The Most Haunting Part of Only He Could See Them Isn't the Ghosts: Enakshi Sengupta's Supernatural Tales Reviewed by Sameer Gudhate

Ghost stories have survived every generation despite living in an age that insists on logic. We have better science, better technology, and endless explanations for things our ancestors could only fear. Yet we continue to read stories about haunted houses, restless spirits, and unexplained encounters. Perhaps that is because ghost stories have never really been about ghosts. They are about the emotions that refuse to die. Enakshi Sengupta's Only He Could See Them understands this distinction remarkably well.

At first glance, the premise promises a familiar supernatural thriller. Amit, a travelling salesman from Kolkata, begins seeing ghosts during his work trips across places as varied as Kohima, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur. Some warn him of impending danger, some seek justice, and others simply refuse to let their stories remain buried. The setup could easily have become a series of disconnected horror episodes. Instead, Sengupta uses each encounter to reveal something about human nature rather than merely the paranormal.

One of the book's strongest decisions is its choice of protagonist. Amit is refreshingly ordinary. He is not a paranormal investigator, a detective, or someone fascinated by the occult. He is a working professional whose concerns revolve around travel schedules, clients, family and everyday responsibilities. Because his life feels so familiar, the supernatural intrudes rather than dominates. The contrast between the ordinary and the extraordinary gives the stories much of their credibility. Readers are far more likely to imagine themselves in Amit's place because he reacts the way most of us probably would—with confusion, disbelief and eventually reluctant acceptance.

The collection's twelve stories are connected not merely by Amit's ability to see ghosts but by the emotional diversity of the spirits themselves. Horror fiction often falls into the trap of making every ghost a villain. Sengupta avoids that simplification. Some spirits are terrifying because they are consumed by revenge, while others appear almost protective, guiding Amit away from danger or revealing truths that would otherwise remain hidden. This variation keeps the collection engaging because readers can never predict the intention behind the next encounter. The ghosts possess personalities rather than simply serving as instruments of fear.

What impressed me even more was the emotional grounding beneath the supernatural elements. Amit's relationships with his mother, colleagues and friends receive enough attention to make him feel like a complete character rather than merely a witness to strange events. These interactions create a believable emotional world where the paranormal gradually finds its place. The horror works because there is something worth protecting. Without those ordinary relationships, the ghostly encounters would lose much of their impact.

The changing locations also deserve appreciation. From the misty landscapes of Northeast India to unfamiliar cities abroad, every destination contributes its own atmosphere. Frequent travellers often speak about the strange loneliness of hotel rooms, anonymous streets and unfamiliar surroundings. Sengupta quietly uses that sense of displacement to strengthen the supernatural atmosphere. The settings never feel like decorative backdrops; they become active participants in building suspense.

What distinguishes Only He Could See Them from many contemporary horror collections is its refusal to depend entirely on jump scares or graphic descriptions. The fear grows gradually through uncertainty. Amit himself is often unsure whether what he is experiencing is real or whether his own mind is betraying him. Those moments, where certainty begins to dissolve, are among the book's most effective. Psychological tension proves more unsettling than supernatural spectacle.

At the same time, the book is not without its shortcomings. Because the stories share a broadly similar narrative rhythm, a few chapters begin to feel structurally familiar. Readers who consume a great deal of paranormal fiction may anticipate certain revelations before they arrive. There are also occasions where explaining the supernatural slightly weakens its mystery. Some stories might have lingered longer in the imagination had they trusted silence over explanation. Mystery often becomes more powerful when every answer is not fully provided.

The writing itself is clear, accessible and free from unnecessary complexity. Sengupta never allows language to become a barrier between the story and the reader. The pacing remains steady throughout, making the collection easy to read over a weekend while still offering enough emotional substance to encourage reflection between stories. This balance between readability and emotional depth is perhaps the book's greatest achievement.

What stayed with me long after finishing the book was not a particular ghost or a shocking twist. It was the quiet suggestion running beneath every story—that every haunting begins with an unfinished human life. Revenge, regret, love, guilt, sacrifice and longing survive longer than the bodies that carried them. The ghosts simply become visible expressions of emotions that were never allowed to find peace.

That, ultimately, is why Only He Could See Them succeeds. It understands that horror without humanity fades quickly. By giving equal importance to the living and the dead, Enakshi Sengupta creates a collection where the supernatural entertains, but human emotion leaves the deeper impression. When the final page arrives, the ghosts have completed their journeys. The questions they raise about memory, loss and the stories we leave unfinished continue travelling with the reader.

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