Solitude: Four Unsettling Tales of Love, Obsession and Horror | Winner of Legacy of Literature Award 2025: Best Horror Fiction

by Shubham Jain

'Best Horror Fiction - Legacy of Literaure Award' by The Literature Times.
'Best Book in Horror Anthology - Author Pen Award' by The Book Channel.

Four strangers. Four haunted lives. Four stories where loneliness breeds terror.

Solitude is a collection of slow-burning psychological horror tales that blend raw human emotion with the chilling unknown. Each story peels back the fragile layers of the human psyche — where love twists into obsession, comfort hides claws, and silence becomes the loudest nightmare of all.

Sudha — A middle-aged housewife trapped in a loveless marriage discovers a midnight encounter that promises transformation… but at a terrible price.

Asad — A gentle young man seeking peace in Bengaluru’s woods finds himself consumed by a dangerous obsession that blurs desire and possession.

Avantika — Burned out and retreating to a secluded mansion in the Uttarakhand hills, she learns that nature’s embrace can be as merciless as it is tender.

Rohan — Alone on the storm-lashed Andaman coast, he watches a distant lighthouse reveal horrors with every sweep of its light.


Unsettling, melancholic, and unforgettable, Solitude doesn’t just aim to frighten — it lingers. It asks what happens when the quiet spaces we long for, turn against us, and when our deepest desires become our darkest fears.

Perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson, Mariana Enriquez, and Stephen King’s quieter nightmares, Solitude is for readers who crave horror that cuts deep, long after the final page.

Genres: Fiction

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 17, 2025

Reviews

[The Indian Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solitude by Shubham Jain is a moving and thought-provoking book that brings together four stories about people who feel alone, misunderstood, or emotionally distant from the world around them. Though the book includes elements of horror and mystery, at its heart, it is about human emotions, especially the kind we hide from others and sometimes even from ourselves.

Shubham Jain’s writing is one of the strongest parts of this book. His style is simple yet poetic, and he uses beautiful imagery to describe everyday feelings in a way that truly touches the reader. He writes with sensitivity and empathy, making you pause and reflect on your own life. The language is easy to follow, but the emotions are deep. Even in short scenes, he creates vivid pictures of loneliness, longing, guilt, fear, and desire.

What makes his writing special is how gently he enters the minds of his characters. He understands silent pain, unspoken thoughts, and the inner battles that people rarely express aloud. Instead of loud drama, the stories quietly build emotion and tension. The horror in the book is not only about ghosts or supernatural elements, it is about the scary thoughts, memories, and regrets that people carry within themselves. This makes the stories relatable, even when the setting feels eerie or mysterious.

The first story, Sudha, shows how loneliness can exist even in a long marriage. Without loud fights or visible problems, the relationship still feels empty. The author captures this emotional gap with great clarity, showing how silence can sometimes be more painful than conflict. Each story in the book has a similar emotional depth, even though the characters are very different from each other.

The book also highlights personal identity, self-worth, and the need to be seen, heard, and understood. The author beautifully expresses how even “quiet people” have rich inner lives. Instead of judging his characters, he treats them with respect and kindness.

Read more about the book here: https://theindianbookclub.com/readers...

[Yamini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capturing the stories of four different individuals in their own worlds, the book leaves us with a thought: solitude isn’t always as peaceful as it seems, sometimes it is frightening.

Each of the four protagonists (Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan) is written with a sense of quiet dread that builds gradually. The settings, whether it is a storm-battered coast, a lonely mansion in the hills, or Bengaluru’s woods, are more than just backdrops; they become extensions of the characters’ inner turmoil.

You don’t exactly encounter ghosts or gore, but the stories rely on atmosphere. The unease creeps under your skin like goosebumps in a slow-burn style that allows the tension to settle, making the eventual moments of horror effective.

While I wasn’t a fan of the uneven pacing, the variety in the characters’ situations kept me hooked. I did feel some climaxes could have packed more of a punch, but that may be personal taste when it comes to horror. If you enjoy slow-burning stories that unsettle more than they terrify, this one is definitely worth picking up.

[Ruthvi Shetty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shubham Jain’s 'Solitude' offers four chilling-different perspective stories built around love, obsession, and loneliness. Each one reveals how solitude in a person's life can shift into something haunting be it ones own narrative or borrowed advice. The writing captures mood beautifully. Emotional read with its own spookiness and will leave you thinking about it quietly.

[Rimii Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book flows beautifully, offering small exercises and reflections that feel easy to practice. What I liked most was how real and comforting it felt, no pressure to be perfect, just encouragement to pause, breathe, and listen within. I found myself underlining several lines that spoke directly to my heart. May be if you like the plot, you can also give it a try

[Sameer Gudhate · Rating 4 out of 5]

It starts like a film with the sound turned low — a ceiling fan humming, rain smudging a window, someone breathing too carefully in the dark. That’s how Solitude opens — not with a scream, but with the kind of silence that makes your skin remember things you’ve tried to forget.

I didn’t pick this book to be scared. I picked it because the title felt eerily familiar. Solitude. That tender, terrifying word. The one that sometimes heals, sometimes destroys. And Shubham Jain, in his haunting debut, knows exactly how to make that word breathe, shiver, and ache on the page.

Before turning writer full-time, Shubham spent years crafting stories for brands. You can feel that precision here — every sentence measured, yet alive with pulse. He’s a Delhi boy who seems to have seen enough faces, heard enough silences, and gathered enough untold stories to realize that true horror doesn’t need monsters; it lives quietly in ordinary people who’ve been left alone too long.

Solitude brings together four of them — Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan — strangers linked by the thin, trembling thread of loneliness. The book doesn’t rush you. It lures you gently, like a dimly lit corridor where every step echoes a little too loudly. In Sudha’s story, the air feels heavy with things unsaid — the sound of a ceiling fan, the way a woman’s shadow stretches thinner each night beside an indifferent husband. Asad’s story smells of wet earth and danger — Bengaluru’s woods humming with both desire and dread. Avantika’s retreat to the misty Uttarakhand hills offers momentary relief, but the quiet there is treacherous, like a lover holding you too tight. And Rohan, alone by the roaring Andaman sea, watches the beam of a distant lighthouse reveal horrors — not always external.

What makes these stories extraordinary isn’t the supernatural. It’s the ordinary — the way loneliness can warp love, how silence can amplify guilt, how the mind can become its own haunted house. Jain doesn’t rely on jump scares or shock; he builds atmosphere like a slow poison, a creeping unease that grows as you read. The pacing is deliberate — at times slow, but always intentional — mirroring the inertia of those trapped in their inner prisons.

The prose itself is lush, poetic, yet deceptively simple. You can almost hear the crackle of an old radio in a silent living room, smell the dampness of forgotten walls, feel the chill of self-doubt. Jain has a gift for sensory storytelling — he doesn’t just describe solitude, he makes you inhabit it. Some sentences are so precise they feel like paper cuts; others flow like mist, leaving you unsure where reality ends and memory begins.

I was particularly moved by a moment in Sudha’s story — after a sleepless night, she walks through a bustling market, her hands brushing vegetables still wet with morning dew. Everyone else moves in rhythm, and she is somehow out of sync. That image — a woman pretending to belong while her mind spirals elsewhere — stayed with me long after I’d closed the Kindle. We’ve all had such mornings, haven’t we? When the world feels normal but you don’t.

Each story, in its own way, explores the edges of sanity — the fragile line between what we desire and what we fear. Jain’s empathy for his characters is remarkable. He doesn’t mock their weakness or dramatize their pain; he listens. And that’s why his horror cuts deeper. The ghosts here are not gory creatures; they are emotions — regret, yearning, grief — that refuse to leave.

There are moments when the pacing slows a touch too much, particularly in the middle sections, where introspection slightly overpowers tension. But even then, the prose holds you — like watching fog roll over a valley, knowing something waits underneath.

Reading Solitude felt like watching a candle flicker in a quiet room — beautiful, fragile, and slightly dangerous. It reminded me of how often we run from silence, how rarely we sit with our own shadows. In an age of noise and notifications, Jain dares to write about stillness — and how, sometimes, stillness screams.

This is not a book you race through. It’s one you sip slowly, like cold tea forgotten on the windowsill. Perfect for a rainy evening, or for readers who prefer their horror thoughtful, their characters flawed, and their fear intimate. If you’ve ever found comfort in sadness or beauty in emptiness, Solitude will find you.

By the time I finished, I wasn’t sure whether I’d read a horror collection or held a mirror up to my own quiet fears. Perhaps that’s the point. The real ghosts, as Jain reminds us, live inside us — in the empty side of the bed, in unanswered messages, in the echo of a door softly closing.

So if you’re ready for a haunting that doesn’t vanish with the lights on, pick up Solitude. Let it whisper its secrets to you. Just don’t be surprised if, by the last page, you start listening a little differently to your own silence.

[Gaurav Jaiswal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solitude is an eye-opening piece, a hybrid of horror and sensitivity, examining how isolation, be it self-imposed or unwanted, perverts desire, identity, and truth. The protagonists belong to various spheres of life: Sudha is a middle-aged housewife who cannot escape her existence and finds herself trapped in a dead-end marriage; Asad is a sensitive young man who attempts to find refuge in the woods near Bengaluru; Avantika is a girl who is burned out by her life and runs off to a mansion on the hills; Rohan is a man who goes to a remote cabin on the sea in the Andamans after being heartbroken. Each story blend human drama with supernatural or uncanny themes - folklore, wildlife, psychological fear - hence the horror is not necessarily about what springs out of the darkness; it is more often about what is already within the people.


The atmosphere settings is one of the greatest strengths of this book. The locations are wisely selected as woods, isolated hill estates, cabins on the cliffs, and they automatically increase the sense of solitude, fear, desire. These environments function not only as decor but also reflect and enhance the interior turmoil of the characters. In the prose, silence, inner monologues, fears and repressed desires are frequently employed to build tension, instead of fully depending on the explicit scares. This makes the horror have a slow-burn quality that lingers in your mind even after reading. Moreover, the book is emotionally very realistic in its treatment of themes such as regret, unfulfilled desire, aging, shame, and a feeling of being overlooked.


To me, Solitude is not simply a bundle of horror tales, but a profound psychological analysis of the experience of being lonely. Shubham Jain eloquently portrays the thin boundary that solitude builds between peace and madness. Each tales offer a fresh take on love, obsession, and emotional emptiness, and the emotional tone of the writing leaves you reassured and disturbed simultaneously. The most interesting thing that I could find was the way in which the author employed horror as a metaphor that does not concern ghosts or monsters, but rather concerns our inner fears.


When I read this novella, I experienced a strong sense of silence and stillness, the type of silence that compels one to stop and reflect on his or her relationship with loneliness and silence. These tales stayed with me even some time after the final page, not due to the horror itself, but to the genuineness of the emotions. It reminded me that loneliness can be dreadful and enlightening, a reflection of all the things we attempt to conceal within ourselves. I also enjoyed how every story pushed me to address another feeling: guilt, fear, love, regret, but all in the strange silence of the setting. It is a book you cannot forget even after reading.


In summary, it is an excellent introduction to the world of horror / psychological fiction: intelligent, haunting, emotionally-sensitive. It does not depend only on shock, but on the extent to which it arouses the inner lives of individuals who have been pushed to well-lit areas, and the fact that the areas are occasionally creating darkness. It is frightening as it is truthful about what it is like to be lonely with your flaws, your desires, and your disappointments. It might not appeal to those who prefer a plot that moves fast and sees it through to a happy ending, but readers who love mood, metaphor and emotional reality covered in disturbing dread will find it a very rewarding read.

[Sweety Grover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solitude: Four Unsettling Tales of Love, Obsession and Horror written by Shubham Jain. This is a well crafted collection of four stories that explore the darker aspects of human emotions, delving into the themes of love, obsession, and horror. This book is not your typical jump scare horror; instead, it's a slow-burning, atmospheric exploration of the human psyche.

Chapter 1 Sudha's Lonely Marriage where the first chapter introduces us to Sudha, a middle-aged housewife who feels suffocated by her loveless marriage to Ishwar. Her loneliness is palpable, and the reader can't help but empathize with her plight. As the story progresses, we see how Sudha's isolation is slowly chipped away by the arrival of a stranger, leading to a devastating confrontation with her deepest desires.

Chapter 2 Asad's Descent into Obsession where the second chapter tells the story of Asad, a young man who becomes increasingly consumed by his obsession with an unknown entity. Asad's narrative is both captivating and unsettling, as we watch him spiral out of control, unable to distinguish between reality and his own twisted desires. By the time Asad realizes the true nature of his obsession, it's too late, and he must pay the price for his all-consuming passion.

Chapter 3 Avantika's Escape where In the third chapter, we meet Avantika, a burned-out corporate professional who seeks solace in the hills of Uttarakhand. As she tries to escape the stresses of her past life, she finds herself face-to-face with the merciless forces of nature. Avantika's story is both haunting and beautiful, as she grapples with the fragility of human existence and the power of the natural world.

Chapter 4 Rohan's Solo Journey which tells about The final chapter follows Rohan, who embarks on a solo trip to the Andaman Islands to find solace and move on from his short-lived relationship with Avantika. As Rohan navigates the isolation of the islands, he is confronted by a horror that is both supernatural and deeply personal. The story is expertly crafted, with a slow-burning tension that culminates in a chilling climax.

Throughout the four stories, Jain explores the theme of solitude, revealing the ways in which isolation can both liberate and destroy us. The writing is evocative and atmospheric, with a distinct melancholy tone that perfectly captures the sense of claustrophobia and the quiet dread that permeates each narrative.

Lastly Rohan bids farewell to the island and Catherine, expressing gratitude for his emotional awareness and the value of life. He prays for Catherine's release from her painful existence, acknowledging the limitations of human connection. The passage is a poignant reflection on empathy, compassion, and the human experience.

Solitude is a collection that will haunt readers long after they finish the book. It is a profoundly human exploration of the darker aspects of our emotions, and the ways in which isolation can shape and define us. If you're looking for a book that will challenge your perspectives and leave you with a lasting impression, then Solitude is a must-read.

[Komal Kumari · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖 Book Review 📖

Book Review: Solitude: Four Unsettling Tales of Love, Obsession and Horror
I was completely captivated by Solitude: Four Unsettling Tales of Love, Obsession and Horror by Shubham Jain. This isn't your typical jump-scare book; it's a slow-burning masterpiece of psychological horror that uses the deep, familiar ache of loneliness as its true source of terror. The author begins the book by asking, "What is loneliness?" and then proceeds to answer it not through definition, but through the haunting lives of four very different individuals.

I found the exploration of loneliness to be the most profound part. The book distinguishes between the temporary kind—the "quiet ache that seeps in during the unoccupied hours of the night"—and the permanent kind, the kind carried "like marrow in their bones." The way the characters have learned to call this ache solitude and find a fragile sanctuary in it resonated deeply with me. It’s a story about people who have perfected the art of disappearing from the world without ever leaving it.

Each of the four novellas focuses on a person from a distinct corner of India—from the remote Andaman coast to the Uttarakhand hills—but all are united by their carefully constructed isolation. The tension builds perfectly as a stranger arrives in each narrative, inevitably stirring up something long buried. For the middle-aged housewife Sudha, it's forbidden desire; for the young man Asad, it's dangerous obsession; for the burnt-out Avantika, it’s a merciless encounter with nature; and for Rohan, it's a horror revealed by a distant lighthouse.

The real genius of this anthology lies in how the horror isn't always supernatural. The true terror, as the author suggests, "comes from within." I felt the characters' raw, unspoken trials: the shame of failure, the weight of unexpressed desires, and the lifelong battle for self-worth. The writing is unsettling, melancholic, and unforgettable. It acts as a mirror, reflecting the "raw, unspoken trials of adulthood." I was completely immersed, and the final pages left me with a chill that lingered long after I put the book down. This collection is a definite must-read for anyone who enjoys horror that cuts deep and is profoundly human.

Why Solitude is a Beautiful and Haunting Read:
Deep Psychological Focus: The book masterfully uses loneliness and unexpressed human desires as the primary source of dread, making the terror deeply relatable and personal.

Atmospheric Setting and Tone: The stories are stitched together with a distinct, melancholy tone and are set in beautifully rendered, isolated parts of India, enhancing the feeling of claustrophobia and quiet dread.

Rating: 5/5
Happy Reading 📚

[Pratiksha Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solitude is a collection of four stories that revolves around Sudha, Asad, Avantika and Rohan. Each story exploring loneliness in unsettling, unique way. I was hooked throughout the book, each story giving me a sense of ghostly feeling. This isnt the book that relies on shock, instead, it unsettles you slowly, with eerie silences, creeping tension, and the sense that something isn’t quite right.

The first two stories explore love, lust and solitude how loneliness can blur the lines between love and lust and turn into far more dangerous.

The other two stories explore facing fears, dealing with self-doubt, and confronting grief and loss, showing how isolation and eerie, unsettling experiences can challenge one’s courage and change the way we see the world.

Sudha's story left me shocked and speechless. It was creepy, scary and lingered in my mind long after I finished reading it. It shows how things can get worse when lust turns into something far more dangerous.

Asad's story was different from Sudha's. It had an unsettling, eerie atmosphere that kept me on edge throughout. The way Asad's desire turns into obsession and how he has to pay for that obsession was utterly shocking. The ending left me deeply saddened.

Avantika's story starts with her moving to an old mansion in Uttarakhand. The mansion's eerie, secluded atmosphere reminded me of Home Before Dark. The mansion's strange sounds and glimpses of strange presence made me question what was real and as Avantika empathizes with a mysterious wild inhabitant, the author’s writing made me feel that empathy too. This story is about facing fear, confronting self-doubt, and refusing to surrender to it.

Rohan’s story is filled with heartbreak, loneliness, and grief, and I liked how it subtly ties back to Asad’s, which added more to my sadness. There were moments that sent a shiver down my spine, leaving me uneasy and fearful. It shows how loneliness can become so vast and overwhelming that even the thought of escape feels haunting, and how life—and loss—can seem deeply unfair, even beyond death.


Overall, Solitude is chilling, gripping collection of haunting stories that kept me hooked throughout. If you're looking for book that will spook you during spooky season, this one should be on your list!

[M. Book reveiwers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solitude by Shubham Jain is a haunting collection of four stories Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan each exploring how loneliness can twist the human mind in terrifying ways. The book doesn’t rely on ghosts or bloodshed to scare you. Instead, it uses silence, emotions, and the human heart’s emptiness to create fear. Each story feels deeply human real people facing situations where their loneliness turns against them. What makes this book stand out is how slowly it builds that tension, letting the reader sink into the uneasiness before revealing the darkness hiding underneath.

Sudha’s story hit me the hardest. She’s a middle aged woman stuck in a cold marriage, craving affection and meaning in her life. When she encounters something mysterious one night, it feels like an escape but it turns into her biggest nightmare. The way Shubham Jain shows her desire changing into obsession is powerful and disturbing. Asad’s story, on the other hand, shows a young man whose loneliness drives him into the woods of Bengaluru, only to find himself consumed by a dangerous fixation. Both stories show how love and desire, when mixed with loneliness, can take a terrifying turn.

Avantika’s story brings a change of scene a lonely mansion in the Uttarakhand hills. She moves there to find peace but instead finds herself surrounded by strange noises and an unseen presence. The story has a calm, eerie beauty. It’s less about fear and more about self discovery through fear. Rohan’s story, set on the stormy Andaman coast, ends the book on a deeply emotional note. His loneliness and grief blend with the horror around him, and the lighthouse becomes a symbol of how light can sometimes reveal things better left unseen.

The writing is simple yet effective, and each character feels real people you might know, people who could easily be you. The author shows how solitude can be both peaceful and dangerous, and how sometimes, the scariest monsters are born from within. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes psychological horror that makes you feel and think at the same time.

[Shruthi Inkit writings · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked That Night by Nidhi Upadhyay, you will find Solitude by Shubham Jain equally haunting and thought provoking.

🌟 One-liner:
A chilling, slow burn collection of four psychological horror tales that stays with you long after you close the book.

🌸 Book Review:
Solitude isn’t about jump scares, it’s about the creeping terror of loneliness, obsession, and the human heart’s darkest corners. Each of the four stories introduces a new character - Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan, all caught in moments where isolation and longing twist into something terrifying.

Sudha’s story is disturbing and unforgettable, showing how longing can turn into something dangerous. Asad’s chapter captures obsession in its rawest form, reminding us how thin the line is between desire and destruction. Avantika’s retreat to a mansion in the Uttarakhand hills creates an atmosphere of dread, but also a moving exploration of empathy and fear. Rohan’s story, set on the Andaman coast, is drenched in grief and tied back to Asad’s, leaving the reader shaken and heavy hearted.

Each story unsettled me in a different way. The horror is emotional as much as it is eerie, making Solitude a rare collection that makes you reflect as much as it frightens.

⚡ Highlights:
✅ Four standalone stories exploring love, loneliness, obsession, and grief
✅ Slow burning tension that creeps under your skin
✅ Atmospheric settings from Bengaluru woods to the Andaman coast
✅ Emotional depth woven with psychological horror
✅ Perfect pick for readers of haunting and intimate short stories

📌 Feedback:
Author Shubham Jain writes horror with heart, crafting tales that disturb and linger. He explores how the human mind twists in the silence of isolation. If you want a book that hooks you till the end and makes you think deeply, Solitude is the one to pick up.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Solitude by Shubham Jain

Solitude by Shubham Jain is a haunting, poetic, and deeply unsettling exploration of loneliness and the monsters it breeds — both real and imagined. This isn’t horror that jumps out and scares you; it’s the kind that slowly seeps under your skin, tightening its grip page by page until you realize you’ve been holding your breath.

Through four stories — Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan — Jain paints a chilling portrait of isolation and human fragility. Each tale feels like a quiet descent into madness, where ordinary people confront the eerie consequences of their own desires and regrets. What connects them all is not blood or fate, but an aching solitude that distorts reality itself.

Sudha’s story, with its mix of yearning and dread, perfectly sets the tone — a horror born from emotional emptiness. Asad’s tale of obsession is beautifully tragic, blurring the line between love and possession. Avantika’s retreat into the hills is both serene and suffocating, as nature turns from refuge to threat. And Rohan’s lighthouse nightmare is a masterclass in atmosphere — dark, windswept, and unshakably eerie.

Jain’s prose is elegant yet razor-sharp, full of quiet menace and aching melancholy. He understands that the scariest moments are often the quietest ones — a flicker of movement in the dark, a whisper in an empty room, the weight of one’s own thoughts. The pacing is deliberate, allowing dread to grow naturally, and the emotional depth makes each story hit harder than a simple scare ever could.

Solitude is horror for readers who crave meaning beneath the fear — who understand that sometimes, the most terrifying thing is being left alone with yourself. Unnerving, beautifully written, and unforgettable, this collection lingers long after you’ve turned the last page.

[Annesha Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many of you agree that loneliness is an art of human capability? Isn't it something that humans learn to turn the unbearable ache of loneliness into a companion for the whole life?

The book 'Solitude' by Shubham Jain explores the meaning of loneliness and how people find beauty in it while they start to live with it. Through the story of four lives that rely on loneliness and embrace it as a part of life that never leaves them, this book is a guide to discovering peace in solitude.

Sudha, who had a complicated marriage with her husband found herself dwelling life alone even their marriage couldn't be called as dramatic or abusive in the sense that they never had loud arguments but was untouched by intimacy.

Asad, who was doing a corporate job and racing against time, stumbled upon a green and empty road to escape chaos and toxicity, discovered himself as his own companion, and accepted loneliness as a truth of his life.

Rohan, who was trying hard to move on from his past relationship, found solace in solo travel and watching sunsets from different places. Solitude was a gateway to the chamber of emotions of humans.

Avantika, who felt sick of her current job and constant stress and humiliation from her superiors, quit the job and retreated to her family home in the hope of replenishing her energy and finding strength to face the world.

Each story carries psychological support for those who believe in the inner world, don't speak much but feel deeply about little things, and embrace the art of loneliness.

The tone is absorbing, dark, psychological, emotional, and terrifying.

[Dipa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a powerful collection of stories about four very different people living in different parts of India. From mountains and forests to busy cities and quiet islands.

Each story is filled with a feeling of horror, but it’s not always the kind that comes from ghosts or monsters. Instead, the real fear comes from inside the characters themselves. Their fears, lonely moments, and secret pains.

The book beautifully shows how these characters have learned to live quietly, often hiding their true feelings and struggles from the world. When strangers arrive unexpectedly, their carefully hidden emotions start to come out.

Through stories mixing psychological tension, supernatural elements, folklore, and nature, the reader is taken deep into the complicated and sometimes dark parts of the human mind.

But beneath the scary moments, this book also reflects very real, everyday human struggles, like feeling lonely, dealing with failure, hiding desires, experiencing broken relationships, and questioning self-worth.

These stories are raw and honest, showing pain but also brief moments of kindness and hope.

What makes this book special is how it connects with anyone who has ever felt misunderstood or chosen to be quiet in a noisy world. It is more than just horror; it is about recognizing and healing parts of ourselves that are often hidden.

The characters feel real because they come from a place of lived experience and deep understanding.

Overall, It offers a chance to see yourself in its pages and feel a little less alone.

[Preetha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solitude: Four Unsettling Tales of Love, Obsession and Horror by Shubham Jain is a psychological horror book that portrays horror in a different but contemporary way. The cover image absolutely does justice to the content of the book as it symbolizes the darkness presented and hidden in it.

The book is the story of four people Sudha, Asad, Avantika and Rohan. Sudha is a woman who got herself stuck in a marriage that lacks love, but one day that emptiness is balanced by someone, or does it really? In Avantika’s story she went to the Uttarakhand hills to find relaxation and peace but instead she got something completely opposite. Rohan’s story portrays a different sort of psychological horror that he encounters at the lighthouse when he was grieving the loss of someone he loved. Asad’s story is about loneliness and obsession and how he chooses to overcome the same.

This book has four independent stories but they also connect to each other at a point. All these stories connect deep psychological pain, fear and obsession with horror. The core of the story that I understand is that the horror within ourselves is even more dangerous than the one found outside. While reading the story along with curiosity I also got a nerve chilling feeling as the book was written in a gripping way. This was an unpredictable read for me as I kept on guessing the ending and when I reached there I was astonished as well. Along with the story the narration style added an even more thrilling vibe to the reading experience.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loneliness has a strange way of turning people into something they never thought they’d become. Solitude by Shubham Jain is not about monsters hiding in the dark it’s about the ones living inside us. The book has four stories, each showing how silence and isolation can slowly eat away at a person’s heart. It’s not the loud kind of horror; it’s quiet, slow, and personal, which makes it even more chilling.

Each story Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan feels like a mirror to a different kind of pain. Sudha is a woman lost in her own home, Asad is torn between love and obsession, Avantika faces the unknown in the stillness of the hills, and Rohan battles memories that won’t let him rest. Their emotions build up quietly, and before you realize it, you’re pulled deep into their loneliness. 💔

What I liked is that Shubham Jain doesn’t try to shock readers with ghosts or violence. Instead, he lets emotions do the haunting. Every story has that one moment a look, a sound, a thought that makes your heart skip. The fear feels real because it’s something we’ve all known: the fear of being alone, unheard, or forgotten.

Solitude leaves you thinking long after it ends. 🌙 It shows how love can turn dark, how silence can speak louder than screams, and how sometimes, the scariest thing is our own reflection. This book is simple, deep, and beautifully disturbing. If you enjoy stories that make you feel more than they frighten, this one is worth every page. 📚

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shubham Jain’s “Solitude: Four Unsettling Tales of Love, Obsession and Horror” navigates through four tales of loneliness through psychological horror, love and obsession. The book leaves a deep impact on how loneliness isn’t just about staying quiet or be in solitude but also defines the hidden pain and silence we endure along with the frightening heights it can makes us encounter with as well.

All of the four characters Sudha, Asad, Avantika and Rohan have encountered a frightening atmosphere which can make the readers have enough goosebumps as well. The description of the dark woods, the forests, the moths, the lonely mansion in hills while reading send a chill down the spine. All these stories leave a deep profound impact on us along with the creepy feel it gives.

Each story carries deep impact with the small things which doesn’t seem to matter much on the outer edge but have a deep impact with inner-self. The story writing is deep, psychological, thrilling and gives a deep fear while reading. Kudos to the author who has narrated the storyline so well that it gave goose bumps while reading.

The language is simple but each line creates an scene in your head and heart, thus creating a long lasting impact on ourselves. A good read for people who are fond if psychological thriller and horror for sure.

[Gungun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solitude isn’t the kind of horror that jumps out at you — it seeps in. Each story feels like an echo of something deeply human: loneliness, longing, guilt, obsession. The writing is hauntingly beautiful, almost poetic at times, yet what it describes is quietly terrifying. Sudha’s midnight transformation left me disturbed for days, not because of any gore, but because it felt too real. You feel her emptiness, her hunger for meaning, and when she finally gets what she wished for, you wish she hadn’t.

Asad’s story was my favorite — that slow unraveling of innocence in the Bengaluru woods, the way peace becomes possession… it’s breathtaking and suffocating all at once. Every character here feels fragile and doomed, like they’re being gently pushed toward the edge of something inevitable. The author’s restraint is masterful — they never show too much, but you feel everything. The horror isn’t in what happens, but in what might.

If you love atmospheric, emotionally charged horror — the kind that doesn’t scream but whispers until you can’t ignore it — Solitude is a must-read. It reminded me of Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle and the quiet dread of Hereditary. This isn’t for readers chasing cheap thrills — it’s for those who find beauty in melancholy and terror in the human heart. I finished it days ago, and it still hasn’t left me.

[Risha · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Solitude" is not your typical horror collection—it’s a slow, psychological descent into the darkest corners of the human mind. Through four distinct tales, the book explores how loneliness can twist love, hope, and desire into something unrecognizable. Each story stands on its own, yet together they weave a haunting symphony of isolation and emotional decay.

From Sudha’s eerie midnight encounter to Asad’s consuming obsession, and Avantika’s unsettling retreat to Rohan’s storm-battered vigil, each narrative captures how solitude blurs reality and madness. What makes the stories chilling isn’t ghosts or gore—but how terrifyingly human they feel. Every fear stems from something heartbreakingly real.

The author writes with an atmospheric elegance—measured, poetic, and deeply psychological. The tone is melancholic yet gripping, drawing readers into a world where silence becomes a living, breathing terror. Themes of emotional voids, longing, and decay echo throughout, leaving you both unsettled and mesmerized.

"Solitude" is for readers who appreciate horror that whispers before it screams. It’s a beautifully written, slow-burn exploration of the human condition—haunting in its quietness and unforgettable in its impact. Perfect for fans of literary horror that lingers long after the final page.

[Sumit RK · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Solitude' is a gripping collection of stories that will keep you engrossed till the end. Blending psychological horror and the depths of human emotions, the book is a collection both engaging and terrifying.

The four stories, each revolving around a different character, have the common thread of solitude. The characters though disconnected, are bound together by threads of sorrow and unfulfilled desire. Be it Sudha's story of trapped in a broken marriage taking a scary turn or Asad's story of loneliness being consumed by a self destructive desire, the stories explore the darkest emotions from obsession to temptation, each born from loneliness. The stories, each with a different setting, have varied flavour, each exploring a different kind of fear.

What sets these stories apart is the way it transforms a seemingly normal scenario into something terrifying. The blend of psychological thriller, horror and emotions with the atmospheric writing, draws you in. The realistic emotions of the characters is what makes the stories feel real.

In conclusion, 'Solitude' is haunting collection of stories that linger with you for a long time. If you are fan of the horror genre, you will enjoy this book.

[Endlesszones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solitude: Four Unsettling Tales of Love, Obsession and Horror by Shubham Jain is an incredibly hauntingly beautiful rendition of loneliness in its rawest form. Apart from the usual thrills, the author crafts a slow, psychological descent into the darkness of the human mind.

Each of the four stories set across different corners of India feels like a quiet confession of despair, desire, and detachment. Jain turns loneliness into both a character and a curse, showing how isolation can comfort and destroy in equal measure.

What makes this book unforgettable is how the horror feels deeply human: the fear that comes not from ghosts or monsters but from that unfulfilled longing and the ensuing silence. Every page feels intimate, a little unsettling, and heartbreakingly real. The solitude lingers long after the final page, reflecting back like a mirror our deepest hidden fears. It is a book for the lover of dark yet emotionally charged psychological fiction.

Solitude is not a collection of horror tales but rather a deeply psychological study of the human mind when pressure and silence are applied. Each story strips away the calm we associate with solitude, exposing how silence can contort into terror. The four tales hold their individuality yet intertwine so beautifully with one common truth: sometimes, it is in the stillness where the scream is the loudest.

[Sagar Naskar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of psychological horror stories that delve into the darker aspects of human loneliness, Solitude by Shubham Jain is eerie and reflective. The stories of Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan explore how loneliness transforms sanity, love, and desire into something both lovely and horrifying. Deeply atmospheric, Jain's choice of serene settings, such as foggy forests, stormy coastlines, and deserted hill homes, produces an eerie silence that reflects the characters' inner agony.

The middle-aged housewife, Sudha, is my favorite character; her need for change brings her into a terrifying situation. Her tale struck a deep chord with me because it captures the underlying yearning and silent despair that many people feel but never express. She becomes sad and unforgettable as Jain transforms her suffering into poetry.

The emotional honesty of Solitude is what sets it apart. The terror originates from the shadows inside of us and is not dependent on monsters or jump scares. Long after the last page, readers are still compelled to consider their own relationship with dread and loneliness by Jain's words.

For those who appreciate slow-burning, emotionally complex horror that not only frightens but also transforms, I heartily suggest Solitude.

[AAYU · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solitude by Shubham Jain is a collection of four deep and emotional stories that explore loneliness and fear in a very realistic way. Each story is slow and thoughtful, not about ghosts or jump scares, but about how the human mind can become its own biggest enemy. The book makes you think about what happens when silence, sadness, or emptiness start to control our thoughts.

The first story, about Sudha, shows how a woman trapped in an unhappy marriage looks for change and freedom but finds something dark instead. Then comes Asad, a young man whose peaceful search in nature turns into a dangerous obsession. These stories don’t just scare you; they make you feel the pain and confusion of the characters. The horror here feels very real because it comes from emotions we all understand , love, loss, and loneliness.

Avantika’s story, set in the hills of Uttarakhand, is haunting and poetic. It shows how even beautiful places can hide danger when someone is broken inside. And Rohan’s story on the stormy Andaman coast gives the book a chilling end a reminder that sometimes, being alone can open doors to the things we fear most. Each tale leaves a mark on your mind, long after you close the book.

[Read_with_rimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Solitude: Four Unsettling Tales of Love, Obsession, and Horror" by Shubham Jain is a collection of four short stories, and just like the title suggests, the author presents the dark side of human emotions, probably the most realistic ones, through these four stories.

Actually, through the four stories, the author shares the story of four individuals, who are strangers in life but somehow connected through their loneliness and solitude. Through these stories we meet Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan. And each of these characters is going through a lonely phase that can be very relatable if you ever feel lonely yourself, even in the midst of people, if you ever feel tired and exhausted.

Another unique part of these stories is the eerie feeling in each of them. It is not totally horror in that sense but in the sense of humans' haunting feelings. And there are some mysterious elements in them too.

So overall, if you want to read some deep, dark, real human emotions through some engaging writing and story, then you should definitely read the book.

[Nameera Parvez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a haunting, beautifully written collection of four Indian stories that linger long after the last page. It explores loneliness, buried desires, and quiet fears, revealing the fragile humanity beneath the surface of everyday life.
Sudha’s story is gripping and transformative; what begins as helpless fear evolves into a powerful moment of self-awakening, as she breaks free from years of silence and reclaims her strength, leaving readers both heartbroken and inspired.
Asad’s tale is tragic and intense—a story of forbidden love that brutally unveils truth and loss, consuming him physically and emotionally, leaving only ashes and longing behind.
Avantika’s journey is raw and unsettling, a quiet descent into guilt, longing, and self-forgiveness, reminding us how love and regret are often inseparable.
Finally, Rohan’s story offers tenderness and reflection, portraying forgiveness, acceptance, and the delicate process of finding peace after losing someone beyond reach.
Together, these stories form a profoundly human, emotional, and unforgettable reading experience.

[Madiha Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that quietly gets under your skin. It follows four people from different parts of India — a housewife who lives in silence, a man trying to fix what’s broken inside him, a tired young woman, and a boy lost in his own world. What I liked most was that the fear in these stories doesn’t come from ghosts or anything supernatural, but from real human feelings, loneliness, regret, and the things we don’t say out loud.

The writing is simple but very moving. The way the author describes the forests, empty houses, and quiet places makes the readers feel that they are there present in the moment. There’s a calm sadness in every story that made me stop and think. It’s not the kind of book that shocks you, but one that stays with you and makes you feel something deeper.

By the end of the book I was quite thoughtful. This made me think about how being alone can change a person and how silence can sometimes say more than words. It’s a slow, emotional read that left me feeling both heavy and peaceful at the same time.

[rukaiyareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solutite by Shubham Jain consists of four stories based on the themes of love, obsession, and horror.

Chapter one focuses on the story of Sudha and the loneliness she feels in her marriage with Ishwar.

Chapter two tells the story of Asad, which explores the theme of obsession and was one of my favourites to read. By the time he understands his obsession, it becomes too late and Asad has to pay it with a hefty price.

Chapter three follows Avantika, who wants to escape her corporate burnout and finds herself in the hills of Uttarakhand.

Chapter four is about Rohan who takes up a solo trip to Andaman Islands to find solace and to get over her short lived relationship with Avantika

Overall, the book keeps readers hooked with its four distinct themes, each dominating a particular story while subtly overlapping with the others. The stories are also interconnected which makes me eager to read more

[Mel :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solitude is a hauntingly beautiful collection that goes beyond ordinary horror. Each story—Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan—felt deeply emotional, blending fear with sadness and reflection. What struck me most is how real the characters felt. They’re not heroes or villains, just people caught in moments of loneliness and longing that spiral into darkness.

The writing is vivid and atmospheric; you can feel the damp air of Bengaluru’s woods, the quiet menace of an Uttarakhand mansion, and the crashing waves of the Andaman coast. The stories don’t just scare you—they make you think about how isolation can shape our minds and desires.

I especially loved how the author explored human emotions with so much empathy. The horror is subtle but powerful, staying with you long after reading. It reminded me of how silence and solitude can sometimes be more frightening than any ghost.

A must-read for anyone who enjoys slow-burning psychological horror with heart and meaning.

[Bhartiya Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solitude: Four Unsettling Tales of Love, Obsession and Horror by Shubham Jain is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of loneliness and the dark corners of the human mind. Each story unfolds with quiet intensity, slowly drawing you into worlds where emotions turn sinister and silence carries an eerie weight. The characters feel heartbreakingly real, their pain and desires intertwining with the supernatural in ways that leave you deeply unsettled yet strangely moved. Jain’s writing is poetic and immersive, creating an atmosphere that seeps into your bones and lingers long after you close the book. The stories of Sudha, Asad, Avantika, and Rohan are connected not by events but by emotion, by the shared ache of being unseen and unheard. Solitude is not just horror; it is an emotional mirror that reflects the fragile boundary between love and madness. A deeply evocative and unforgettable collection that will stay with readers long after the final page.

[Annu · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Solitude" is a book that truly resonates with anyone seeking peace, balance, and clarity in a noisy world. The author captures the beauty of being alone without making it feel lonely. Through powerful reflections and relatable examples, it beautifully explains how solitude can become a source of creativity, healing, and emotional growth. I especially loved how it redefines silence as strength rather than emptiness. The writing is simple yet deeply philosophical, making even complex ideas easy to connect with. Every chapter felt like a comforting conversation with yourself — one that encourages introspection and gratitude. This book reminded me that we don’t always need validation or company to feel fulfilled; sometimes, all we need is a quiet moment with our thoughts. A must-read for anyone feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or disconnected in today’s fast-paced world.