Forgotten Book: RUMPOLE FOR THE DEFENCE, John Mortimer

It's quite a while since I've read a Rumpole book, although according to my records, twenty or so years ago I devoured them, and last year I featured RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY in Friday's Forgotten Books.
Pattinase's Friday's Forgotten Books

Last year it was the death of John Mortimer that triggered my post, but today it is the fact that my husband bought a copy of RUMPOLE AND THE PENGE BUNGALOW MURDERS in a Penguin Classic edition for the very respectable price of $9.99.

RUMPOLE FOR THE DEFENCE (1982) is a collection of seven short stories about the Old Bailey hack Rumpole, and the various judges and oddballs he encounters.

Part of what endeared the Rumpole books to me was the portrayal of Rumpole in the TV series by Australian actor Leo McKern, who seemed to fit the role so well. - and weren't the opening credits and cartoons wonderful?

Seriously, if you've never read any Rumpole then it is not too late to start - in fact now there is no danger of the series growing, you have a fixed target to aim at ( a very manageable 27) if you decide to set yourself a target of reading them all!

Here is the list courtesy Fantastic Fiction:
Rumpole of the Bailey (1978)
The Trials of Rumpole (1979)
Rumpole (1980)
Regina v Rumpole (1981)
Rumpole for the Defence (1982)
Rumpole's Return (1982)
The First Rumpole Omnibus (omnibus) (1983)
Rumpole and the Golden Thread (1983)
Rumpole for the Prosecution (1986)
Rumpole's Last Case (1987)
The Second Rumpole Omnibus (omnibus) (1987)
Rumpole and the Age of Miracles (1988)
Rumpole and the Age for Retirement (1989)
Rumpole a La Carte (1990)
Rumpole On Trial (1992)
The Best of Rumpole: A Personal Choice (1993)
Rumpole and the Angel of Death (1995)
Rumpole and the Younger Generation (1995)
The Third Rumpole Omnibus (omnibus) (1997)
Rumpole Rests His Case (2001)
Rumpole and the Primrose Path (2002)
Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders (2004)
Rumpole and the Reign of Terror (2006)
The Anti-social Behaviour of Horace Rumpole (2007)
Rumpole Misbehaves (2007)
Rumpole at Christmas (2009)
A Rumpole Christmas (2009)