“Rumpole Misbehaves”   by John Mortimer

 

Review #169

A Rumpole of the Bailey Mystery

Horace Rumpole, a quirky English barrister, agrees to defend 12-year-old Peter Timson, who's been served with an "Anti-social Behaviour Order" (ASBO) for playing soccer in the streets of a posh London neighborhood.  The eco-freaks in Rumpole's Chambers soon award Rumpole his own ASBO for contributing to the greenhouse effect by smoking cigars.

Soon Rumpole becomes involved in a murder case, in which a civil servant has been found in a locked room with a dead Russian prostitute.  The shy, Graham Wetherby, stands accused of murdering her.  Since Wetherby prefers to be represented by a "QC" or Queens Counsel, Rumpole schemes to become a QC in an amusing subplot.

Rumpole fans will cheer the barrister's vigorous defense of his clients as well as his cutting comments on the nanny state that gives rise to laws like ASBOs.

As usual, there's humor everywhere: with the backbiting characters in Chambers; with the humorless, narcissistic judges; in his wife's (Hilda, "She Who Must Be Obeyed") efforts to read for law; and in his courtroom battles.

As always, the character of Rumpole overshadows the mystery solving.

I first met Rumpole on BBC TV.  I started reading the books and love them all because they’re fun!