A Season Of Ghosts is Ruskin Bond's foray into the chilling world of mystery and macabre. Once, when asked by a young fan
if he believed in Ghosts, Bond is famously known to have replied, "Well, I don't believe in them but I keep seeing them". In this book, he constantly displays this ability to be witty, all the while keeping a straight face. To instil humour in a ghost story is no mean task and this
master raconteur achieves this feat with trademark ease.The book is a
collection of 10 stories set amidst the author's beloved mountains.The mood in the stories varies from the sombre, in 'On Fairy Hill'to Roald Dahl style macabre in 'The Prize'. Other stories in the collection explore various facets of life in the Himalayas- the possessive witch in 'The Black Cat', the traic story of Gulabi in 'Wilson's Bridge' and 'The Rakshasas' which is steeped in forklore. It ends with a tantalizing mystery 'Who Killed the Rani', which is more like a novella since it occupies almost half of the book's space.
Ruskin Bond is a past master at making even the most commonplace and seemingly droll things appear lively and humourous when he puts them on paper in his simple but inimitable style. This book is highly recommended for young and old and anybody in between with an appetite for an interesting tale.