A Face in the Dark and Other Hauntings

Set against atmospheric locations ranging from the hills around Shimla to lonely roads, forests, houses and cemeteries, these stories demonstrate Ruskin Bond’s distinctive ability to turn ordinary surroundings into places of mystery. Some tales are genuinely frightening, while others are whimsical, strange or darkly humorous.

The collection includes stories about ghosts returning from the dead, an elderly woman who becomes a witch after dark, a dead schoolboy who continues to ride along a country road, and the ghost of Rudyard Kipling appearing in London. Together, the stories showcase Bond’s fascination with the paranormal while retaining his characteristic simplicity and warmth.

Ruskin Bond is one of India’s most beloved writers. He has written more than 500 short stories, essays and articles, along with numerous novels and books for children. His first novel, The Room on the Roof, won the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize. He has received major Indian literary honours including the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan.

The collection explores the mysterious and supernatural side of Ruskin Bond’s literary world. In these twenty-eight stories, familiar landscapes become settings for encounters with spirits, witches, strange creatures and unexplained phenomena.

The title story, ‘A Face in the Dark’, follows a schoolteacher who encounters a mysterious boy in a lonely pine forest near Shimla. Other stories explore equally unsettling situations, including animals that seem to return from the dead, haunted roads, supernatural visitors and ghostly appearances.

Moving between chilling horror and gentle humour, the collection shows that Bond’s ghosts are not always terrifying—they can also be mysterious, melancholic and unexpectedly entertaining. It is an atmospheric introduction to the author’s supernatural fiction and a strong choice for readers who enjoy classic Indian ghost stories.