A Cool Dark Place By Supriya Dravid

Zephyr undertakes an excavation into the depths of her family's closet and all the skeletons that it holds in A Cool, Dark Place. When her father's suicide turns her world upside down Zephyr must deal with shock after shock, as her mother reveals to her dark demons from their past. The first one is that the man whom she believed to be her father is, in fact not.

Perhaps the darkest demon and the most twisted, yet alluring, character of the book is Zephyr's grandfather, Don. Zephyr learns that much of her life, her mother's life and the situations that have shaped them both are consequences of Don's manipulative actions. Don is on his death-bed, but that doesn't prevent him from stealing the limelight every time. He is self-centred, flamboyant and sometimes over-the-top, but always driving the story.

Family dynamics and their specific influence on characters and life as a whole have been fodder for many fiction writers. This novel is no different in that regard, but what sets A Cool, Dark Place apart is how real it feels. The tone is raw and the prose is rich and gripping. This heightened realism is uncommon in English fiction by Indian authors. It is a refreshing change and immerses you into the story of Zephyr's harrowing attempt to piece together her past. The book was published in 2013 by Random House India and is available in hardcover.

Key Features

1. This is the author, Supriya Dravid's debut novel.
2. It is a dark, twisted story of exploration, remembrance and the far-reaching effects of alcoholism.