Curvalor Baksha

I started reading Arjun stories when it used to be only detective stories. But later on the stories became less of detection but more of sci-fi adventures. "Curvalor Baksha" is one of them.
A Ramchandra Ray suddenly hears strange audio signals emanating and disappearing every night into a box left in his house by his friend Curvalo. With this, he also feels that his chronic gout pains are vanishing. But as he realizes that for some part of the night he is acting uncontrollably under the influence of some external force he reports to the police. Though the police is a bit doubtful of the sanity of Ray, but Arjun, who had coincidentally dropped by the police station at the same time, is interested. He accompanies the complainant to his house to examine the box. As he opens the box with the help of a local, once shady, locksmith, it reveals some interesting contents. When it is ascertained that the audio signals are affecting only a few, the investigations indicates a high chance of the instruments in the box to be of alien origin.
Then starts the trail for the truth that is pleasantly mysterious yet somewhat predictable. This is one of the Majumdar's stories that is recommended for all ages. I had read the story earlier but now understand that a bit more detailing could have made the story even  more thrilling. The culmination is a bit abrupt yet unsurprising.

Kikira Samagra II

Consisting of six novels, the volume is adventure combined with magic, suspense and mystery. It starts with Mayurganjer Nrisingha Sadan which revolves about a cursed family heirloom. A magical appearance of a fire walking ascetic unnerves the sole witness which is followed by a death in the same place. The eerie magical mystery seems a problem for a wizard sleuth. So came Kikira, self abbreviated Kinkar Kishore Ray. With him are the duo Tarapada (Tara), an accounting clerk and Chandan (Ch(n)adu), the doctor, who is lovingly referred lovingly by Kikira as sandalwood, the literal translation of his name. Next is the Jadukarer Rahasyamoy Mrityu where a magician is killed on stage and his magical harmonium vanishes. Though it mainly revolves around smuggled goods, it is a bit of a disappointment as the fate smuggled items are never revealed. Case closes without a hint to how all clues are obtained by the investigators. In Circus Theke Palie a performing motorcyclist escapes from circus accusing his fellow senior of threats and attempt to murder. As Kikira takes up the case on insistence of Chandan only to find that all concerned are not revealing the truth. It seems mysterious about why the motorist escapes and goes to hiding. Abrupt ending mars the climax in this thriller that is gripping yet satisfyingly slow. The following is Holod Palak B(n)adha Teer where the story reveals the magician turned detective's MO which is to collect as much information as possible so that others understand the solutions without the sleuth requiring to spell it out specifically. A businessman suffers a paralysing stroke while visiting a place to negotiate a deal in Ghatsheela. But two persons think otherwise. So Kikira is called to take the case. Tarapada accompanies him to Ghatsheela. Mystery revolves as the place of murder reveals some curious clues like a glove with a missing place for a finger, yellow feathers. Chandan is present for short crucial chapters. The mystery actually increases the appeal of the volume which somehow was dampened before this. An odd advertisement, sets the tone of Turuper Shesh Tas, hinting foul play to a death startles the business partner of the deceased. Along with that there is a constant blackmail by a supposed relative. The victim is confused and Kikira is consulted in the matter. A slight similarity with a previous adventure is felt in the plot but the finale is pleasantly different. The case of a missing young man is apparently central to Sonar Ghorir Kh(n)oje but Kikira feels that the gold watch, kept as a fond remembrance to his grandfather and also as a family heirloom, which is also missing, holds the key to the mystery.
The stories of the unassuming Kikira are a bit different from others in the genre and adds another dimension to the tradition of detective fictions. Bimal Kar allows the stories to meander easily but they never loose focus on the actual course.