John Mortimer Reading Order

6 books (1990–2011)

John Mortimer edited six complete anthology collections published between 1990 and 2011, each centered on a distinct theme ranging from law and crime to music and seasonal celebrations. These standalone collections should be read in publication order beginning with Great Law and Order Stories, followed by Death Cruise, Fanfare, Murder Most Merry, Midsummer Nights, and A Christmas Anthology. Each book gathers stories by various authors rather than following a continuous narrative, making them accessible as individual volumes or as a complete series for those interested in Mortimer's editorial selections across two decades.

Start with Great Law and Order Stories, the first of 6 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Great Law and Order Stories 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Death Cruise: Crime Stories on the Open Seas 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Fanfare: Fourteen Stories on a Musical Theme 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Murder Most Merry 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Midsummer Nights 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	A Christmas Anthology 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2005–2005)

#	Title
1	The Scales of Justice 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

9 books (1978–2008)

John Mortimer's nine-book non-fiction series spans from 1978 to 2008 and should be read in publication order beginning with The Fear Of Heaven. The complete collection includes Clinging to the Wreckage, Character Parts, The Oxford Book of Villains, Murderers and Other Friends, The Summer of a Dormouse, Where There's a Will, Zerah Colburn - Spirit of Darkness, and concludes with In Other Words. These works represent Mortimer's explorations across memoir, biography, and essays throughout his prolific career.

Start with The Fear Of Heaven, the first of 9 books in the Non-Fiction series.

#	Title
1	The Fear Of Heaven 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Clinging to the Wreckage 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Character Parts 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Oxford Book of Villains 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Murderers and Other Friends 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Summer of a Dormouse 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Where There's a Will 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Zerah Colburn - Spirit of Darkness 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	In Other Words 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (1971–1971)

#	Title
1	A Voyage Round My Father. John Mortimer 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1985–1998)

John Mortimer's Rapstone Chronicles is a three-book series published between 1985 and 1998, following a complete arc. The novels should be read in publication order beginning with Paradise Postponed, followed by Titmuss Regained and The Sound of Trumpets. This interconnected series traces interconnected stories across several decades, offering an expansive portrait of English life and society.

Start with Paradise Postponed and read in order.

#	Title
1	Paradise Postponed 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Titmuss Regained 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Sound of Trumpets 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

22 books (1978–2011)

The Rumpole of the Bailey series comprises 22 complete books published between 1978 and 2011, following the legal cases and courtroom adventures of an eccentric barrister. Written by John Mortimer, these novels should be read in publication order, beginning with Rumpole of the Bailey and concluding with the final entry in 2011. Each book presents interconnected stories that build on the character's development across decades of legal practice, though individual cases can often be enjoyed independently.

Start with Rumpole of the Bailey, the first of 22 books in the Rumpole of the Bailey series.

#	Title
1	Rumpole of the Bailey 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Rumpole’s Return 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Regina V. Rumpole 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Trials of Rumpole 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Rumpole for the Defence 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Rumpole and the Golden Thread 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Rumpole for the Prosecution 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Rumpole's Last Case 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Rumpole and the Age for Retirement 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Rumpole and the Age of Miracles 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Rumpole a La Carte 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Rumpole on Trial 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Best of Rumpole 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Rumpole and the Angel of Death 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Rumpole and the Younger Generation 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Rumpole Rests His Case 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Rumpole and the Primrose Path 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Rumpole and the Reign of Terror 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	The Anti-Social Behaviour of Horace Rumpole / Rumpole Misbehaves 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Rumpole at Christmas / A Rumpole Christmas 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Forever Rumpole 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (1947–2005)

John Mortimer's seven standalone novels span from 1947 to 2005 and should be read in publication order beginning with Charade. The complete series includes Like Men Betrayed, The Narrowing Stream, Summer's Lease, Dunster, Felix In The Underworld, and Quite Honestly. Each novel stands alone, allowing readers to approach them individually or experience the full arc of Mortimer's fiction writing across more than five decades.

Start with Charade, the first of 7 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Charade 1947Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Like Men Betrayed 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Narrowing Stream 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Summer's Lease 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Dunster 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Felix In The Underworld 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Quite Honestly 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible