Rumpole and the Age of Miracles

Rumpole of the Bailey #7

by John Mortimer

The lovable, irreverent, claret-swigging, Wordsworth-spouting criminal lawyer returns to the fray to fight new battles against injustice, in Rumpole and the Age of Miracles. Rest assured, Horace Rumpole, whose fame depends on an unsurpassed knowledge of blood and typewriters an on never having his clients plead guilty, is as outspoken, witty, and cynical as ever in these continuing adventures. (Publisher’s description)

Contents: Rumpole and the bubble reputation — Rumpole and the barrow boy — Rumpole and the age of miracles — Rumpole and the tap end — Rumpole and the chambers party — Rumpole and Portia — Rumpole and the quality of life

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Short Stories, Humor, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Comedy

226 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

John Clifford Mortimer was a novelist, playwright and former practising barrister. Among his many publications are several volumes of Rumpole stories and a trilogy of political novels, Paradise Postponed, Titmuss Regained and The Sound of Trumpets, featuring Leslie Titmuss - a character as brilliant as Rumpole. John Mortimer received a knighthood for his services to the arts in 1998.

Series:
Rumpole of the Bailey
Rapstone Chronicles

Reviews

[Jason Koivu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever bake or cook a lot more of something than you should have just because once you got started you realized how awesome that thing is? I once cooked and ate a pound of bacon by myself. It was awesome and it nearly killed me...but mostly it was awesome.

Rumpole and the Age of Miracles was so enjoyable I was tempted to give 5 stars to this collection of stories about a sarcastic, curmudgeonly-but-clever old barrister. However, each story is just a little too cookie cutter similar to the others, overindulging in a good thing, so the book as a whole loses one star for repetitiveness.

These short tales from the barrister's life at the Old Bailey and doing battle with "She Who Must Be Obeyed" (his wife) were derived from scripts Mortimer had written for the successful television series "Rumpole of the Bailey", which aired from the late '70s to early '90s. Therefore, if you've seen the show, you've seen these stories.

All the same, Mortimer pens some highly entertaining light reading about court life in London, so if I was forced to read a "repeat" over and over, I'd do worse than to read about defense attorney Rumpole's uncanny ability to unearth the real criminal and get his clients off time and again!

[Paul Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

The splendours and miseries of an old Bailey hack!

In Rumpole and the Age of Miracles, John Mortimer has served up a veritable smorgasbord of short snappy tales that are the very best that British courtroom humour has to offer. Whether it's criminal trials in the old Bailey or civil trials in Chancery division, Horace Rumpole takes on all comers with a trademarked irreverent disdain for the sanctity of the law, the court, the judiciary and his learned colleagues at the bar. But, make no mistake, Rumpole's disarming attitude and appearance mask a razor sharp legal mind able to cut directly to the heart of the matter and an ability to draw on brutally cunning legal tactics which, for many American readers, will be reminiscent of the television detective, Columbo. He's portrayed as an acute barrister who's quite capable of thinking on his feet and taking full advantage of his opposition, the judge and, indeed, the jury with whatever tricks or twists of fate come his way.

Whether Rumpole is in court or lighting up a cigar and quaffing a glass of Chateau Fleet Street at his favourite after-hours haunt, Pommeroy's Wine Bar, Rumpole is accompanied by an endearing supporting cast that is an integral part of the amusing, indeed often hilarious stories that Mortimer has produced - Guthrie Featherstone QC MP, the stiffly starched and prissy (yet often philandering) head of chambers; Claude Erskine-Brown, the slightly looser barrister who is head over heels in love with the only female member of chambers, the eloquent and deeply feminist Phillida Trant; Rumpole's wife, Hilda, the imposing "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed"; and Percy Timson, the patriarch of a widespread London family of low-level criminals whose bumbling failures are destined to keep Rumpole supplied with a steady stream of defense briefs for as long as he cares to work.

Hilarious brain candy guaranteed to take you away from the worries of the workaday world for a blissful all-too-short few hours. Highly recommended and always delightful.

Paul Weiss

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

You are always guaranteed an amusing read with.a Rumpole book and this one doesn't disappoint. Rumpole manages to overcome various trials and tribulations and emerges triumphant.

[Illiterate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rumpole is a nice foil for Mortimer’s portrait of a legal profession that is snobby, pompous, petty, out-of-touch.

[Jeff Crompton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine entry in the Rumpole series - one of the best, I'd say. I chose this to take on a trip to the UK, and read much of it in pubs, while sipping warm British ale. It was a perfect fit.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

a delight as always

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

She who must be obeyed!

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rumpole tries his hand in religious court when a distant relative (and minister) asks Rumpole to defend him against an accusation of adultery. Apparently this minister is not well loved by certain members of his congregation. It is clear his job is on the line when he rents a room at a local hotel, and a woman is seen entering that room with him in it.

FYI, I'm Jewish, so I can't tell if this sort of situation is common in Christian churches, but human beings are human beings with all their faults. I expect a minister to be less likely to be an adulterer than the average church-goer, but I don't expect ministers to be perfect. If he is caught, I am OK with the congregation giving him the boot, but it does not necessarily reflect upon the church itself.

The story is good. The ending is reasonable as are most of the Rumpole stories. Plenty of opportunities to put down church leaders of all kinds without denigrating the Church itself. I laughed when Rumpole was criticized for quoting the Bible in the proceedings, as if the Bible was not a legitimate resource.

In the long run, Christianity ends up looking OK, although many of the members, and the leadership look less than OK.

I'd read this again

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Rumpole and the Bubble Reputation" - Rumpole's one & only libel case. Won.
"Rumpole and the Barrow Boy" - Timson's modern generation, a stockbroker. Won.
"Rumpole and the Age of Miracles" - A canon accused of adultery. Won.
"Rumpole and the Tap End" - Timson vs Molloy. Guthrie vs the feminists. Won.
"Rumpole and the Chambers Party" - A short story about the wisdom of inviting solicitors to the chambers' Christmas party.
"Rumpole and Portia" - A son tried to help his father in a trial of weapon sales. Lost. Sad.
"Rumpole and the Quality of Life" - Death. Euthanasia. Won.
Narrated by Patrick Tull.

[Susan Kosel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Rumpole and his wife 'she who must be obeyed'. Great humor and drama. Very clever and entertaining.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming collection of Rumpole stories. Rumpole is at his curmudgeonly best, defending the undefendable and coming out ahead.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rumpole's always a treat. Mortimer was a bit of a cad so how did he manage to come up someone as endearing as Horace?

[Larry Wegman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of the curmudgeonly English barrister, but still fun.

[Andy Gore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Rumpole.

[Pam Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good plot in this one overall.

[Lina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this little book, it really appealed to my sense of humour and I found it very entertaining. John Mortimer is a very clever writer, it's a laugh a minute but with a message.

[Mack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent good humor!

[Jim Becker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would rather hear the book read or read it myself. Didn't care for dramatized version.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to love his snarky comments!

[Ricky Balas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Rumpole classic. Never a bad moment reading with the 'old darling'.

[Jeannie May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories as always

[Biggus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure if the stories were weaker than normal, or the very hammy narration, but I didn't enjoy this very much at all.

[Rolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

The better of the Rumpole stories I’ve read in terms of actual plot, but that is faint praise. I think this is my last attempt at the Rumpole books.

[Clive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always entertaining to read these Rumpole stories.

[Jenine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfectly good sturdy Rumpole stories that I was sorry to learn I had already seen via tv. At least the last few were new to me.
SWMBO's description of Rumpole as "not nearly so unbearable when you lose" is quite good.

[T.F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rumpole and the Age of Miracles - This was my first Rumpole book and found it to be good fun. 2 more to follow after this one as I have it as part of an Omnibus. Good fun stories of a most unlikely hero. A middle aged barrister who is a glutton and fond of drinking takes on various interesting cases varying from defamation to murder - a poetry spouting, cynical, street smart defender of the innocent who will do just about anything to keep his clients out of jail. Each case is different and interesting. The way he solves each case is so different. Not sure if it will become more predictable after I read more of them. But even if the cases are predictable, the book can be read for the general humorous narration. We have a host of characters at the protagonist's chambers - Soapy Sam the pompous head of the chamber, the Portia of the Chambers, Uncle Tom who comes to the chambers to just play golf and many others. Then there are those 2-3 judges each with her own unique personality. And at Rumpole's home, we have the 'One who must be obeyed' with her annoying relatives with who she always keeps trying to compare Rumpole.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite as loveable as some of the earlier collections, mostly due to Rumpole fatigue setting in. They're at their most enjoyable in small doses, but when you read them back-to-back a certain sameness starts setting in. Claude Erskine-Brown will be infatuated with someone, Hilda will get her back up about something, judges will be annoyingly difficult, Timsons will be innocent of whatever they got charged with (but not of other crimes), and Rumpole will eventually save the day, drink bad wine, and carry on.

So I think I must pace myself, as much as I'd been enjoying them. Even Shakespeare, Disney, or Christie (to rattle off three greats in different media) have their pet themes and go-to plot complications.

(5* = amazing, terrific book, one of my all-time favourites, 4* = very good book, 3* = good book, but nothing to particularly rave about, 2* = disappointing book, and 1* = awful, just awful. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)

[Jesse Broussard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mortimer's light prose and wry humor make this book an absolute delight.

Rumpole, for those of you who don't have the fortune to know him, is a fat English barrister whose affinity for Wordsworth is surpassed only by his disdain of Wagner ("life is too short to listen to Wagner;" "Whose children, mighty souls they must have been, had suffered the unspeakable horror of having the names Tristan and Isolde foisted upon them...") and his love of claret. His wife is referred to simply as "She Who Must Be Obeyed." Rumpole only defends, and he usually wins, and all is done with a delightful tongue in cheek humor that often mocks the judges and learned counsel for the prosecution, and always pleases.