The Mystery of the Talking Skull

An age old trunk left by a magician who had vanished "from the world of men" reveals more than a magician's items. A talking skull that sneezes and boo's leaves a trail for the investigators to follow. It seems that the trunk contains clue to some old crime that had remained unsolved. Thus the investigators are presented with more than a single mystery that seems to border the supernaturals. To solve they not only required to know the history but also about those who were related with the trunk and its contents. With this comes a curious threat that leaves no option but to solve the case no matter what. So again there is excitement in the menu but adventure takes a backseat while analysing clues keep the suspense alive.

Fools Die

Set in the backdrop of the Las Vegas and Hollywood ambience the narrative becomes monotonous after a suspenseful beginning. Corruption rules supreme among every social strata. Infidelity becomes the order of the day. Casino manager, corporate chiefs as well as writers live a life of bluffs and lust camouflaged by their wealth and cunning. But with materials like these the story spends much time in exploring the characters and so the excitement is only at the final chapters. The piece is thus more of a study of how corruption plays the pivotal role of shaping the character and the future which, looked from another perspective seems so much predictive. This strange yet convincing philosophy is the crux of the prose though it seemed to have lesser effect.