Funny and witty. Little old fashioned but not in a PC kind of way. ( )

Horace Rumpole is one of the jewels of modern British fiction. He may frequently be pompous, obstinate, solipsistic and argumentative, but he remains curiously endearing.

This book offers up six more highly entertaining tales from his long career, and introduces some new colleagues from his chambers at 4 Equity Court, including the lugubrious Sam Ballord (always called ‘Bollard’ by Rumpole) and Fiona Allways, an eager new barrister only recently called to the Bar.

The title story sees Rumpole venturing out to defend a former pupil of his from many years ago, who is now the leader of the opposition in former British colony, but has fallen foul of the authorities and finds himself facing a possible death sentence.

John Mortimer knows his subject, having himself been a practising barrister for much of life. Indeed, he was decidedly more successful than Rumpole ever managed to be, taking silk as a Queen’s Counsel and eventually being appointed as a Recorder (one of the ranks of judges) and presiding over trials of his own. Among the many cases in which he participated were the famous Lady Chatterley’s Lover trial, in which he represented Penguin Books against the charge of publishing indecent material, and the less successful defence of the publishers of Oz magazine.

His success within the profession did not prevent Mortimer seeing its ridiculous aspects, nor recognising the pomposity of many of its adherents, and the Rumpole stories, being beautifully written and peopled with a cast of finely drawn and memorable character,s are an unfailing delight. ( )

Sometimes it's hard to remember if I've read the story before or just seen the TV episode. I'd seen nearly all of these but it doesn't make the reading any less enjoyable. I esp. like the one with Rumpole's supposedly fatal collpase in court, designed to ferret out a dodgy solcitor and get his fee's paid. Ah, makes one long for a glass of Chateau Thames Embankment.

good stories. good characters. ( )

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1104731 ( )