In a time when Instagram reels and mobile gaming dominate teen interests, a 15-year-old from Belagavi has taken the literary world by surprise with his debut English suspense-thriller, The Rusted Riddle.
Pranav Shashibhushan Bayari, now a Class 10 student at KLS Public School, Peeranwadi, quietly penned the 460-page novel during his Class 9 year, balancing his academics with this personal project. Remarkably, he didn’t inform even his teachers or friends while writing the book, which he later self-published through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
Once the book went live, it began gaining attention for its gripping narrative and has since received glowing 5-star reviews on Amazon. Pranav has already sold four copies and is earning through platforms like Amazon, Google Play Books, and Pothi.com. The e-book is priced at ₹385, and the paperback is available for ₹725.
Speaking to reporters, Pranav shared that the process was demanding. “Every night, I’d get fresh ideas and would choose the best ones to write about 5–6 pages in a 30–40 minute window,” he said. The novel follows a 15-year-old boy whose parents are mysteriously killed. Though authorities dismiss the case as an accident, the son digs deeper, unraveling a suspense-filled investigation. A sequel is already underway, he revealed.
Inspired by J.K. Rowling and books like The Shadow of Nunn, Pranav said, “I’ve read the entire Harry Potter series. That’s when I thought — why not write my own?” Initially keeping the project secret from his parents, he later found their full support once they discovered his accomplishment.
His parents, who hail from Chikkamagaluru and now run a pharmaceutical business in Belagavi, were surprised and proud. His father, K.S. Shashibhushan, said, “He always loved reading, but authoring a novel — and that too in English — was beyond what we imagined.”
His mother, Savitri, added, “We encouraged his reading and writing. Now, the school has recognised him, and people are calling with congratulations. We’ll support him in whatever he chooses — I hope he makes the nation proud.”
Living near the Second Railway Gate on Agarkar Road in Tilakwadi, Pranav now dreams of writing more in English and even plans to author Kannada books in the future. “While many of my friends waste time on their phones, I wanted to do something meaningful,” he said.
The novel has resonated with international readers too — a reader from Germany even reached out to him via WhatsApp to appreciate the story.
