KOCHI: With his first book ‘307.47’, Thiruvananthapuram native Ashish Ben Ajay managed to keep readers hooked to the plot. Written in the form of a travelogue with ample twists and turns, the novel narrated the story of Abhishek Iyer, a bank employee, who along with his friends embarks on a trip to Munnar only to encounter unexpected incidents. The recently released second book in the series titled ‘446054’, takes the readers on another riveting journey and throws light on many questions left unanswered in Ajay’s debut book. The sequel which is set in Nelliyampathy reintroduces the readers to Abhishek who is back as the protagonist.
The new novel has the right mix of horror, mystery, and crime. “Abhishek gets transferred from North Paravoor to a branch in Nelliyampathy. Though he is not happy with the transfer, he tries to do his best. Soon, however, he starts hearing strange sounds and is privy to bizarre incidents at the branch which trouble him.
He tries to investigate the strange occurrences. A mystery is unravelled in the process which becomes a crime thriller in turn,” says Ashish. The novel is written in three segments, which deal with the past and present of Abhishek and the incidents which unfold out of the mystery.
The book, which has been published by Dream Bookbindery is currently ranked the third bestseller in the ‘Thrillers and Suspense’ category on Amazon. “The plot has been in my mind for the last two years. Vishnu Kanchan, my friend and publisher, was excited by the plot and asked me to pursue it. I had enough time to work on the novel as I had to undergo quarantine after an official trip. I was able to write at a stretch and finished it without much delay,” adds Ashish.
Interestingly, the young writer has titled both his books using numerals. “Being a banker, I work with numbers more than words. And ‘446054’ has a significance in the story,” he quips. Like the first novel, the plot has been inspired by Ashish’s own life experiences. “The book is a blend of fiction and some of the nightmares I have had in the past.” Ashish is happy with the positive feedback he has received for the novel so far. “I have experimented a bit with the plot of ‘446054’. I’m anxiously waiting to know how more readers receive it. As of now, I haven’t planned a sequel to it,” says Ashish.