Publish with Us

Follow Penguin

Follow Penguinsters

Follow Penguin Swadesh

Darkness at Star Mills (Chronicles of Courage Series)

Darkness at Star Mills (Chronicles of Courage Series)

A Novel of the Bombay Mill Strike of 1982 | Ages 9+

Shabnam Minwalla
Select Preferred Format
Buying Options
Paperback / Hardback

A novel of the Bombay Mill Strike of 1982

There’s a lot going on at Tenduwadi Chawl. Vinod’s friends are practising for the big cricket match between Building No. 1 and Building No. 2. Radha’s friends are arguing over two Bollywood heroes. Everyone seems to be fighting, falling in love and keeping secrets.

Little wonder, then, that it takes the children of Tenduwadi Chawl some time to realize that their world is changing. The Bombay Mill Strike has begun and the air is thick with suspicion. Old acquaintances are turning into strangers. Then, one evening, Vinod follows the Building No. 2 cricket team to Star Mill Compound and stumbles upon an ugly mystery.

Award-winning author Shabnam Minwalla’s novel is both gripping and layered, and paints a vivid picture of a time of the city’s transformation.

The Chronicles of Courage series looks at moments and movements in India after independence that have shaped the life of the nation.

Imprint: Duckbill

Published: May/2026

ISBN: 9780143479161 (Paperback)

Length : 168 Pages

MRP : ₹299.00

Darkness at Star Mills (Chronicles of Courage Series)

A Novel of the Bombay Mill Strike of 1982 | Ages 9+

Shabnam Minwalla

A novel of the Bombay Mill Strike of 1982

There’s a lot going on at Tenduwadi Chawl. Vinod’s friends are practising for the big cricket match between Building No. 1 and Building No. 2. Radha’s friends are arguing over two Bollywood heroes. Everyone seems to be fighting, falling in love and keeping secrets.

Little wonder, then, that it takes the children of Tenduwadi Chawl some time to realize that their world is changing. The Bombay Mill Strike has begun and the air is thick with suspicion. Old acquaintances are turning into strangers. Then, one evening, Vinod follows the Building No. 2 cricket team to Star Mill Compound and stumbles upon an ugly mystery.

Award-winning author Shabnam Minwalla’s novel is both gripping and layered, and paints a vivid picture of a time of the city’s transformation.

The Chronicles of Courage series looks at moments and movements in India after independence that have shaped the life of the nation.

Buying Options
Paperback / Hardback

Shabnam Minwalla

Shabnam Minwalla is a mother of three teenagers, an ardent saree-shopper and a Mumbai-holic. She has spent most of her life with words-editing her school magazine, working as a journalist with the Times of India and writing non-fiction. What she most enjoys, though, is writing fiction.

Many of her books for children and young adults-including When Jiya Met Urmila, Saira Zariwala is Afraid, Murder at Daisy Apartments and The Six Spellmakers of Dorabji Street-have won prestigious awards. Her non-fiction book on the Mumbai Neighbourhood of Colaba is very popular.

Shabnam was a student at St Xavier’s College in Mumbai and got her MA in Journalism at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. She was a Chevening Scholar at Wolfson College in Cambridge.

More By The Author

The Pink Dress

The Pink Dress

Shabnam Minwalla
Zen

Zen

Shabnam Minwalla
When Jiya Met Urmila

When Jiya Met Urmila

Shabnam Minwalla
The Shy Supergirl

The Shy Supergirl

Shabnam Minwalla
Lucky Girl

Lucky Girl

Shabnam Minwalla
error: Content is protected !!