Podcast Summary

Podcast: New Books Network
Episode: Harini Nagendra, "Into the Leopard's Den: A Bangalore Detectives Club Mystery" (Pegasus Crime, 2025)
Date: November 6, 2025
Host: Nicholas Gordon
Guest: Harini Nagendra (author, ecologist)
Guest Contributor: Prarthana Prakash (journalist)

Episode Overview

The interview centers around Harini Nagendra’s latest historical mystery novel, Into the Leopard's Den, the fourth installment in the Bangalore Detectives Club series. Set in 1920s colonial India, the novel intertwines a gripping murder mystery with themes of ecology, British colonial exploitation, women’s social roles, and the intricate fabric of South Indian culture and cuisine.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Origins and Development of the Series

[03:43] Harini Nagendra:

• The genesis of the series was almost mystical—a “visitation” from the character of Kaveri, sparked as Nagendra was researching urban ecology and Bangalore’s colonial past.
• Kaveri “parachuted into my head, completely formed as a character and demanded that I write a book about her.”
• The writing process took many years, largely because Harini had not written detective fiction before and the plot underwent multiple rewrites.
• The first idea dated back to 2007; the first book was only published in 2021.

2. Choosing the Time and Setting

[06:20] Harini Nagendra:

• Initially leaned toward the 1890s but switched to the 1920s for its livelier historical context, better documentation, and resonance with women’s empowerment and the Indian independence movement.
• "1920s are a classic golden age ... for India especially, it was really interesting because that's the time when the Indian independence movement picks up steam."

3. Inspirations for Kaveri and Other Characters

[09:05] Harini Nagendra:

• Kaveri is inspired by both fictional detectives (Miss Marple, Tommy & Tuppence, Miss Silver) and real women in Indian history.
• Elements of Kaveri's character reflect Nagendra’s admiration for pioneering women, including women in her own family:
  "My own grandmother ... could write and read and speak seven languages ... would have made a great entrepreneur herself if someone had given her the chance."

4. Crafting a Layered, Character-Driven Mystery

[16:07] Harini Nagendra:

• Nagendra describes herself as a "pantser": she writes without strict plotting, allowing characters and narrative threads to take shape organically.
• The process is iterative: initial drafts are messy and heavily revised, with layering and careful placement of clues in subsequent drafts.

5. Ecology and Colonial Exploitation as Plot

[20:05] Harini Nagendra:

• Each book has an overarching theme; in Into the Leopard’s Den, it is British colonial exploitation of India’s forests for commercial gain.
• Themes such as invasive species and human-animal conflict are made tangible to the reader through mystery elements, particularly the “ghost leopard.”
• On the leopard motif: "...I wanted this element of intrigue. And I said, let's have an animal [cross Ramu's] path ... it became a ghost leopard. And yes, a lot of the book is trying to figure out what this ghost leopard is."

6. Researching Historical Realities

[24:08] Harini Nagendra:

• Nagendra utilizes extensive archival research—ranging from financial ledgers to planters' diaries—to authentically depict both Indian and British colonial approaches to plantation management and labor.
• Characters like Colonel Boyd are based on real patterns of exploitative colonial behaviors contrasted with more benevolent local practices.
• "I've taken some material from planters, diaries, from travelogues ... you see these differences ... about how the British treated people versus Indian rulers."

7. Rejecting Trope of Genius Detective & Sidekick

[28:48] Harini Nagendra:

• Deliberately avoids the Sherlock-Watson trope; instead, the books focus on collective action, with a diverse “club” of characters each contributing crucial skills and perspectives:
  "I was very clear that this would be more like a heroine story where you have a group that comes together ... everyone's not the same kind ... it's when you get the collective that you get something that is far greater than the sum of its parts."

8. The Role of Food and Recipes

[32:00] Harini Nagendra:

• Recipes are included in each book as a way to evoke the sensory world of the setting and introduce readers to South Indian cuisine, which is often lesser-known outside India.
• "India is a culture that is not so much about the visual as it is about taste, smells, and the sounds ... And food is, again, an incredible part of India."

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Kaveri’s arrival:

  • “She absolutely parachuted into my head ... and demanded that I write a book about her.” (Harini Nagendra, 03:43)

• On setting’s historical richness:

  • “1920s is ... really, really interesting because ... the Indian independence movement picks up steam ... women start stepping out of the house and into spaces of education, spaces of business.” (Harini Nagendra, 06:20)

• On writing process:

  • “I'm more of what people would call a pantser. So I dive into the plot ... and then the characters take me where they go.” (Harini Nagendra, 16:07)

• On layer ecology in fiction:

  • “I had so much of ecology about Bangalore. ... One of the things the editors told me was there was too much ecology love going on in there.” (Harini Nagendra, 22:18)

• On rejecting the Watson stereotype:

  • “I was very clear that this would be more like a heroine story where you have a group that comes together ... everyone is not at the same kind ... it's when you get the collective that you get something that is far greater than the sum of its original parts.” (Harini Nagendra, 28:48)

• On including recipes:

  • “I've taken old recipes, but modified them so that people in contemporary settings living outside India could use these and cook easily ... And many people from the outside don't know about this food. So I thought it was just so interesting I had to put some of the recipes in here.” (Harini Nagendra, 32:00–34:58)

Important Timestamps

• [03:43] — The origin of the Bangalore Detectives Club and Kaveri’s character
• [06:20] — Choice of 1920s India as the historical setting
• [09:05] — Inspirations for Kaveri and her supporting cast
• [13:10] — Excerpt reading: dramatic opening scene featuring Kupama
• [16:07] — Harini’s organic, iterative writing process
• [20:05] — Weaving ecological themes and colonial exploitation into the mystery
• [24:08] — Historical basis for contrasting colonial and local approaches
• [28:48] — Creation of a detective “club” versus a solo genius
• [32:00] — The cultural and narrative importance of recipes
• [35:22] — Harini shares what’s next: writing Book 5, “set in Mysore,” and details about where readers can find more of her work

Resources and Links

• Harini Nagendra’s Website: harininagendra.com
  • Contains information on all her publications, including fiction and academic work.

Conclusion

The episode offers a nuanced exploration of blending mystery with culture, history, and ecology. Into the Leopard's Den draws on deep research, lived cultural experience, and a commitment to collective storytelling. Nagendra’s approach foregrounds overlooked histories—especially those of South Indian women and landscapes—while inviting readers to enjoy not just a good puzzle, but a sensory journey through 1920s colonial India.

For listeners interested in historical mysteries, ecological fiction, or Indian cultural history, this conversation is an engaging and insightful listen that delves deeply into both the creative process and the complex world Nagendra builds in her novels.