Rumpole's Return

The first "Rumpole of the Bailey" novel, in which the curmudgeonly barrister has retired and settled in Florida with She Who Must Be Obeyed, after ten straight defeats in the courtroom of his nemesis, Judge Bullingham. A letter from one of his colleagues awakens him to the fact that he abhors retirement and the Florida sunshine, and he flies back to England to insert himself back into a Bailey that is not entirely eager to welcome him back. After a few more courtroom defeats, he finally is served a near-impossible murder to defend, and to boot, it will be tried in the courtroom of --- Judge Bullingham. Horace Rumpole is one of my favorite characters in literature: droll, self-absorbed (but not entirely obnoxiously so), convinced of his show more invincibility in the courtroom (and often right), always willing to take on a hopeless case and a small cigar and glass of Pommeroy's claret. I also love how he is in thrall to She Who Must Be Obeyed (his wife, Hilda), whom he leaves behind in Florida to escape to his old life in England, but I suspect there is a strong mutual unspoken devotion there. My favorite part of this book is the priceless scene where Hilda, believing that Rumpole has been perusing naughty schoolgirl magazines, attempts to seduce an increasingly shocked and alarmed Rumpole. show less

I really enjoy Rumple now and again with his intrepid wife, She Who Must Be Obeyed. In this book, he comes out of a brief stint in retirement in Florida, of all places, to defend criminals at the Old Bailey with his usual flair and dedication. Especially good as narrated by Patrick Tull in these unabridged recordings, though Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC adaptations is quite a treat too of course!

"Rumpole's Return" contains one complete novel about the cynical, but very competent, Old Bailey barrister, Rumpole. In this novel Rumpole has been persuaded to retire to Florida and live with his son, Nick. Then he hears of a case involving mysterious bloodstains and departs hastily for England without his wife, Hilda, "She Who Must Be Obeyed." Rumpole takes up the cudgels for a client who refuses to defend himself against a charge of murder, and uses something he learned in Florida to do the trick.

a good rumpole. even the 2nd time around.

A novel

Book 2