April Reading … Part 3

Continued from Previous post ... 

16. Bipin Chowdhury's Lapse of Memory by Satyajit Ray

A man leading a normal routine life comes across another man who he doesn't remember. Not only the other man remembers our protagonist but also insists that he had visited Ranchi about 6-7 years back and even met a friend there and had a cut on his right knee there. Our protagonist does not remember any of this and is quite troubled at this selective lapse of memory. He even contacts his friend whom he had supposedly met there and the person confirms it. Doctor's prescription is to visit Ranchi once again as it might inspire some memories. the climax is both, a bit funny as well as interesting (and as with SR's other stories, there is a small but useful lesson to learn for the readers). 

17. Sherlock Holmes: the Adventure of the Retired Colourman by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

An old man wants Sherlock to track his unfaithful wife who has run away with a neighbor. All doesn't seem to be what it looks like to Sherlock and he manages to uncover the true story and the exact whereabouts of the escaped wife and her lover. He also manages to reveal a crime (and the criminal) which wasn't known yet.

18. Fritz by Satyajit Ray

A man had a doll in his childhood who became his best friend. He spent hours talking to his doll. the doll would obviously not respond but the conversations became the centre of his childhood nevertheless. Several years later, the man returns to his childhood home and village. Memories come flooding back to him along with some strange happenings at night.

19. the Famous Five: Go off in a Caravan by Enid Blyton

A chance sighting of a circus caravan procession gives our famous five kids the idea of going off in a caravan of their own to the hill with a lake (where the circus is also camping). So the kids get the permission and set out in 2 borrowed caravans pulled by ponies. they have fun on the way and when they reach the circus camp site, they make friends with a kid out there.

Together they end up in an adventure they couldn't have imagined where they unwittingly get into the way of 2 thieves who have been stealing valuables for over 4 years and the police have found them ever elusive.

20-25. the Mysterious Traveler Magazine - Aug 2005 edition (6 short stories)

I have a couple of editions of the Mysterious Traveler Magazine so decided to pick one of them up this month. It had 6 interesting stories across different genres and they were a delightful read. It reminded me of the Alfred Hitchcock Magazine which I had read a couple of years ago.

The following 6 stories were part of the Aug 2005 edition:

The Macabre - Building Blocks by Darrell Pitt

            A rather strange and weird story involving aliens and a simple lesson in life

Strange Stories - the Spirit of the Law by Rick Keating

An interesting story about a Ghost who has set 'business hours' of spook shows for visitors but a young rude chap decides to disturb him during his non-business hours and even goes ahead and sues him for not 'performing'. the climax is about how our ghost has his sweet revenge.

Mystery - Murder of A Crow by Mark Zahn

It was short story about the murder of a baseball player with several suspects; since the murdered guy had a habit of rubbing people on the wrong side including habits like sleeping with their wives. the murderer gets identified because of a quirk he has. 

Suspense - Dusk Comes Early by A.A. Fleming

A writer 'wakes up' and does not know how long had he been driving or where he is supposed to be. His car is overtaken by another speeding vehicle and he is told a story by the attendant of the gas station. Realization finally dawns on him about where he is.

Horror - Nature's Rules by Mark Allan Reynolds

Nature has its rules and the beings in nature have to but follow them … whether they are werewolves or vampires !! 

Short Shocker - Tunnel of Love by 'The Mysterious Traveler'

A thief skilled in opening any kind of locks discovers a black book during one of his burglaries … the book enables him to 'open' something beyond imagination.

Series Completion Score: (as of 30^th Apr 2012)

Three Investigators     33 out of 63

Sherlock Holmes         60 out of 60

Famous Five                05 out of 21

Best of Satyajit Ray     10 out of 21

Total                           108 out of 165