Interesting Facts About Inspector Morse

By Author: Carolyn Clayton
Total Articles: 129
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The murder mystery genre remains a popular choice of genre for both television shows and novels. The more intricate the plot and quirkier the characters, the more successful it usually is. Book sales and TV ratings generally reflect which shows and books manage to get it right. These characters can become overnight sensations. One such television show, based on detective novels, had fans wanting to know more about Inspector Morse.

British author Colin Dexter wrote thirteen of these novels, which appeared from 1975 to 1999. In the last novel, The Remorseful Day, the Inspector dies in hospital due to complications arising from diabetes. A television adaptation was made, which ran from 1987 to 2000.

The adaptation follows the basic plot of the stern but lovable senior Detective and his sidekick Detective Sergeant Lewis. They work in the Criminal Investigation Department at Thames Valley Police in Oxford, England. The eccentric main character is known for his intelligence, intuition and thoroughness. Although some would describe him as a grouch, he was generally loved by the audience.

In addition, the officer, ...
... played by actor John Thaw, is well known for his love of fast cars, genuine British ale, opera music and cryptic crosswords. It is said that the author of the books, Colin Dexter, actually had a passion for cryptic crosswords. It is believed that he therefore named the main character of his novels after crossword champion Jeremy Morse.

The detective further enjoys investigating and solving the murder mysteries in and around Oxford. He shows a fine eye for detail and has a pet hate for spelling or grammatical errors. Not much is known about his background though. His parents were divorced when he was young and his mom died a few years later.

Apparently, the relationship between him and his step mom were quite troubled. He has a half-sister with whom he has a closer relationship. Apparently, he ended up in the army then the police force after he lost a scholarship at St. John's College due to bad academic results. The poor marks were because of a love affair that did not work out.

This information is revealed in one of many nail biting episodes. The last episode ends in the same manner as the last novel does. Many fans were sad to see the series About Inspector Morse ending. The series were nominated for numerous awards and won the British Association of Film and Television Awards for Best Actor and Best Drama Series.
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