Pikur Diary o Onyanya

This book had been among the prohibited few that my parents asked me to keep at bay for the right age. So when that age came, at least when I felt it came, I pounced on it in the bookshop to be introduced to the writings for the adults by Ray, who is more famous for his literary creations for the young. The book consists of Pikur Diary, where the diary of Piku reveals the daily details of his family in the coarse form that is to be expected from a child of his age but which also reveals the genius of Ray as he used the dialect of the child along with the obvious spelling mistakes while revealing the mature details with subtle clues. The next is the script for the movie Piku, which actually is a major deviation from the story and is acknowledged in the introduction by the writer himself. There is also another script of Shakha-Prasakha, but it is again one of the earlier versions for the movie. There are a couple of science fiction, Sabuj Manush and Mayurkanthi Jelly, with the latter more suspenseful than the former. But the most hilarious is Aryashekharer Janma o Mrityu which shows how the intellectual impetus of an unfortunate genius becomes too much for the society as well as for his self. The book with its various hues will be enjoyable for its cohesive diversity.

The Clocks

An unidentified man lies dead in a blind woman's house. Surrounded by four stopped clocks, the body is discovered by a typewritist. An apparently innocent passer by, who is also in knowhow with the police and Poirot, coordinates with the authorities. Narrated mostly from his perspective, the story unfolds its hues as one of the most perplexing investigations due chiefly to no identification of the victim. So when police seems to crawl through the sleuthing, the master is challenged to solve the crime sitting in the drawing room. A couple of more deaths occur. As doubts on many creep up it seems Poirot can only solve it. But he is actually primarily absent in most of the situations. So the way he solves the crime is a real revelation for all.
Written in an uncharacteristic slackened pace with a riddle subtly hinted upon to solve for the readers this Christie will rank a bit on the lower side but its unique style of crime keeps the signature intact..

Good old Secret Seven

Something strange was happening in a far off ruin of a castle. Had it not been for the telescope that came handy for the Secret Seven it would not have been discovered. Once piqued, it was no stopping the seven adventurers who tumbled onto something yet more serious. With their dog Scamper in tow, Peter, Janet, Jack, George, Colin, Pam and Barbara resolved to get to the bottom of the mystery while the ever annoying Susie and Binkie posed some additional problems. What were being continuously guarded at the castle? Why residents jackdaws were unsettled? Was there a wailing spirit? Or is it something more sinister? To know all these the book is a must read for the young readers. But I will say that this birthday present of my son gave some merry moments of nostalgia that was refreshing as well as enjoyably thrilling. This book had the smell of the school days when detective fiction at its enjoyably best were offered by the authors who wrote solely for the young dreamers.

The Man Who Knew Too Much

A collection of political mysteries with a flavour that is slightly different from conventional mystery stories. Infact the sleuth is related to the PM, the FM and several other in the higher rungs which gives him ample chance to study the intricacies of regional along with private politics. So it is not surprising that each story unveils the crimes in private circles but the actual perpetrators are sometimes to be excused from bringing to justice just to avoid a greater political chaos. So Horne Fisher, the investigator with the self proclaimed omniscient knowledge of almost everything finds it hard to bear the burden of information that he is cursed with. His analytical mind gets easily to the truth but diplomacy prevents unmasking the villains publicly quite a few times. Fisher vents his solutions to Harold March, a political journalist who gets attached to Fisher in a case that is supposed to be the first for the duo. Besides this case and the final one, the others are not chronologically arranged. The stories are unique in the sense that philosophy plays a greater part than concrete evidence in unveiling the truth but the finale remains convincing always. The final case is a bit predictive that has seemed to influence Christie in one of her masterpieces where the master falls after preventing the calamity in the way that is tragic yet supremely heroic satisfying justice. The signature style of Chesterton can be felt in the subtle cues, the serenity of the ambience that makes the stories gripping yet calm. Written from the third person perspective, the contents are as follows

1. The Face in the Target
2. The Vanishing Prince
3. The Soul of the Schoolboy
4. The Bottomless Well
5. The Fad of the Fisherman
6. The Hole in the Wall
7. The Temple of Silence
8. The Vengeance of the Statue

What Happened to Netaji?

This is the million dollar question for the admirers of Netaji that needs to be answered truthfully. That too in such a fashion as to leave no doubt to the enquirer. Three enquiry commissions, confusing outcomes, glaring mistakes that is overruled in accepting some inferences, clues strewn all over the globe, but still there is no clear cut revelation about what really happened to Netaji after the Taipei conundrum. Is this what we deserve? By we, I mean the Indians. The plight of INA after the WWII is also another query that needs to be clearly clarified. Those brave soldiers who wanted to free the motherland and fought the British led army of Indians, who actually massacred the Jalianwalabagh innocents, were branded as traitors! Is this a joke? I think it is for the ministers who won't divulge the secret facts of Netaji who kept freedom of India as his top priority always. But there is still hope. This can be said after we find people like Anuj Dhar tiring out every bit of his investigative journalism in excavating the bits of truth that is to be pieced together to find the truth whose secrecy is like the Holy Grail for the country. His efforts had already been published in two books and this actually summarises his efforts with some logic put forward to give credibility to his findings. In fact some chapters points out what he thinks is the dilemma of the governments to declassify the top secrets and some files graded above that. It is quite convincing to the layman why Congress might have tried to hide facts about their only rival in the political career. But what about Janata Dal and BJP? Why did they not reveal the files for the countrymen? It is apparently not very obvious. But the author has actually tried to clarify that too in a manner that requires deep thinking. So doubts might be there after completing it but one thing is certain which is the  mystery that is shrouded under layers of secrecy across multiple countries is not to be left as it is and this admiring team of experience and skill will give all their efforts to unravel this.
So with all the best to the researchers this book is recommended for all those who feels indebted to the freedom etched out by the blood of the unsung fighters.

Bhut Samagra

Spanning over the varied human emotions from intense tragedies to suspenseful narratives the one element that is common to all in this collection is the spirits. Actually reference to spirit is deliberate as spirituality and not raw horror is the core of the book. Sometimes it becomes autobiographical as the author dwells on the untimely death of his Mother in a haunted residence and how he witnessed his revered Chotodadu (Grandfather) alleviating misfortunes of the needy with rituals that defies logic for the layman and makes the events no less than miracles. Also various events in the lives of Ramakrishna Sarada and their greatest disciple Swamiji have been depicted that borders presence of some forces that is subtle yet true. With a suitable note as introduction the content of this volume includes
• Raat barota
• Haat na daal
• Bhut adbhut
• Nishir daak
• Bhuter khela
• Morgan saheber bagan
• Sei raat
• Gaganer maach
• Bhutera bhuteder kichu korte pare na
• S(n)iri
• Kach
• Sei adbhut manushti
• Bhut samparke duchar katha
• Brahmadaityake ekghanta gaan shunie thakurda bari firlen
• Teel matite pora matroi jwale uthlo
• Maa bole daklen, gaganvedi chitkar
• Chotodadu cancer rogta nijer shorire tule niechilen
• Ekti chobi, ekti chobi. Khaskhas shabdo
• S(n)aibaba aloukik Shorire Gopinath kabirajke Kaashite dekhe gelen
• Hatath dekhi chaire Gaurida, tarpori nei, tablee sudhu swet sankha
• ‘Eki tumi ekhane!’ Prashner uttar ajo khuje beracchi
• Aenae dekhte gie dekhi jantranaklishta bridhhar mukh
• Siddha Tantriker shesh Puja Chinnamasta, Amabasyae rakto die Maaer Pujo korbo
• Amar kono naam nei. Ami Maaer Santan, bolei adrishya holen
• Ekta jhoro hawa boe gelo, gaacher daal bhangatr shabdo holo
• Bina meghe bajrapaat
• Kichu loukik kichu aloukik
• Charte deshlai kathi
• Gobheer raate
• Bhuter bor saja
• Ashade nnoe
Witty remarks refreshes the stories at places that balances the philosophical bend of quite a few anecdotes.

Chromosome 6

A radical invention, an enterprising materialist, a profiteering organization, a ruthless enforcer, the combination could not have been less perfect for a smooth flow of cash from the wealthiest of clients but for the fact that it showed a blind eye to ethics. So when a mafia chief is killed in the States ripples are felt in the remote base in Africa as a possible postmortem thwarted the entire project. So the body vanished but the trace could not be entirely wiped out. An obstinate team of mortuary doctors seemed to solve the mystery of the vanished body and another headless corpse all at the same time. Joining them was a police detective.  The bad boys were in action but the dice was rolled. So as the trio in States tried to solve some bizarre mysteries, another trio in Africa tried to investigate the ethical doubts. So the suspense heightened as biology unfolded some extreme revelations. A terrific mystery coupled with signature crisp narrative style that makes the story awesome. Surprisingly, reliefs are found in the choicest phrases that does not dries up the thrill but actually spices it up. Robin Cook once more shows his mastery in medical mysteries but some parts remained unexplained as the suspense culminates which might make it short of classic.

Rahasya Jakhan Ataltale

A tight compilation of mystery stories that revolves around curious deaths that might seem quite natural yet invokes doubt to the investigators. The stories are titled as

1. Sap Nie Khela
2. Khurasya Dhar
3. Je Ghum Bhangeni

A wealthy woman dies after an apparent innocent medication following appearance of snakes and a rumour of ghost in a mansion that had seen better days. The local police led by OC Pralay Kumar took up the case and with them came CID inspector Rajib Sanyal. Interrogations started that revealed some dark pasts of the household and a peculiar will of a dead father-in-law of the dead lady. Thus started a thrilling chase where the web of motive needed to be cleared to find the real villain. The story is crisp with a smooth pace that is immensely enjoyable. The next one starts with Rajib, now retired, getting a call from police to help them investigate an apparent suicide. Here, there is also the presence of Pralay Kumar, who is referred to be the assistant of Rajib but seemed actually to be in charge of the events. Infact Pralay addresses Rajib as uncle and thus whether he is the same Pralaly of the other stories is not very apparent. However, the story lacks the tightness and is irrationally fast and is not the author's best work. The final one is again a case for the retired Rajib who is running a private agency, again assisted by Pralay Kumar who is referred to as former colleague to the retired investigator. This time the case is about an apparent stroke victim who succumbed to her conditions three years prior. The case is presented in a veil of secrecy and though Rajib cracks but the case falls short of the expectations due to some childish reasonings along with some unexplained evidences albeit a quality presentation full of old world charm.

Kolaboti Samagra

Containing six of the heart touching stories of Kalaboti the pieces defy time and will be immensely enjoyed by all ages. With a mix of fun devoid of malice, tragedy that will moisten the eyes, romance that is enjoyably sublime, thrill that touches the correct chords, drama that is literal as well as metaphorical, truth that is bitter yet real, the pieces are arranged as

• Kolabotir Dekha Shona
• Bhuter Basae Kolaboti
• Kolaboti o Khaeri
• Kolaboti, Apur Ma o Panchu
• Kolaboti o Millenium Match
• Kolabotir Shaktishel

The stories stylishly mixes tradition such that it salutes heritage yet never screams of obsessive propaganda. Moti Nandi without cricket is a rarity and obviously enough the sport is central to two of the pieces but surprisingly there is another one that takes on football as a subject. Blended with all the emotions of a healthy family the bubbly Kolaboti with her uncle Satyashekar with a heart as large as his soul and apetite, the dignified grandpa Rajshekhar, the strict guardian cum caring teacher Malaya, the rustic Apur Ma with a heart so brave and cooking so perfect, Murari who can be considered a Bengali butler, the arch rival cum family friend Harishankar and a host of other allies will freshen the heart and refresh the spirit.

Netaji Rahasya Sandhane

Each and every work of the author is an work of research. But this time he seems to exceed that in trying to bring out what may have happened to Netaji on and after August 18, "45. Written in a truly unbiased way, the author analyses the report of the Shah Nawaz committee, Suresh Bose's Dissentient Report, some investigation snippets of the foreign governments, some of the books based on the mysterious night and a set of interviews that he carries out at Japan. In a true style of the unbiased journalist he approaches the events in a frank truthful way and brings out the inferences that a logical thinker will. In doing this he actually hints at four different possibilities that justifies reason and remarkably matches some proofs unearthed in future. But while doing so, he, quite justifiably, spares not a single stab at the misleads which seemed to be purposefully effected by several persons for some motivation other than unearthing the truth. But there is a single complain that I have regarding two photographs that indeed needed references for validation, why the author was reluctant in furnishing them seems mysterious. A tribute to the valiant leader of the motherland the author hopes that someday we will be able to pay the due respect to the lion who fought for the freedom of the nation in the way that the nation demanded at that time.

Tree Tops

Tree Tops, in the Kenyan forest, had been the place where one day Princess Elizabeth ascended to it only to leave it the next day as Queen Elizabeth. The moved author who had been assigned to the duty of taking due care of the tour describes the hours passed mostly in the balcony where the princess was delightlfully engaged in filming the wildlife activities of the forest. Not only her and her company's courageous maneuver around the herd of a herd of elephants while alighting the Tree Tops is appreciated by no less a courageous man as the author but his feeling of privilege of guarding the royalty for one night is also apparent. But the best part of it is the description of the wild life at the salt-lick over which they stood which is as much lively as it is vivid. The portraiture could not have been more perfect than a film where the literal and real shades of the African jungle is picturesquely etched. Written not long before his journey to The Happy Hunting Grounds, though a bit less inspiring than his other works, it remains a timeless chapter in the series.

Kolabotir Dekha Shona

Kolaboti, nearing the horizon of her school life, aspires to become asports journalist With recommendation from his grandfather she joins the bengali daily Bangabanee as a trainee apprentice and starts on her course of collecting news from the local matches. But what she collects not only surprises her but she is shocked to see that many a talent is suppressed in fixed matches, points are shared without a single ball being played. She also gets to interview an ambitious family hell bent on making a millionaire player out of their little daughter by feeding her tennis day and night. The final shock comes when he finds a man of the age of his grandpa, falsifies a claim of an athletic feat that is forty years old just out of pride. Her shock is also two pronged when she finds her reportage on what she sees is either cancelled on the pretext of its length or is forced to be withdrawn from sources out of her control. But her belief in men is restored by a curious turn of events where though she plays a bit too rough but finds the true sportsman who keeps at stake every little thing he owns for the truth that he seeks to restore respect for the deserving though forgotten master.
With freshness of the youth the narrative is another classic that will remain enjoyable to readers of all ages. With his signature style of humour weaved in the proper places, the author makes the protagonist an established character for a sports series.

My India

My India is Corbett's India comprising of the poor of India who represented the great soul of the country. The essays in the book are about the persons that Corbett came in contact with during his young days and his days as a transhipment inspector with the railways - that chiefly consisted of the loyal labourers with the heart of gold, who varied in caste and creed, poverty and utter poverty, but working and enjoying their responsibilities harmoniously, That Corbett loved these simple souls is apparent in every paragraph of the book that dwells on the life of the poorest of India under the British Raj and under the oppression of the money lenders whose extreme high rates of interest overburdened the people so as to pass it along their generations. There is also reference to the cholera infested people of the neighbourhood whose only hope sometimes were the untiring sympathy of the villagers and the simple remedies offered by Corbett himself. He marvels at the innocence of simple Indians whose belief in faith is so strong that they do not care for infections and tend to the dying with sincerity on the firm belief that when the call from Providence comes they have to leave but before that no disease can be infectious enough to kill them while they are caring those in need. Days of hardships among these hardworking beings becomes bearable as the master with his hands shares the crisis in one situation when fund for salaries dries up from headquarters yet the people never lose hope for a time. Throughout the book, Corbett has marvelled on the simple life of the poo in India whose truthfulness orginates from the simple life they lead without expecting more than his day's worth of work. But beyond that another reality emerges which is the humility of this great man. It is very apparent that his people loved him. This is not due to the fact of the colour of his skin, but for his sense of responsibility to the persons who looked on him and his sister. That Corbett was as much British as he was Indian is very apparent from the title of the book itself. His unfaltered love for the poor of India and his duties towards them sets him apart from many. Through his eyes we can oberve an India hitherto hidden from us through the artificiality of urban life. That the poor of India, economically deprived, is devoid of greed, never for once forget a good deed done to them is apparent from the way they always look forward to repay his well wisher in the best way possible with their simple means and becomes his staunch ally, no matter what happens. Corbett also marvels at the mutual respect his workers, coming from various religions, castes, show each other that it actually becomes a harmonious unit that cares a little when a lower caste is casted a headman of a unit comprising of people from all other creeds. Corbett shows us India that we forget in the artificiality of the apparently modern age but that actually shapes the soul of this great nation through ages.

Kolaboti, Apur Ma o Panchu

This is during the schooldays of Kalabati when she is growing up amid the loving ambience od his granddad, Rajsekhar Sinha, the food loving barrister uncle, Satyasekhar, the caring Apur Ma and the rest of the household of the Sinha family of Atghora amid the occassional amusing conflict with the Bakdighi family which is incidentally home to Malaya who is the teacher of the same school where Kalabati studies. It all starts with Apur Ma making up her mind to prepare bori after Kalabati praises the dishes that she tasted from her friend at school. But the preparation involved a crucial step of guarding the bori as they dried in the open sun against the attacks of crows. So Apur Ma thought of procuring a catapult for the purpose. Meanwhile there comes Panchu, a stray monkey left lonely by the demise of his master, whom Kalabati picks up from the street deciding to keep him. Thus the days go on at a gentle pace in the household. But then comes crisis in the form of three dacoits who breaks into the house while fleeing from the public. How the inhabitants deals with the situation forms the crux of the theme and the readers will suddenly find the pace accelerating. But throughout the story, the various subplots will keep the readers smiling. The signature Moti Nandi, with his crisp storytelling, seems always to excel himself while relating adventures of Kalabati and this is also another of those.

Tales of Mystery & Terror

The first part contains stories which had been a part of a larger volume already discussed. These being the Tales of Terror, contains The Horror of Heights, The Leather Funnel, The New Catacomb, The Case of Lady Shannox, The Terror of Blue John Gap and The Brazilian Cat. But the inertia of terror continues in the first two Tales of Mystery bearing the names The Lost Special and The Beetle-Hunter. The former is the mystery of a special train seemingly vanishing into thin air while the later is a curious anecdote of a doctor witness to a strange behaviour of a seemingly sane scientist. Though there is mystery in each but the strain of terror predominates to make them horrifyingly gripping. The next is the story of The Man with the Watches who is found murdered in a first class carriage without any tickets but with six watches in the dead man's pockets. A gleam of scandal seems to lurk in the the residence of a widower with the entire household doubting the master when a chance situation reveals the truth in The Japanned Box whose content had been the centre of speculations to all. Again an apparent murder of The Black Doctor causes much stir and it remains to be seen whether the accused can be acquitted in a courtroom drama. The curious apparent desecration of The Jew's Breastplate torments the curator and he sets a trap to catch the perpetrator only to reveal a painful truth. But drama is at its extreme in the final piece of The Nightmare Room where everybody will be held unguarded when the mystery is spawned with the last line giving the solution so refreshingly beautiful. Only one bad thing about the publication is the confusion in closing page sequences along with orientations that will cause a bit of a bother to the flow of reading during the finale otherwise so tersely grand.

Chadmabeshi

I had seen the movie, both the Bengali and the Hindi version, so I was actually biased about its humour. Also, as I was going through it I could actually visualize the events which actually showed how cleverly the theme was adopted. But having said that, one thing is certain, the directors of either versions, especially the Bengali filmmaker had trimmed the script to perfection which allowed it to become a masterpiece. But the book itself, though had a humorously thrilling finish and witty dialogues but is not overly enjoying. This is chiefly because of a laboriously lengthy descriptions at places and loquacious dialogues which could have better been avoided. So excitement during purchase actually did not remain much after the initial few chapters but smiles will return during the climactic sequences.

Abduction

What would you feel if someday you get to know that aliens are not coming from outside earth but actually they are living deep inside the ocean floors and they are human beings, only a bit too advanced. That there had existed human race long before dinosaurs will also be a surprising revelation. Besides cities inside earth with technologies so much evolved that people do not die in the usual way will also grip your imaginations. But if all these come as an exciting revelation it will also be surprising how much boring life can be in these technologically advanced place. These and much more awaits a group of deep sea explorers, divers and a businessman when they suddenly find themselves abducted by these human and find themselves classified as the less evolved variant. With the option of spending life without actually the pain of death and with an intellectual abundance in the offing at the luxurious paradise it remains to be seen what choices do each make. A point comes where it feels that good and evil might be the same thing but depends on perspectives. With a surprising twist at the very latter stage, the novel is an easy paced adventure with unique plot that is sci-fi at its best.

Akrur Sangbad

A touching story based on the compromise that is effected in families to choose between a close knit relation and one that is distanced for the sake of job satisfaction. Presenting in her simple style the age old problem is addressed but no solution is proposes. There lies the beauty of the narrative. It relies on the reader to appreciate the problem from their own perspective. When a time comes to choose between progress in career and disallowing distance to creep in relations, it is a real hurdle that many faces. The narrative gives an insight to what happens in some case. The title actually echoes what pains it caused to the inhabitants of Vrindavan when Lord Krishna was to return to Mathura. Actually it asks that to whom people will give their rights to. Will it be those who upbrings them or those who sustains them against their work. I am indebted to this story particularly for the title that allowed me to peek into the famous lines from which the story borrows part of the theme that is so true for all time.

A Strange Disappearance

Detective Q narrates a case to his colleagues of a missing girl from the house of a revered diplomat and how it gradually appealed him first of all due to the skittishness of the aged housekeeper who reported it to the police, secondly due to some curious clues at the room of the missing lady. Added to it was the importance of the house from where it happened and some more evidence that Mr. Gryce, superior to Q unearthed, that eluded the narrator during his searches.
Starting thus, with all the goodness of the old world mystery, it actually goes a bit too much in narrating how the criminals are caught. Also the plot finally divides into two with quite a considerable part devoted to something that could have been wrapped up more succinctly to keep the mystery as the focus primarily.

Hatighishar Hanabari

The childhood days will be brought back with the stories collected in this volume. Four intrepid girls Kalu, Malu, Tulu and Bulu looks for adventure in every nooks and corners, wherever they go. So it is very obvious that mysterious happenings, haunted houses, a treasure trail, curious sounds will attract these young adventurers. Written from the perspective of Tulu, these four young sleuths sets up to solve mysteries wherever they find one. Three of their exploits are contained here which are

• Tibbati Guhar Bhoot
• Hatighishar Hanabari
• Nanda Kananer Rahasya

The Enid Blyton of Bengali literature, Nalini Das had narrated the stories in such an easy pace that it will appeal to every young mind on all the ages. Such an old collection, but still I found them to be enjoyable read. With their backpacks packed with the essentials, the quad looks through age old mysteries and solves the riddles using clues that they pick up in their investigations. Using code words during conversations they easily evade the eavesdroppers in tight places. After reading the volume, only one thing needs explanation which is the name Gandalu whose last syllable may be derived from those of the four's names but why the first part is slightly monstrous in nature I have not a single clue. However, without bothering this part, the stories will refresh the mind not only for the adventure themselves but for the sleuths themselves. The intelligent and fearless Kalu, the code cracking Malu, the narrator Tulu and the slightly shaky Bulu gives completeness to the team and balances suspense and reliefs in the narratives nicely. The illustrations by Satyajit Ray adds an added attraction for the readers.

Gumnami Baba A Case History

The man who was one of the greatest heroes that India ever produced seemed today still the centre of a mystery spanning over decades with the haunting search still on on what happened to the man post 1945. At least three different theories have evolved, the most prominent being that of the Gumnami Baba which is explored by Adheer Som in this book. Not only the book explores the possibility of Netaji's apparent self ordained reclusion but also explores the man himself that gives a precise insight of him. Infact it will inspire the readers with the greatness that Netaji possessed even in his younger days. That a man can leave a life of the passionate revolutionary to a hermit might look a bit too odd to many. But this book actually proposes strong logic on the contrary. The book delves deeper into the information available on Bhagwanji and proposes some brave but logical conjectures that is worth probing. Summarising the reports of the Shah Nawaz Commision, the Khosla Commission, the Mukherjee Commission and the report on the handwriting analysis by B Lal, the author questions that if Gumnami Baba is not Netaji then who is he. Surely there must be some identity that can be converged upon beyond all doubts. But still we are unsure of that which seems quite confusing. With the scientific resources available, is it really very difficult to unearth the identity of somebody? Or is it that the identity is being allowed to be masked? The Baba had several articles that actually would have been more natural to be found in possession of a Bose kin which actually gives some clue to his identity. The author demands to know the truth behind the man for which he investigates from several perspectives. The book is a real eye opener to many. It is a tribute to the legend, It inspires to search for the truth. Rather it demands to know the truth! We can only hope that the author with his inspired readers actually finds the reality that the seekers of justice had been yearning for through the years.

A Thief in the Night

A short story collection featuring A J Raffles and his friend and accomplice, Bunny Manders who narrates some of their exploits and follows it up with an epilogue arranged as

• Out of Paradise
• The Chest of Silver
• The Rest Cure
• The Criminologists' Club
• The Field of Philippi
• A Bad Night
• A Trap to Catch a Cracksman
• The Spoils of Sacrilege
• The Raffles Relics
• The Last Word

All these pieces except the last two depicts the duo as amateur burglars with Raffles being the genius in the trade and Bunny his devoted follower who at times shows doubt at the dedication at the apparent spontaneous acts of his friend which is ultimately revealed as well thought improvisations of the master artist. The final pieces are at a later date when they are at their career's dusk and tragedy has struck and are thus a bit disjointed than the rest both in time and perspective but not in class. The crimes will however make the readers sometimes be sorry for the victims. Inspite of this the interesting part is that, an entire collection which depicts a character doing crimes, is never felt evil, rather the reader will enjoy the artful way these crimes are committed though the description might be a bit unnecessary lengthy at places. A novel character undoubtedly, this might be a revelation for readers of crime fictions who are more accustomed to look into the other side of narratives.

Chandragirir Rajkahini

A tremendously exciting novel with a touch of one of the greatest classics of all times but the moment you expect it to turn towards the obvious direction a twisting revelation makes it all the more rivetting.
A petty mercenary is hired by an aquintance of a dwindling kingdom to act as one of the successors of the dead king due to his close resemblance to the king's elder son who is living a life of the hunted after his step brother, the other  claimant of the title, failed in his attempt of killing him. Bargaining for the adventure with his life at stake, little did he know what awaits him as the deeper he delves, the royal secrets smeard with treachery make him shudder. A tale of royal vengeance where the common man is held as pawn in the name of fallen prestige keeps the suspense high. Though some queries remain unanswered still it remains a thrilling anecdote of an adventure with a touch of the romsnce. I had read several stories of the author but this surely is unique in its character

Hemendrakumar Roy Rachanabali Vol-XXX

I'd read Hemen Ray many a times and so picked this book up in the Bookfair to add up to the collection and also was curious to know how he write for adult. You might not believe me, he seems to had surpassed his own class while writing these social dramas that adorns this volume. This contains a basket of short stories collected under the title S(n)idurchupree which contains the social tensions depicted in Kshudiramer Keerti, the curious drama Chor, the tragic twist in Porarmukhi, the comic Khuror Khamkheyal, the cruelty of the selfish in Golap Phool, the blessed revenge of the natural outcast in Shiuli which altogether brings out the varied hues of the Bengali middle class.

But the gem of the collection is the novel Aleyar Alo which, through a series of twists and turns is a unique tragedy that is class apart from all other Hemen classics that I have read so far. Bordering chiefly on widow marriage at a time it was considered short of a miracle, the story has more than just a conventional sequence which points to disturbing consequences that are not far from reality.

Hemendrakumar is a natural writer of adventures. Here, his naturalness has vented its spirit into an entirely new direction where the essence of adventure permeates into ordinary life giving them an entirely new dimension and perspective. Recommended not for the children this promises enjoyment to mature minds.

The Uttermost Farthing A Savant's Vendetta

A criminal anthropologist with a fame of comparative anatomist starts on a vengeance of his own to eliminate those whom he considers scums of society after his tragic lost of his beloved in a robbery gone astray. A horrifying yet gripping tale of vendetta that is made yet more horrid by the minute details of the procedures that lead the unsuspecting victims to their last breath keeps the suspense alive. But the most terrifying is not the killings but the fact that each is ingenuously preserved with records to serve as a model to research characteristic anatomy of criminals in general. The nature of the narrative is quite novel where the readers may predict the ultimate but here lies the signature style of Freeman where he keeps the interest from never going dull by the way he describes events after events culminating to what the readers actually hope to reach. An enjoyable fast paced read that will keep readers glued to the pages but never will find themselves on the edge of the seats.

Deepak Chatterjeer Adventure

The famous thriller series continues this time in the digest form. The mystery pack contains

1. Kalobajaree Damane Dasyunetree Chamelee o Deepak
2. Dui Tin Char
3. Neel Sagarer Mohonoae
4. Garo Paharer Rahasya
5. Lal Neel Halud
6. Jaliyater Chakranta

All these contains the untiring efforts of Deepak Chatterjee to get rid of the evils in the society. At times, he is assisted by Ratanlal and Deepak's apprentice in the trade, Rajat Sen also appears in a significant role once. A master of disguise, the sleuth and his satellite uncover quite some dangerous plots to put to justice pirates, get rid of the masterminds behind several murders, foil the ploys of smugglers, in a word becomes the most feared person among the bad guys. But there is a glaring set of mistakes starting from the bad grammar, continuing with names of same persons being referred differently and a set of brow raising coincidences that makes the quality poor and the mystery super shallow. Swapankumar's fast paced thriller is best described as adventure that brings nostalgic memories of films not bothering on rationale but making the sleuths the heroes at all cost. Stories start with interesting twists, puzzling the readers quite a bit, but the obvious contradictions bordering on impracticality makes them lame to the extreme. But overall it gives a taste of the old times but will bring a sympathetic smile to the face.

Colonel Samagra Vol VI

The content of the volume runs as

• Briefcase Rahasya
• Neeche Namo B(n)ae Ghoro
• Nagna Nirjan Haat
• Borkhar Arale
• Kuashar Rang Neel

The last two deserve special mention among the various cases of Colonel in the sense that one of them sees the veteran sleuth being overtaken in wisdom and in the other the investigator plots a series of traps to ensure safety to the client while ensuring punishment to most of the criminals. The first one is a case where it is written in the third person which does not have so much appeal as are the following two where some thrill in the otherwise bland preludes is established with some interesting surprises.

A feeling of nostalgia is easily felt as we see a world devoid of cell phones and just the introduction of computers. The Colonel stories are generally independent of technology but one of them here has computer as a central element, where the sleuth seems to take training to get himself geared for the new gen and their cases.

Rambharosar Motorgari

The miserly hardfisted Rambharosa Agarwal, an affluent businessman of Herbertgunj wants to lead a life of piling money but for his wife and son who want to have their own family car. Their insistence gets the better of him and he agrees to purchase one. Happy at the prospects, Suresh, the son, immediately gets some catalogues and shows his dad. But hearing the price of the vehicles that runs in lakhs, Rambharosa is shell shocked. But as he had already promised, Rambharosa cannot take back his word. So he gets hold of an agent to buy a second hand car. With his bare minimum budget of just 10000, what happens next is a hilarious comedy full of merriment and fun. Though somewhat predictable at times, but the best thing of the story is its fast paced refreshing humour with its comically colourful characters that freshens up the mind while enlivening the reading moments.

P(n)achti Rahasya Upanyas

I will be grateful to the fan of the author who was buying a copy of this particular book standing just beside me at the Bookfair. On my enquir about whether the book is good, she told that she did not really know but other works of the author are quality products. So I bought it partly due to her comments, more so as it is a mystery compilation but never in my remotest thinking I considered it to be at all worth. Well, it was to be proven far from correct as the mystery novellas in the volume are breathtakingly beautiful. Consisting of five novellas

• Ek Tukro Megh
• Garita Gelo Kothae
• Choker Baire
• Chokher Arale
• Angule Atatayir Naam

the volume introduces Wrishi aka Saptarshi Dasgupta as the freshest face in the world of mystery fictions with his cousin Shreya acting as his satellite though remaining absent sometimes in the investigations just like Topshe who was sometimes kept in the dark by Feluda while on track of a criminal. Wrishi not only smokes but also keeps a diary just like Mr. Mitra did during the early days of his career as a budding detective. But these are just some minor details but the actual stories will keep you gripped the lines till the criminals are revealed.

The first story ushers Wrishi to the correct path in his career and as he matures so does the cases which includes murder too. In each of them the sleuth uses his power of deductions from the observed clues and finds evidence to corroborate them much in the same way of the styles of the traditional masters of the trade and this seems to revive the spirit which is unfortunately dying in these days of fast paced adventures where logic takes a backseat quite often. But there is some complain that might be said. Leaving all other things, the help from police seems unrealistically always true and there is an unrealness in the sudden maturity of Wrishi as the cases come. But it must also be said that such a refreshing volume of pure mystery laced with a touch of humour made me want for more and also made me an immediate fan of the sleuth.

The Great Tales of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The versatility of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle can be felt in the pages of this book that comprises stories penned  by the creator of Holmes and Challenger some of which equals if not surpasses his more popular titles. Categorised  as the following the stories are a treasure trove of adventure, fun, terror, history and much more:

• Tales of the Ring
1. The Croxley Master
2. The Lord of Falconbridge
3. The Fall of Lord Barrymore
4. The Crime of the Brigadier
5. The King of the Foxes
6. The Bully of Brocas Court

• Tales of Pirates

7. Captain Sharkey: How the Governor of Saint Kitt's came Home
8. The Dealings of Captain Sharkey with Stephen Craddock
9. The Blighting of Sharkey
10. How Copley Banks slew Captain Sharkey
11. The “Slapping Sal”
12. A Pirate of the land (One Crowded Hour)

• Tales of Blue Water

13. The Striped Chest
14. The Captain of the “Polestar”
15. The Fiend of the Cooperage
16. Jelland’s Voyage
17. J. Habakuk Jephson’s Statement

• Tales of Terror

18. Horror of the Heights
19. The Leather Funnel
20. The New Catacomb
21. The Case of lady Shannox
22. The Terror of Blue John Gap
23. The Brazilian Cat

• Tales of Twilight and the Unseen

24. The Brown Hand
25. The usher of Lea House School
26. B.24
27. The Great Keinplatz Experiment
28. A literary Mosaic
29. Playing with Fire
30. The Ring of Thoth
31. The Los Amigos Fiasco
32. How It Happened
33. Lon No. 249
34. “De Profundis”
35. The Lift

• Tales of Long Ago

36. The Last of the Legions
37. The Last Galley
38. Through the Veils
39. The coming of the Huns
40. The Contest
41. The First Cargo
42. An Iconoclast
43. Giant Maximin
44. The Red Star
45. The Silver Mirror
46. The Home-Coming
47. A Point of Contact

The author's fascination for the pugilists and their game and his inclination towards the paranormals are expressed in the volumes in some of the most fantastic stories of the genre that sometimes mixes both with an unique blend. But this does not prevent him to tell science fictions with the similar classic touch. Again, devoid of paranormals, some of the tales of terror are so chilling that it will match a horror story based on the supernaturals. But his mastery seemed at its supreme with the anecdotes of historical fictions that depicts the cruel yet brave world of a time long ago when the earth was defined by the adventures of her heroins and heroes. The cruelty of Captain Sharkey and his downfall (a bit confusing as two different stories hints at two different ways) is depicted in the stories of the seas and other stories also fills in with adventures of sailors each stranger than the other. Humour also finds place in some of the most fun filled misadventures that makes them more refreshing.

Diary of a Pilgrimage

I do not know how to express what I felt going thru this excellent narration that can be considered as a guide to the heart of a German town along with a priceless piece of English humour. Truly a literary wonder it brings forth the true artist in Jerome K Jerome whose use of playful exaggeration of the most normal events makes them appealingly enjoyable. A journey to a German town Oberammergau by two friends to watch the Passion Play could not have been made more interesting than what Jerome has done which also describes the Play and the actors in the simplest of ways devoid of any artificiality yet complete with every detail sketched with the true feelings of the fascinated beholder. Interspersed with his signature style of humour, Jerome has excelled himself than his more popular fiction. Centering on the heart rendering Passion Play, the travelogue that consists of train rides, boat rides is poetically perfect.

Eagler Chokh

A murder is committed and another attempted, the perpetrator is also injured but remains missing. Nothing is stolen indicating not a case of robbery. The prime suspect is an alcoholic with doubtful character but a strong alibi. This calls for the analytic mind among the professionals to untangle the web of puzzles. So it is a call for Sabar who is called to give advice. As investigation proceeds it seems that only a hawk eye view can reveal the truth thus justifying the name of the novel though it is more clearly explained in the Arindam Sil directed movie adapted on similar central theme. It seems so long the events are interpreted from the actions of individual characters the mystery only gets complicated. However when the interrelationships are studied considering all events fused into a single entity just as the eagle watches everything at a glance soaring form the top the mystery is cleared of all the doubts. Thus a twisted plot is laid bare with some uncomfortable consequences as the story climaxes with a sombre yet satisfying twist.

Jungle Lore

Before opening this book a reader like me might have doubts as to whether this is as exciting as Corbett's hunting volumea but after going through it, it can surely be said that it is as exciting, if not more than the others. Let me categorise this as the knowledge base for the jungle seekers narrated in such a simple style as though the author is speaking to you and passing the knowledge in the true style of a lore. The sounds and sights of the Kumaon foothills are etched in the most descriptive way as are the inhabitants that populate it. Added to this is the humour of jungle that makes the volume enjoyable still. There are also situations that explains how the jungle signa can be interpreted which essentially are indicators of the activities of the folks there. Infact sometimes it is similar to detect ive stories where the clues left by the jungle dwellers help in estimating and identifying them as accurately as if they are being watched. The love for the animals as well as the poor forest people whom he calls the soul of India is apparent here. The simpleness of the soul and the raw instincts of the animals seemed to play a major part in the life of Corbett whose greatness of heart is revealed in the entire volume. That he loved the flora and faun of India and looked into all the natural souls with the utmost care is apparent as he says that of his graduation from the catapult to the shotgun and the rifle how he was taught and how he maintained to utilize his every kill to its most whether it be a trophy or for food. The respect that he showed to the jungle was also reflected as depicted in the introduction where the actor playing Corbett in a film is given a visit by an inhabitant who walked for miles for a glimpse on the actor whom he considered the same as the great hunter for whom all believe that he will return. A great book which gives a true insight of the wild India depicted by a great soul who was more a conservationist than modern world ever produced.

Kolaboti

Kolabotoi had been the protagonist in several of Moti Nandi's materpieces but as far as I remember and believe, those are mainly sports oriented. But this is just awesome in the way Kolaboti and her family are introduced. The grave yet loving grandfather Rajshekhar, his son, the soft hearted still bachelor lawyer and a gourmet Satyashekhar, the fun loving college goer Kolaboti with her cricketing skills, all combined, presents episodes of comic and thrill that overcomes the tragedies of life and takes on life with the same sporting style of the noble game of traditional cricket. Also, belonging chiefly to the category of book for the young it borders on the young adult category where a sublime touch of romance makes it a fascinating read for all ages. Refraining myself from telling more lest it turns to a spoiler my suggestion to the readers is to breeze along this easy paced piece to enjoy the beauty of life spent sportingly with style.

Dangerours Minds

Brijesh Singh, elite IPS officer and IGP, Cyber, Maharashtra and S Hussain Zaidi, the fearless crime reporter join forces to delve into the intricate terror web spewed by the likes of the apparently humble Saquib Nachan convicted in bomb blasts, the engineering graduate Mehdi Biswas who turned the social media in favour of ISIS propaganda, the stamp paper scamstar Abdul Telgi, the doctor-to-be-turned-bomb maker Jalees Ansari, the terror couple Hanif Sayed with his wife Fahmida Ansari who made terror a seemingly ordinary event and many more like them. The events are the result of intense research and investigation yet the pace of the narratives is easy but thrilling. The anecdotes reveal several spine chilling truth and the fundamentals of the terror outfits and their members. The stories tell the evolution of the terror force from the older hardcore terrorists to the electronic experts specializing in spreading terror over the internet to those waging terror wars in various parts of the world. It does not stop there but also highlights how the security forces across the country combat these forces by methods that not only requires understanding of the criminal psychology but sometimes requires skillful handling of delicate situations where a single false move can make the case go awry. The fascinating storytelling of the authors mixes the thrill of fictions with the hard truth in such a way that never for once the reader will feel bored. The book is categorized in chapters each of which details a particular person or organization. The investigators have also maintained a list of references indicating the source of the compilations. But the best thing of the book is that, contrast to the opinionated reports that makes the clutter in the media nowadays, the authors present facts leaving opinions to be drawn by the readers. A must read compilation of articles it brings to fore the truth in its dangerous avatar.

The Mystery of 31 New Inn

When two apparently disconnected mysteries converge with mathematical precision to a single case the unique storytelling is a credit all by itself. Dr Jervis gets himself involved in a curious case of secret identity of a dying patient and after a while Dr Thorndyke is invited to a problem of a curious will of a dead man. With nothing but his acumen at his disposal, the legal expert with the medical background embarks to unearth both. While on the case of Dr Jervis a practical method of map building is presented where a person in a closed automobile can make out an approximate idea of where he is travelling with the help of a compass, a pen and a paper, a watch and with some hints of the sounds. The explanation is so clearly made that its applicability is established beyond doubt. Well, coming to the actual story it centres on two plots. The primary one is Jervis's apprehrnsion of foul play on a patient that he sees but cannot find the place all by himself. The other one is a curious will that, by a curious turn of coincidences, devoids the deserving of the sincere wishes of the deceased due to a redraft of the same. It remains upon the insight of the medico legal expert to solve the mysteries without a doubt. As these two incidents are slowly unfolding their truth threat comes on Jervis as an attempt on his life is made. So Thorndyke is forced to make the outdoor investigations mostly by himself while Jervis ponders on the cases staying indoors. As usual there is some help from the efficient Polton in fabricating certain gadgets required during the probings. But in this story there is some gaps in the sense it is never divulged how Thorndyke pinpointed on two witnesses who gave him some vital evidences. So though the story is precisely crafted but for this slight want of clarifications that are not given their due.

Arjun @ beepbeep dot com

What started as a promising mixture of mystery and sci-fi turned quite a slow paced novel with a disappointing climax. The main theme started with Arjun purchasing a cell for himself. At the same time Major comes to India with a foreign researcher, Lucy who investigates bird calls around the globe. They seek his guidance in the forests of North Bengal. All of a sudden Amal Som contacts Arjun and requests for sending him his brain scan as well that of Habu. Mysterious calls comes at Arjun's cell from unknown locations. He also starts hearing voices. Threats seem to come from some local goons assisted by some foreigner. Arjun also gets communications from Bistusaheb. Thus as all the parties are introduced, suddenly the mystery of the calls are unfolded abruptly an the story plunges coarsely forward. The story had all the material for a thrilling suspense with the backdrop of the North Bengal depicted nicely but somehow it irritates as there is no proper justification to several doubts. The scientific rationale to the fiction is never divulged. Thus it remains an improper detective novel.