Despite the popularity of "Rumpole of the Bailey" on British TV a number of years ago, I am surprised that I have not until now ready anything by John Mortimer. I think I might have to look up more by Mortimer, since I really enjoyed this book.It's a whodunnit but also a gentle satire poking fun at the publishing industry. Felix Moresom, although once a Booker prize nominated author, is now only enjoying moderate success, and his life has become very ordinary. After being hit with a paternity suit, Felix finds himself in a far from ordinary situation; in fact it gets progressively worse. Even so, and despite the surrounding madness, Felix handles himself with grace, and manages to prove that "nice guys" can win in the end.Although I guessed the "twist" quite early on, it didn't spoil the story for me. I finished this feeling very uplifted.
John Mortimer is the author of the "Rumpole of the Bailey"* books, which were made into a PBS series, so I thought I would enjoy this as much as the Rumpole stories. But the plot of this book was a little too convoluted for me. The main character is an author, who is accused by a woman he met ten years previously of being the father of her child. In order to get out from under her claim, and a claim by the child welfare agency for back support, he gets involved with many shady characters.*(Rumpole always referred to his wife as "she who must be obeyed".)
