Some love stories end with goodbye. Some end with heartbreak. And then there are stories where love refuses to end even after death. Kashif Mashaikh’s Relics of Love is a dark and atmospheric supernatural thriller that takes this idea and turns it into a gripping tale of love, guilt, revenge, memory, and the things we leave unresolved. From its intriguing premise of a dead wife, seven mysterious relics, and a husband desperately trying to escape her, the novel manages to create an unsettling atmosphere that keeps the reader curious about what will happen next.
The story follows Kareem Khan, a military operative who has spent much of his life dealing with danger and death. As someone trained to face threats without fear, Kareem seems like the kind of protagonist who should be able to handle almost anything. But nothing prepares him for something far more personal and terrifying—the return of his dead wife, Nahid.
Nahid was once the woman Kareem loved. Now, however, her presence has become a nightmare. Her ghostly return is not simply about frightening Kareem; it appears to have a purpose. She is drawing him towards something beyond the world of the living, and Kareem soon realizes that escaping her may not be as simple as running away.
This is where the concept of the seven relics becomes particularly interesting. With the help of Baba Sen, a mysterious godman, Kareem discovers that these relics are connected to Nahid’s spirit. To survive, he must find and destroy them one by one. But every relic is connected to his past, which means that the journey is not just a supernatural hunt. It becomes a painful journey through his memories, his marriage, and the mistakes he made along the way.
One of the things I liked most about the book is the way it uses the supernatural element to explore human emotions. Beneath the ghosts, relics, and mystery is a story about a relationship that has been damaged by anger, resentment, misunderstandings, and regret. Kareem isn’t simply fighting a supernatural entity; he is also confronting the parts of his past that he would rather forget.
The character of Kareem works well because of this contradiction. He is someone who is accustomed to violence and danger, yet he finds himself helpless when confronted with something he cannot understand or fight in the conventional way. His military background gives him physical strength and courage, but neither is enough when the enemy is connected to his own memories and emotions. His struggle therefore feels both external and internal.
Nahid’s presence adds another layer to the story. She is not merely a typical horror-story ghost whose purpose is to scare the protagonist and the reader. Her connection with Kareem makes the haunting much more personal. The question that remains in the reader’s mind is not simply, “Why has she returned?” but also, “What happened between these two people that has made death incapable of separating them?”
The atmosphere is another strong aspect of Relics of Love. Mashaikh creates a sense of uneasiness through ordinary situations that gradually become disturbing. The idea of seeing or sensing someone who should no longer exist is inherently frightening, and the novel makes good use of that fear. There is a constant feeling that something is lurking just beyond what Kareem—and the reader—can see or understand.
The seven-relic structure also helps maintain the momentum of the story. Each relic gives Kareem another mystery to solve and another part of his past to confront. As he gets closer to destroying them, the stakes become higher and the truth surrounding Nahid becomes increasingly complicated. This gives the novel the feel of both a supernatural mystery and a psychological thriller.
Another interesting aspect is the way the book combines Indian settings and cultural elements with a modern thriller narrative. The presence of Baba Sen and the idea of hidden spiritual forces add a distinctly Indian flavour to the supernatural story. At the same time, Kareem’s background as a military operative gives the narrative a contemporary edge. This combination makes the book feel different from a conventional ghost story.
What makes Relics of Love particularly engaging is that the central conflict is ultimately about more than survival. Kareem wants to escape Nahid, but he is also being forced to understand his own past. The further he travels in search of the relics, the more he is compelled to revisit the relationship he once shared with her. In that sense, the novel asks an uncomfortable question: can we really escape the consequences of the things we have done to the people we once loved?
Mashaikh’s experience with crime and thriller writing is also visible in the narrative. There is a clear emphasis on mystery, suspense, danger, and revelations. The supernatural premise does not completely overshadow the thriller aspect; instead, the two elements work together to keep the story moving.
At its core, Relics of Love is a story about the complicated nature of love. Love here is not presented as something purely beautiful or comforting. It can become possessive, painful, destructive, and even frightening when mixed with anger and regret. The title itself captures this idea beautifully—what remains of love after the relationship, and even the people involved, are gone?
Overall, Relics of Love is an engaging supernatural thriller with an intriguing premise, an eerie atmosphere, and an emotional story at its centre. It successfully combines ghostly horror with mystery and the darker side of human relationships. Readers who enjoy supernatural fiction, psychological thrillers, Indian horror, and stories involving unresolved relationships will likely find this an interesting read.
What stays with you after the story is not just the supernatural mystery, but the emotional question at its heart: what happens when the person you failed to love properly in life refuses to leave you even in death?
Verdict: Relics of Love is a dark, atmospheric and emotionally charged supernatural thriller that combines mystery, horror, and a troubled love story into an entertaining read.
