Agatha Christie’s Greenway Residency: Award-Winning Author Dr Manjiri Prabhu on Mystery, Writing and Inspiration

Dr. Manjiri Prabhu, an award-winning Indian author known as the "Desi Agatha Christie," is one of three writers selected for the inaugural Greenway Residency. The residency, a collaboration between the National Trust and Exeter UNESCO City of Literature, celebrates Devon's literary heritage while providing writers an opportunity to find inspiration in a place connected to Agatha Christie, the world's most celebrated mystery writer.

Prabhu, who grew up devouring Christie's books and was inspired by the film "Gumnam," which was based on Christie's novel "And There Were None," sees the residency as both a homecoming and a chance to explore new creative possibilities while reflecting on Christie's enduring influence.

Prabhu acknowledges that Christie's mysteries resonate with readers because they tap into ordinary human desires like envy, love, pride, and greed. Christie's understanding of human nature, which has not changed in a hundred years, makes her books relevant even today. For an Indian writer like Prabhu, representing India at the residency carries a sense of purpose as India has an ancient tradition of storytelling that blends mystery and mysticism.

By sharing this sensibility with an international audience, Prabhu hopes to showcase how Indian mystery fiction reflects its unique philosophy while addressing universally resonant human emotions.