COLIN Dexter, who died yesterday aged 86, became one of Oxford’s favourite sons for his crime novels featuring the brilliant, beer-drinking and opera-loving romantic Inspector Endeavour Morse.

The enigmatic sleuth became one of the world’s best-loved fictional detectives, with Mr Dexter’s work causing people across the world to fall in love with the dreaming spires and winding lanes where Morse plied his trade.

The 13 Morse books were translated into 29 languages and sold 4m copies in the UK alone, leaving an indelible mark on crime fiction.

In 2000 13 million viewers tuned in to watch Morse die in the last of 33 episodes of the ITV series, which inspired sequel Lewis and ongoing prequel Endeavour.

Yesterday tributes poured in to the writer, who began penning the first Morse book – Last Bus to Woodstock – during a rainy holiday in Wales in 1972.

Oxford Mail:

Colin Dexter at his desk in Oxford in 1977

Jeremy Trevathan, from Mr Dexter's publishers MacMillan, said yesterday: “With Colin’s death there has been a tectonic shift in the international crime writing scene.

“Colin represented the absolute epitome of British crime writing, and in the 1990s John Thaw’s Inspector Morse took over Wednesday night television.

“He was one of those television characters who the nation took to their hearts.

“This is a very sad day for us all.”

The man behind Morse 

Mr Dexter was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, and completed his national service with the Royal Corps of Signals before reading classics at Cambridge University’s Christ’s College.

Oxford became his home in the 1960s and he was senior assistant secretary to the Oxford University Delegacy of Local Examinations for 22 years until 1988.

He lived in Banbury Road, where he died peacefully yesterday.

By the time the final episode of Inspector Morse was broadcast it was estimated the franchise was generating £250m a year for the city in tourism.

Laurence Fox, who plays DI James Hathaway in Lewis, tweeted a picture of the cast with Mr Dexter. 

Mr Fox tweeted: "Farewell wonderful Colin.

"Thank you for your rich characters, your mischief and for being the best dinner companion anyone could wish for."

Roger Allam, who plays Morse's mentor DI Fred Thursday in Endeavour, also paid tribute.

Mr Dexter’s contribution to his adopted home was recognised in 2001 when he was made a Freeman of the City, just months after being made an OBE in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

When the first episode of the TV series was broadcast in 1987 he told the Oxford Mail: “The huge value for me as a writer is that, even if people haven’t been to Oxford, they would love to be in the city.

“I think if the story had been set in Rotherham or Rochdale no one would be particularly interested to see the streets and side streets but so many people outside Oxford are delighted to see the High Street, St Giles and the colleges.

“That is why I feel so grateful to my adopted mother city.”

Mr Dexter, who is survived by wife Dorothy, son Jeremy and daughter Sally, also picked up The Golden Dagger Award for the crime novel of the year in 1989 and again in 1992.

In 1997 he won the Crime Writers’ Association lifetime achievement award – the Diamond Dagger – for his body of work.

As a lover of ale, crosswords, Wagner and English literature he shared many traits with Morse and was a regular crossword setter for The Oxford Times under the name Codex.

In 1999 he told the paper how he based the detective on himself.

He said: “Unless you are a genius, which I am not, I think most writers tend to be slightly semi-autobiographical in their characterisation.

“There is nobody else to go on is there?

“He has my political views, my religious views, what I think of all sorts of things in life.

“They are the only things I can go on really. And so I suppose that means he drinks too much, smokes too much and in general his music and hobbies are close to mine. He’s a sensitive sort of fellow though, a bit vulnerable.”

Oxford Mail:

Colin Dexter receives his OBE.

Mr Dexter’s passion for literature saw him campaign to keep Summertown library open in 2011 in the face of local government cuts.

He regularly appeared in cameo roles in episodes of Morse and Lewis, continuing the tradition up until the most recent series of Endeavour. In his 1999 novel The Remorseful Day Mr Dexter took the decision to kill off Morse – a move that left many fans despondent.

After investigating 81 violent deaths Morse, who shared Mr Dexter’s birthday of September 29, 1930, died after tackling one final case.

Speaking of the decision to kill his creation off ahead of the final episode of the TV series in 2000, Mr Dexter told the Oxford Mail: “It is time for Oxford to become a safer place. He’s been with me a long time.

“There won’t be a dry eye in the house in the last 10 minutes.”