The Night Telephone

by Greta Gorsuch

Dr. Tarak Kapoor cannot sleep. He has just taken a job as a telemedicine doctor in Texas. Garnet is two days and five airports away from his home in Mumbai. Tarak is so tired, yet he cannot sleep. His body thinks it’s lunch time in India. By 2 AM he is wandering the empty streets. To his surprise, he finds a brightly lit pay telephone booth sitting on a dark corner. Even though it’s the middle of the night, people drive up, one by one, and make calls. Why on earth are they here at this hour? Who are they calling?

The mystery deepens when Tarak retraces his steps the next day. All he finds is an empty lot covered with dirt and trash. Perhaps he has made a mistake. His jet lag is pretty bad. Yet when he goes back that night, the phone booth is back in its spot, glowing brightly in the dark street. Tarak picks up his courage when an old man stops his car to make a call. Tarak asks what the telephone is for. The man asks, “Is there someone you need to call?” and drives away into the empty night. As Tarak looks at the phone, it begins to ring. Will Tarak answer the night telephone?

106 pages, Paperback

Published July 14, 2021

Reviews

[Ferit Kilickaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first looked at the cover of the story, I knew that the story would be related to a mystery about a telephone booth. Of course, I could not guess what kind of mystery would appear at the end of the story. The mode of storytelling is based on third-person narrative, and the narrator successfully reflects the feelings of Dr. Tarak Kapoor and his experience in his new job as a telemedicine doctor in Texas. Due to the long travel from his home in Mumbai, he cannot sleep and decides to walk around the streets and finds an old-style telephone booth and then the mystery starts.

The story has been written for EFL/ESL learners of English as I believe the story includes carefully selected sentences and descriptions of the places. The story succeeds in relaying a series of events in an emotionally engaging way. Moreover, the story also helps readers to understand and learn about another culture to connect with others cross-culturally, in addition to touching upon the recent issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a final word, I can say that the story leads you to ask yourself the very question: If you had this telephone booth, who would the first person in your life to call? Truth to tell, after the conversation between Tarak and Larissa Montez, owner of the used car dealer, I immediately asked this question. The answer? I wish to keep it as a secret 

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Telephone was interesting to read since it was written to help English as a Second Language readers learn to read in English. You'll see a lot of repetition of words to help new readers grasp the new language. That was an education in itself. I didn't know there were special books published in this category.

It's a charming story. I wish there were more because I can see all kinds of magical things happening with a pay telephone that only exists in the middle of the night.

I won this in a goodreads giveaway and I'm grateful to the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review The Night Telephone.

[Linda L · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Queen Serene” and “The Night Telephone” are a part of the Gemma Open Door Series. They are small books with simple language intended for readers who are learning English as a second language. They are both quite good as a teaching tool and to increase vocabulary. The stories are easy to understand and fun to read. Gorsuch has taught ESL/EFL and applied linguistics for more than thirty years in Japan, Vietnam and the United States.

“Queen Serene” is about family dynamics with a young woman getting a second start at life after a difficult divorce.

“The Night Telephone” is a mystery involving an immigrant from India. He, too, is starting a new life after a difficult divorce.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I'd read the description more carefully, I would have realized that The Night Telephone is more magical realism than horror. That's what I get for judging a book by its cover.

Gorsuch has a great premise and a likeable, reasonable protagonist, but the sentence structure is so elementary that it takes away from the story. Novellas require a measure of simplicity, but Night Telephone reads like a fable and not an eerie, but comforting, tale of things working out okay in the end.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am enjoying the short stories from the Gemma Open Door series. This story features Dr. Tarak Kapoor from Mumbai, who now lives in Garnet, Texas, training to be a telemedicine provider. A mystery ensues on his first night in his apartment. Is he seeing things because of his lack of sleep from his long trip from Mumbai? This has a hint of being tied in with the Covid pandemic. Great book jacket, and author bio. I will look for other writings from Greta Gorsuch.

[Harsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mysterious night telephone baffles a guy who has just traveled 9000 miles from his hometown, and he finds out that he is not the only one who experiences the anomaly of this telephone. Enigma of the night telephone and story circles around it compel to finish reading in one sitting. Fun to read. I hope to see the mysterious story continuing in the following book series.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I'm not the intended audience for this, since I'm not an ESL student, so I don't fault the short sentences and the simplified vocabulary; I just wish it had a stronger ending. Great set up though.

[Robin McCool · Rating 5 out of 5]

I managed to finish this sweet, little read in one night, simply because I couldn't put it down. Makes me want to visit Texas on the off chance!

[Cynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to Follow.

[Gerard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to figure out where I’ve got my last few recommendations because I’ve been reading things that I have no idea why they were written. This was a really cool idea and then just a total dud.

[Grayson Fairfax · Rating 2 out of 5]

finished in one day, it is super short with large print. I was convinced it was going to be more of a mystery but honestly the only thing I am confused about is if the ex is alive or not.