আশাপূর্ণা দেবীর গাজা উকিলের হাত্য রহস্য

There's a saying: "Killed by laughter." In Ashapurna Devi’s new novel for young readers, this expression takes on a literal meaning. The story contains all the elements of a mystery novel—murder, police interrogation, suspense, excitement, thrill, curiosity, anxiety, and pursuit—everything you would expect. But there’s an additional ingredient rarely found in typical mystery novels: a humorous and entertaining narrative from beginning to end.

The story revolves around two friends, Gajapati Ukil and Gupi Moktar, who live in neighboring flats and spend their time playing chess. Suddenly, a horrific murder occurs in the adjacent flat. Who has been killed? None other than Gajapati. How was he killed? With a towel wrapped around his neck. Strangely enough, at that very moment, Gupi Moktar couldn’t find his own towel. Panic-stricken, he starts wondering whether his towel was used to strangle Gajapati. Lost in thought, Gupi Moktar decides to disappear from his flat. Meanwhile, two mysterious figures begin to follow him closely.

The disappearance of Gupi Moktar and the chase by the two mysterious figures culminate in a delightfully amusing conclusion in ‘The Murder Mystery of Gajapati Ukil’.