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Out on 01 October 2026

Last Bus to Woodstock

Synopsis

The first intriguing case that began Colin Dexter’s phenomenally successful Inspector Morse series. As portrayed by John Thaw in ITV's Inspector Morse.

‘Do you think I'm wasting your time, Lewis?’
Lewis was nobody’s fool and was a man of some honesty and integrity.
‘Yes, sir.’
An engaging smile crept across Morse’s mouth. He thought they could get on well together . . .

The death of Sylvia Kaye figured dramatically in Thursday afternoon’s edition of 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.

But as the obvious leads fade into twilight and darkness, Morse becomes more and more convinced that passion holds the key . . .

Last Bus to Woodstock is the novel that began Colin Dexter’s phenomenally successful Inspector Morse series. Last Bus to Woodstock is followed by the second Inspector Morse book, Last Seen Wearing.

Praise for Colin Dexter:

'Traditional crime writing at its best' – The Sunday Times

'No one constructs a whodunit with more fiendish skill' – The Guardian

'The world’s most beloved crime-solver' – Daily Mail

Details

01 October 2026
320 pages
9781037411694
Imprint: Pan

Reviews

“Traditional crime writing at its best; the kind of book without which no armchair is complete”The Sunday Times, The Sunday Times
“No one constructs a whodunit with more fiendish skill than Colin Dexter”The Guardian, The Guardian
“Dexter has created a giant among fictional detectives”The Times, The Times
“The writing is highly intelligent, the atmosphere melancholy, the effect haunting”The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Telegraph