Best-selling crime author Patricia Cornwell has revealed her writing career was made in Leicester.
The 60-year-old American novelist, who has sold more than 100 million books, said she decided to write forensic crime thrillers after hearing of the DNA breakthrough made by Professor Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester in the 1980s.
Prof Jeffreys pioneered the use of DNA technology to identify the unique genetic code of Leicester double murderer Colin Pitchfork.
The murderer confessed to killing local 15-year-old girls Lynda Mann in 1983 and Dawn Ashworth in 1986 after being confronted with compelling DNA evidence against him.
Patricia, who appeared De Montfort Hall last night, said: "It was an amazing scientific breakthrough.
"It was real cutting edge stuff and it was being pioneered over here at the University of Leicester.
"When I read up on it I just knew immediately that here was what I should be writing about.
"I wanted to explore the whole area of forensic science in crime. It was just so exciting, so new.
"So you could say my writing career was born in Leicester because of this."
Read more: DNA pioneer Alec Jeffreys on how he helped police nail child killer Colin Pitchfork
The former morgue worker turned millionaire author is best-known for creating Dr Kay Scarpetta, the forensic pathologist who features in her novels.
Patricia was in town to give a public lecture at De Montfort Hall as part of the University of Leicester's Distinguished Lecture Series.
The on-stage chat session was also part of the Leicester Literary Festival 2016 and the first event on a week-long UK tour to promote her new novel, Chaos.
The novelist, who lives in America, told how she was very excited by the discovery of the mortal remains of Richard III in the city in 2012.
She said: "Once again we had Leicester – and the University of Leicester – at the forefront of something incredibly historic and exciting.
"I studied the techniques being used and incorporated some of these in my book Ripper: The Secret Life of Walter Sickert."
That book uses never-before-seen archive material, including a rare mortuary photo, personal correspondence and cutting-edge forensic science to open an old unsolved crime to new scrutiny.
The writer revealed that one of her favourite stories of recent time is the winning of the Premier League by Leicester City.
Patricia, who took to the stage wearing a Foxes shirt and draped in City scarves, said: "What a brilliant story.
"It seems everyone in the world was captivated by Leicester City winning .
"It was like a lesser-known team over in the States winning the Super Bowl.
"I have chosen Leicester as the start to my UK tour as I love the city.
"I feel a special connection with the place.
"I would love to come back and do the whole Richard III thing and watch Leicester City play. That would be fun."