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Rumpole Misbehaves: A Novel (Rumpole Novels) | 
 enlarge | Author: John Mortimer
Publisher: Viking Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $23.95
Buy New: $2.24
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Avg. Customer Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 101825
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 192
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9
ISBN: 0670018309
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780670018307
ASIN: 0670018309
Publication Date: November 29, 2007
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Condition: New/New; No Tears - No Creases - Inventory Mark - New Hardback Book - Ships Now!
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Product Description
Beloved and bestselling Rumpole is back to solve a new and peculiar mystery
Anti-Social Behavior Orders, commonly known as ASBOs, are the New Labour governments pride and joy. A child who plays or even loiters in an unfriendly street can, on the complaint of neighbors, have an ASBO slapped on him. If he offends again hell be found in breach of his ASBO and thrown in jail without a trial. All this, of course, raises the wrath of everyones favorite barrister Horace Rumpole when he is called upon to defend a Timson child who has earned an ASBO for playing soccer on a posh street.
As Rumpole tries to get to the bottom of it all, his fellow barristers in chambers decide to highlight the ridiculousness of ASBOs by citing Rumpole for bringing food and his beloved wine into his room, and for causing global warming by lighting small cigars. Another witty tale sure to please the legions of Rumpole fans who eagerly await each new installment.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
 Latest Installment of Comic British Lawyer, Horace Rumpole August 14, 2008
This is the latest of a long-running series written by British author and lawyer John Mortimer about an aging curmudgeon, Horace Rumpole, with a fine sense of justice (as well as a cynical sense of humor). Most of the Rumpole works are short story collections, but this is a novella of about 200 pages in a large print format (in a normal size font I suspect this book would be about 100 pages).
Horace Rumpole is a criminal defense lawyer in London who disrespects authority of any kind, especially overbearing judges. His stable of co-workers provide much of the comic relief and entertainment. His hectoring wife, Hilda, plays a prominent role in all of the books, but especially in this book, as she interacts with a judge who has been the nemesis of Rumpole for years. The main case in this book involves the unfortunate customer of illegally imported prostitutes who is charged with a murder. Rumpole also is working on other cases that turn out to be related to this case in some way. I particularly enjoyed the anti-social behavior charges against a young client who plays soccer on a rich street, annoying some inhabitants. One of Mortimer's recurring themes is that of the nanny-state trying to over-regulate every human endeavor.
Rumpole books are often pigeonholed as mysteries but that is really not true. Often the reader knows the truth of the matter; all that remains to be resolved is the outcome of the case and the antics of the people involved. But I find these books enormously entertaining and I find myself thinking and behaving with more and more of Rumpole's cynicism as I age. If you have ever wondered if you are the only sane person left in the world and why all the lesser beings around you seem to be rewarded, you will instantly find a kindred spirit in Rumpole.
In many of the Rumpole books the author takes a few pages to introduce the characters and circumstances. This book does not do this very well and for that reason I would not recommend it as the first foray into Rumpoliana. But for a Rumpole fan, this is one more excellent entry in long line of entertaining tales. And since the author is old, I don't expect any more of these books. So read and enjoy while you can. 4 Stars.
 Rumpole Rules! June 4, 2008
Rupole and his creator John Mortimer continue to reign as the principal heirs to the mantle of P. G. Wodehouse.
Does Rumpole Ever Behave? May 5, 2008
Somehow I got to this point in life without having seen the old Rumpole series on PBS or having read any of the books. I dived in with the latest, not usually the good thing to do in a long-lived series, but I found a book that stood alone for me, I got everything, all the in-jokes and who is who. Thus, I do not hesitate to recommend it to a newcomer like me, though I'm willing to bet that someone who has read the long list of previous books in the series will say, oh, it's not half what some of the others are. In fact, it is rather short and the print size large--I actually wondered if I had blundered in to the Large Print section--but that's how it is.
Rumpole and his creator, John Mortimer, are either the originators of a number of humorous detective conventions in the UK vein or they make it seem like they are. Rumpole is probably London's oldest junior barrister, being totally impolitic when it comes to what must be done to achieve higher. His first person narrative makes it abundantly clear that most that reach senior status, Queen's Counsels, are fools. He calls them Queer Customers. That said, in this outing, he has a shot at a QC, egged on by his wife (She Who Must Be Obeyed) and a client who wishes his defense lawyer was of the QC level. His client gets the best, just not the prettiest. The narrative is witty, articulate, breezy and sharply satiric, especially swatting at the Labor Party's Anti-Social Behavior Order (ASBO). Rumpole is defending a child who has been slapped with two ASBO's for chasing errant soccer balls into an upscale residential street and he gets hit with one by his own partners who claim his cigar habit is contributing to global warming. He does give a very persuasive speech on what it is a defense lawyer does. And he obviously does it very well to the consternation of the establishment. Rumpole is having a ball, and I have to wonder, does he ever behave?
 Mortimer Disappoints April 24, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Rumpole is at it again, a contrarian in the lonely pursuit of justice, however small. His misbehaviour is of two sorts: first, he flaunts the green-inspired rules of his chambers by continuing to eat, drink and smoke small cigars in his rooms, which violation is prosecuted as a criminal offence by his colleagues under the Anti-Social Behaviours Act. Secondly, he is seduced by the prospect of being nominated for elevation at the bar and "taking silk," thereby becoming Rumpole, Q.C. ("Queer Customer," as the Rumpole of old would put it.)
These challenges take place against the backdrop of Rumpole's defense of a murder by manual stangulation, the type of crime that should whet Rumpole's chops more than appears in this story. We also are privy to more of Hilda Rumpole's journal, highlighting her dalliances both with Leonard ("the Mad Bull") Bullingham and with her notion of reading for the bar. Toss in some philandering by both Philida Erskine-Brown and her mealy-mouthed husband Claude, and all the ingredients are there for a satisfying "read" with Rumpole.
Notwithstanding, this is not one of Mortimer's best. It is a short story expanded to a novella and rushed to the printer as a novel before its time. The murder defense is given short shrift, much as Hilda receives from the Mad Bull at the end of the day. Like Rumpole, we live with our small disappointments -- and this one certainly is of that scale -- and hope for more and better things to come
Rumpole Forgets . . . April 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Rumpole Misbehaves is an entertaining light mystery that can be finished fairly quickly. Rumpole, an "Old Bailey Hack", remains one of my favorite fictional defenders of the criminal classes. The current mystery lightly touches upon a young boy prosecuted for playing football and a government worker suspected of murdering a prostitute. Both mysteries are mere whisps of plot (think mini-MacGuffens), providing Mr. Rumpole a stage to perform. Unfortunately, the performance is not what it used to be.
The author seems to have developed amnesia regarding his supporting characters. Claude is at best a stick figure of his former self, and Miz Liz has apparently abandoned her radical feminism (and common sense). Even Phyllida, the "Portia of our Chambers"-turned judge, has apparently gone off her nut. Mortimer is a fine humorist, but it wouldn't hurt him to remember that the other characters work best as an actual supporting cast, not props. He appears to have forgotten their character histories and development completely. Even Rumpole's sudden desire to be recognized as a "Queer Customer" is jarring (earlier incarnations of the character would consider this blasphemy).
Here's hoping Mortimer takes more time with the next installment (and that there will be a next installment). New readers would be better served purchasing the First Rumpole Omnibus. While completists will want to purchase this latest edition to the series, I'd wait for a good used book sale.
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