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Audiobooks Narrated by Leo McKern
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After a fight with his wife Hilda, Rumpole is forced to stay with the Erskine-Browns but as always, Rumpole wears out his welcome. At the same time Rumpole must defend Hugo Lutterworth who is charged with the attempted murder of his business partner. His claims of innocence are quite compromised by the fact that he was having an affair with his business partner's wife.
'It's just no good. He can't fight it. He tells the police he's guilty. The bloody knife's in the dustbin. He's identified by at least three witnesses at the tube station and he writes some spooky letter in his victim's blood. The case is as dead as mutton.' 'Just the sort of case Rumpole would have enjoyed.' And where is Rumpole, that eccentric barrister famous for his knowledge of bloodstains, blood groups and forgery by typewriter? He is supposed, by one and all, to be enjoying his well-earned retirement in the Florida sunshine with his son Nick, daughter-in-law Erica and, of course, 'She Who Must Be Obeyed.' But Rumpole is made of sterner stuff, and the nearest whiff of a complicated blood case and he quickly abandons the pleasure of Florida orange juice and descends upon the dear old Chambers to take command once again.
London's Sunday Times said Rumpole was 'worthy to join the great gallery of English oddballs ranging from Pickwick to Sherlock Holmes, Jeeves and Bertie Wooster.' Here Horace Rumpole achieves one of his immortal moments when, after pinning his hopes on a four-horse accumulator and then winning the jackpot, he decides to retire from the hallowed halls of justice. But not before first speaking his mind to his long-time nemesis, the 'Mad Bull' - Judge Roger Bullingham.
Horace Rumpole is back, but this one time he relates his witty tale as he now takes a turn as an Old Bailey prosecutor -- one with a penchant for gin and justice. Listen to Rumpole's biting cynicism and dry humor...then become a lifelong fan!
Rumpole must now defend a young member of the Timson family, an extended clan of petty thieves but who are otherwise decent South London rogues. Adding to Rumpole's anxiety, his own son now appears to be acquiring some of the less respectable Timson family traits.
While Rumpole defends a union activist accused of manslaughter, Hilda creates her own union and goes on strike as Rumpole's cook because of his unpredictable and frequent late hours. Rumpole is under pressure to win his case and negotiate a proper labor settlement with 'She Who Must Be Obeyed.'
Rumpole defends a Pakistani doctor accused of molesting a female patient, meanwhile his colleague Phyllida suspects her husband Erskine-Brown of philandering. To complicate these matters even more, Rumpole is sidetracked by the romantic advances of a middle-aged ex-client.
Rumpole takes on a divorce case. He represents a Mrs. Thripp who accuses her husband of unbearable conduct since he has not spoken to her for at least three years and communicates with her in their home only via written notes. But at home, Rumpole finds his wife Hilda in a horrid temper, since their son Nick has moved to Florida. When his client telephones him at home, Hilda eavesdrops on Rumpole's conversation and thinks that Rumpole is now in the throes of an affair. Will Rumpole now have to find a divorce lawyer for himself?
Known as 'The Bailey Hack' for his chain smoking, the irrepressible Rumpole is engaged to defend a church vicar who is accused of theft and whose only defense for now is 'divine intervention.' Meeting up with old friend George Frobisher for after-work drinks, Rumpole can't help but notice that George's female companion looks suspiciously familiar.
Rumpole defends Charles Hearthstoke against charges of keeping bawdy houses, in the form of his chain of massage parlors. The case has become quite a scandal since many customers were prominent members of the community and to Rumpole's astonishment, paid with credit cards. Guthrie Featherstone, who sought a massage for an injury now thinks that may be identified as one of the patrons and Rumpole cunningly arranges for him to preside at Hearthstoke's trial.
Rumpole again defends a member of the Timson clan on a charge of possession of stolen goods, namely, he is caught with a garage full of expensive wine. Rumpole is concerned that Timson's explanation that he purchased the wine from some unknown individual he met in a pub, will not go down well with Mr. Justice Graves, who has heard these stories many times before.
Our Horace Rumpole, the most traditional of traditionalists, defends a hippie-like school teacher on a drugs charge. Quite unexpectedly, he finds himself attracted to her and to her unusual lifestyle.
