Sekaler Goyenda Kahini 3 by Arindam Dasgupta [Hardcover]

This anthology follows the chronological progression of Bengali detective literature, featuring detective stories published between 1907 and 1938. In this section, a significant shift in detective literature is discussed—the introduction of serial storytelling instead of individual stories by a single author. The detectives published under the names of various writers or editors are sometimes the same and sometimes different. The growing popularity of serialized publications over time is an indication of this trend. Initially, the educated middle class was somewhat dismissive of detective stories, but this attitude gradually diminished over time.

Another notable feature of this phase is the conscious incorporation of contemporary social thought or political awareness in detective stories. Plots involving conspiracies or crimes effortlessly incorporated themes like advocating for widow remarriage or promoting communal harmony. This collection also attempts to provide insight into the business aspect of publishing detective stories, offering a sense of how profitable the genre was. The remarkable print runs of each series provide a clue to the publishers' interest in detective stories. However, one might still question how much of this success was shared by the original writers!

A common criticism of Bengali detective stories is that most of them are not original but translated works. While this cannot be denied, an attempt is made to understand why this genre of literature chose such a path. With time, these series and stories, which are now fading from memory, provide a source of continuity for readers when reprinted. Readers will certainly find a thread of continuity through these works.