Coma

The first time I'd come across this book was in a second hand bookstore and knowing its popularity I'd at once picked it up. But a rude shock was in store for me when, after flipping through first few pages I found that several of the pages were blank white sheets. Grossly dissapointed as I returned it to the store, no other copy was available of it. Though the story remained unfinished for me but the suspense had already been sensed. So when I came across the narrative a second time, I wasted no time but started on it voraciously. Being already  familiar with Cook's novels, from the very first page the story absorbed me fully and the thrill mounted in a monotone that was rather enjoyable but for the very climax that seemed too much abrupt. The medical terms that crowd Robin Cook's novel, never seemed, in this one, a botheration as the medical rationale was established at each instance. The bad thing was using the terms while describing the simplest of incidents where it seemed too much of an overhead. Though the thrill was very well equated with no compromise on the actual storyline certain events appeared too much of an oversimplification with coincidences playing quite a major part. But overall the medical mystery and adventure makes it a classic thriller.

The Case of the Velvet Claws

The 1st Perry Mason novel brings a rich client trying to save her name from being publicized. But just before she was ushered into Mason's room, his secretary Della Strait had a hunch about her identity and as she spoke her mind to Mason he employed the detective Paul Drake to tail her. Thus from the very initial chapters, suspense sets in and the chase continues throughout. The case, that had started innocently enough compared to what is matamorphosed into finally, takes an ominous turn at the murder of a business tycoon that posed a threat to Mason himself as he was implicated indirectly as being the murderer. As Mason was trying to pile up evidences against the implication, time seemed his only enemy. The alert Drake came useful more than once and Mason finally seemed to uncover the truth after some breaks whose coincidences may disappoint the reader but were very much a relief to the lawyer. As Mason extracts himself from the velvet claws of a very shrewd woman and turns the tide in his favour while revealing the criminals, he takes refuge to a web of aptly designed bluffs interspersed with truth. As the confessions come one by one and the mystery is solved, the author is to be complimented for his clearer understanding of human psychology that forms the basis of the events that he portrays. The consistency of the characters throughout the novel is another point to note which is very difficult to maintain in detective stories. The story is fast paced with several twists in the plot that ultimately reaches the peak with the startling climax. Though the final chapter is a bit on the romantic side but on the whole the entire narrative is filled with enjoyable thrill.

Hirer Angti

The story starts with the common thief Sasthi planning on robbing a stranger of his priceless diamond ring. But as he learnt that the person is would be guest of the revered and respectable Ratan Banerjee, he pauses for a moment in his endeavour. But the lust for the ring seemed to get the better of his self as he conspires with others to steal it anyhow. However, surprises seemed in store for him and his comrades as not only did they fail three times in a row, but each time their own possession changes hands. As the infuriated Sasthi, bent on revenge, enters the feared boundary of the Banerjee mansions he becomes witness to yet another revelation, that of a possible treachery and assassination. The adventures that follows him and the inmates of Banerjee mansion remains to be enjoyed by the reader, both old and young, but one thing is certain  - Shirshendu had once more penned an entertainer filled with thrill, wit, suspense and humour. Essentially categorized as children’s book, with a varied mix of strange characters abound, the story is crisp, compact and enjoyable with an underline message, beautifully conveyed for readers of all age.

The Secret Adversary

Tommy and Tuppence's first adventure is both a thrilling chase and comedy interspersed. Tommy's practical views and the intuition of Tuppence matches the villaniously shrewd brain of the antagonist as the Young Adventurers set upon to unearth a long lost secret threatening the future of an entire nation. The document seemed to have changed hands from a secret agent to a civilian but all traces to the latter apparently vanished with the sinking of the ship where both were travelling. Five years after as the Government tries hard to recover it the sinister Mr. Brown with his commonplace appearance seems to outwit the professionals at every stage. As Brown and his associates plans a coup it is upto Tuppence and Tommy to outwit the criminals. In this help comes from Julius Hersheimmer, the American cousin of Jane Finn, the civilian in whose possession the papers are allegedly kept and James Peel Edgerton K.C. But the young sleuths are not sure whom to trust and whom to not as murder happens in front of their eyes and each step they take seem to fall in one sort of trap or the other. As Tommy and Tuppence tries to uncover the true face behind each mask the countdown starts for the coup. An excellent twist, as always in these mystery novels, awaits the readers near the finale but the way it has been set up speaks highly of the master writer. Though the subtelity of her later novels is a bit missing but this one is sure to bring enjoyment to the readers. A baffling mystery with a touch of romance makes this story a welcome premiere for two new adventurers.

Eker Pithe Dui

My favourite of Ray's assortment of a dozen short stories with horror, ghost, sci-fi, adventure and a mystery blended in the hardback. the content runs as

• Anukul
• Telephone
• Aami Bhut
• Kaagtarua
• Lakhpati
• Ganesh Mutsuddir Portrait
• Nitai O Mahapurush
• Kutum-Katam
• Nidhiraamer Icchapuran
• Raamdhaner B(n)ashi
• Master Angshuman
• Bosepukure Khunkharapi

The best part of the collection is the usual thrill of the twist at the climax is heightened by extreme fiction that has been masterfully masked till the finale. The stories include a humanoid robot with senses more like humans, a call from the land of the mist, narrative by a ghost that has been followed by a curious dream, the transformation of a proud soul, extraordinary skill of an artist, a horror adventure, a funny metamorphosis, a terrified ghost, a short adventure in Master Angshuman, my favourite in my younger age and the pick of the lot and finally the mystery surrounding the murder and the family of an opera artist. The stories are so designed as to keep its impression lasting for years if not decades.

Jonathaner Barir Bhut

Suchitra Bhattacharya weaves suspense as alleged poltergeist activities haunts an Anglo-Indian family. Shaking furniture and a host lot of other troubles terrorizes the infabitants and Mitin and Tupur enters the scene with the everdear Partha accompanying them. As Mitin searches up clues a new mystery evolves hinting to a lost treasure with a riddle left behind to solve it. The evil seems to lurk in the deep recess of the minds of the seemingly innocent ones and Mitin is determined to unmask them. A good story for the young minds with multiple plots never complicating the flow the writer presents a graphic narration of detection and mystery. Only one major complain that I noticed is during an irrelevant remark of Mitin whers she tries to relate a procedure with its digital analogue but the logic is so very erroneous that it leaves a scar on the intelligence of the detective.

Music with a Hope: Arindam Das launches album ‘Swapno Sambhab’

http://calcuttatube.com/music-with-a-hope-arindam-das-launches-album/156336/