Rumpole Misbehaves

Rumpole is a delight,a never changing constant in this troubled world. He is politically incorrect, bombastic and a constant source of annoyance to "She who must be obeyed" and those bumbling judges at the Old Bailey. This novel, published as The Anti-Social Behaviour of Horace Rumpole in Britain and the rest of the world, makes fun of Britains anti-terrorist laws as Rumpole riles at the threat to civil liberties.Over a glass or two of Chateau Thames and a little cigar at Pommeroy's Rumpole plans his defence of one of the youngest of the Timson clan, a family of habitual petty criminals who are our heroes main source of income, with hilarious results.

John Mortimer has reached an age (84 in 2007) where he could be excused if he set down his pen. In fact, I had rather assumed that no more Rumpole books would be forthcoming from this master of British wit. When I came across 'Rumpole Misbehaves' while browsing for Christmas presents, I immediately decided I needed to give it as a present - to me! In 'Rumpole Misbehaves', Mortimer gives us Horace Rumpole, barrister, but no QC, battling injustice, prejudice, hypocrisy, and stupid government policies, not to mention social and career climbing. Mortimer introduces the reader to an abomination called an "Anti Social Behaviour Order" (ASBO) whereby the UK government attempts to punish persons under the vague charge of being 'anti-social' and without the full panoply of due process. Rumpole not only defends a client against an ASBO charge, but even finds himself hauled to the dock. Mortimer neatly ties these cases into the murder charge that lies at the heart of the story. The Mad Bull, AKA Judge Leonard Bullingham, also occupies a central, if surprising, role in the story. In 'Rumpole Misbehaves' we see egos deflated, pretensions to moral righteousness revealed as in fact being just pretensions, and justice served all with Rumpole's wit tweaking those in need of tweaking. 'Afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted, but make it funny' could be Rumpole's epitaph. However, Mortimer implies that yet more Rumpole tales are in the offing. Let's hope so and thank you John Mortimer!

Fans of Mortimer's Rumpole are in for another treat. Rumpole is hired to defend a man who is accused of strangling a prostitute. Rumpole's legal savvy detects the odor of rat here. Meanwhile, She Who Must Be Obeyed, Rumpole's domineering spouse, is flirting with a judge who Rumpole loathes. That doesn't bother Rumpole as much as her plans to become a barrister and take some of Rumpole's unsavory clientele for her own practice. The thought of working with her troubles him profoundly. Mortimer's Rumpole is pitch perfect as usual. This quote from Rumpole says a lot: " nothing they sling at me in court could be as bad as having to confront, every day and all day, the changing moods and general disapproval of She Who Must Be Obeyed." Ah, Rumpole, long may he serve!

Mae West. Any doubts anyone may have that Horace Rumpole doesn't share a bit of Mae West's mischievous world view will be dispelled after reading John's Mortimer's latest Rumpole romp, "Rumpole Misbehaves". When we last saw the esteemed barrister, in Rumpole and the Reign of Terror (Rumpole Novels) he was doing verbal and legal battle against what he perceived as an invidious threat to historic civil liberties enjoyed in Britain by anti-terror legislation enacted by Parliament. He now takes on what he considers to be another invidious threat to civil liberties in the form of Anti-Social Behavior Orders, also known as ASBOs. ASBOs, arose out of legislation enacted by Tony Blair's Labour government in the form of the Crime and Disorder Act of 1998 and the Anti-social Behaviour Act of 2003. In Rumpole's eyes these laws, thought well-intended, enable the police and judiciary to criminalize some conduct that is lawful but annoying. In the case at hand the ASBO-worthy conduct is the constant kicking of a soccer ball by one Peter Timson, a child of the criminally-inclined clan that has provided Rumpole with a significant portion of his legal fees over the years, into a quiet upper-class street where the noise of children is perceived by one resident to be ASBO-worthy. Mortimer supplements this case with two additional legal matters. In one Rumpole finds himself defending a mild-mannered government employee in what appears to be an open and shut case of the murder of an illegal Russian immigrant working as a prostitute. In the other, Rumpole finds himself in the docket defending himself on an ASBO related charge brought against him by his colleagues in his chambers, that his smoking a cheroot, drinking cheap wine, and eating at his desk is anti-social behavior. As the story plays out Rumpole and the reader discover that these seemingly unrelated story lines may not be as unrelated as they first appear. To top things off, Hilda is continuing to write in her diary (a nice comedic device first used in Reign of Terror) and, of all things, threatening to read for the bar and become a lawyer. The enjoyment of any of Mortimer's Rumpole series is not really found solely in the story line but in the wit and humor of Mortimer's writing. Rumpole feels like an old friend after all these years and yet every `harrumph' or muttered `she who must be obeyed' or barely-whispered cracks about insurable judges and stuffy colleagues in chambers still makes me laugh. And even though Rumpole acts just as we expect him to, and even as events play out just as we thought they might, Rumpole's ongoing willingness to fight the good fight on matters of principle large and small still leaves me rooting for one more favorable verdict. My own verdict on Rumpole Misbehaves: you keep on misbehaving Horace and I'll keep reading!. L. Fleisig

After nearly thirty years Sir John Mortimer's finest creation Horace Rumpole, Old Bailey hack and scourge of prosecutors and judges, is getting to be somewhat formulaic in his now all too rare appearances. He faces down numerous challenges and invitations to retire from his colleagues in his Chambers at Equity Court, who find him irritatingly old fashioned and annoyingly bent on defending the worst class of criminals. His determination to preserve legal principles like presumption of innocence and the right to a trial by a jury of one's peers frustrate various judges and politicians who want to speed up the process in order to get more criminals behind bars (regardless of their actual guilt or innocence). Worst of all, he does continual battle with his much loved but argumentative She Who Must Be Obeyed, his wife Hilda. The experienced Rumpole reader knows all of these plot elements will be found within each new story, along with other stock characters like the always on the wrong side of the law Timson clan. Yes, these stories are formulaic, but that's what makes them great. They are always welcome because they always present a new, wry look at the state of human affairs. In Rumpole Misbehaves Rumpole takes on the Government's policy of issuing ASBOs, or Anti-Social Behavior Orders, to people who commit minor infractions unworthy of being called crimes. As always, a seemingly minor case gets caught up in several other minor cases and turns into a major issue, which Rumpole alone is clever enough to piece together. Meanwhile, his amusingly dull colleagues find themselves scotched in their latest effort to get rid of Rumpole and free up a space for a more "suitable" barrister. This time, there are some amusing new twists. Hilda continues to have an occasional point of view, a nice little diversion Mortimer started in Rumpole and the Reign of Terror. Rumpole's old nemesis Judge Bullingham unexpectedly becomes something of a friend and ally (because he has designs on Rumpole's "happy" home, apparently). And there are a few new contortions in the tangled personal/love affairs of Rumpole's fellow barristers at Equity Court. Together, both the new and the old plot elements make for an excellent addition to the Rumpole canon. May Horace go on smoking his little cigars, eating his sandwiches and pies in Chambers, and imbibing Chateau Thames Embankment for many years to come!