Thrilling Whodunit - The Mysterious Basement of Summer City - Kindle Discount Deal

  Dear friends,

This is the best season to lose yourself in a nail-biting, suspenseful whodunit; snuggling on your couch, with a delicious sandwich and steaming cup of coffee or iced tea; for company!

The Mysterious Basement of Summer City is a prize-winning, thrilling whodunit (my debut novel!) that will keep you on the edge of your seat right till the very end!

A Kindle Countdown Deal will be on from 31st March to 7th April, 2025 for my e-book titled The Mysterious Basement of Summer City. It will be available at a  discount for $2.99 only!

Hurry! Don't miss this golden opportunity to read my debut, prize-winning novel. It was adjudged as the second prize-winner in a novel-writing contest organized by Vishwakarma Publications, Pune. 

It has got a 5 star rating on Amazon.in.

Kindly peruse it and let me have your invaluable feedback! You could even peruse my other 27 e-books and paperback novels and provide your invaluable feedback online.  

Happy reading!

Thanks in anticipation.

Priya Ramesh Swaminathan 

Here's the link:

The Mysterious Basement of Summer City: Enter at your own risk!

by A Prize-winning Novel by PRIYA RAMESH SWAMINATHAN | Mar 17, 2017

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The Mysterious Basement of Summer City: Enter at your own risk!

by A Prize-winning Novel by PRIYA RAMESH SWAMINATHAN | 17 March 2017

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Excerpt

        The shrill ringing of his phone jolted him from his reverie.  Cheerfully, he said “Hello!”  His wife Meena’s voice flowed down through the line, loud and clear.  “Please send the driver here, along with the car.  We’ve been waiting since an hour for him!”  

        He was surprised.   Why hadn’t Hariprasad gone to pick his family?  He had told Dwarka Charan that he had an urgent errand to do, what was it…..?  Yes, pick up his daughter from her nursery school, return back to the complex, take the vehicle and ferry his family to the office for the function.

        

        Dwarka was also concerned, as the priest, being a busy man; was a stickler to punctuality and hated things disturbing his busy schedule.  He’d be hopping mad.  He was supposed to come along with the family too.  Hariprasad was going to bring all of them in 2 rounds.  And here, he hadn’t even started as yet!

        

        Over the intercom, he contacted the receptionist.  “Kindly ask the security whether they’ve seen my driver.  If you spot him, kindly ask him to contact me immediately.”

        

        The receptionist wondered why he couldn’t call his driver on his mobile immediately.  Then she got the answer.  “You see, I’ve forgotten my mobile at home.  My wife will definitely bring it,” he fibbed.  He was saving on his out-going calls.  He didn’t know how to send an SMS and was too embarrassed to ask anyone for the ‘know-how’!

        

        After 5 minutes, the receptionist promptly reported to him that no one, including herself had seen him.

        

        “Please ask the security guards to go and check in the basement!” he requested.

        

        “Very well, Sir.”  

        Accordingly both the security guards went to the basement to check it out.  They didn’t return, even after 15 minutes. Then the receptionist Sunita went to see what the matter was.  She was scared when she saw the rows of neatly parked four-wheelers and 2- wheelers in the deserted, huge and eerie basement.  She didn’t venture far.  She just glanced right and left from the bottom of the stairs leading to the basement and immediately turned back and fled.  There was no one there.  Not a soul!

                                                End of excerpt

Intrigued? Immediately purchase the book and read on to unravel the mystery!

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

Review/Feedback received from my brother-in-law, Dr. Ravichandran:

Well-written novel. Maintained the suspense till the end. Municipal Corporation should think twice before asking employees to clean gutters without proper protection. Same also - housing societies.

Congrats. Keep up the good work. (Sic)

Review/Feedback received from my father, Ramesh Sharma:

Chilling horror and suspense. (Sic)

Top review from India

Prakash

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect thriller!

Reviewed in India on 8 July 2023

Recently I happened to read the novel, The Mysterious Basement of Summer City written by Mrs Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
True to the preface of the book the author has kept written the story so well and it leaves one hooked to the book till the end to find out who or what exactly is the culprit for the many deaths taking place in the Basement. The characters are well etched out come alive in the book. Enjoyable must 📚              (Sic)

A Day-long Retreat - A Forest Within Pune City! Katraj Zoo

 

Water-snakes:Cool sight!

Black-bucks:Peaceful repose!

                 Our visit to the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and Wildlife Research Center in Katraj remains etched in our memories. It is about 15 kms. away from Shivajinagar Station and probably equidistant from Pune Station too. It’s amazing that such a verdant, forest-like area is situated within the city’s limits.

 

                  After you buy the entrance fees, you are stopped at the entrance for ensuring that you don’t carry thin plastic carry bags into the reserved area. We were pleased to see that the ‘No Plastic’ rule was being strictly enforced there.

                   Once inside the place, you are handed a map of the zoo along with general instructions regarding the visit. The first stop, of course, is the Snake Park. Various varieties of snakes like vipers, cobras, pythons, water-snakes, etc. and turtles, iguanas, alligators, crocodiles, etc. hypnotize the viewers to observe their movements for many breath-taking moments. A display with a glass box filled with stones informs viewers that these were the stones thrown by the visitors at the snakes. Hence one is cautioned to be humane towards the reptiles.

                   Various boards proclaim the species, their distinguishing features, habitats, food habits and variety; beside each pit. A display of posters depicts how one could protect oneself from snake-bites. Another hoarding displays facts regarding how the snakes use their mouths to devour their prey. A poster also informs people about how the antidote serum (Anti-venom) to treat snake-bite, is actually derived from the snakes’ venom itself.

Star-backed tortoise - Snoozing?

                   We sat awhile at a small amphitheater created there, probably to show films on the conservation of wildlife, to small groups of visitors. After having some sandwiches, we started visiting the various areas earmarked for birds and animals. 

 

                    The paths have been concretised, (an earlier visit had us hot and dusty, as the paths weren’t in place then); but this time, it was a very pleasant experience. Clean toilets and drinking water supply at regular intervals in the zoo, were a welcome relief. No more searching for broad-trunk trees to shield us from the public gaze while answering nature’s call in the wild (childhood memories of picnics)! Benches and small lawns to lounge have been thoughtfully provided throughout the zoo’s premises. There is even a nice hall with stone benches all around to have that picnic lunch or to snooze and have a breather!

                 For those who are too lazy to walk or those who are unable to walk due to old age, etc. battery-operated vehicles ferry the visitors throughout the zoo; stopping at the various enclosures en-route.

                  We saw a monkey playfully hanging from the branches of a tree, a prickly porcupine bristling with energy and walking about animatedly, a shiny black bear ambling, black-bucks, sambars and neelgai strolling, a leopard snoozing, elephants having a meal of grass; all in their respective, huge natural enclosures. We also saw pea-hens (The peacocks were missing) and owls. We sorely missed seeing the tigers (both yellow and white), the fox and the wolf. They were probably having a siesta somewhere in their huge enclosures or peevishly denying us a sighting for having confined them to their enclosures; instead of letting them roam free in the wild.

Neelgai and deer co-existing peacefully!

                Most of the animals have been adopted by wild-life lovers who provide for their upkeep. Their names are mentioned on the name-plates outside the respective enclosures.

The picturesque and inviting Katraj lake

                The picturesque Katraj lake can be seen from within the zoo. It is strictly out-of-bounds and has been suitably barricaded. The dazzling lake is vast and ringed by hills and enveloped by greenery. Just gazing at it is soothing and enchanting.

                  As we left this dense forest and retraced our steps outside, we were welcomed by urban chaos in the form of a traffic jam right outside the zoo, on the main road; hawkers and food-stall owners vying loudly for our attention.

                  We were tired and hungry and opted for pav-bhaji for myself and misal-pav for my hubby, followed by ice-cream for myself and tea for my hubby. Then we braced ourselves for the long bus ride home. After changing two buses, we reached home, sweet home. But the visions of the scenic, peaceful zoo where there was perfect harmony between the wild creatures and nature, refused to fade.

                 Yes, this place is definitely worth a visit, especially for photography-enthusiasts. The visiting hours are between 9.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. During vacation time, the visiting hours are extended by an hour till 7 p.m.

******************************************************************************

Explanatory notes:

Neelgai – A bluish tinted wild cow.

Pav-bhaji – A popular snack comprising of buttered small bread loaves (Buns) and spicy, mixed-vegetable gravy.

Misal-pav – A popular Maharashtrian snack comprising of bread loaves (Buns) and spicy gravy made of lentils.

The copyright of this article and photographs is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

Recently, my friends and I visited this haven of tranquility for a get-together amidst nature's bounty. Some snapshots...

                  

You Compromise, I Won't! - An Excerpt

 Dear friends,

What is life if not a compromise? Yet, while some compromise, others don't!

Read on to experience it in my e-book titled You Compromise, I Won't! This e-book will be available at www.amazon.com under a Kindle Countdown Deal till 29th of  March, 2025 for just $1.99 at a whopping discount of 34%

Hurry! Peruse it and let me have your invaluable feedback!

Thanks in anticipation. 

Priyaa

Here's the link:

You Compromise, I Won't!: No right or wrong............

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Buy for $2.99

You Compromise, I Won't!: No right or wrong............ Kindle Edition

by Priya Ramesh Swaminathan (Author)  Format: Kindle Edition

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My student Vijay, posing with my book!

An Excerpt from the Short Story - A New Battle

         When Ananya resumed her place on the bed, propped up comfortably against the soft cushions, with her laptop on her lap, he glanced at her with a ‘daggers-drawn’ look, as she chatted online, with a soft smile lighting up her face.  Gautam took the luxury of slowly appraising her.  It had been ages since he had seen her properly.  She was more of a ‘voice’ to him, a sweet voice which had been relegated to the background like a melodious strain playing on the music system of his life.  Yes, his life had been like a harmonious symphony, with no jarring notes interrupting the smooth rhythm of his existence. 

          Now he suddenly realized, uncomfortably, that this sweet voice had a face too!  The same face that had bewitched him 14 years ago now swam into his line of vision with reinforced clarity.  He had forgotten how beautiful she looked.  Now, even in her bed-clothes, with freshly brushed hair, softly framing her oblong face and cascading all around her, her slightly lined and pock-marked face, scrubbed clean and sparkling with good health and radiant smile which showed off her high cheekbones; she looked happy and relaxed.  

End of the Excerpt

This book has the story titled "The Baby-doll" which helped me get the "Writers' Award Certificate" from www.penfactor.com.

Do read this intriguing story!          

                

The copyright of this book is with 

Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.