Colin Dexter published 14 novels, 1 short story collection and 3 other books, beginning with Last Bus to Woodstock (1975). The series is Inspector Morse (13 books, starting with Last Bus to Woodstock). The best-known is Death Is Now My Neighbour (1996).
Updated September 2026
Inspector Morse books in order (13)Series page
Reading order: 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 (1991) · 10 The Way Through the Woods (1992) · … all 13 below
- 1.
Last Bus to Woodstock (Jan 1975)
- 2.
Last Seen Wearing (1976)
- 3.
The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn (May 1977)
- 4.
Service of All the Dead (Oct 1979)
- 5.
The Dead of Jericho (Jun 1981)
- 6.
The Riddle of the Third Mile (Oct 1983)
- 7.
The Secret of Annexe 3 (Oct 1986)
- 8.
The Wench Is Dead (Oct 1989)
- 9.
The Jewel That Was Ours (Jul 1991)
- 10.
The Way Through the Woods (Oct 1992)
- 11.
The Daughters of Cain (Nov 1994)
- 12.
Death Is Now My Neighbour (Sep 1996)
- 13.
The Remorseful Day (Sep 1999)
Where to start with Colin Dexter
Start here
Last Bus to Woodstock
Book 1 of Inspector Morse, the series that includes Death Is Now My Neighbour, Colin Dexter's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
The Daughters of Cain and the Jewel That Was Ours (2003)
Short story collections in order
Morse's Greatest Mystery (1993)
Other books in order
Inspector Morse (1998)
Bound to Talk 2 (2002)
Cracking Cryptic Crosswords (2009)
About Colin Dexter
Norman Colin Dexter was an English crime writer known for his Inspector Morse series of novels, which were written between 1975 and 1999 and adapted as an ITV television series, Inspector Morse, from 1987 to 2000. His characters spawned a sequel series, Lewis, from 2006 to 2015, and a prequel series, Endeavour, from 2012 to 2023. He also set crosswords for The Oxford Times.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Colin Dexter FAQ
- How many books has Colin Dexter written?
- Colin Dexter published 14 novels, 1 short story collection and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Colin Dexter's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Inspector Morse with Last Bus to Woodstock. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Colin Dexter's last book?
- The Daughters of Cain and the Jewel That Was Ours (2003).
- What is Colin Dexter's most famous book?
- Death Is Now My Neighbour (1996) is Colin Dexter's most widely read book.
- Are Colin Dexter's books connected?
- 13 books belong to 1 series (Inspector Morse); the other 5 books stand alone.
Authors like Colin Dexter
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.