Aperture

Janardan Maity #5

by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay

When a struggling freelance photographer discovers a secret window in his apartment that offers a clear view of the rooms in a shady hotel across the lane, he is lured by the dangerous obsession of voyeurism and, subsequently, blackmail. But one day, when he sees a husband murder his wife in a fit of rage in one of the rooms, the photographer turns to detective Janardan Maity to confess his own crimes, so that the killer can be brought to book. With his dear friend Prakash Ray by his side, Maity investigates this seemingly simple case, only to realize that not everything is as it seems.

Genres: Thriller

240 pages, Paperback

Published June 5, 2024

About the author

Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is an author, translator, columnist and screenwriter. He is best known for the Janardan Maity series and for the translation of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's iconic novel 'Aranyak'. His primary research interest is the life, literature, art and cinema of Satyajit Ray, and he has written several books on Ray. Bhaskar has also written several screenplays, all of which are in production. He teaches screenwriting to film students and aspiring filmmakers. Bhaskar lives and works in Toronto.

Reviews

[Krutika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once Sneha introduced me to Bhaskar Chattopadhyay’s work, there was no going back for me. It was and has been quite a rarity to see an Indian author who nails thrillers the way Chattopadhyay does. Right from his first book, Penumbra to his latest, Aperture, he has only gotten better in terms of building clear cut characters and masterful storytelling. Chattopadhyay’s lead detective is a middle aged man named Janardhan Maity, a man whose ingenuity and personality are honestly very refreshing. He is a man with his own set of minute flaws but he also is someone who binds together the stories. If there wasn’t a Janardhan Maity, there probably wouldn’t have been Penumbra, Best Served Cold and other titles by Chattopadhyay.

The book Aperture, much like its meaning has us peep into the world of strangers. A young photographer pays a late night visit to Maity, with photographic proof of a murder that occurred in the hotel opposite to his apartment. Despite the unethical manner in which the photographer witnessed the murder, Maity nevertheless has a murder to solve. It is then that he sets off with his trusted companion, Prakash (who’s also our narrator) to close the seemingly easy case. But it doesn’t take them long to realise that this isn’t as straightforward as it actually is. What initially looked as an open and shut case quickly turns into a chase that sets Maity’s mind whirring.

As we delve into this murky and seedy world of people peeping and prying into the lives of others, we are quickly pulled into this ugly chase with Maity as our companion. Written crisply and carefully, this one’s a winner. There’s a certain edge to the characters as always and the sense of foreboding and suspense prevails until the very end. Chattopadhyay has indeed managed to quench my appetite for a good thriller after a long time.

Although this wasn’t his best, it also wasn’t his weakest. The cleverness that his main character possesses is a true testament of how genius Chattopadhyay actually is.

The book will be out on 30th May and I recommend this wholly.

Many thanks to the publisher for sending the review copy.

[Sneha Pathak (reader_girl_reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Bhaskar Chattopadhyay's Aperture was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. I have been a huge fan of this series featuring Janardan Maity and Prakash Ray since the first book and given that Aperture released two years after its predecessor, this was a treat. I am glad that the book didn't fall short of expectations.

This time, quite unlike the previous books, the story takes place entirely in Kolkata when a man approaches Maity reporting a murder that he's witnessed from his camera in the hotel opposite his home. He wants Maity to catch the killer, but the case isn't as simple as it seems and as Maity and Prakash get inside the seedy and murky life of the hotel and it's inhabitants, things start unraveling and more bodies fall.

Aperture's beauty lies mostly in the clever and ingenious twist that it gives to the motif of the voyeur peeping in other people's lives. The book's premise might remind it's readers of movies like Rear Window, Disturbia etc, but be prepared for something extra and expected the unexpected when it comes to the final solution. Shorter than his previous books, Aperture is a book that improved it's rating for me upon some reflection. There are parts of it I wish were a little differently done, and it's not my favourite book in the series, but Aperture shows why its writer's a class apart and is definitely recommended.

P.S. If you are new to Chattopadhyay's Janardan Maity series, I'd strongly suggest you read his other books as well, and if possible, begin from the first one, Penumbra (my favourite!)

[Nandini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Janardhan Maity mystery and I couldn't stop myself from reading it as soon as possible.
The name, the blurb and the mystery were intriguing, yes, but didn't meet my expectations.
I didn't like how uninvolved Prakash was in this, as compared to previous books in the series. Maity's intelligence and the way story carves out feels too out of the box sometimes.

It wasn't Chattopadhyay's best work but worth reading. In fact, all his JM books are.

I await more books from this series to gobble them up in a day :)

[Deotima Sarkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Aperture, Bhaskar Chattopadhyay created a wonderful puzzle for the readers with Janardan Maity being the detective that will help them solve it. It was Maity who captivated me from the very beginning when he and his friend Prakash Ray left a magic show, only to have their evening interrupted by Sayantan Kundu – a voyeuristic photographer and professional blackmailer. Kundu saw a murder in the opposite building, while keeping an eye on it.
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Prakash felt like it was quite simple, while Maity felt that there was something else going on. The murder of Kundu led to the actual dark secrets heightening mystery and intrigue.The duo is dragged into numerous interrogations, many of which are related to the recent murders or other dark events. The text invites the reader to journey through a realm where voyeurism and blackmail merge into crime and betrayal.
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The writing stays concise but intense writing style combined with his deep understanding of human psychology makes reader keep turning pages till the end of novel where all dots are connected together. The story takes place in Kolkata's dingy alleys, as Maity wends his way through layers of truth which are hidden in the cheap hotels till things eventually come full circle with multiple layers again erected in-between him and what seems to be an apparent resolution pose.
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The author has the power to blend suspense with detailed character development and kept me guessing till the end. The story unfolds with a dark undertone and suspense that escalates up to the climax. This is my first Janardan Maity adventure (yeah shocking!), I really loved the Kolkata locations and typical nuances. I have to read the other stories now! Loved how the title matched up with the story and the cover too!
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[Book_withquotes · Rating 4 out of 5]

In “Aperture: A Janardan Maity Mystery,” a struggling freelance photographer’s life takes a sinister turn when he discovers a hidden window in his apartment, offering an unobstructed view into a dubious hotel across the lane. Succumbing to the dangerous allure of voyeurism, he begins to blackmail the hotel’s occupants. His voyeuristic escapades take a horrifying twist when he witnesses a husband brutally murdering his wife. Riddled with guilt and fear, he turns to the astute detective Janardan Maity, confessing his crimes in hopes of seeing justice served. With his loyal friend Prakash Ray, Maity delves into what appears to be a straightforward case, only to unravel a labyrinth of secrets, lies, and unexpected twists that challenge their every assumption.

Crime fiction author Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is continuously proving why he is a formidable force. This is a well-written piece that is sure to wow. Aperture is shorter than his previous novels, but after some thought, I gave it a higher grade. The perfect number of people, conflict, and twists are always there in Chattopadhyay’s stories.

The simplicity of Chattopadhyay’s prose belies its power. The pauses and the gaps are intentional. There isn’t any overuse of dramatics or drum rolls to break the tension. The twists were the type that you would eventually discover and then question why you hadn’t anticipated them. The readers were left drooling over the author’s forthcoming novels because he ate and let no crumps! Undoubtedly, Bhaskar has emerged as one of my preferred Indian thriller authors.

[Debarati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so, I had sort of guessed the primary mystery of this book at the 20% mark. And, it has to be said that, what I had thought the primary mystery to be was, in some ways, better and worse than the actual mystery. Sigh. I know this makes no sense but bear with me!
This book, like almost all the Janardan Maity ones, is atmospheric and has a great build-up. However, the “motivation” of the killer didn’t sit well with me. It was very *ahem* Moriarty “coded” (as the kids say) and I did not fully enjoy it.
So, why 4 stars? Because I enjoyed the journey and was happy to be reunited with Maity and Ray! Here’s to the next one!

[Yamanta · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Aperture" falls short of the mark set by its predecessors in the Janardan Maity series.

The narrative commences with a dramatic flourish—as an impecunious freelance photographer stumbles upon a broken window in his apartment, offering a vantage point to a modest hotel across the street, he swiftly degenerates into a voyeur and an extortionist. It takes a homicide and the intervention of detective Janardhan Maity to jolt his conscience.

Although the camera incontrovertibly captures the perpetrator in the act, presenting an ostensibly straightforward case to the readers, the plot subsequently unravels into a labyrinth of complexities. Detective Maity navigates this intricate terrain with both adeptness and, at times, perplexity. However, the decision to arbitrarily designate the murderer appears less an organic extension of the story than a contrivance to engender needless complexity, with the motive for the crime frustratingly vague and inadequately substantiated.

[Deblina Das · Rating 3 out of 5]

Among the many Indian crime/mystery thriller writers currently on the scene, Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is a well-known name. I liked the standalone Patang, though the twist at the end was a bit too much. The latest one in the Janardan Maity series ends in a similar far-fetched manner. There is a hint of Maity having found his nemesis, his own Moriarty, but the climax was unsatisfactory in itself. After all the quest for reasoning and logic, abrupt attribution of everything to ‘human nature’ and ‘just because he could’ simply fails to meet the reader's expectations.


The series fascinates me because of its old-fashioned nature. Maity seems to be the modern-era version of the classic Bengali ‘goyenda’. The premises of the novels, beginning with the very first one, are reminiscent of the plots of the older Bengali novels. A suddenly-found rich relative gathering a bunch of disparate people for a weekend in his village retreat, or a visit to the remotely situated family mansion (with a hunting lodge thrown into the mix, no less!) of a writer among quirky people - I don't know if these are deliberate nods to Byomkesh Bakshi, Kiriti or even to Feluda. The formal Indianised English, stilted in conversations but oh-so-grammatically-correct, adds to the effect. Chattopadhyay keeps emphasizing in his interviews the fact that Janardan Maity is an aging, old-fashioned gentleman, and well, the mysteries he runs into suit him. 


This makes for a slightly timeless, yet anachronistic quality that seems a tad disorienting to me. I like to be able to my reads firmly in time, and the Maity books somehow carry with them the glow of a bygone era.


Chattopadhyay's interview stressed the importance he attaches to ‘the puzzle’. “It always begins with the puzzle. That's the seed.” The solution, however, keeps falling just a little short of the puzzle's promise. A little too mundane, or too lacklustre, or too implausible. To quote T S Eliot, the source of the title of  Chattopadhyay's own novel,


Between the conception

And the creation

Between the emotion

And the the response

Falls the Shadow

[Dipankar Bhadra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aperture by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay had been at the top of my must-read list for 2024. I've been a devoted fan of the series starring Janardan Maity and Prakash Ray ever since the debut book, Penumbra.

From the very beginning, Aperture captivated me with its rich setting in Kolkata. The story made me feel like I was right there in the bustling city, with all its sights, sounds, and smells. The title, Aperture, fits perfectly as the story lets us peek into a world full of mysteries.

The plot follows Janardan Maity, a detective known for his sharp mind and determination. When a photographer brings him evidence of a murder, Maity takes on the case. As the story unfolds, we are drawn deeper into a fast-paced and suspenseful narrative.

One of the highlights of the book is the friendship between Maity and his friend Prakash Ray, who narrates the story. Their bond adds a sense of warmth to the tense mystery. As they unravel the case, what seemed like a simple murder investigation becomes more complex and intriguing.

Bhaskar Chattopadhyay skillfully maintains a sense of suspense throughout the book, keeping readers guessing and on the edge of their seats. The story explores themes of voyeurism and secrets, adding depth to the narrative. Just when you think you've figured it out, the author throws in a surprising twist.

Overall, Aperture is a must-read thriller that combines suspense, character development, and cultural richness. The characters are well-developed, and Kolkata itself becomes a vibrant and essential part of the story. If you're looking for a captivating mystery to enjoy, this book is definitely worth checking out.

[Fiction freakk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here comes another intriguing novel by one of my favourite authors who rarely disappoints his readers. The way he turns the entire narrative on its head towards the end is absolutely mind-boggling. I’m also a huge fan of the dynamic duo—Janardan Maity and Prakash Ray.

The title Aperture, meaning “a gap” or “an opening,” perfectly mirrors the central theme of the plot. Sayantan Kundu, a freelance photographer and former paparazzo, finds himself struggling financially in a digital world where smartphones have overshadowed classic cameras. Driven by desperation, he resorts to blackmail—secretly photographing guests in a hotel across from his apartment through a barely visible gap in his window.

As he succumbs to the dark temptation of voyeurism, things spiral out of control when he witnesses a horrifying crime. Riddled with guilt and fear, Sayantan confesses to the brilliant detective Janardan Maity. With the help of his trusted friend Prakash Ray, Maity begins what seems like an open-and-shut case, only to uncover a complex web of secrets, deception, and unexpected twists.

What makes Aperture even more intriguing is a theatrical puppet show created by one of the key characters, which adds an artistic yet haunting layer to the plot—beautifully tying into the story’s conclusion without giving too much away.

Overall, I found this to be a decent mystery. While there were a few loopholes—particularly an unconvincing motive for the crime—the unpredictable ending made it a worthwhile read. However, I must admit it didn’t quite reach the heights of the author’s earlier works.

[Dhiraj Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is the best mystery writer of India, period. Let me rephrase it by stating that he is the Agatha Christie of India, period again!!!

Having said that, let me just start by stating that if you haven’t read the author's previous works i.e, “Patang”, “Penumbra”, “The Disappearance of Sally Siqueira”, “Here Falls the Shadow” and “Best Served Cold” and appreciated the ingredients comprising of sleight of hand, suspense factor, engrossing storyline and the proverbial carpet being pulled under the rug then you are surely missing something.

I got hooked onto the author’s works after reading Patang and eagerly look forward to his next novel by checking on Goodreads and Amazon. Unfortunately, Mr. Chattopadhyay writes/publishes a book in 2-3 years so the wait is long, but I am not complaining.

This book aptly titled “Aperture” takes you on a cat and mouse chase as the intrepid detective Janardan Maity and the villain of the piece try to outdo one another. The mystery is your a, la Hitchcockian Rear Window type with several shady characters and red herring thrown in for good measure. It’s your typical unputdownable book.

Read Aperture to experience the sheer thrill of how a good murder mystery unfolds and how the brilliance of Mr. Maity shines throughout the story.

[myliteraryworld · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Aperture’ is an intricately woven mystery novel by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay featuring Janardan Maity, Kolkata's greatest detective. The story begins with Maity and his friend Prakash returning from a magic show, only to be interrupted by Sayantan Kundu, a photographer and professional blackmailer. Kundu reveals he witnessed a husband murdering his wife through his apartment window. While Prakash sees a straightforward case, Maity senses more complexity. As he investigates, Kundu is murdered which leads Maity through a series of interrogations that uncover hidden truths. Chattopadhyay's evocative and precise writing, combined with his ability to explore psychological depths, makes the novel a compelling read, filled with suspense and surprising revelations.

[Aman Khater · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Best Served Cold, I couldn't wait for this one to come. Since, the first time I met Prakash & Maity, I was hooked. Really love this detective and assistant series. This was the most complex and challenging case for Prakash & Maity and it was extremely clever.

The characters all come together beautifully, with each one adding just the right amount to the plot, nothing overdone and nothing in this book is without reason. I did find the initial parts to be all over the place, but it is Chattopadhyay's genius that makes it all fit together like a perfect jigsaw. I know I am being greedy, but I cannot wait for the next.

[Vishal Bagaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be one of Janardan Maity and Prakash Ray’s most interesting cases with a lot of thrill to it. However, the ending left wanting for more. Many unanswered questions which if asked here could lead to spoilers. The resolution too hinted at more to come, and a Moriarty like villain to our Holmes-Watson duo which indicates that the thrill element is only going to go up further. Gone are the days of cosy crime solving - enter higher stakes for both our protagonists. That said, as a reader I look for more nuances in the characters of my favourite detectives, more flaws and imperfections. The romanticism of the archetypal Bengali detective does seem to disrupt the flow. Gone are the days of Poirot’s theorising and announcing the villain at the end in front of a crowd, and the need to understand the method of the detective should now take the upper hand to make the reader fully imbibed in the process. That said, if we compare Penumbra (Maity #1) with Aperture (#5), the quality of writing in terms of dialogue, the scenes, the imagery has definitely notched up, albeit a tad bit derivative of earlier detective novels and neo noir cinema. Aperture is intriguing and the Hitchcockian plot most definitely draws you in. Not my best read (my all time favourites being #2 and #3) but I sure am looking forward to more thrills in the future books of the series!

[Anunay Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing, just amazing! Bhaskar Chattopadhyay never disappoints. Hos lucid writing, the way he builds suspense, his characters, his locations, the atmosphere he creates, and the way he unveils the final mystery is top-notch. APERTURE is another great addition to Chattopadhyay's oeuvre.

[Manohar Prabhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good novel as usual the story is good, abd waiting for the the next book from the duo Maity and Prakash.

[Madhav Thapar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky and atmospheric . Janardan Maity is in good form !

[Shubham Goel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3

The book is a decent thriller. For me, it had several loopholes and unanswered questions; however, overall, the ending is quite unpredictable, which makes it a worthy read.

[Sukhamaya Swain · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a superb book!
I always thought writers had stopped writing proper and descent detective oriented suspense stories. Here comes a wonderful, spirited and gripping script from Bhaskar. This entire book is so enchanting that one cannot put it down without completing it in a single go.
The writer builds an immeasurable interest in the mind of the reader by mentioning impeccable details of the city simultaneously moving through the plot. There is a mix of literature as a writer and an envious plot. It would be wrong to mention the final plot but it would be unjust not to mention that it was a surprising one.
What's more, it will cut ice with the modern generation also who loves scripts only of movies. This book fits to become a movie. No doubt, Bhaskar is a practising scriptwriter now.
It is highly recommended!

[Ankit Biswas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the book started slow, but picked up, as the pages kept moving.
The idea of deception and directing the viewer's attention to something particular when the real action is going on somewhere else is an art and a dying art.
The book is excellent, but the only thing is that I am still not convinced about the motive of Subramanian to kill Jhunjhunwala, apart from that everything seems pretty water tight.

It's a good read, but I still feel Pataag is a better work of his.