The Aashram Sleuths: Mystery of the Flour Factory (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798298403023)

Four friends. One dangerous secret. A race against time.

When Ramu, a fellow orphan from the Aashram, is found barely conscious in the marigold fields, his friends Tara, Arjun, Farhaan, and Neel know something is terribly wrong. Their search for answers leads them to a local flour factory and a banned chemical hidden within. What starts as a mystery soon becomes a battle for truth, as the children uncover a scheme that could harm countless families in their village.

The deeper they dig, the greater the danger. A shady security guard watches their every move. Policemen who should protect them act suspicious instead. The factory hides more than flour and the trail of clues winds through midnight stakeouts, broken fences and secrets whispered in hushed voices.

But when one of their own disappears, the mission is no longer just about solving a puzzle, it becomes a desperate fight to save a friend.

Set against the backdrop of rural India, The Aashram Sleuths - Mystery of the Flour Factory is more than just a thrilling children's mystery. It's a story of courage, resilience and the belief that even those with the fewest means can be the strongest heroes.

Perfect for readers who grew up on mysteries like The Famous Five, The Hardy Boys, or Nancy Drew, this book introduces a new generation of young sleuths whose world feels instantly relatable. Instead of castles, islands and foreign lands, their adventures unfold in fields, village lanes and a crumbling factory-places familiar yet full of secrets.

Som Sengupta is a student, state-level basketball player and young writer with a passion for science, technology, and storytelling. Inspired by his mother's work with underprivileged children, he wanted to create a mystery where kids like those he met at her NGO could finally see themselves as heroes: brave, curious, and determined.

The Aashram Sleuths - Mystery of the Flour Factory is his debut novel.