Sue Lawley's castaway this week has murdered 75 people, and although he wants to retire, his fans are begging him for just one more. He's the creator of Inspector Morse, Colin Dexter. A Classics teacher before he began to write, it was a profession he immensely enjoyed until deafness forced him to quit. His other great loves are shared by his fictional hero, Morse. Both live for Wagner, crosswords and beer.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Immolation Scene from Act 5 of Gotterdammerung by Richard Wagner