All's Fair in Love and Law: Small Town Tales of Life, Laughter and Litigation

by Alan Hammond

Dufty Dufty Popple & Dunn is a traditional solicitors' firm in the small Midlands town of Hockam (pronounced Hokum, as the local residents are at pains to point out). This heartwarming collection of stories revolves around the lives, relationships, triumphs, and failures of the good people of Hockam and of the lawyers to whom they look for help. We meet the lonely dentist and his noisy neighbors, the TV celebrity chef and his complex family, the policeman and his beloved budgies, the Vicar and the Major General, the greedy beneficiary of an uncle's Will. These and many others bring their problems to Dufty Dufty Popple & Dunn to be resolved by the long-suffering and well-meaning members of the firm, all of whom have their own lives to live when time permits, from Bernard, the hapless trainee, to Hugo Dufty, the nominal senior partner. And then, of course, there are the ever-present rumors concerning Robert Popple, the former partner who departed from the firm some years previously in mysterious circumstances. The whole symphony of life portrayed here is conducted with gentle humor and charm by Hugo's father, Charles Dufty, who founded the firm 50 years ago and whose wisdom and deep understanding of the human condition helps to make sense of even the most difficult and apparently insoluble problems. In this humorous and touching debut collection, Alan Hammond paints a timeless portrait of life in a rural English town. Welcome to Hockam.

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2011

Reviews

[Judy O'Gorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice, easy read. Little stories about the village characters and events that happen in the local solicitors office. I loved the one about the flasher, very entertaining.
All the different characters and various tales get related by the senior partner over a chess game with an old friend, in the local pub
Relaxing and simple, a breath of fresh air

[Ice Bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was acceptable as a holiday read.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read!

[Zee T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple, light read for every once in a while. Not spectacular, but quite relaxing

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little story about small town law in England. Very James Harriott for the legal set.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming romp of a read, couple of hours, sweet and satisfying.

[Liz Letcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing, but not particularly animated.