Title: Soul’s Despair
Author: Vivek Bhanot
Publisher: V R Publishing
Genre: Supernatural Thriller
First Publication: 2022
Language: English
Book Summary: Soul’s Despair by Vivek Bhanot
Two grisly deaths in one night!
After Inspector Danish Dev of Mumbai Police is entrusted with the two cases, he struggles to fathom whether the deaths are murders or suicides. And whether there exists a connection between the two tragedies.
But even as he is trying to figure out the answers, he is left rattled by a dark presence that seems to be following him everywhere. Never before has he experienced anything so terrifying. Is it linked to the two cases? Danish does not know yet. All he knows is that the answer seems to lie in unravelling the mysteries behind the deaths.
And now, he has to battle against time to uncover the truth. If he fails in his quest the terrifying presence will haunt him for life.
Book Review: Soul’s Despair by Vivek Bhanot
Vivek Bhanot’s novel Soul’s Despair is a Crime-Mystery-Paranormal story that centres on Inspector Danish Dev of the Mumbai Police Department as he begins to investigate inexplicable murders. Danish, who was given responsibility for the two investigations, is having a tough time determining if the deaths were the result of suicide or murder and whether or not the killings are linked. What he finds out is far more frightening than he could have possibly thought it would be.
Dev’s search for the truth behind the murders takes a supernatural turn as he is haunted by a sinister force that appears to follow him wherever he goes. Parallels to the past become immediately apparent to Danish, who must now determine what is happening. This is a very interesting and unique take on the standard police procedural genre involving paranormal activities. Because it is so brilliantly written, I found it to be very believable, quite engrossing, and highly entertaining. In a way, it brings the supernatural into the realm of the ordinary.
The plot is tight and extremely well written, and it provides an unusual dimension to the conventional murder mysteries that can be found on bookshelves nowadays. Danish Dev is a wonderful character who does his best to maintain his composure despite being plagued by the presence of a supernatural being. The narrative moves smoothly, makes effective use of descriptive language, and steadily ramps up to a frightening climax. As the story went on, the connection between the past and the present became clearer, yet the author still managed to keep you guessing right up until the very end.
Vivek Bhanot is an accomplished writer. The quality of the writing was outstanding in every aspect. This novel benefits from the brisk pace he brings to it, and his ability to switch between characters is seamless. Even though the novel is mostly procedural and relies on concise, swift characterization rather than lengthy introspection, I found the main characters to be interesting and distinct. The story’s eloquent use of adverbs, conjunctions, and other descriptive phrases kept the reader’s imagination active and engaged. There are a few descriptions; nevertheless, they are not to the point where they distract from the story’s progression.
Soul’s Despair is an engaging combination of Urban Fantasy and Horror, featuring a plot that is as close to a crime procedural as it can be. When a book attempts to combine reality and the supernatural, sometimes one or the other suffers in the process. However, Vivek Bhanot produced some mysterious and frightening supernatural elements that felt intriguing. This is a promising and well-written supernatural crime thriller with an eerie narrative, well-developed characters, and a plot that keeps you guessing. It’s packed with red herrings and unexpected twists that will leave the reader gasping for air.
