Dunster

by John Mortimer

Trapped in a silent, psychic battle against the friend who sabotaged his career and marriage, would-be actor Philip Progmire is pushed to the edge of sanity when his mundane accounting job becomes threatened as well. 50,000 first printing. $35,000 ad/promo. Tour.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, British Literature, Audiobook, Crime

296 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

John Clifford Mortimer was a novelist, playwright and former practising barrister. Among his many publications are several volumes of Rumpole stories and a trilogy of political novels, Paradise Postponed, Titmuss Regained and The Sound of Trumpets, featuring Leslie Titmuss - a character as brilliant as Rumpole. John Mortimer received a knighthood for his services to the arts in 1998.

Series:
Rumpole of the Bailey
Rapstone Chronicles

Reviews

[Johnny]

It may be a misnomer to describe Dunster as a mystery. There is a bit of a mystery surrounding an atrocity of World War II, and one wonders who has the view askew with regard to that event. The author handles the unveiling quite well with just enough foreshadowing that we are not jarred by the conclusion.

John Mortimer is a marvelously talented writer. I am envious of his talent. I love his humor and usually love his characters. And, since I was once privileged to speak with him at a BBC cocktail party, I can say that he is gracious and delightful.

This meeting actually complicates my feelings about this book. It's clear that a great portion of this book is drawn from autobiographical DNA. It's not a one-to-one correspondence with Mortimer's life, but there is enough similarity to bring a certain sadness to the reading.

The eponymous antagonist of the book is the kind of radical idealist that I once prided myself as being (though over different issues). The destruction that ensues in the wake of this man's hubris is (to me) horrific. Worse is the fact that the protagonist (the character with more than a bit of Mortimer in him) isn't quite as confident and creative as I prefer my protagonists to be.

The set-up of this book is that the protagonist, an individual on the periphery of the creative business of television, is invited into the inner sanctum of production for a typically short UK-style series (US series require about 20 episodes per season to create a critical mass for eventual syndication, while UK seasons typically run 6-8 episodes--alas, why we have too few Fawlty Towers and Wooster and Jeeves episodes).

The conflict in the book exists between the protagonist's (Phillip Progmire, chartered accountant) view of life, society, and certain supporting characters and the deeply cynical, righteously indignant worldview of the rather hypocritical antagonist (Dick Dunster, would-be radical journalist). These are not cardboard characters and the overarching issue between them has a significant moral consequence. Indeed, one may not agree with the morality involved in the final solution. Though questionable in nature, I consider it to be "poetic justice" and will let it stand in spite of my minor misgivings about the action.

Progmire is called upon to "fact-check" an old school acquaintance's script for a series called "War Crimes." That script points to someone close to Progmire as a war criminal. Progmire has to solve the war crime in order to exonerate the alleged war criminal, even if that means that the series which brought him to the creative side would be canceled.

Much about the book, particularly its perspectives on board meetings, television creative work, and community theater seems spot on. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but as appropriate as the resolution was, I find it unsatisfying. It didn't seem like anything truly redemptive happened. It seemed as though too many characters settled for the "inevitable." Of course, that can be said of "real life," too!

[Brenda]

Chose not to finish.

[Garth]

John Mortimer can be relied on to turn out out a workmanlike and entertaining piece of fiction and this novel is no exception. The narrator is an accountant with a passion for amateur dramatics who has a lifelong friendship with the eponymous Dunster, whom he first meets at school and who later keeps turning up at inopportune moments in his life. Dunster is almost pathologically frank and uncompromising in his pursuit of truth as he sees it. Eventually he seduces and marries the narrator's wife and accuses the narrator's employer, a war hero whom the narrator idolizes, of having committed a war crime in Italy. Much of the book is taken up with the question of this man's guilt or innocence; there is thus a dark undertone to the book which prevents it from being a straightforward comedy of manners, though there is certainly an element of that as well. I found the denouement fairly easy to predict but that hardly matters; part of the irony comes from the fact that the narrator is unable to see the clear implications of the facts that he encounters.

Book review by Anthony Campbell.

[Alison C]

Philip Progmire is a quiet, unassuming fellow, happy working as an accountant for a television company and happy with his wife Beth. But his old school chum, Dick Dunster, has a way of breaking into Philip’s life over and over again, and whenever Dunster appears, trouble - very BIG trouble - is never far behind…. John Mortimer is best known for his Rumpole series, of course, but he also wrote a fair number of stand-alone books too, including this one. It features his trademark humour and, surprisingly, a great deal of moral ambiguity and questions about the meaning of honesty in the real world. I wouldn’t consider this to be peak Mortimer, but it’s definitely worth a read; recommended.

[Helen Almond]

Probably a bit old fashioned but none the less good storytelling and well rounded characters. I’ve not read any other books by him except Rumpole so was pleasantly surprised. This was an Audible book and well read by Martin Jarvis, one of my favourites

[Simon May]

I enjoy John Mortimer's writing.

I enjoyed this book.

It is not a complicated read, and it definitely has its frustrations - the unlikability of all the main characters, being the main one.

Nevertheless, it was an entertaining read, and I am glad that I have read it - more than once !

[Joan]

I found this story very absorbing. A little bit like a mystery story, but with the characters more fully fleshed out.

[lily]

one of the best books i have read this year!

[Stephen Hoffman]

4 stars

[Lynn Pribus]

This was no Rumpole. Loved the TV series, loved Leo McKern as Rumpole and also as audio performer of the Rumpole tales.

But this one, with a very good performer, lacked the humor and silliness of the Rumpole series. It was entertaining enough, but just a 3 for me.

[soap]

I really did not enjoy this book. I went into it blind, which might have been a mistake, because the whole thing was just not my cup of tea. My biggest disappointment was how the beginning set up a rivalry with Dunster, which never really amounted to much.

[Helen Pomfrey]

I did enjoy this book, not sure it was super memorable but was an interesting take on a difficult subject.

[Sheri]

I really liked this book! Dunster is an unlikeable character from the beginning, always attempting to be "moral" and "truthful", no matter the consequences to others, even his "best friend". Progmire seems to roll over and take it for years, even when Dunster ruins his marriage. But, at one point, Dunster goes too far, and finally Progmire fights back. I had to skip to the end to see how it all ended, I couldn't stand the suspense! A good read!

[Phyllis]

John Mortimer (of "Rumpole of the Bailey" fame) has written the story of two boyhood friends/adversaries whose paths cross many times during their lives. Of course there's a courtroom battle, and some coincidences.

[Craven]

Reviews of Books in English that (For Better or Worse) Came my Way during Peru Travels in 75 Words or Less, Part 6

How it came my way: Traded for it book exchange in a hostal

Kind of funny, but kind of dull. It was OK.

[Michael]

absolute cracker - loved it - a very good novel

[Alan Bevan]

Mortimer simply has to be read no matter what he writes. This is not his best work but the language flows beautifully as usual.