"Please thank Lewis for me..." But so softly spoken were the words she wasn't quite able to catch them.

Not a dry eye in the house after this one. The Remorseful Day (1999) by Colin Dexter, the thirteenth and final Inspector Morse novel.

In terms of crime novels I've nearly always preferred US ones. Morse is the exception. He's a sad, lonely figure but the books are still laced with humour. I think he's the only UK police/detective type character where I've read all the books in the series. I did start off with the TV show but quickly moved onto the books which are a very easy read.

The Daughters of Cain (1994) by Colin Dexter, the eleventh Inspector Morse novel. It was adapted for television in 1996 as the second of 5 episodes in the eighth and final series (there was a year between each episode in series 8 being shown).

The Way Through The Woods (1992) by Colin Dexter, the tenth Inspector Morse novel. It was adapted for television in 1995 as the first of 5 episodes in the eighth and final season (although it was called season 8 there was a year between each episode being shown).