N or M?

The story of espionage and counter-espionage, Tommy and Tuppence with Albert in tow appears in yet another breath taking novel wrapped up in mystery with a thrilling culmination waiting for them and the readers alike. Always on the look out of an exciting adventure, in their middle ages, the couple seemed to get bored devoid of any action during the war times. But their friend, the ever mysterious Mr. Carter seems to have a surprise for them. When conspiracy of the enemy camp successfully generates corrupt Government officials, the duo are called on to find the rot and to get clues leading to the next attack. Camouflaged under false identities they are directed to a remote location and a apparently harmless habitat called Sans Souci where they are excepted to find two of the most daring spies for the enemy camps. There in the midst of the seemingly retired army personnels, inquisitive old ladies, refugees, harmless family persons, they must unmask the enemy. Exciting at every turn of the page, though this may not be the best spy story, but will be as exciting a story of detection as any other.

The Sicilian

The literary sequel to The Godfather, the tale is of romance and betrayal and treachery and bravery that depicts the true Sicily. Set in the years of his exile from America, the story at parts, is set from the perspective of Michael Corleone but the major share goes to the author's romantic narration of the legend of Turi Guiliano. Considered by many as the Sicilian Robinhood, Turi Guiliano's rise to infamy had been through a path of cruelty, deception, betrayal and love. Categorized in various volumes, the story narrates Guiliano life in the hills of Sicily with his band of bandits. Puzo brings the legend to life and narrates the story with his signature style that is devoid of emotions but filled with sentiments so Sicilian that the reader is always on the lookout of treachery within treachery whose final twist comes at the very last chapters. As history is brought to life with fiction mingling with it, the novel becomes unlike Godfather yet so like it in the same way as Guiliano was so unlike Mafiosi but became so like them.

Ayena

A short detective story by Ananda Bagchi, found from a digital collection of old Anandamela stories. The story serves as a short representation of classic detection that, in the short span was logically correct and complete. The added appeal was personal as it brought back the nostalgic moments that I used to derive from the pages of the old magazine that I was so fond of.