The narrow road to Palem by Sharath Komarraju

"The narrow road to Palem" by Sharath Komarraju. This book has 114 pages.

Rudrakshapalem is a small sleepy village in Andhra on the banks of Godavari. During the day it's a normal village, but during night all sorts of wierd things happen. This book is a collection of such stories in this village. 

In 'The ace of clubs', Subbaiya comes in possession of a card, the ace of club. It changes his fortune, but at what cost?

Yenki starts seeing ghost of her husbands first wife 'Malli'. Why is she back three days after her death?

In 'Round and round', 17 year old Raji and middle aged Chander meet at the lake, when they try to return, some how, the come back to the same spot. Why?

In 'The milk is sour', 5 year old Sanjay thinks his mother is a demon and his mother thinks that he is jealous of his newborn sister and is a danger to her. Who's right?

On 'The narrow road to Palem' Vikas and Ritu meet a man selling mirrors. What does Ritu see in it? Why don't they remember where they left their car?

In 'The Sitarist of Palem', Lata comes to a shelter run by missionaries. When she plays Sitar, only she hears tabla. What is the significance?

'Peaceful are the dead' is story of Ramashastri's family that comes into possession of a lingam that will fulfil three wishes. What would they wish?

'The barber and the milkmaid' is a strange story of Gopal and ghost of his wife, who agree that their kids are the reason for their poverty and loss of love. What will he do?

In 'Dear house', a family lives in 20 different haunted houses in 20 years. Or is it the other way round?

'No yellow in my rainbow' is the story of an old woman whose grand daughter goes missing. Local landlord is suspected but not apprehended. What can an old woman do?

Author has created a village called Palem. It has a money lender, a land lord, a priest, a barber, shopkeepers, missionaries, a prostitute, general public and many more. This book is a collection of stories that happen in Palem but with a twist. All the stories are horror stories. It's a novel idea to write horror stories with a theme binding them, in this case Palem, the village. 

None of the stories makes you skip a beat or two of you heart. They don't tell you something beyond your imagination. Most of them are mild horror stories. The shock is gentle. 

Unfortunately the author becomes predictable as you read the book. So in later stories one can guess where the story is headed and how it may end. Reader can fairly accurately predict the twist. And this is the undoing of book. 

Sharath is a good author. I have read few of his books and have liked them. This one, though good, is not one of his better creations. He has also authored another book about this village Palem. I haven't read that. 

Read for a change, if you like horror stories.