Rumpole and the Angel of Death [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

John Mortimer (Author), Leo McKern (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996 | Series: Rumpole

Mortimer's latest collection of Rumpole stories features six never-before-published tales of the "barrister who's as much a detective as Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot"--(Boston Sunday Globe). In this work the hero achieves new, resounding triumphs over the forces of prejudice and meanmindedness.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After a two-year break, the indomitable barrister Horace Rumpole returns in six sprightly new capers, including one told by his long-suffering wife Hilda, who proves to be every bit as canny as her crafty curmudgeon of a husband. As always, Mortimer writes with a Wodehousian elan but, unlike Wodehouse, he incorporates a spirited if indirect wrestling with the social and political issues of the day. In the title piece, an old judge with Alzheimer's is a posthumous figure in a case involving a doctor who is charged with unduly hastening the judge's end. In "Rumpole and the Way Through the Woods," animal-rights activists clash with fox hunters, and the wife of Horace's old friend dies mysteriously. When the widower finds new romance with indecent haste, the wily Rumpole has to consider more than just heated politics. Dealing elsewhere with sexism and child kidnapping, Rumpole is by turns acutely sensitive and brazenly bullheaded, as Mortimer dances nimbly around thorny subjects with his trademark ease, applying all-knowing wit and painstaking characterization.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The irascible but always entertaining Rumpole is back, this time in a series of short stories that have him facing the usual assortment of human detritus at the Old Bailey. Rumpole's delightful compatriots--the determined and politically correct Miz Liz Probert, Mr. Injustice Graves, the beleaguered Claude Erskine-Brown, and, of course, She Who Must Be Obeyed--are once again in evidence, as are Rumpole's inadvertent humor, his keen understanding of the criminal and not-so-criminal minds, and his wily defenses of some of life's biggest losers. Here the barrister must defend, among others, an animal-rights activist accused of murder and a wife-killer whose dedication to teaching wins him a dangerous friend. In addition, there's a story told by the never-before-heard-from Hilda (She Who Must Be Obeyed) that's subtly hilarious and chockful of sharp-tongued wit. Mortimer's stories may lack the gritty drama associated with the hard-boiled arm of the genre, but what he does provide is class, charm, and a wry commentary on a way of life that has nearly passed from existence. Emily Melton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Penguin Audio; Abridged edition (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140861971
• ISBN-13: 978-0140861976
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,726,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worthy addition to the Rumpole saga, July 26, 1999

By 

Brian Hackney (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rumpole and the Angel of Death (Paperback)

In this latest--is it the last?--addition to the Rumpole saga, She Who Must Be Obeyed lifts a pen and the result is "Hilda's Story", an engaging piece that shows that Mortimer is still coming up with new and entertaining angles on Rumpole. The only sour note is that "Angel of Death" rounded out the third 'Rumpole' omnibus, and the devotee fears that this could be the last. If it is, it's also one of the best.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "I've never thought that those who were entirely sane would undertake the thankless task of judging their fellow human beings.", April 23, 2006

By 

Mary Whipple (New England) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Rumpole and the Angel of Death (Paperback)

Always wary of pompous judges, "their assembled lordships who like nothing less than being judged themselves," British barrister Horace Rumpole faces off against them once again, defending six new clients in this 1995 collection of stories, the author's first collection to have been written as short stories and not as adaptations of his TV scripts. Here many familiar characters continue, though their roles are much reduced in scale, compared to author John Mortimer's longer novels. The biggest and most pleasant surprise is that Rumpole's cantankerous wife Hilda, long a fixture known as "She Who Must Be Obeyed," has written her own story here, her recognizable "voice" describing her marriage and giving a new slant to our views of Rumpole.

Other stories in this collection include: "Rumpole and the Way Through the Woods," in which Rumpole deals with animal rights and foxhunting; "Rumpole and The Little Boy Lost," in which he defends a "kidnapper"; "Rumpole and the Model Prisoner," in which he deals with a feminist who wants revenge on a fellow barrister for calling her "fat"; "Rumpole and the Rights of Man," which takes him abroad to the European Court of Human Rights"; and "Rumpole and the Angel of Death," in which he defends an unabashed proponent of euthanasia who is accused of murdering Rumpole's old friend, "Judge Chippy."

In each of these stories, author Mortimer treats a contemporary issue with the seriousness it deserves. At the same time, however, he uses his trademark wit and ascerbic humor to put these issues into perspective and keep the major characters from taking themselves too seriously. Because the plots are not complex and tend to follow familiar patterns, there are few surprises, and the stories and Rumpole himself feel familiar and "comfy."

Those who are already fans of Rumpole will love these stories, as they show Rumpole continuing his assault on hypocrisy, using the legal system and his own insights to see that justice prevails, engaging in the marital tug of war with Hilda, and enjoying his cigars, his claret, and the good fellowship of his friends. Those new to Rumpole may prefer to start by reading one of the Rumpole novels or listening to one of the full-length audiotapes instead. The additional length allows author Mortimer to develop the characters in greater depth and to highlight the humor and absurdity of some of the plots. n Mary Whipple

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Six more wonderful stories., January 28, 2007

By 

S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rumpole and the Angel of Death (Paperback)

Rumpole and the Angel of Death is a worthy addition to the wonderful Rumpole series. For one thing we get to see a story from "She Who Must Be Obeyed's" perspective in the story called "Hilda's Story", and we see why this couple has remained strong together for 47 years. Each of these stories is wonderful in it's own right, but I enjoyed the short story "Rumpole and the Angel of Death" the most. Rumpole is totaly endearing, and we still see the old spirit where he won't sit still and stand for something if it's something he doesn't believe in. He is also not deterred from extraneous personalities and lies in his search for the truth. He has a habit of being able to get to the nut of every matter, and lay everyone's subterfuge away, so that the truth will out. Thank heaven I still have a few Rumpole stories left to read.