The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Inspector Morse author dies
The Stamford born author who created one of Britain’s best loved detectives hasdied.
Colin Dexter, who is best known for writing the Inspector Morse novels which were turned into a top TV series, died on Tuesday.
Colin was born in Stamford in 1936, the son of taxi driver, garage owner and store owner, Alf Dexter, in Scotgate, Stamford. It was in 1941 that the young Colin won a scholarship to Stamford. In 1949 he left to read classics at Christ’s College, Cambridge.
Morse came about during a rain-sodden holiday in Wales 28 years ago.
In 2006 Colin told this newspaper: “I was just interested in twists and turns, so I wrote who-dunnits. I’ve never said anything fascinating about life, society or crime. ButI think people like reading my books because there are a lot of twists andturnsandyou end up knowing who does it.”
There are references to Morse’s Stamford connec- tion in two novels, The Riddle of the Third Mile and The Service of all the Dead. Colin’s brother, John Dexter, lives in Peterborough, where he has retired from his post as clas- sics master at the city’s King’s School. And the author was always happy to keep up his connections with East Anglia.
He said: “It’s very nice to go back. Stamford is a delightful little place.
“When I was a boy, I thoughtPeterboroughwasthe best place in the world. I used to go to the old EmbassyTheatre and see the pantomime.”