Jeffrey Archer, India’s beloved page-turner, dies at 86

Author Jeffrey Archer passed away at age 86 on Monday. His impact on Indian literature was profound, inspiring both readers and writers alike.

Bestselling British author Jeffrey Archer, whose page-turners found a devoted readership in India, died at his London home on Monday at 86. Archer’s publisher HarperCollins said he died “suddenly and peacefully” between writing sessions, a day before the release of his final novel, Adam and Eve. Remembering Archer’s impact in India, author Ravinder Singh says, “Jeffrey was one of those few international authors who really was revered in India. The impact he has had on the reading culture in India was huge. What sets him (Jeffrey Archer) apart is how relevant he was for decades, both in terms of selling books in the market and culturally. It is very difficult to command the attention he did for generations and years. Calling his longevity remarkable, he adds, “It is very difficult to command the attention he did for generations and years. He was a stalwart in the world of literature and will leave a void.”

Jeffrey Archer passed away at his London a day before the release of his final novel,

Author Kevin Missal says Archer’s influence extended to writers as well as readers. “He was a big inspiration for authors in India and around the world, especially inspiring me when he wrote the book Kane and Abel. I still follow the threads of it. The biggest impact he had was that his storytelling was more powerful than his writing. He was a big inspiration for authors in India and around the world,” he says, recalling Kane and Abel as a formative influence.

Over a five-decade career, Archer sold more than 300 million books worldwide, with Kane and Abel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less and The Clifton Chronicles among his best-known works.

India remained one of his strongest markets. Archer frequently visited the country, once said “Indians and I have always been natural friends”, and drew around 8,000 people to his Jaipur Literature Festival session in 2019. His India connect was personal too. Archer had spoken of keeping a wood carving of Lord Ganesh in his writing room, while parts of the Clifton Chronicles were set in Mumbai.