vivid and almost made me relive the events. This is a highlight in the other 20 stories as well. The visual cues and the descriptions are enough to set the tone, making them light to read, yet with maximum impact. The way the story moves from the Ramsay family to Alisha’s own struggles was interesting and while I pray that no one should experience what she did, it was her courage and perseverance that should be applauded.

If I had to give one reason for recommending this book, it would be the ease of storytelling and the narration that takes the baton away.

Overall, this is a book that is highly recommended for fans of horror and the supernatural, and if you have watched a Ramsay movie, then this is a must read. GIOB scores a 4.75/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India here.