Publication
Penguin UK (2008), 160 p.
Original publication date
2007
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Description
His ire raised by a series of procedural abuses through which children have been imprisoned without trial for innocent activities, barrister Horace Rumpole defends a youth who has been targeted for playing on a posh street.
User reviews
LibraryThing member dougwood57
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
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!
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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!
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LibraryThing member JollyMon
This is the first book I read on my Kindle. Like all Rumpole books, very enjoyable, easy read. Fits like an old comfortable slipper. Wish Leo McKern was still around and that Mortimer could go on forever with the series
LibraryThing member punxsygal
Rumpole is a late middle-aged English barrister, irreverent and a rascal. He lives life on his own terms treading lightly at home around She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. He sits in his office eating sandwiches, drinking wine and smoking his cigars to the disgust of his fellow barristers and QCs in Chambers,
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yet he wins his cases. Not your usual slick lawyer from LA Law or Boston Legal. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheoClarke
The irrepressible Rumpole takes on the recent ASBO legislation and defends man who may have been framed for murder. As ever, his irascible irreverent observations are funny and thought-provoking.
LibraryThing member ben_a
Enjoyed as an Audiobook on a drive to Quebec city. I don't know how it would stand up in a different context, but it was a perfect diversion. It's less satisfying to have the innocent freed without the guilty punished, alas...
LibraryThing member terrycooper
I don't know what it would be like to read this without having seen Leo McKern play Rumpole on television, but having done so the book came alive for me and was highly entertaining.
LibraryThing member everfresh1
The first time I read Rumpole novel I loved it. The next is still good but there are repetitive themes that do make each following novel less entertaining. Still a good read and very funny.
LibraryThing member Bjace
Unlike most of the Rumpole books, this is a novel and not a collection of stories. In this next-to-last Rumpole book, the great Old Bailey Hack's cases run from the sublime (murder) to the ridiculous (an ASBO--Anti-Social Behavior Order--for playing football in the streets.) Rumpole wins them all
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and manages to uncover a ring in human trafficking along the way. Rumpole also, for the first time in his career, tries to pursue judicial advancement; following on his heels is She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, who has decided to read for the law. This is a fun story, but thinner than most of the Rumpole books. The supporting cast, always loveable in its foibles, has begun to recede a bit. Rumpole talks a lot about his "philosophy" of law practice, giving this book the air of a valediction. Show Less
LibraryThing member cyderry
Thus book is a short collection of anecdotes surrounding the main character, Horace Rumpole, an irascible British barrister (lawyer) who listens to no one and does his own thing but is a very competent defense attorney.
I read these books (actually audio versions) with my husband who loves Rumpole.
I read these books (actually audio versions) with my husband who loves Rumpole.
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Personally, I can take him or leave, but they are quick and somewhat entertaining. Show Less
LibraryThing member auntieknickers
This short novel finds the cantankerous Rumpole at his best, defending criminals, the innocent, and the British Constitution with equal vigor. The reason I gave it only three stars was that I read a lot of British police procedurals. There is a situation in the book, which I won't detail for fear
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of spoilers, but which seems impossible to me in light of what other authors have described as standard Scene of Crime procedure for any suspicious death. I gather it's been a long time since Mr. Mortimer actually practiced law. Show Less
LibraryThing member Vivl
3.5 stars means this just scrapes onto my "keep" list.
Rumpole is his usual self, defending those widely-held to be indefensible, struggling under the yoke of She Who Must Be Obeyed's ambition and continuing his anti-social behaviours, to the predictable annoyance of his fellows in Chambers. The
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unlike in your average Rumpole story/novel, where the actual perpetrator is revealed in the end thanks to Rumpole's perseverance and truck-loads of luck, in this case we are left without the actual criminal being revealed. I felt a bit deflated by that. It's minor, I know, but there you go.
Rumpole is his usual self, defending those widely-held to be indefensible, struggling under the yoke of She Who Must Be Obeyed's ambition and continuing his anti-social behaviours, to the predictable annoyance of his fellows in Chambers. The
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Bull is unpleasant in new and disturbing ways, the mysteries are fun, of course Rumpole comes out on top in the end, and, while not a laugh a minute, the chuckles appear quite regularly (unlike the number 11 bus, apparently.) Rumpole's anti-establishment grumbles are kept up to date, with ASBOs, people smuggling and global warming featuring as themes. So why not more stars? Basically because a) it was just nice, nothing amazing, and b) this is a mild and vague spoiler so stop here if you wish....
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unlike in your average Rumpole story/novel, where the actual perpetrator is revealed in the end thanks to Rumpole's perseverance and truck-loads of luck, in this case we are left without the actual criminal being revealed. I felt a bit deflated by that. It's minor, I know, but there you go.
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LibraryThing member burnit99
Horace Rumpole is a dry-witted, curmudgeonly English barrister who specializes in defending (and winning) hopeless cases, often earning the wrath of the British legal system in the process. This book is the latest in a delicious series that inspired the PBS series, "Rumpole of the Bailey", which I
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may have to check out. Here, Rumpole is dealing with an Anti-Social Behavior Order which has been served upon him for eating, imbibing and smoking his small cigars in his chambers, and another ASBO which has been served upon a 12-year-old boy for playing football in a gated community, and also defending yet another hopeless murder case. Rumpole himself is a grumpy delight, and there is an intriguing cast of supporting characters that I hope to encounter again, for I've been hooked and plan to take in this series (and possibly the PBS series) from the beginning. Show Less
LibraryThing member stuart10er
Good and entertaining - but Mortimer was reaching the end of his tether. Either the characters were played out or he was - but the novel seemed artificial and contrived. Interesting in the context of the ASBO - which in a younger Mortimer would have surely yielded more vitriol and ire. The ASBOs
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are an insult to the English legal system or any other civilized nation. It is a scandal and deserved more anger than this novel could bring to bear. Show Less
LibraryThing member themulhern
Pedestrian, but fun nonetheless.
LibraryThing member hardlyhardy
"Rumpole Misbehaves" (2007), the last of John Mortimer's novels about veteran British barrister Horace Rumpole, gives us more of what we expect (and desire) from these stories, as well as something new. What's new? Well, Hilda, She Who Must Be Obeyed in Rumpole parlance, decides to study law
Meanwhile, Rumpole gets the chance to defend, "alone and without a leader," a man accused of murdering a prostitute. He has other cases, too, all of which seem to conveniently aid him in defending the man being tried for murder.
As for the misbehavior mentioned in the title, Rumpole ignores a workplace directive prohibiting food, drink and smoking in chambers. The barrister manages to defend himself as ably as he defends his clients.
This is hardly one of the late John Mortimer's best Rumpole stories, yet it is great fun and not to be missed by fans of the series.
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herself. Why should her husband have all the fun? Meanwhile, Rumpole, who for years has ridiculed the initial QC after the names of higher-ranking lawyers as meaning "Queer Customer," decides to try to become an elite Queen's Counsel himself. And thanks to Hilda's intervention, Judge Bullingham, Rumpole's longtime adversary in the courtroom, someone who can always be counted on to take the prosecution side, intervenes on his behalf.Meanwhile, Rumpole gets the chance to defend, "alone and without a leader," a man accused of murdering a prostitute. He has other cases, too, all of which seem to conveniently aid him in defending the man being tried for murder.
As for the misbehavior mentioned in the title, Rumpole ignores a workplace directive prohibiting food, drink and smoking in chambers. The barrister manages to defend himself as ably as he defends his clients.
This is hardly one of the late John Mortimer's best Rumpole stories, yet it is great fun and not to be missed by fans of the series.
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Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780141030647
Physical description
208 p.; 7.7 inches
Pages
208