The CWA is very sorry to report the death of Inspector Morse creator Colin Dexter, aged 86. He died peacefully at his Oxford home on March 21. His characters and storylines have given very many people hours of reading and viewing pleasure. Colin was a leviathan of the genre and a truly wonderful, gentle man.

Our Joint Vice Chair, Maxim Jakubowski, who knew Colin well, writes:

“The Crime Writers’ Association mourns the passing of our friend and colleague Colin Dexter. He will be remembered not just as a superlative crime writer and the creator of such a classic character as Inspector Morse, but also as the most convivial of friends; impish, friendly to all, seldom seen in public without a smile, a man who accepted celebrity late in his life with wonderful dignity and humour.

“Having killed Morse off and foregone his regular appearances as a twinkle-eyed extra in the television adaptations of his novels, he kept on enjoying retirement and crosswords to the full until the grim reaper took him. We rejoice in having known him.”