Colin Dexter, author of the Inspector Morse books, has died aged 86, his publisher has said.
He died peacefully at home in Oxford, said Macmillan in a statement.
The Inspector Morse books spawned the long-running TV series and spin-offs Endeavour and Lewis.
His first Morse novel was published in 1975 and called Last Bus To Woodstock. It was followed by 10 more novels and several short stories.
The ITV drama series starred John Thaw as the cerebral detective and ran for 33 episodes between 1987 and 2000.
http://news.sky.com/story/colin-dexter-creator-of-inspector-morse-dies-at-86-10809712