Dadur Keerti

Like the other Sanjib Chattopadhyay classics, these are also a collection of homely stories for the young  minds. Based on the central character of Dadu or the grand old grandfather of the house, the stories fleet from subject to subject. Sometimes it is about the searching for a home for his brother in Dadur Bagan, sometimes about the loss of the loved ones depicted in Dadur K(n)athal that affects the rich and the poor alike. Some are about the rodents in the house in which makes life miserable but when they are caught and are on the verge of getting thrashed, the apparent unhappiness of the hapless creatures makes the soul miserable still. Dadur I(n)dur, Dadur Dwitiyo I(n)dur are both of such category. Some stories are pure comic like Dadur D(n)ad(n)adano B(n)aat, where the new set of false teeth comes in way, not only while eating but also between justice in remarkably funny way. I had read all these stories in my childhood as part of some other collection of the author, but to collect these again seemed to bring back cherished memories of the youth. Some stories are understandably not in chronological sequence of the plots as are Dadur Shesh Khawa that narrates the tragic mishap of the house cat which apparently came to the family as described in the following Dadur Biral, as are some of the details that seems a bit confusing, but on the whole, the entire volume is a fantastic mould of sorrow, humour and hope.

The Secret of Chimneys

As you go through the book, you will feel that you are going through the scenes of a drama rather than a novel. Yes, the description of events are more filled with discussions rather than reflections on the mysteries. The loquaciousness is the only consistent thing about the story that contains at least three mysteries woven into a single fabric and no dearth of suspects. Interestingly, as the mystery gathers pace, the number of sleuths increase. We have Battle, then comes the detective from the French police. Several other amateurs and professionals in the respective field also tries their hand at trying to crack the mystery that consists of a murder, a theft from days past, attempted robbery which attracts the suspects and the detectives in the same place.
The Chimneys, the great country estate seems to hold secrets that threatens the Royalty and the politics of a small fictional country ruled by the monarchy and which had seen much bloodshed and scandals. Curiously, the supposed errand of the apparent unrelated yet adventurous young man, puts him and his life in the midst of the dangerous race for control. As a murder occurs in the premises where several political personage has taken residence, the professionals are called.
The shrewdly deceptive Battle enters and so does several other mystery seekers. A gem, stolen long ago but apparently hidden in the Chimneys, seems again to attract the thief who stole it. The person, released from the gallows gives the slip to the police and seems to lurk in the vicinity. A master of disguise, he seems to blend with the others in plain sight. Attempt of robbery for a particular manuscript of allegedly risky memoir threatens the balance of nations. Added to this is another death and a bundle of scandalous letters.
As the reader will find, that there is no dearth of mystery but however, the entire novel along with the signature Christie twists will fall short of expectations at the major portions where adventure predominates over mystery.

Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta

The rise of the powerful Raavan is sketched in this book as he transforms himself into the enemy of his motherland. This book actually converges where the other two had converged which completes the introduction for the mighty battle to follow. The inherent sadism that defined the character, the intense hatred borne of a childhood devoid of love, the frustration for a society where people were caste away owing to abnormal physical features, the justified rage with unjustified tendency to massacre for the sake of a handful, the undue obsession to achieve the best at the cost of ethics, the lust to dominate supreme, blended with the passion for fine arts made the trader of Lanka a force to reckon it. Not only he became the ruler of the island kingdom but also forced the the rulers of the Sapt Sindhu to bow before his diktat in one swift yet shrewd attack. But his continuing rage against his very own motherland made him the delicate pawn by an obsessive yet brilliant strategist. Treading along a fine line between control and the loss of it, the insecurity of the obsessive mind keeps the future of the innocents at stake. Getting hint of this fact and trying to save Raavan from drowning his soul further in crime, Kumbhakarna tries to force his sibling to the righteous course, time and again, but to no avail. So it remains to be seen, what final challenge Raavan throws to the motherland.
Though, it is a part of the series, but practically it is the remaining perspective that converges at more or less the same scene that the other two culminated. But, the surprise flashback at the finale, hinted several times in the other two books, will actually alter the thinking when yet another perspective will loom large.
The author uses sensuality for the first time and justifies, at places, the rage of the ruthless. These are the only embellishes in the otherwise thrilling jigsaw piece, which, notwithstanding the obvious predictability of the climax due to its convergence criteria, remains well knit with suspense throughout.

Misir Ali Omnibus I

After you have selected a book based on its focus on mystery as well as psychology, it will stimulate the senses in a different way when the supernaturals emerge prime. Devi starts with a newly-wed wife displaying behaviour that seems clairvoyance to the husband who seeks help from Misir Ali, among others. But quickly the theme diverges when the family of the landlord gets involved in a problem which curiously mingles with that of the couple. The suspense gathers momentum as the climax is reached but the rationale of the rescue of the innocent remains mysterious even to the sleuth. But the doubts are cleared in Nishithini, the story that follows though it might not be satisfying to those whose mind is not so open to take in ideas that are based on simple belief. Further challenges for the reader await in Nishaad, where evidences of parallel worlds make Ali as baffled as the traveller between them. The narrative establishes another dimension as well to the life of Misir. Nilu, the student turned collateral victim of an earlier story turned admirer of Ali, takes it upon herself to try convincing Misir of their destined relationship. Their marriage is consummated in Anyabhuvan, but not before leading the seeker of the paranormal to a quest that leaves him with more puzzles than those he apparently solves. The story starts with the perspective of Misir Ali but culminates from a different angle which makes it a bit lengthy with the twist diluted even while a horrific future is forecast. The narrative actually concludes with a hint of a follow up which might be necessary if the chronology is to be maintained. On a different note, the following story, Brihannala, is unlike its predecessors and is a definite mystery, which, the ingenuity of the author camouflages for quite sometime. Here, the author is the protagonist, who meets Ali as the latter come seeking for him for a curious case and gets to understand him as their association progresses. Irritated, initially and trying to avoid the sleuth, the author finally gets convinced of the selfless intentions of the truth seeker and accompanies him to unravel a deep lying mystery that reveals a horrifying tragedy. The following is a collection of three bizarre stories, Bhoy, Jin Kafil and Sangeeni, which belong definitely to the mystery genre but for the last where the revelation remains satisfyingly unsatisfying. In these, the author is also a character in some cases. The following in line is another attraction due to a couple of reasons. When the underlying tension is over, a curious twist awaits the readers which keeps us guessing about whether the danger was the effect or sensing danger is the cause to stimulate the psychological effect that is central to its theme and justifies naming it Bipad, which translates to danger. Its other feature is its shows the rationale by which the sleuth solves for the truth which makes him indeed an expert in dealing with abnormal behaviour in the otherwise normal world. The next story, Anish, finds a 51 year old Misir Ali fighting an ailing liver but is eager to help the distressed. His sincerity drives him to guide a tormented mother find peace as her diary reveals her apparent hallucination of hearing the apparent dead. The next title is on the conservative side as it says Misir Alir Amimangshito Rahasya which translates to unsolved mystery of the truth seeker but in essence, there are double mysteries, one of which is apparently solved, convincing the reader albeit the evidence is only implied while the other is only conjectured without a shred of evidence to corroborate the assumptions. Interestingly, this feeling stimulated by incompleteness is the signature beauty of the pieces where Humayun Ahmed excels in keeping the magical reality alive. Added to this is the Bangladeshi setting that keeps the nationality original. The smell of the common people with the characteristic depth of the brilliant mind is etched in the central character which makes these remarkable in the intellectual domain as well. But the underlying theme of each story is tragedy, where events that are unexplained, seems to lead people to some unhappy future.

Mr Badhir Returns

This was a present of the author to the players in a bridge tournament in which he served as the Director all through. His strict authority over the tables kept the games being played smoothly. But his humour side was sometimes apparent which is reflected in this deck of chapters where some very thrilling bridge layouts are explained with unexpected twists presented in a way to make you smile at the peculiarities. Some original hands shuffled with some fictional ones with Mr Badhir, the dumb and the club expert, the champ are arranged that will help amateurs to understand the intricacies of hand play which may serve as tricks under the sleeve while playing. Some printing errors may make the readers go one down in patience but perseverance will surely result in enjoyment scoring overtricks.

Deep Focus Reflections on Cinema

Deep Focus is the way Ray viewed cinema in the international arena, arranged in the form of essays written by Ray in several publications. His view on cinema, how the artform evolved, how it is analysed by audiences in various countries, is portrayed in the chapters. Glimpses of his own works have also found obvious references in the articles. Some chapters are also on notable cinema personalities whose works had a marked influence in defining the course of cinema worldwide. His lament on the national cinema arena is also quite applicable today when the talkies seems less mature than their foreign counterparts.
The book is introduced by Shyam Benegal who was influenced by the work of Ray in his early years so as to watch Pather Panchali twice in succession in the same day when Ray was not a familiar name in movie directions. The book also contains the entire filmography of the master which is equally a prized possession along with the other contents of the book. The preface is by Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Films where it makes an appeal for preserving the work of the legend in the city of his birth.

Yama Duare Porlo K(n)aata

A distressed girl comes to the chamber of Basu leaving her twin brother at death's door in a North Bengal hospital. The pace sets right in from the opening chapters that oscillates between the mountains and the plains with suspected embezzlement threatening innocents. But the case becomes complicated with a murder. As Basu starts the investigations at various places, help comes from unexpected quarters. Acknowledging the foreign themes as laid by Gardner, Sanyal adapted this. But this heady novel seems to lack in simplicity which might have given the mystery that extra bit a classic demands. The hurried justifications at the final chapters are some such instances.

Contagion

When a curious series of viral ailments take their toll on a particular hospital, Jack Stapleton seems the only person in the morgue who senses foul play. The viral strains are not only rare in occurrence but some of them dates back to centuries old. Is it a terrorist attack or the ploy of a fanatic? As Jack starts a crusade of his own, starting to investigate matters, he appears to have inadvertently shaken the hornet's nest. Attempts on his life becomes regular while Godsend help comes from unexpected quarters. Some loyal friends pay the price with their life while helping his cause. The mystery will be enjoyed to the core, yet the suspense when revealed, will appear so horrifying that it might seem an unnaturally forced theme. Also it may be also be said in the same breath that the compactness of the novel is a bit diluted as the criminals are unmasked.

Relativity The Special and the General Theory

The abstract nature of nature herself could not have been better summarized than this book. Using the minimum mathematics to alleviate the undue stress of a layman, the book revels in its own beautiful physics that takes the reader in a journey to unfold one of the most intriguing characteristics of the space, viz., relativity. Though a little bit of illustrations could have eased the readers in understanding this once novel concept, yet it must be told that, the events are so well described that the readers can easily draw on their own the illustrations that are due in places. But the best part is the way the apparently real 3D space is disproved and replaced with the abstract 4D reality. Infact, the essential relativity is also felt as you go through the book when time sometimes seems to freeze as your thoughts take a leap so fast that yourself a bit sluggish in keeping up with the ideas. For the sake of elaboration, several chapters are appended that gives a support to some of the abstract concepts which are really no less elegant than the main article.

Amii Misir Ali

Bordering the realm of psychology, this mystery is far from the mundane detective stories. Misir Ali is more psychologist rather than detective. It is the request of his clients that makes him a sleuth rather than his innate motive. Here we find the prospective client persuading a less reluctant Ali to take the case with varieties of methods that are queer to say the least. But this introduces the psychological aspect of the novel right at its very inception paving the mind of the reader for the complex set of events that will come shrouded in mystery. Misir soon found himself in the trail of a psychological duel between a master planner and himself with the resource of his intellect fighting the array of mortal and immortal pawns in the battle. The writing is flawless where it irritates at the beginning but its simplicity makes it attractive enough till it is taken care by the thrill that is surprisingly pacy. But there are certain shortcomings too viz, the climax could have been a bit less abrupt to allow the essence of the outcome to be assimilated and also it is not obvious how the criminals are punished, more importantly whether they are punished for the crime that was committed.

'Abhipurbak, Nee-Dhatu Aw'-er K(n)aata

The name itself is complicated enough and the novel more so as it progresses rapidly to its abrupt finale. It all starts with a distressed woman being saved from a conviction as Basu accidentally stumbles upon the court proceedings. After this as the lady gratefully acknowledges Basu's blessings in his chamber, she is assured of a compensation from the complainant by him. Meanwhile, Sukaushali is on the scent of a mystery that seems interspersed with the case. As negotiations start for the damage incurred, several new facts come to fore. As the wise old barrister senses some foul play, his client is once more convicted of a murder with the apparent evidence being found in the possession of her solicitor. It grows even more complicated as the only clinching evidence that could have saved the client is rubbed off even before its production due to a sudden hitherto unforeseen forensic detail. Then it remained upon theory and its corroboration by a different track that could punish the evil and reveal the real truth.
Sanyal is very much loquacious just like Gardner and his signature style of extreme subtlety with metaphoric jargons makes the narrative pacy yet boringly monotonous.

Blindsight

A spine chilling mystery that will keep you glued to the pages till it is solved. The medical examiner Laurie Montgomery is baffled with a series of coccaine overdose cases in which she senses foul play but fails to convince the authorities to take precautions. Quite curiously, a series of apparently random killings take place almost simultaneously that keeps detective Lou Soldano search for clues to link a Mafia kingpin to the crimes. Lou and Laurie cross path while doing the autopsies and each starts to piece together their respective puzzles to solve their problems. As bodies pile up in the autopsy tables, it seems these two are the only persons to get to the bottom if they work as a team but for their quabbles that does the opposite. As the paid assassins increase the body count, threat looms large on the unsuspected. With the rival sects planning to overthrow the other in the crime world, the innocents pay the most. Exploiting an inherent folly of a medical benevolence, the criminals play mayhem for their goal. But what is the motive? It is upto the forensic investigators to uncover the truth and unmask the evil. It had been a reread for me but I again enjoyed the suspense part of which had been happily erased from my memory. Recommended for lovers of medical fictions it reveals a chilling truth that will make the heart shudder.

Padipishir Barmibaksho

A gem of an adventure with mystery, comedy, fantasy interspersed with the rustic values that makes it a fiction for all ages. This charming classic by Leela Majumdar about a long lost treasure chest is accentuated by cover designed by Satyajit Ray the great. Picked in the bookfair by my wife for her and my son and daughter attracted me also. The literary wonder comes in a jewel box that heightens its appeal.