Rumpole for the Defence
by John Mortimer; audiobook read by Bill Wallis (Bolinda, 2016)
originally “Regina v. Rumpole” (Allen Lane, 1981)
Seven further trials, adapted from the 1980 BBC Radio series (plus one Play for Today). Behind Rumpole’s cynical bluster and his numerous personal and professional setbacks, Mortimer offers up ingenious case studies in legal defence. Bill Wallis’s audiobook reading is superbly Rumpole-like.
The Secret of Moon Castle
by Enid Blyton (Basil Blackwell, 1953) [Armada, 1991]
![Book cover: “The Secret of Moon Castle” by Enid Blyton (Basil Blackwell, 1953) [Armada, 1991]](https://www.derelictspacesheep.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Blyton_Secret-Moon-Castle.jpg)
Blyton’s ‘Secret’ series ends with a bit of a whimper. The villain is unambiguous and the mystery entails a nebulous mining scheme that, Scooby-Doo style, would have remained hidden if not for his trying to scare the kids off with manufactured spookery.
Maid Marian and her Merry Men, Series 1
by Tony Robinson; dir. David Bell (BBC, 1989)
One-of-a-kind children’s comedy with a penchant for slow-rapped beatbox scene-setting (courtesy of Danny John-Jules). Episodes rattle along through a gamut of small-scale absurdisms, over-the-top, self-aware characters, corny anachronisms and genuine wit. Tony Robinson brings Blackadder vibes as the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham.
The Left Hand of Darkness
by Ursula K. Le Guin (Ace, 1967)
audiobook read by George Guidall (Recorded Books, 2017)
Accomplished prose, meticulous worldbuilding. The Left Hand of Darkness won Nebula and Hugo Awards, and on the strength of its pioneering contribution to feminist SF, who can argue? The plot, however, is far from riveting—a slog for readers and characters alike.
The Wombles: Beautiful Boating Weather
by Elisabeth Beresford (Hodder Children’s Books, 1998)
A slight (14-page) picture book adapted by Elisabeth Beresford from the 1997 TV series (itself derived from her MG novels)! The Wombles prove as loveable as ever, the pictures here being taken directly from the show, but there’s nothing of independent merit.
Faerie Tale
by Raymond E. Feist (Doubleday, 1988)
While Feist’s leisurely characterisation of the Hastings family draws the reader in and makes them susceptible to the creeping dread of faerie lore, the workmanlike omniscient narrative and muddled plot (once removed of its glamour) are unlikely to truly unsettle adult readers.
The Edinburgh Mystery and Other Tales of Scottish Crime
ed. Martin Edwards (British Library Crime Classics, 2022)
audiobook read by Sarah Barron, Mark Meadows, David Monteath & John Telfer (Soundings, 2023)
A readable but unremarkable collection of historically overlooked short stories. Though often possessed of comely prose, few are satisfying as mysteries—tending to some combination of character vignette without detection, token framework for clever ‘shock’ ending, or revelation based on withheld information.
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
by Robert Louis Stevenson (Longmans, Green & Co., 1886)
audiobook read by Ian Holm (Canongate, 2007)
Stevenson’s gothic horror novella holds up well, despite the plot twist being well and truly out of the bag for modern readers. The story’s original publication as a ‘shilling shocker’ reflects the sensationalist speculative element rather than any dearth of literary quality.
The Sea of Adventure
by Enid Blyton (Macmillan, 1948); audiobook read by Thomas Judd (Bolinda, 2021)
Blyton mixes the formula just right in this fourth adventure, adding a real sense of peril to the usual holiday atmosphere. The girls make genuine contributions. Huffin and Puffin, with only one syllable between them, enter the pantheon of great support characters!
Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker
by Brian Hayles; dir. Bill Sellars (BBC, 1966/2024)
The most ambitious lost story animation to date. Even if the characters now stray into the uncanny valley, the 3D, multi-angle approach offers a zaniness lacking in the original. The colour version is particularly eye-catching… but it’s still a deplorably weak script.