Karma-Abhirup Dhar

Book: Karma
Author: Abhirup Dhar
Publisher: Om Books International

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Do you believe in the existence of alternative realities?

In the misty hills of Darjeeling, a six-year-old Ricky feels a malevolent presence lurking in the shadows of his new home. From the night he wakes up from a bad dream nothing is ever the same again. As his family is faced with an onslaught of supernatural disturbances, they turn to a psychic for answers, only to unearth secrets that defy all rules of reality. Decades later, in the same house, Karma and Sakshi find themselves trapped in a nightmare of paranormal terror. As their secluded home becomes a battleground for sinister forces, a relentless storm seals them in, cutting off any hope of escape. As they confront the chilling truth that lies hidden within the walls of their home, they are forced to question everything they once knew. What powers move in the house? What is its history? Are Ricky and Karma connected? What truths are Karma and Sakshi evading? In a house where every corner holds a secret and an old antique mirror hides the answers, everyone must confront their deepest fears before it’s too late. In Karma, Abhirup Dhar spins a web of twisted realities, where the boundaries between the past and the present are blurred to foreground the truly haunting aspect of life—death.

Karma is a wonderfully written story of how our sense of reality can sometimes be an illusion. Based in the hills of Darjeeling, Abhirup explores a story of how the idea of time and reality can be warped and what we are experiencing, might just be a false sense of comfort. The book is a short read, however within 118 pages, Abhirup manages to weave a story that keeps you turning the pages. The highlight of the book is the way the book is written. The core idea of the book is hidden in plain sight, however the journey to the reveal is quite interesting and as a reader, it is almost as if you are reading those 2-in-1 books which flipped in the middle (no spoilers here!!!). The spook factor is still there, however the fear in this book is not the one that makes you jump but something that sends chills throughout your body. The idea of death is something that he explores quite nicely. My favourite part of the book is the basement scene, especially the second time over, when the realization hits you as to what really happened and then you have that moment of awareness of the story that the author wanted to tell.

If I talk about characters, Karma was my favourite. The way his story has been structured is an excellent piece of storytelling in itself. The way his life unfolds, and he gets what he wants, only to lose it all in that one moment of weakness was a wonderful way of crafting this character. Kirtiman as a Paranormal Investigator has been nicely crafted as well, and there is a certain respect and dignity that he brings to the character.

Overall, Karma is a recommendation if you love reading a well-written paranormal tale. The book scores a 4.8/5 for me. 

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!