Agatha Christie's grandson Mathew Prichard recalls that every book owned by students at the boarding school he attended required the headmaster's signature to ensure they were appropriate for children.

Prichard, then 11, noticed it took much longer for him to get his books, most of which were his grandmother's most recent works, approved - that is, until he discovered the headmaster's wife was reading them.

Prichard, now in his 60s, is head of Agatha Christie Ltd, a company that manages the late author's assets, copyrights and royalties. Prichard and his wife visited Shanghai on Jan 26 to meet local theater producers, publishers and Christie's fans.

"My grandmother was a good traveler, but she never came to China," Prichard says.

He says his mission as the first member of the family to visit the country is to make Christie's works more accessible and available to the public.

Since 2006, 10 plays by Christie have been staged in Shanghai, with about 100 performances given every year.

Prichard says he is impressed with, but not surprised by, his grandmother's popularity in the country.

"I understand that going to the theater is still a new experience for most people in China," he says.

"I'm really glad that Agatha Christie has helped to bring more people to enjoy the theater."

But given China's vastness, Prichard believes the country's theater producers have many opportunities to introduce more of Christie's works.

Prichard remembers Christie as an ordinary and loving grandmother and never saw her as a writer.

"She's the best listener I've ever met," he says. "I think that also helped her in being a good writer."

Writers lived more peaceful lives back then, he says. But when her plays hit London's stages in the 1950s, Christie became famous and sought after by media.

The author was shy and tried to keep a low profile, her grandson says. She didn't think of herself as a celebrity, he says.

Prichard, who is also the president of the Museum of Wales, says his grandmother encouraged him to enjoy reading and nurtured his love of music and art.