Author of the Inspector Morse books, Colin Dexter, has died at the age of 86.

"With immense sadness, MacMillan announces the death of Colin Dexter who died peacefully at his home in Oxford this morning." his publishing house said in a statement on Tuesday.

Dexter, who was awarded an OBE in 2000, wrote 14 Morse novels, between 1975 and 1999, which were subsequently adapted for the long-running ITV series starring John Thaw and spawned spin-off shows Lewis and Endeavour.

Dexter made cameo appearances in almost every episode of Inspector Morse.

The novels in his Morse series were as follows:

Last Bus to Woodstock (1975)

Last Seen Wearing (1976)

The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn (1977)

Service of All the Dead (1979)

The Dead of Jericho (1981)

The Riddle of the Third Mile (1983)

The Secret of Annexe 3 (1986)

The Wench is Dead (1989)

The Jewel That Was Ours (1991)

The Way Through the Woods (1992)

The Daughters of Cain (1994)

Death is Now My Neighbour (1996)