Forgotten Book: LAST BUS TO WOODSTOCK, Colin Dexter

Another contribution to Pattinase's Friday's Forgotten Books theme.

Colin Dexter(1930 - ) is best known for his Inspector Morse series published over a period of 25 years, and made memorable for us on television by John Thaw. He is another crime fiction writer who contributed immeasurably to the crime fiction genre.

Blurb of THE LAST BUS TO WOODSTOCK courtesy of Fantastic Fiction.
The death of Sylvia Kaye featured dramatically in the "Oxford Mail". By Friday evening Inspector Morse had informed the nation that the police were looking for a dangerous man - facing charges of wilful murder, sexual assault and rape.

As one book followed another the Morse character developed: an educated man who loved classical music, cryptic crosswords, a bachelor not averse to the company of women but shy of commitment, a homicide detective who hated the sight of blood.

Like Ellis Peters, who had the pleasure of meeting Derek Jacobi who brought Cadfael to life, Colin Dexter had the pleasure of meeting "Morse".
In fact if you watch the TV series carefully you will find Dexter, who often acted as adviser, also managed to get a little spot, in true Hitchcock style, in the film.

The Morse series
1. Last Bus to Woodstock (1975)
2. Last Seen Wearing (1976)
3. The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn (1977)
4. Service of All the Dead (1979)
5. The Dead of Jericho (1981)
6. The Riddle of the Third Mile (1983)
7. The Secret of Annexe 3 (1986)
8. The Wench Is Dead (1989)
9. The Jewel That Was Ours (1989)
10. The Way Through the Woods (1992)
11. The Daughters of Cain (1994)
12. Death Is Now My Neighbour (1996)
13. The Remorseful Day (1999)

Look also for a set of short stories: Morse's Greatest Mystery (1993)

Other blogs
Books to the Ceiling

Here's little taste of Morse from YouTube

Dexter has been the recipient of several Crime Writers' Association awards: two Silver Daggers for Service of All the Dead in 1979 and The Dead of Jericho in 1981; two Gold Daggers for The Wench is Dead in 1989 and The Way Through the Woods in 1992; and a Cartier Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement in 1997. In 1996 Dexter received a Macavity Award for his short story Evans Tries an O-Level.

In 2000 Dexter was awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to literature.