Colin Dexter

(Norman) Colin Dexter is the British author of the Inspector Morse novels. Dexter was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, on 29 September 1930. After National Service with the Royal Corps of Signals he read Classics at Christ's College, Cambridge, graduating in 1953.

Related Topics:
British - Inspector Morse - Stamford - Lincolnshire - 29 September - 1930 - Royal Corps of Signals - Classics - Christ's College, Cambridge - 1953

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In 1954 he started his teaching career in the East Midlands, becoming assistant classics master at Wyggeston School, Leicester. A post at Loughborough Grammar School followed, before he took up the position of senior classics teacher at Corby Grammar School, Northamptonshire, in 1959.

Related Topics:
1954 - East Midlands - Leicester - Loughborough Grammar School - Northamptonshire - 1959

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In 1966 he was forced by the onset of deafness to retire from teaching, and took up the post of Senior Assistant Secretary at the Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations in Oxford - a job he held until his retirement in 1988.

Related Topics:
1966 - Deafness - Oxford - 1988

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He started writing mysteries in 1972 during a family holiday: "We were in a little guest house halfway between Caernarfon and Pwllheli. It was a Saturday and it was raining - it's not unknown for it to rain in

Related Topics:
1972 - Caernarfon - Pwllheli

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north Wales. The children were moaning ... I was sitting at the kitchen table with nothing else to do, and I wrote the first few paragraphs of a

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potential detective novel." Last Bus to Woodstock was published in 1975 and introduced the world to the character of Inspector Morse, the irascible detective whose penchants for cryptic crosswords, English literature, real ale and Wagner reflect Dexter's own enthusiasms.

Related Topics:
1975 - Cryptic crossword - English literature - Real ale - Wagner

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The success of the TV series based on Inspector Morse and produced between 1987 and 2001, brought further acclaim for Colin Dexter. In the manner of Alfred Hitchcock, he also makes a cameo appearance in each of the episodes.

Related Topics:
TV series - 1987 - 2001 - Alfred Hitchcock - Cameo appearance

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Colin Dexter has been the recipient of several Crime Writers Association "Golden Dagger" awards, and in 2000 he was awarded the OBE for services to literature.

Related Topics:
Crime Writers Association - 2000 - OBE

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See also: Diogenes Small

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