John Mortimer has 34 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 22 narrators, with an average listener rating of 4.9★ across 1,678 ratings. The most-rated is Sojourn.
Rumpole for the Defense
Summary
Whether he’s quoting Wordsworth or having words with a particularly obtuse judge, Horace Rumpole always knows what he’s doing––even if no one else does. In this delightful collection of stories, Rumpole straightens everyone out in the shocking case of a “bent copper,” gallantly teaches a professor of moral philosophy about blackmail, consults with the dear departed when a will is contested, traces the path of true love when a doctor is accused of murder, and (in the name of duty, of course) drinks to excess with a teetotaling member of the prosecution. There is even a rare moment or two when Rumpole finds himself appreciative of “She Who Must Be Obeyed” (Mrs. Rumpole), when she inadvertently provides some essential clues that clinch his cases. Stories in this collection include “Rumpole for the Defense,” “Rumpole and the Gentle Art of Blackmail,” “Rumpole and the Dear Departed,” “Rumpole and the Rotten Apple,” “Rumpole and the Expert Witness,” “Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas,” and “Rumpole and the Boat People.”
©1981 John Mortimer (P)1991 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Rumpole: On Trial & Other Stories
Summary
Julian Rhind-Tutt takes on the role of Rumpole in this fifth collection of cracking court cases. 'Rumpole on Trial' Suffering from toothache, Rumpole is in no mood for his client’s boring testimony or Justice Gwent-Evans’ impatience. But when he argues with the judge, he is warned in no uncertain terms about his future conduct. Soon, Rumpole finds himself on trial and facing the end of his career.... 'Rumpole and Hilda' Rumpole’s long-suffering wife, Hilda (‘She Who Must Be Obeyed’), narrates a fascinating tale of murder and romance that Horace would prefer to remain untold and gives Rumpole - and us - a glimpse of her true passionate nature. 'Rumpole and Memories of Christmas Past' Rumpole spends an unexpectedly rewarding Christmas in Norfolk, discusses the spirit of Christmas with the Mad Monk and learns that the season of goodwill is shared by barristers and criminals alike. 'Rumpole and the New Year’s Resolutions' Rumpole has an interesting encounter with Santa Claus at a Chambers Christmas party, finds himself on babysitting duty after a blackmail trial and attends a traditional British panto - where he recognises a familiar face. Starring Julian Rhind-Tutt as Rumpole, Jasmine Hyde as Hilda and Nigel Anthony as Claude Erskine-Brown. A Catherine Bailey production for BBC Radio 4.
©2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd (P)2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Rumpole of the Bailey
Summary
Horace Rumpole, the irreverent, iconoclastic, claret-swilling, poetry-spouting barrister at law, is among the most beloved characters of English crime literature. He is not a particularly gifted attorney, nor is he particularly fond of the law by courts if it comes to that, but he’d rather be swinging at a case than bowing to his wife Hilda, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. In this first title of the popular series featuring Rumpole, all of the major characters who occupy the Rumpole stories make their introductions: the sneaky, slightly effeminate Erskine-Brown, the bumbling Guthrie Featherstone and various and sundry other lawyers and clerks whose lives weave in and out of these stories. These six stories include the "Younger Generation", the "Alternative Society", the "Honourable Member", the "Married Lady", the "Learned Friends", and the "Heavy Brigade".
©1978 Advanpress, Ltd (P)1991 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Murderers and Other Friends
Summary
Throughout John Mortimer's career, he established profound friendships with people accused of various crimes. He also indulged his passion for writing, penning Paradise Postponed and a series of stories about Rumpole, for whom he was often mistaken. With wit, wisdom and tenderness, he has written the story of his life.
©1994 Advanpress Ltd (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
Summer's Lease
Summary
It’s high summer when Molly Pargeter drags her amiably bickering family to a rented Tuscan villa for the holidays. Molly is sure that the house is the perfect setting for their three-week getaway, but soon she becomes fascinated by the lives of the absent owners and things start to go horribly wrong.
©1988 Advenpress Ltd (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
Felix in the Underworld
Summary
Affectionately known as the Chekhov of Coldsands-on-Sea, Felix Morsom enjoys writing about the thwarted hopes of genteel lives. His own existence, he reflects, is comfortable if uneventful, except for the flirtatious moments he shares with his publicist, the delicious Brenda Bodkin. Until he meets Gavin and Miriam.Suddenly he is on the run from PROD, the Parental Rights and Obligations Department, as Miriam announces he is the father of her son Ian, the result of a long-forgotten drunken dalliance. And, as if that wasn't enough, he becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. Disappearing into the underworld of London's homeless, Felix finds friendship and humour and more drama than he has ever encountered - even in his wildest dreams...
©1997 Advanpress Ltd (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
Quite Honestly
Summary
Life couldn't be better for Lucinda Purefoy. Granted, it's a little embarrassing, her father being the Bishop of Aldershot, but she's got a steady boyfriend, a degree in social sciences from Manchester University, and the offer of a job in advertising. With all that, she felt she should "pay back her debt to society" and "do a little good in the world".That's why she joined SCRAP (short for "Social Careers, Reformers and Praeceptors"), an organization that trains girls like Lucy to become the "guide, philosopher and friend" to ex-convicts coming out of prison, to find them a job, a home, and to encourage them to kick the habit of stealing things. And so Lucy finds herself standing outside the gates of Wormwood Scrubs, on a windy March morning, waiting to greet her first SCRAP "client", a career burglar named Terry Keegan. What happens next confounds expectations and produces a story full of surprises. With a cast of characters that rivals anything in his famous Rumpole stories and a compulsive plot, Quite Honestly is a wonderfully comic novel, packed with John Mortimer's entertaining reflections on crime.
©2006 John Mortimer (P)2007 Penguin Audiobooks
Rumpole: The Primrose Path & Other Stories
Summary
Timothy West takes on the role of Rumpole in these four delightful dramas featuring the wily barrister.
Rumpole and the Primrose Path
Rumpole exposes criminal practices at the nursing home where he was sent to recuperate after a heart attack, leaving him in dire need of claret, cheroots and good company.
Rumpole and the Scales of Justice
When Rumpole defends a senior policeman in court, his love for Shakespeare’s Othello, and his old acquaintances in the south London criminal fraternity prove very useful.
Rumpole and the Vanishing Juror
Rumpole’s admiration for the integrity of the Old Bailey jury is legendary – but he is mystified when his most promising juror in a murder trial suddenly disappears....
Rumpole Redeemed
Invited to dinner at his local prison, Rumpole, solves the conundrum of whether an ex-con can be reformed – while also seeking redemption himself.
Timothy West stars as Rumpole, with Prunella Scales as Hilda, Michael Cochrane as Sam Ballard, Nigel Anthony as Claude Erskine-Brown, and Sophie Thompson as Luci Gribble.
©2019 BBC Studios (P)2019 BBC Studios
Rumpole's Last Case
Summary
Rumpole is on the job again, bringing along his taste for claret, his penchant for poetry, and his reputation for a good story. These seven irresistible stories run the gamut from simple thievery to murder and espionage. Rumpole recalls three delightful battles with his arch-enemy, the Mad Bull; indulges his knowledge of bloodstains and typewriters; and uses the refined taste of a garage mechanic to discover the reasons for the robbery of a case of wine. As usual, Rumpole's biting wit and benevolent ideas of justice push the Mad Bull to the edge of retaliation, and it is only through some last minute diplomatic intervention that Rumpole lives to argue another day.
©1987 Advanpress, Ltd (P)1995 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Rumpole: The Way Through the Woods & Other Stories
Summary
A sixth collection of captivating courtroom dramas, starring Julian Rhind-Tutt as Horace Rumpole.
'Rumpole and the Way Through the Woods'
Rumpole makes friends with a dog named Sir Lancelot and finds himself defending a hunt saboteur who claims to be guilty of murder. But Horace is convinced that the true culprit is among the hunting fraternity.
'Rumpole for the Prosecution'
Rumpole’s personal commandment is ‘Thou Shalt Not Prosecute’ - but he breaks this rule to take on a private prosecution brought by a dead girl’s father. However, an obscure literary reference and a piece of evidence that doesn’t fit bring his defender’s instincts to the fore....
'Rumpole and the Quacks'
Temporarily indisposed, Rumpole consults a charming Indian doctor who later asks for Horace’s help when he is accused of molesting a patient. Meanwhile, Rumpole’s friendship with Phillida Erskine-Brown deepens as both their marriages hit a tricky patch.
Julian Rhind-Tutt stars as Rumpole, with Jasmine Hyde as Hilda, Nigel Anthony as Claude Erskine-Brown and Cathy Sara as Phillida.
©2019 BBC Worldwide Ltd (P)2019 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Rumpole: The Golden Thread & Other Stories
Summary
Three thrilling full-cast dramas starring Julian Rhind-Tutt as the irrepressible Horace Rumpole. 'Rumpole and the Golden Thread' - In Africa defending an old pupil in a murder trial, Rumpole is arrested. When Phillida arrives to bail him out, a spark between them is rekindled.... 'Rumpole and the Official Secret' - Rumpole defends a civil servant accused of selling secrets and is embroiled in a wine fraud. Meanwhile, Phillida tells Rumpole she plans to leave her husband and asks him to keep it a secret, and Horace considers what that might mean. 'Rumpole and the Quality of Life' - Ballard’s wedding looms and Rumpole faces a life-changing decision about his own marriage. Hilda expects him to join her in Cornwall, but Phillida hopes he will leave to be with her at last.... For 15 years, Rumpole has fought, won and occasionally lost myriad cases - and fallen in and out of love with both wife Hilda and ‘the Portia of our Chambers’, Phillida Erskine-Brown. These three episodes leave us guessing until the very end - will Rumpole finally leave ‘She Who Must be Obeyed’ for Phillida? Julian Rhind-Tutt stars as Rumpole, with Jasmine Hyde as Hilda, Nigel Anthony as Claude Erskine-Brown and Cathy Sara as Phillida.
©2019 BBC Worldwide Ltd (P)2019 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Rumpole and the Golden Thread
Summary
In this engaging collection of stories, Rumpole continues to deftly juggle the vagaries of law, the ambiguities of crime, and the contradictions of the human heart in his death-defying performances on behalf of justice. The irreverent, claret-swilling, poetry-spouting barrister takes on suspect connoisseurs in the art world, journeys deep into the throbbing heart of Africa, dabbles in some feminist politics, decides the countryside is a very dangerous place, and incurs the wrath of his wife, She Who Must Be Obeyed.
©1983 Advanpress, Ltd. (P)2000 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Rumpole: The Teenage Werewolf & Other Stories
Summary
Timothy West stars as Rumpole in these four fantastic radio dramas.
Rumpole and the Teenage Werewolf
Rumpole heads to the Home Counties to defend Ben, a teenager accused of sending emails deemed to be sexually harassing, and of an actual physical attack on a girl.
Rumpole and the Right to Privacy
Rumpole leaves the Old Bailey to defend a civil case: an editor of a local newspaper who is accused of breaching a successful businessman's right to privacy.
Truth Makes All Things Plain
If one man can be counted on to fight injustice and insist on a fair trial for everyone, whatever their circumstances, it is Horace Rumpole. So when the beautiful Tiffany Khan learns that her husband has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism, she calls for his help right away.
The Past Catches Up with Us All
As he struggles to win justice for his client, Rumpole finds that his marriage to She Who Must Be Obeyed is, rather like his waistcoat, straining at the seams.
Timothy West stars as Rumpole and Prunella Scales as Hilda, with Matt Smith as Ben, Nigel Anthony as Claude Erskine-Brown and Michael Cochrane as ‘Soapy Sam’ Ballard.
Cast and credits
Written by John Mortimer
Directed by Marilyn Imrie
Rumpole and the Teenage Werewolf
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 July 2006
Horace Rumpole - Timothy West
Hilda Rumpole - Prunella Scales
Hermione Swithin - Felicity Montagu
Mr Beazley - Nicholas Le Provost
Chris Swithin - Philip Jackson
Ben Swithin - Matt Smith
Judge Denis Wintergreen - Karl Johnson
Adrian Hodinott - Sean Baker
Felicity Halliday - Ellie Beaven
Rumpole and the Right to Privacy
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 July 2006
Horace Rumpole - Timothy West
Hilda Rumpole. - Prunella Scales
Mr Rankin - David Shaw-Parker
Claude Erskine-Brown - Nigel Anthony
Liz Probert - Elaine Claxton
Hugo Winterton - Anton Rogers
Gervase Johnson - Stephen Critchlow
Sir Mike Smedley - Kim Durham
Mrs Justice Erskine-Brown - Joanna David
Truth Makes All Things Plain
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 August 2007
Horace Rumpole - Timothy West
Hilda Rumpole - Prunella Scales
Judge Bullingham - Christopher Benjamin
Tiffany Khan - Lily Bevan
‘Soapy Sam’ Ballard - Michael Cochrane
Bonny Bernard - Bruce Alexander
Dr Mahmood Khan - Shiv Grewal
Barrington Whiteside - Geoffrey Whitehead
Will Timson - Ben Crowe
Peter Plaistow - Christopher Scott
Mrs Justice Templett - Joanna David
Fred Sugden - Kim Durham
Ian Antrim - Nigel Anthony
The Past Catches up with us All
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 August 2007
Horace Rumpole – Timothy West
Hilda Rumpole – Prunella Scales
Claude Erskine-Brown – Nigel Anthony
Fred Sugden – Kim Durham
Dr Mahmood Khan – Shiv Grewal
Will Timson – Ben Crowe
Judge Bullingham – Christopher Benjamin
Bonny Bernard – Bruce Alexander
Barrington Whiteside – Geoffrey Whitehead
Peter Plaistow – Christopher Scott
©2019 BBC Worldwide Ltd (P)2019 BBC Worldwide Ltd
Rumpole at Christmas
Summary
In 'Rumpole and the Millennium Bug', the loveable barrister is regretting the advent of the 21st century, and the arrival of a new, computer-literate clerk. But as Christmas approaches, can Bernard 'the Millennium Bug' prove to Rumpole that technology can be useful after all? Bill Wallis reads this special seasonal story starring Horace Rumpole, scourge of all QCs and friend of the criminal classes.
©2009 John Mortimer (P)2014 Audible, Inc.