The Satsuma Complex

Product Information

And so begins Gary’s quest, through the estates and pie shops of South London, to finally bring some love and excitement into his unremarkable life… Like Spike Milligan, Mortimer has managed to use a novel for his distinctive comedic voice' - The Telegraph When the police arrive on Gary’s doorstep the next morning saying Brendan is missing and he was the last person to see him alive, the book takes all sorts of twists and turns. There’s a bit of a mystery, a bit of romance, and a bunch of insight in human beings and their behaviour. Like Spike Milligan, Mortimer has managed to use a novel for his distinctive comedic voice’ – The Telegraph

There are dirty cops, a barista named Wayne who wears tight t-shirts to best show off his biceps and an eccentric neighbour Grace, and her dog Lassoo.

This is a really slow burn, and I found the ending to be terrifically satisfying. So much so that I’d enjoy a Gary Thorn Part II. Or Gary and Emily. Or what Gary did next. Gary Thorn goes for a pint with a work acquaintance called Brendan. When Brendan leaves early, Gary meets a girl in the pub. He doesn't catch her name, but falls for her anyway. When she suddenly disappears without saying goodbye, all Gary has to remember her by is the book she was reading: The Satsuma Complex. On he podcast, Mortimer also said that he regretted having never done a solo stand-up show, and said: ‘I wouldn’t mind doing that.’

I am a huge Bob Mortimer fan and have been since the heady days of Shooting Stars. I love listening to his tales on Would I Lie To You; enjoy watching him buffoon about on Gone Fishing and gurgle with delight at his impressions on Athletico Mince. I thoroughly enjoyed his auto-biography ...And Away and felt the same kind of joy I get when I hear his fantastic (and often true) tales. So many comedians have published novels this year that I have begun to wonder whether writing one is an assignment in a yet-to-be-broadcast episode of Taskmaster. Most of them have confirmed the axiom that comics can’t write memorable fiction: even the novels of master funnymen such as Eric Morecambe and Les Dawson did not burnish their reputations. To describe me as anonymous would be unfair, but to notice me other than in passing would be a rarity. Celebrities and good fiction books don’t always go hand in hand. Because celebrities don’t always need to write quality to sell a lot of books. Usually, their name value alone is enough to make a profit. And I wouldn’t necessarily say this book is the exception, but there are some things that do make this book worth reading. Bob Mortimer is a good storyteller. The premise of the story is definitely quite strong. The beginning of the story immediately grabbed me. And in terms of plot, it’s pretty good. But he’s just not a professional novel writer, and this can definitely be noticeable. Because somewhere in the middle of the story, I started losing interest a little bit. The story did a good job of trying to grab me again before I got to the end though. Bob Mortimer is also a good comedian. And there are definitely some snippets of comedy gold to be found in here. Like the brilliant addition of the talking squirrel. But, quite often, the comedy doesn’t hit home like it should. And so begins Gary's quest, through the estates and pie shops of South London, to finally bring some love and excitement into his unremarkable life…However new title will not feature Gary –the semi-autobiographical character of a disillusioned legal assistant – who was at the centre of the first. The much loved comic proves adept at noirish fiction in a debut whose surrealist humour sets it apart' - Observer The conversations that Gary has with a squirrel in the park amused no end. The two lads supporting each other through the highs and not so highs of being a bloke today.