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Home / Authors / John Mortimer John Mortimer British author best known for the Rumpole of the Bailey series and the *Brideshead Revisited* adaptation. A celebrated barrister-turned-writer, his works earned critical acclaim and lasting literary legacy. This page provides the John Mortimer books in order, including both chronological order and series reading order.
All books · chronological
1947 Charade POoSN · 1 Buy ↗ 1953 Like Men Betrayed POoSN · 2 Buy ↗ 1954 The Narrowing Stream POoSN · 3 Buy ↗ 1971 A Voyage Round My Father. John Mortimer POoP · 1 Buy ↗ 1978 Rumpole of the Bailey POoRotBB · 1 Buy ↗ 1978 The Fear Of Heaven POoNB · 1 Buy ↗ 1980 Rumpole�s Return POoRotBB · 2 Buy ↗ 1981 The Trials of Rumpole POoRotBB · 3 Buy ↗ 1981 Regina V. Rumpole POoRotBB · 4 Buy ↗ 1982 Clinging to the Wreckage POoNB · 2 Buy ↗ 1982 Rumpole for the Defence POoRotBB · 5 Buy ↗ 1983 Rumpole and the Golden Thread POoRotBB · 6 Buy ↗ 1985 Paradise Postponed POoRCB · 1 Buy ↗ 1985 Summer's Lease POoSN · 4 Buy ↗ 1986 Character Parts POoNB · 3 Buy ↗ 1986 Rumpole for the Prosecution POoRotBB · 7 Buy ↗ 1988 Rumpole's Last Case POoRotBB · 8 Buy ↗ 1989 Rumpole and the Age of Miracles POoRotBB · 9 Buy ↗ 1989 Rumpole and the Age for Retirement POoRotBB · 10 Buy ↗ 1990 Titmuss Regained POoRCB · 2 Buy ↗ 1991 Rumpole a La Carte POoRotBB · 11 Buy ↗ 1992 The Oxford Book of Villains POoNB · 4 Buy ↗ 1992 Dunster POoSN · 5 Buy ↗ 1992 Rumpole on Trial POoRotBB · 12 Buy ↗ 1993 The Best of Rumpole POoRotBB · 13 Buy ↗ 1994 Murderers and Other Friends POoNB · 5 Buy ↗ 1995 Rumpole and the Younger Generation POoRotBB · 14 Buy ↗ 1995 Rumpole and the Angel of Death POoRotBB · 15 Buy ↗ 1996 Felix In The Underworld POoSN · 6 Buy ↗ 1998 The Sound of Trumpets POoRCB · 3 Buy ↗ 2000 The Summer of a Dormouse POoNB · 6 Buy ↗ 2002 Rumpole Rests His Case POoRotBB · 16 Buy ↗ 2003 Where There's a Will POoNB · 7 Buy ↗ 2003 Rumpole and the Primrose Path POoRotBB · 17 Buy ↗ 2004 Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders POoRotBB · 18 Buy ↗ 2005 The Scales of Justice POoC · 1 Buy ↗ 2005 Quite Honestly POoSN · 7 Buy ↗ 2005 Zerah Colburn - Spirit of Darkness POoNB · 8 Buy ↗ 2006 Rumpole and the Reign of Terror POoRotBB · 19 Buy ↗ 2007 The Anti-Social Behaviour of Horace Rumpole / Rumpole Misbehaves POoRotBB · 20 Buy ↗ 2008 In Other Words POoNB · 9 Buy ↗ 2009 Rumpole at Christmas / A Rumpole Christmas POoRotBB · 21 Buy ↗ 2011 Forever Rumpole POoRotBB · 22 Buy ↗ Book series · browse all →
Publication Order of Plays 1 book · 1971
01 A Voyage Round My Father. John Mortimer 1971 Buy ↗ Publication Order of Chapbooks 1 book · 2005
01 The Scales of Justice 2005 Buy ↗ Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books 9 books · 1978–2008
01 The Fear Of Heaven 1978 Buy ↗ 02 Clinging to the Wreckage 1982 Buy ↗ 03 Character Parts 1986 Buy ↗ 04 The Oxford Book of Villains 1992 Buy ↗ 05 Murderers and Other Friends 1994 Buy ↗ 06 The Summer of a Dormouse 2000 Buy ↗ 07 Where There's a Will 2003 Buy ↗ 08 Zerah Colburn - Spirit of Darkness 2005 Buy ↗ 09 In Other Words 2008 Buy ↗ Publication Order of Rumpole of the Bailey Books 22 books · 1978–2011
01 Rumpole of the Bailey 1978 Buy ↗ 02 Rumpole�s Return 1980 Buy ↗ 03 The Trials of Rumpole 1981 Buy ↗ 04 Regina V. Rumpole 1981 Buy ↗ 05 Rumpole for the Defence 1982 Buy ↗ 06 Rumpole and the Golden Thread 1983 Buy ↗ 07 Rumpole for the Prosecution 1986 Buy ↗ 08 Rumpole's Last Case 1988 Buy ↗ 09 Rumpole and the Age of Miracles 1989 Buy ↗ 10 Rumpole and the Age for Retirement 1989 Buy ↗ 11 Rumpole a La Carte 1991 Buy ↗ 12 Rumpole on Trial 1992 Buy ↗ 13 The Best of Rumpole 1993 Buy ↗ 14 Rumpole and the Younger Generation 1995 Buy ↗ 15 Rumpole and the Angel of Death 1995 Buy ↗ 16 Rumpole Rests His Case 2002 Buy ↗ 17 Rumpole and the Primrose Path 2003 Buy ↗ 18 Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders 2004 Buy ↗ 19 Rumpole and the Reign of Terror 2006 Buy ↗ 20 The Anti-Social Behaviour of Horace Rumpole / Rumpole Misbehaves 2007 Buy ↗ 21 Rumpole at Christmas / A Rumpole Christmas 2009 Buy ↗ 22 Forever Rumpole 2011 Buy ↗ Publication Order of Rapstone Chronicles Books 3 books · 1985–1998
01 Paradise Postponed 1985 Buy ↗ 02 Titmuss Regained 1990 Buy ↗ 03 The Sound of Trumpets 1998 Buy ↗ Publication Order of Standalone Novels 7 books · 1947–2005
02 Like Men Betrayed 1953 Buy ↗ 03 The Narrowing Stream 1954 Buy ↗ 04 Summer's Lease 1985 Buy ↗ 06 Felix In The Underworld 1996 Buy ↗ 07 Quite Honestly 2005 Buy ↗