Customer Reviews

Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders (Mystery Masters Series)

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Horace Rumpole!!!! And it is a darn good thing for any defendant facing a criminal charge in London to have the rumpled, oft-scorned, and much condescended to Horace Rumpole take up your defense against all comers.

John Mortimer's latest Rumpole story, Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders takes us back to the great barrister's first big case. The story is told looking back after a conversation in chambers convinces Rumpole to write his memoirs. The story jumps back and forth between Rumpole's recollections of events interrupted only by the occasional (but highly amusing) bit of conversation with Hilda, she who must be obeyed, and his colleague in chambers.

It is the early 1950s and Rumpole is young, eager, and ready to begin his career as a trial lawyer (barrister). He has found himself working for C.J. Wystan, the head of his chambers (firm) and the father of an assertive young daughter named Hilda. Simon Jerrold has been arrested and accused of the murder of his father and one of his father's friends. Each of the deceased flew for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and this was of no small consequence for the national press. All the evidence available points to Simon as the murderer. A conviction seems a certainty to all, including Simon's lead defense attorney, Wystan. Wystan has selected Rumpole to act as a silent assistant after Hilda suggests for some unknown reason that Rumpole is a man with a future in the law. It should surprise no one that Rumpole does not bow down to the conventional wisdom concerning his client's guilt. The story takes us through the remarkable series of events through which Rumpole assumes control of the defense and takes the case through trial.

As always, Mortimer writes with wit and verve. Mortimer first describes the appearance of Wystan as one that made him think of a "lobster who had been snatched from a peaceful existence at the bottom of the sea and plunged into boiling water." Followed immediately by a slight retraction, "but I have no wish to be overly critical of my future father-in-law."

By taking us back to his first case as a callow, slender youth Mortimer has invigorated and fleshed out (no pun intended) Rumpole considerably. We first came to know Rumpole as an aging overweight, hen-pecked curmudgeon who adheres to obsolete concepts of justice and the presumption of innocence when all around him expediency and decorum prevails. Mortimer shows us flashes of this in Penge Bungalow. We see the character traits: the wit, sarcasm and sense of fair play in its formative stages. We also find out how the young Ms. Hilda Wystan became the infamous she who must be obeyed. It is clear that once Hilda set her mind on something she is not easily denied.

The beauty of the Penge Bungalow Murders is our glimpse of Rumpole as a young man. His character is immediately recognizable. His body may have changed but his inner-self has remained constant. As one of Rumpole's favorite authors once said in Merchant of Venice, "I never knew so young a body with so old a head."

Rumpole and Penge Bungalow Murders is an excellent book and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Horace Rumpole looks back to just after graduating from Oxford to work his first legal case. Five decades ago Rumpole bit his acerbic tongue to defend a client Simon Jerold accused of a double murder, that of his father and a friend using a pistol taken from a deceased World War II German aviator. The evidence seems overwhelming and the legal fraternity shies away from defending the accused as no money can be made. Stunned by the reaction of his peers Rumpole dives into the defense with idealistic zeal.

Rumpole quickly learns that the jurisprudence system is a haven for corrupt barristers trying to squeeze pounds out of helpless and at times innocent criminals. He drops the gloves applying his saber wit on opponents as he defends his client with his belligerent in your face manner. He will use that technique for the next five decades defending the downtrodden against powerful opponents except Hilda Wyston who he has just met through her father and quickly becomes known as "She Who Must Be Obeyed".

This is a terrific Rumpole legal thriller that fans of the series will fully treasure due to the documenting of his first case referenced in many of the short stories. The deep support cast consists of "felons" from all sides of the legal systems, family members, and lest we forget the client. Though newcomers will feel aspects of the case and the protagonist's background seem missing (a tendency to rely on references in other books), readers will find pleasure with the character driven case that fans have wanted for seemingly almost as long a time as the hero looks back.

Harriet Klausner

July 2002 was the saddest month of all. Leo McKern -- the quintessential Rumpole -- had died after a long illness and was survived one day by Maurice Denham who played Rumpole on BBC radio. So it seems that the possibility of a revival of visual episodes of has declined to almost zero. Nonetheless, there was always the hope that Sir John Mortimer would pen the story that launched the whole series..

..and, after two collections of stories, it finally appeared.

So it was with some sadness that I took to Reading "The Penge Bungalow Murders" realizing it would probably be the last Mortimer would do for old Rumpole. My sorrow was compounded only slightly because it appears to me that Sir John phoned this one in. As others have pointed out, this episode seemed a somewhat flat and rather perfunctory effort; seemingly a work where all of the questions were being answered and the loose ends were being tied up.

We see how Rumpole became involved with the Timpsons. How he and Hilda became entwined (she played a far more important role in Rumpole's success and chambers' affairs than we could ever imagine), what an insufferable, doddering dolt her father and head of chambers, C. H. Wystan, was and how Horace developed his acerbic wit and contempt for the mediocrity passed off as "the finest traditions of the bar".

Why the five stars?

Because I cannot bear to rate it less. A Rumpole yarn, whether on or off, is a damned good read.

Like they say, the worst day fishing is better than the best day at work.

It was a marvelous run and sad that it probably has come to an end.

This is a wonderful book. I think it's the best in the Rumpole series. John Mortimer is the Shakespeare of courtroom dramas - head and shoulders above anyone else in the field. This particular installment not only contains drama, suspense and comedy, it's also a love story. Here we discover how Rumpole and She Who Must Be Obeyed `'fell in love'` so to speak and got married. In the face of overwhelming obstructionism, pettiness, and arrogance from the powers-that-were in Britain's legal world in the 1950s, Rumpole found himself tasked with the problem of keeping an innocent young man from the gallows, and She alone supported him.

Reading news reports from Europe lately, it's possible to wonder whether there will always be an England. However, reading this book makes me certain there will always be a Rumpole.

In the 1970's Horace Rumpole made his debut as an elderly, battle-scarred barrister on the verge of retirement. He has tottered on the brink of retirement for the past 30 or so years, until in the last few Rumpole books it strains credulity that he could still be kicking around. In my review of "Rumpole and the Primrose Path" I expressed the wish that future opuses come from Rumpole's youth. Finally, Mortimer has given us a story of the youthful Rumpole.

Rumpole earned his wings and made his reputation just after WWII by trying and winning the infamous Penge Bungalow Murders. I believe that Rumpole has made passing references to his famous victory at least once in every Rumpole story. In this work he not only makes a passing reference, he tells the full story.

Rumpole is attending a chambers meeting when he once again mentions his famous victory. Sadly, the younger barristers haven't a clue as to what he's talking about. He undertakes to inform them. Rumpole-aholics (and newcomers to the series) will be delighted with the results.

Horace Rumpole's greatest triumph came a mere eighteen months after he was called to the bar, when he represented the defendant in the Penge Bungalow Murders, "alone and without a leader." In John Mortimer's "Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders," we learn the details of how a nervous and inexperienced barrister managed to pull off a completely unexpected legal victory. Unfortunately, success often has its price. At the time that Horace was reaching for the professional brass ring, he was also being stalked by the daughter of his head of chambers, the pushy and manipulative Hilda Wystan. Little did Rumpole foresee that the very woman who arranged for him to participate in the case that made his reputation would also become his ball and chain, known forever after as "She Who Must Be Obeyed."

Now that he is a veteran of the Old Bailey, Rumpole has decided to write his memoirs. He intends to include the Penge Bungalow affair as one of his most gratifying successes. Rumpole proudly recounts how he saved a terrified twenty-one year old man named Simon Jerold from "the great engine of the criminal law [that] was intent on driving him towards a grim execution shed." Simon stood accused of shooting his father, Denis "Jerry" Jerold, and Charlie Weston, both former bomber pilots with the RAF during World War II. If he were to be found guilty, Simon would be sentenced to death by hanging.

Simon's brief was entrusted to the head of chambers at 4 Equity Court, C. H. Wystan (father of the aforementioned Hilda), who declared that proving Simon innocent was well nigh impossible. At Hilda's suggestion, Wystan allowed Rumpole to act as his junior; his job was to take notes and look up points of law, but under no circumstances was he to act on his own or express his opinions. However, Rumpole was never one to slavishly obey his superiors. Since he believed in the presumption of innocence, Rumpole decided to examine the evidence thoroughly and objectively. Helped by the industrious clerk, "Bonny" Bernard, Rumpole used his keen powers of observation, skillful interrogation of witnesses, and a budding knowledge of blood spatter (later to become his special area of expertise) to uncover the truth.

"Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders" is hilarious and satirical, but it is also a serious look at the travesty that the criminal justice system can become in the hands of incompetent and lazy practitioners. What also makes this book a great treat for Rumpole aficionados is that it traces the roots of his affection for cigars, Pommeroy's Wine Bar (with its "non-vintage Chateau Thames Embankment"), and greasy food, such as bacon, sausage, and eggs. Even in the early years, Rumpole enjoyed nourishment for the mind as well as the body, and he frequently consulted his Oxford Book of English Verse, a constant companion since he was a schoolboy. Rarely was he at a loss for a pertinent literary quotation. Mortimer even treats us to some inside information about young Horace's "affaires d'amour" which, alas, invariably ended in disaster. Rumpole's greatest passion, of course, has always been battling irascible judges and arrogant prosecutors. From the beginning of his long tenure in the Old Bailey, Rumpole labored tirelessly on behalf of his clients, including the Timsons, a family of petty criminals whom we meet here for the first time. This terrific novel has laugh-out-loud humor, intriguing points of history and the law, beautifully delineated characters, compelling courtroom drama, and delightful dialogue. It is a celebration of the life and times of one of the most amusing, admirable, and irreverent individuals ever to grace the pages of fiction.

I've long been a Rumpole fan.

But when I got Penge Bungalow, it took me a while to read.

Perhaps it was knowing that this book would never be made into a film (because the writer playing Rumpole had died).

The book was well written and the plot funny and believable - typical Mortimer.

I enjoyed it a lot.

It gave me better understanding of Rumpole's relationship with Uncle Tom.

Book's definitely worth reading.

Whether you enjoy the books or only know of that dishevelled, curmudgeonly, cheroot-smoking Old Bailey barrister from the television/video series starring the late Leo McKern, you are in for a real treat with this, the latest in the Rumpole series by author John Mortimer. After all, is there any fan out there who has not wondered about the story behind the immortal "Penge Bungalow Murders" to which Rumpole is always referring--the case he did "alone and without a leader" whilst still a junior? Well, here it is, in all its glory--and what an enjoyable story it is!

The novel takes place in the present day with the story of Rumpole's most famous case being told through the pages of his memoirs, which he has decided to write for the sake of posterity. In addition, we are privy to Rumpole's introduction to the famous Timson clan (whose career of petty crime has kept Rumpole busy over the decades) and their archenemies, the Molloys. There's also plenty of humour here, as one would expect--particularly as this memorable chapter in Rumpole's life coincided with the meeting of his equally memorable wife-to-be, Hilda (whose daddy, C.H. Wystan, was head of chambers at the time)! We also, perhaps a little surprisingly, get a glimpse into Rumpole's pre-Hilda love-life! As for the main story, it is engrossing enough to draw the reader right in. Personally, I couldn't put the book down and gave up trying. One reason it is so good is that there is only the one primary story so Mortimer has had enough time and space to develop it more fully than is often the case.

I've said nothing about the actual story--the "murders"--because I don't wish to give anything away. Suffice it to say that if you've enjoyed the Rumpole series (whether on television or in print), this novel is a must read. It's a short one (my hardcover version is only 214 pages of fairly large print), but it's one that is a pleasure to curl up with, and it's certainly one that I will be rereading down the road. It is as good as any Rumpole story, but because it's so unusual, what with John Mortimer taking us back in time to that famous case--as well as the meeting of She Who Must Be Obeyed!--I have to say it's my personal favourite.

Very highly recommended!

"Do you not recall," Leo McKern would state while tilting his head back and gazing into the studio lights, "the Penge Bungalow case... which I won, alone and without a leader?" The Penge Bungalow murder case was to the Rumpole television/book series what the Giant Rat of Sumatra was to Sherlock Holmes -- an investigation referred to but never documented... until now. And not only that, but RUMPOLE AND THE PENGE BUNGALOW MURDERS also fills into a lot of the other unknowns of the Rumpole universe: how he first met the Timsons and the Molloys, how he joined Chambers, how he became an expert in the science of bloodstains, and, most unimaginably of all, how he met and became wed to the fearsome She Who Must Be Obeyed.

This was undeniably a huge risk for author John Mortimer. Revealing hitherto unknown background details often leads to disappointment, with the audience preferring the answers their imagination had provided. (Remember how disappointing it was when we finally learned Kramer's first name on Seinfeld?) Yet, Mortimer seems to have done just fine with this grand unveiling. History will decide whether the Penge Bungalow murders depicted here are worthy of the reverence bestowed upon them when they were simply vague references, but this reader was not disappointed.

The story is told as a series of flashbacks, with the great lawyer himself finally deciding to tell the tale, lest it be lost to and forgotten by the next generation. This is actually a nice compromise. The younger Rumpole is less confident in interacting with his peers, but he is presented by the voice of the older Rumpole. Therefore, the familiar grumpy, witty narrator known well from previous books is maintained. (The existence of the Rumpole television series -- and especially Leo McKern's unmatchable performance as Rumpole -- made it very difficult for me to visualize this one. It's hard to imagine a younger, slimmer Rumpole when the image of the older, plumper McKern is so unshakably fixed inside my head as the definitive Rumpole.)

The mystery itself is pure and classic Rumpole. One part deduction, one part wine-induced inspiration, and one part sheer luck (Rumpole even comments on the certainly of chance), the formula will be familiar to any previous fan of the series. But, the advantage is that it feels fresh enough that if you liked the style before, you'll like it again, but probably not be tired of it. The social commentary (a usual feature of these stories) is present again and works well at grounding the story, preventing it from being too fluffy.

Mortimer's gift of characterization is back too. Apart from the title character's appeal, he fills in a lot of the details of characters known of old: C. H. Wystan (She Who Must's father and Rumpole's Head of Chambers), Uncle Tom, Bernard the solicitor, etc. It's partly Mortimer's characters that make this such a wonderful series. Even Erskin-Brown and "Soapy" Sam Ballard, who have only extended cameos, are utterly believable -- even given that they are painted with pretty broad strokes.

This is not the book to begin exploring Rumpole if you are new to the series. You'll be wondering why some trivial-seeming elements are treated with grand importance. But if you're already fairly knowledgeable of Rumpole, then you simply cannot miss this -- a classic story and a lot of questions finally answered. I really enjoyed reading this, and I hope that the revelations are not a sign that Mortimer feels ready to leave the series.

I very much enjoyed the oft cited but heretofore unexplained story of how Rumpole became a force to be reckoned with during his handling of the Penge Bungalo Murders alone and without a leader. However, I fear that my enjoyment may not be universally shared because the mystery itself is a bit shallow, I solved the murder long before Rumpole, and because this genesis of Rumpole is a bit too universal. That is, virtually all of the major players are introduced during Rumpole's brief pupilage under Uncle Tom. For example, we are not only made privy to Rumpole's courtship of She Who Must Be Obeyed but are also introduced to the Timsons. The stars must have been in perfect alignment for so many momentous occasions to fit so neatly into so short a period of time. The problems with such coincidence is that unless the reader knows the characters already, one fails to appreciate the significance of the events.

But why quibble? This short novel is highly amusing containing most, if not all, of the elements that have made Rumpole the imperfect guardian of justice that he is and for those of us in the know; i.e., his fans, it answers many questions as to how Rumpole became Rumpole.