Rumpole of the Bailey

In the first of six witty short stories, 60s-something English barrister, Horace Rumpole, takes on the younger generation both at home and in the hallowed courtroom-while offending his esteemed colleagues and his draconian wife, Hilda.

Horace Rumpole, the irreverent, iconoclastic, claret-swilling, poetry-spouting barrister at law, is among the most beloved characters of English crime literature. He is not a particularly gifted attorney, nor is he particularly fond of the law by courts if it comes to that, but he'd rather be swinging at a case than bowing to his wife Hilda, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. In this first title of the popular series featuring Rumpole, all of the major characters who occupy the Rumpole stories make their introductions: the sneaky, slightly effeminate Erskine-Brown, the bumbling Guthrie Featherstone and various and sundry other lawyers and clerks whose lives weave in and out of these stories. These six stories include the Younger Generation, the Alternative Society, the Honourable Member, the Married Lady, the Learned Friends, and the Heavy Brigade.

Horace Rumpole—who never prosecutes, whose fame rests on an infinite knowledge of blood and typewriters, whose court scenes are proverbial, whose home is ruled by Mrs. Rumpole (“She Who Must Be Obeyed”)—is back on the defense, as irreverent, as iconoclastic, as claret-swilling, poetry-spouting, impudent, witty, and cynical as ever. This time the judge-debunking barrister-at-law is embroiled with a minister accused of shoplifting, an actress accused of murder, and a racist candidate for Parliament, with art theft and mistaken identity thrown in for good measure. The result is a delightful excursion into hidden corners of the British judicial system served up in typically colorful Rumpole style. Stories include: "Rumpole and the Man of God", "Rumpole and the Showfolk", "Rumpole and the Fascist Beast", "Rumpole and the Case of Identity", "Rumpole and the Course of True Love", and "Rumpole and the Age for Retirement."

After ten straight losses under the satanic Judge Bullingham, Rumpole decides it's time to hang up his wig-permanently. But when he reads of the Notting Hill Gate Underground murder, he goes from being bored with his new life, to just plain homesick. So, Bullingham notwithstanding, Rumpole makes his return.

This collection of seven stories begins with the horrors of Rumpole's only son Nick's recent move to America.

Whether he's quoting Wordsworth or having words with a particularly obtuse judge, Horace Rumpole always knows what he's doing––even if no one else does. In this delightful collection of stories, Rumpole straightens everyone out in the shocking case of a “bent copper,” gallantly teaches a professor of moral philosophy about blackmail, consults with the dear departed when a will is contested, traces the path of true love when a doctor is accused of murder, and (in the name of duty, of course) drinks to excess with a teetotaling member of the prosecution. There is even a rare moment or two when Rumpole finds himself appreciative of “She Who Must Be Obeyed” (Mrs. Rumpole), when she inadvertently provides some essential clues that clinch his cases. Stories in this collection include “Rumpole for the Defense,” “Rumpole and the Gentle Art of Blackmail,” “Rumpole and the Dear Departed,” “Rumpole and the Rotten Apple,” “Rumpole and the Expert Witness,” “Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas,” and “Rumpole and the Boat People.”

Back in the harness after his abortive retirement to Florida, Rumpole glories in the mushroom pie, rainy day life of the Old Bailey. Here he spars with some old familiars like the venomous Judge Bullingham, and makes the acquaintance of some fresh foes. Six stories.

In this engaging collection of stories, Rumpole continues to deftly juggle the vagaries of law, the ambiguities of crime, and the contradictions of the human heart in his death-defying performances on behalf of justice. The irreverent, claret-swilling, poetry-spouting barrister takes on suspect connoisseurs in the art world, journeys deep into the throbbing heart of Africa, dabbles in some feminist politics, decides the countryside is a very dangerous place, and incurs the wrath of his wife, She Who Must Be Obeyed.

The brilliant Bailey hack recalls some of his most extraordinary cases, including several deliciously funny courtroom spars with his arch-foe, the Mad Bull (aka Judge Roger Bullingham).

Rumpole is on the job again, bringing along his taste for claret, his penchant for poetry, and his reputation for a good story. These seven irresistible stories run the gamut from simple thievery to murder and espionage. Rumpole recalls three delightful battles with his arch-enemy, the Mad Bull; indulges his knowledge of bloodstains and typewriters; and uses the refined taste of a garage mechanic to discover the reasons for the robbery of a case of wine. As usual, Rumpole's biting wit and benevolent ideas of justice push the Mad Bull to the edge of retaliation, and it is only through some last minute diplomatic intervention that Rumpole lives to argue another day.

Here are six delightful tales featuring everyone's favorite barrister for the defense, Horace Rumpole. Eccentric characters such as his wife, Hilda, otherwise known as "She Who Must Be Obeyed," and his philandering colleague Claude Erskine-Brown are back as Rumpole visits a snooty restaurant where he engages in a battle of wills over his adored mashed spuds, takes the unaccustomed role of prosecutor, and ventures-unwillingly-onto a ship, where he confronts, of all things, a detective novelist. Included are: "Rumpole à la Carte," "Rumpole and the Summer of Discontent," "Rumpole and the Right to Silence," "Rumpole at Sea," "Rumpole and the Quacks," and "Rumpole for the Prosecution." This masterly blend of humor and mystery makes for irresistible listening.

In this collection of six witty short stories, the courageous and corpulent barrister, Horace Rumpole takes on both animal and human rights. And for the first time, Rumpole's formidable wife, Hilda-better known as She Who Must Be Obeyed-tells a story of her own.

Horace Rumpole, the comic, courageous, and corpulent "great defender of muddled and sinful humanity," is joined by a winning cast of villains and victims in this collection of six tales in which wry humor and sparkling wit deftly send up the British legal system. In Rumpole and the Angel of Death, our hero achieves new, resounding triumphs over the forces of prejudice and mean-mindedness. One adventure involves Rumpole in the world of hunters and the hunted, animal rights and human wrongs, while in another he finds that international justice is as fallible as the domestic variety. And for the first time, Hilda, "She Who Must Be Obeyed," tells a story all her own.