Customer Reviews
"I've never thought that those who were entirely sane would undertake the thankless task of judging their fellow human beings." - By: Mary Whipple, 24 Apr 2006 
Always wary of pompous judges, "their assembled lordships who like nothing less than being judged themselves," British barrister Horace Rumpole faces off against them once again, defending six new clients in this 1995 collection of stories, the author's first collection to have been written as short stories & not as adaptations of his TV scripts. Here many familiar characters continue, though their roles are much reduced in scale, compared to author John Mortimer's longer novels. The biggest & most pleasant surprise is that Rumpole's cantankerous wife Hilda, long a fixture known as "She Who Must Be Obeyed," has written her own story here, her recognizable "voice" describing her marriage & giving a new slant to our views of Rumpole.
Other stories in this collection include: "Rumpole & the Way Through the Woods," in which Rumpole deals with animal rights & foxhunting; "Rumpole & The Little Boy Lost," in which he defends a "kidnapper"; "Rumpole & the Model Prisoner," in which he deals with a feminist who wants revenge on a fellow barrister for callling her "fat"; "Rumpole & the Rights of Man," which takes him abroad to the European Court of Human Rights"; & "Rumpole & the Angel of Death," in which he defends an unabashed proponent of euthanasia who is accused of murdering his old friend, "Judge Chippy."
In each of these stories, author Mortimer treats a contemporary issue with the seriousness it deserves. At the same time, however, he uses his trademark the wit & ascerbic humor to put these issues into perspective & keep the major characters from taking themselves too seriously. Because the plots are not complex & tend to follow familiar patterns, there are few surprises, & the stories & Rumpole himself feel familiar & "comfy."
Those who are already fans of Rumpole will love these stories, as they show Rumpole continuing his assault on hypocrisy, using the legal system & his own insights to see that justice prevails, engaging in the marital tug of war with Hilda, & enjoying his cigars, his claret, & the good fellowship of his friends. Those new to Rumpole may prefer to start by reading one of the Rumpole novels or listening to one of the full-length audiotapes instead. The additional length alllows author Mortimer to develop the characters in greater depth & to highlight the humor & absurdity of some of the plots. Mary Whipple
