Arjun Badher Nepathye by Aniruddha Sau [Paperback]

The book under discussion is built around five stories.

How successful has the author been?
Before answering that, let's look at what’s inside this book:

1. The Detective’s Investigation – This story introduces us to skilled police officer Anurag Nandi and his wife, Gopa Nandi. Along with them, the narrative constructs a play of words and a fair-play pattern, where clues are laid out before the reader, challenging them to solve the mystery.

2. The Poison of Belief – Who wants to kill a retired police officer living quietly in Lava? This complex story sets up a psychological hide-and-seek that brings to mind ABC Murders or Dumb Witness. The plot is undoubtedly improbable, but thoroughly enjoyable.

3. Checkmate Over the Phone – This story, first published in the Sera Ichchedana collection, was my introduction to Aniruddha’s writing. It’s a short piece, but its blend of humor, wit, and pace makes it truly captivating.

4. The Golden Deer Mystery – Stunning natural landscapes, mysterious characters, inconsistencies in their behavior, plenty of red herrings, and a gruesome murder at the end—all these elements are expertly woven together by the author to create a Christie-esque tale. Once again, improbable, but an excellent source of entertainment!

5. The Truth Behind Arjun’s Death – Christie’s overwhelming influence looms over this story as well. Unlike the other tales, which are solely narrated from Anurag’s perspective, this one includes Gopa’s POV! The plot features an ironclad alibi and a web of lies that must be unraveled to reach the truth. Overall, this story serves as excellent mental nourishment for mature and intelligent readers.

The book is well-printed, though a few typographical errors occasionally disrupt the reading flow.

The stories are an enjoyable blend of fair-play tradition and Christie-like psychological structuring. However, they also carry a certain unavoidable improbability.

I didn’t particularly like the attempt to set up a sequel in the final paragraph of the book.

Still, mystery lovers will undoubtedly enjoy this clever, engaging, and well-crafted collection. So, if you get the chance—give it a read!