With a necessary introduction by Arun Mukhopadhyay, the book is apparently the 1
st documented volume of true whodunits blended with fictions.
It starts with the bizarre crime of dead or missing persons returning to the bereaved only to leave them stranded with their belongings looted. This baffling mystery of Jamalaye Ferta Manush was maybe the beginning of investigations documented by Raibahadur Priyonath Mukhopadhyay who was employed in police service. This is followed by a brutal murder mystery where the sheer doggedness of the investigator solves the Advhut Hatya. Then comes the contrastingly comic episode of Chorer Gari Chora where a thief and impersonator is caught with the loot in a chance meeting. Then comes the chase for catching the crooks responsible for both manufacturing and circulating fake coins in Kritrim-Mudra, where once again the severe perseverance of the investigator will be perceived as his months of stalking the offender is rewarded though the ingenuity of the master villain in evading the police multiple times will awe the readers as it did the narrator who only got to know the methods from his catch after putting him behind the bars. Then comes the romantic yet chilling mystery in Kulsam where a murder is solved while another is prevented by the detective with help from a medical practitioner. The readers will be baffled not by the mystery itself of the Asmanee Laash (Bhayankar Lomharshankar Khuner Ghatana!!) than the way it was finally uncovered by another apparently unrelated crime with the intuition of the investigator playing a critical part. The title of Chorer Upar!! (Ekti Adbhut Anusandhan Kahini!) might act as a spoiler but the lengthy prelude is the main deterrent to the central thrill and costs not only the suspense but will be a source of disappointment when it will be revealed that a suspect was still on the loose at the closing of the cases. The following is a remarkable yet brutal anecdote, Sathe Sathe (Kutil Kaushaler Churanta Drishtanta), where it is illustrated to what the desperate can stoop to when frauds fight each other. It also has material for a thriller on screen as well but the same could not be appropriately said for the writing due to its more formal style of compilation that is critical on details but not completely on the suspense. False witnesses, paid informers, bribes find way in the plot. But coincidence makes the credibility rather poor in a particular moment. The following is, however, intellectually satisfying case with a twist starting from its title of Maar Dhan Churi (Dhanee-Putrer Premer Ddae!), which happily misdirects the reader till the evidences are collected and the real culprit is coaxed to the trap with patience that seems a little too much for his ready wit. Hatyarahasya (Khunike Gum Karibar Chesta) is a murder mystery where police is tipped off with the location of the body, who the murderer is and where the stolen goods might be. But the tips themselves seemed a bit too fishy as evidence seemed lacking. This persuaded the investigator in a mixed goose chase that culminated in a serious confession from the greedy who yielded while being interrogated. Katamunda (Bewaris Maaler Anusandhan!) is, however, about a heinous crime that left a body in a box to be accidentally revealed to the police that sets the investigators searching for clues that seem quite a bit less forthcoming as the case advances. Besides the ingenuity of the sleuth, there are a couple of interesting observations in this narrative – the custom of the particular period and the utter lack of appropriate emotions in this particular literary piece that makes it both horrifying yet boring. The next is a straight case where the criminal Bamun Thakur (Bidyar Abhabe Abidyar Prabhab), is already identified but remained missing and the sleuth, just promoted to the rank of detectives, is given the duty to confirm the apprehension with evidence which he did satisfactorily in a pretty straightforward manhunt. In the process, several of the past crimes of the thief is revealed which establishes his reason of choosing the life of crime. The E Ki! Khun!! (Chirabiddha Streer Sahit Dhrita Swameer Ascharya Rahasya) is truly a classic where the trivial of clues led to the truth in a journey of perseverance. Albeit tragic, but the mystery is indeed peculiar where the accused is ready to plead guilty but the police is not satisfied with the evidence. Another hurdle makes the job even more tricky, the accused will plead guilty but is adamant in revealing a single personal detail. A fast paced narrative, a serious printing error albeit not the only one and an interesting section of the IPC code, all these will keep Bisham Samasya (Hrita Sarbaswya Baranganar Mritadeher Adbhut Rahasya!) a class apart in the intellectually stimulating perspective of a curious death and a theft. Perseverance continues but the tone becomes quite rustic in Balihari Buddhi! (Kono Guptahatyar Gurha Rahasya o Chorer Streer Adbhut Pratyutpannamatitwya) which is a tragic murder made more heartfelt by the insensitiveness of the narrative. In contrast, Abeer-Jaan (Kaminir Kutilchakra Bhed) is a thrilling case with surprise twist to the motive of a police complaint but for a bit too much rigmarole, the narrative loses its grip at quite a few places. However, suspense runs supreme till the very last chapters in the murder investigation of a headless corpse in Girijasundari (Rajdhanir Rajbartme Ramanee-Hatya), which though, has tremendous twists, but the serious printing mistakes, lack of emotions in places and extreme detailing which becomes irritatingly nonessential does injustice to its central theme. A fiction that follows it, is on the other hand, more focused on the plot and makes a kind of trilogy in the sense that Pramada (Kulabadhu Byabhichari Ghotae Promad!), like its couple of predecessors is also centred on a woman as the central character. Filled with drama and tension, the crime is gruesomely unique but the excessive use of expletives when the accused is a woman makes it realistic according to its age though bad in its taste. Breathing a relief to the serious crimes, comes the confessions of a fraudster in the field of literatures which will amuse and amaze the readers in the art of multiple scams mastered at that distant past which served as the basis of at least one reform, one screenplay, if not further frauds that played on human psychology as reported in Ba: Granthakar! (Arthat Pustak-Pranetar Adbhut Juachurir Rahasya!). The next title, Jemon Temni! (Arthat, Chatur Palita Putrer Bidya Prakash!!), playing a stark spoiler within the braces, is about a clever theft, which might have been unsolved, if not a chance coincidence that directed towards the partners in crime which saw the landlady with her practically adapted son lying unconscious with the valuable gone from the residence. The author assisted his one time supervisor in solving a crime that was actually a duel between a shrewd attempt to mislead towards false suspects and the equally ingenious investigating skill of interrogating team. But false clues seemingly play the greatest havoc till then in Niruddesh Bhai (Arthat Uttaradhikari Putrer Bishoy Praptir Ascharya Rahasya?), where a murder charge threatens the accused while a curious turn of events prolong the case. But the sufferer seemed to be punished for his social ill deeds after everything. The title of Arthai Anartha (Arthat Arthalove Biswastya Bandhur Sarbanash!) will act as spoiler while solving the crime. In contrast, in Chatur Chor (Arthat Prachur Paharar Bhitoreo Churi Karar Rahasya!), which is a revelation of what paper trails could achieve, be it during the past or today, the title is but partially justified. The next, Ingrej Dakat (Healy o Warner Namak Duijan Dasyur Adbhut Brityanta!) depicts the chase for a pair of escaped fugituves. Described in detail in two parts the introductory chapter I describes the goons and their crimes while chapter II describes their capture by the valiants. The next Dak Chor (Post - Aafiser dakpatra o money-orderadir haran Rahasya!) narrates a gritty manhunt for a lost peon filled with surprising turns of events and chilling twist. A different type of storyline will be there in S(n)idel Chor (Ekti Prasiddha Musalman Chorer Jiban Kahini), which is actually a biographical version of a thief and tells about his dangerous heists. A chilling murder mystery awaits in Mundachuri (Arthat Ekti Mastakheen Manushyer Ascharya Rahasya!) that revolves around a headless corpse and reveals a surprise tale. What follows is another interesting investigation in E Aabar Ki! (Arthat Atmyahatya na Khun?) that tries to ascertain the cause of a death - admittedly a classic case study but for the fact of being biased in stigmatising female, as was the custom of the time, continues to undermine the essence of the literature. Captain Moti (Arthat Note Jaalkareer Adbhut Rahasya) is a straightforward case of trapping the kingpin of a counterfeit note production group, as obvious from the spoiler of a title, but the interesting part is the elaborate plan in tricking the cunning mind that regulated the criminal network, resulting in a carefully organized arrest that left the suspect bewildered while the authorities heaving a sigh of relief. The next is the curiously violent case where with only mutilated parts of body being discovered, the case would have ever prolonged if not for a coincidence of another crime that provided the much needed clue the was crucial in revealing the grotesque truth behind Stree Ki Purush? (Arthat Stree o Purush Chinhabishishta Laasher Tukrar Bhayanak Ascharya Rahasya!). Then comes the saga of misfortune that led to the condemnation of the accused in Ghatana-Chakra (Arthat Dwipantareeta Koedeer Adbhut Atmyatyag Kahinee). A vicious plot of kidnapping, murder, inheritance unfolds in Balak Churi (Balak Churir o Bhayankar Hatyakander Atadbhut Rahasya!), which takes the readers through a trail of sinister twists. A compilation of slightly different type of instances constitutes the humour laced Chorer Buddhi (Arthat Charitraheener Tikhnabuddhir Drishtanta Rahasya!), where the intelligence of several shrewd criminals are appreciated whose acts led to apparently trivial to serious consequences. The Neele Koela (Arthat Juachorer Adbhut Sahas) recapitulates how the Indian employee in the British police force unravels a carefully laid plan in duping the authorities in a trade that claimed the lives and tormented the souls of a great many of the Indian farming family. Then comes a curiously unnerving crime, related to a case of properties in Pitri-Shraddha ("Kaar Shraddha Ke Ba Kore, Khola Kete Bamon More!"), which will raise a chill up the spines at the sheer audacity of the criminals. It is followed by a very interesting case that leads E Ki Pitri-Hatya? (Arthat Pitri-Hatyaparadhe Abhijukta Putrer Adbhut Rahasya) to a very unprecedented completion. The Bekub Bajnyanik (Arthat Baijnyaniker Chokshute Ajnyaloker Dhuliniksheper Adbhut Rahasya!) starts although with retelling of a crime in a surprisingly light note but the revelation impresses the severity that baffled the forensics of the particular regime. The following highlights the shrewdness of the ordinary police that corrupts a serious case in Police-Buddhi (Arthat Samanya Police Karmacharir Buddhibale Session Jojer Rae Paribartaner Ascharya Rahasya!) while indicating yet acknowledging the audacious foresight of the wickedly clever! Tragedy unfolds in Chakrabhed (Arthat Kutil Chakreediger Mantrabhede Asamartha Hoileo Ghatanachakre Samasta Prakasher Rahasya!) with the good being misled in a wild goose chase by the cruel! The next is again a two-part chase that tries to catch the murderer of Pathe Khoon! (Arthat Rajbartme Gareer Bhitor Hatya o Tathatyakaree Dhrita Karibar Adbhut Koushal!], where the victim was killed but the murderer escaped, unnoticed, from a moving vehicle! The introductory chapter I is all about police procedural while the climactic chapter II begins with a courtroom summary that turns the conviction but completes the case with a surprise twist to serve as the necessary eye-opener that ensures justice, albeit indirectly! A refreshing set of lesser crimes awaits as we sift through Juachurii (Arthat Juachordiger Atyascharya Avedya Katipae Karya-Koushal!), revealing the funny tricks of several treacherous fraudsters! Humour continues in Paloani Churi (Athaba Jemon Chor, Temni Police!], which nareates a theft in its comical shades. But tragedy returns in Hindu Ramanee (Arthat Aamader Pratyakshibhuta Ekti Sateer Ascharya Swameebhakti!), which narrates a murder mystery with a very unpredictable twist. Tragedy continues, but in a chilling form in Raile Jom (Arthat Railway Yatrir Mahadurghatanar Ek Lomharshhankar Drishhtanta!) that unravels with patience the mystery surrounding a murder, left inconclusive for months at a stretch. However, the regular monotone of chararacteristic descriptive style of narrative is happily broken by using more than a handful of dialogues instead of elaborate details. The following entry puts to record the trail to apprehend Dakat Sardar (Arthat Prasiddha Dasyu Dalapati Krishna Chandra Choudhuryr Bibhatsa Kahinee), one of the infamous dacoits of yesteryear, imprisoned but released after his term completed. Investigating on being informed of crimes with identical signatures of the earlier escapades, the chase reveals yet another trait of the sleuth, that of his remarkable ability to accurately disguise himself as required for trapping his target. The following reveals the critically observant detective, who solves a case of theft in Ki Bhayanak! (Arthat S(n)id-Churi Mokaddamar Anusandhane Adbhut Bhayabaha Rahasya Prakash) by casing the crime scene flawlessly. Case of thefts becomes increasingly curious while investigating Chor Choughurite [Arthat Bhadra (!) Chorer Sahoske Balihari!), whose peculiarity lies not only on the modus operandi of the crime but also on the identity of the perpetrator. The volume tersely completes with Kripaner Danda (Arthat Arther Nimitta Kripaner Je Kirup Parinam Hote Pare Tahar Adbhut Drishtanta!), which is essentially a case of murder that centres a hidden chest of treasure, where the labours of the sleuths might feel to be not very conscientiously rewarded.
Albeit a bit lengthy in some with unnecessary detailing at places, the use of formal lamguage throughout may add to the deterrence in rapid reading, but the narratives are reminiscent of the old days where caste prevailed supreme as obvious from the insignificant notes penned by the author that bears significance in the modern days. Added to it, is the naive pride of personal charisma, giving undue stress on trivial matters that, at times, feels more than redundant. The judgemental attitude towards women in general is characteristic of the age which makes the sentiments sometimes arrogantly cheap and masculine. However, contrast to this personal pride, the chapters with biographical anecdotes of certain haplessly disgraced relieves the monotone of the case files with a different kind of simpler perspective. But the best part is the documentation of some original crimes that may serve as a handbook of sorts to those interested.
