COULD Charlie Benskin be York's Inspector Morse?

Charlie is the main character in a new murder mystery novel, which is set in York despite its author living on the other side of the world.

Ron Willis completed the book after emigrating from York to Perth, Western Australia. He says sceptical friends still living here "who doubted that this work would ever be completely translated from mind to paper, are now assured that this has come about".

His manuscript is now at the mercy of London publishers Allison and Busby. According to Ron, The Cappuccino Club At Jacob's Well has all the elements of a bestseller: murder, mystery, royalty, religion and sex. The Jacob's Well of the title, he tells the Diary, is based on the Blake Head vegetarian caf and bookshop in Micklegate. So while Morse salivates over a pint of real ale, Benskin goes a bundle over a nut roast.

THE Diary sincerely hopes Ron's novel is a roaring success. However, even before he makes it on to the bookshelves, Charlie Benskin already has some serious competition from Sam Turner, the Bob Dylan-loving private eye of York author John Baker's novels.

A few years back an independent TV company commissioned a screenplay of one of these popular books, and Sam Turner was tipped to be "Morse of the Millennium".

Alas, nothing became of that. Perhaps Turner and Benskin could join forces and become York's Starsky & Hutch instead?

STILL with the arts, this whole Stagecoach Youth Theatre York funding farrago is a musical waiting to be written. The Diary is not very ashamed to admit to being an avid viewer of US TV show Fame in the 1980s. This happy hokum followed the fortunes of a bunch of talented kids at New York's School For The Performing Arts.

What is Stagecoach but York's school for the performing arts? And its kids look talented enough to burst forth with a spontaneous song-and-dance routine on the roofs of York taxi cabs.

Stagecoach artistic director John Cooper reminds us of Fame's music professor Shorofsky, who kindly, but firmly, pushed his students to reach the peak of their potential.

But what role for council leisure boss Coun Keith Orrell, who refused Stagecoach the money to keep going? Well, he could perform the immortal words: "Fame costs - and right here's where you start paying..."

FROM Selby District Council's website events page: "The highly renowned York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir and York Light Orchestra will be performing Jerusalem and other Proms favourites on Saturday the 25th February 2066."

Book now to avoid disappointment.

READER Richard Greaves believes he has stumbled on the real reason First's bus fares have gone up.

"I happened to look at share prices as I read the newspaper, and lo and behold First's shares are performing very well at the moment. In fact each share is now worth £1 more than it was this time last year.

"So First shares must be hot property. That could be because profits are sky high or share dividend pay- outs are sky high - or both."

ALEC Acomb is in touch regarding the search for a Yorkshire comedian to front ads for John Smith's Bitter.

"Referring to some of your recent comments about a funny man to front their advertising campaign, many discerning beer drinkers think that John's is funny enough without drawing attention to it."

Updated: 09:57 Thursday, January 19, 2006