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Mostly Mental: The (Un)Dead Files of Shantilal Biswas
Meet Shantilal Biswas—part-time freelance columnist, full-time reluctant ghost negotiator.
In this wildly original collection of nine darkly funny tales, Shantilal finds himself hurled into the absurd world of haunted PGs, cursed kitchen appliances, spectral book club tyrants, gluten-intolerant witches, and a heartbroken ghost who overshot his metro stop (and lost the girl to a dentist). Armed with only his tea flask, sardonic wit, and a deep mistrust of couscous, Shantilal navigates the supernatural bureaucracy of Kolkata with deadpan grace.
Each story is a playful spoof of horror tropes, infused with Bengali urban folklore, sly social commentary, and the type of logic only Shantilal can apply to the undead. Ghosts don’t scare him—entitled house guests and Wi-Fi bills do.
From the creator of Mostly Mundane comes this eccentric, genre-bending romp through the spiritual backstreets of India’s most haunted city. If you’ve ever argued with a librarian, feared your pressure cooker, or suspected your autocorrect had a grudge—this book is for you.
Perfect for fans
Dave Turner, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman (on a very Bengali day), and anyone who prefers their horror with a side of mustard oil and sarcasm.
In this wildly original collection of nine darkly funny tales, Shantilal finds himself hurled into the absurd world of haunted PGs, cursed kitchen appliances, spectral book club tyrants, gluten-intolerant witches, and a heartbroken ghost who overshot his metro stop (and lost the girl to a dentist). Armed with only his tea flask, sardonic wit, and a deep mistrust of couscous, Shantilal navigates the supernatural bureaucracy of Kolkata with deadpan grace.
Each story is a playful spoof of horror tropes, infused with Bengali urban folklore, sly social commentary, and the type of logic only Shantilal can apply to the undead. Ghosts don’t scare him—entitled house guests and Wi-Fi bills do.
From the creator of Mostly Mundane comes this eccentric, genre-bending romp through the spiritual backstreets of India’s most haunted city. If you’ve ever argued with a librarian, feared your pressure cooker, or suspected your autocorrect had a grudge—this book is for you.
Perfect for fans
Dave Turner, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman (on a very Bengali day), and anyone who prefers their horror with a side of mustard oil and sarcasm.
38 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2025
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 4, 2025
Mostly Mental is Absolutely Fantastic
For someone who is a bit cautious with her pick of paranormal stories, getting this book was the best decision ever. Here is why I think everyone with a good sense of humour and language should read this book. The author flawlessly creates short stories about our beloved Shantilal Biswas and his paranormal (mis) adventures. His sense of humour is sharp, fun, and so very relatable.
I thoroughly enjoyed each and every story and so, it would be unfair for me to pick a favourite. Saugata Chakraborty’s storytelling is flawless; he doesn’t stretch his descriptions but in fact they are crisp and succinct, and with only a few words, he draws out characters and scenarios that other authors may take pages to accomplish. Please go ahead and read Mostly Mental, it made me smile and laugh ever so often.
For someone who is a bit cautious with her pick of paranormal stories, getting this book was the best decision ever. Here is why I think everyone with a good sense of humour and language should read this book. The author flawlessly creates short stories about our beloved Shantilal Biswas and his paranormal (mis) adventures. His sense of humour is sharp, fun, and so very relatable.
I thoroughly enjoyed each and every story and so, it would be unfair for me to pick a favourite. Saugata Chakraborty’s storytelling is flawless; he doesn’t stretch his descriptions but in fact they are crisp and succinct, and with only a few words, he draws out characters and scenarios that other authors may take pages to accomplish. Please go ahead and read Mostly Mental, it made me smile and laugh ever so often.
Displaying 1 of 1 review