The Satsuma Complex
Written by Bob Mortimer
Gary Thorn is a legal aid in London, England. His best relationships are with Grace, an old woman neighbor and a squirrel who he refers simply as, “mate”; and who is more of a therapist to Gary than a friend.
Gary’s daily routine is precise, small, and safe until he meets Emily in a local pub. When she vanishes, he becomes entangled in a web of gangsters, and secrets—all orbiting around a dongle given to him by a colleague gone missing and presumed dead.
Author Bob Mortimer’s voice is distinctly British with slightly absurd dry English humor. The comedy grows out of Gary’s internal monologue. His hysterical conversations with his squirrel mate are a good example. The dialogue crackles with unstated wit causing the criminals to feel more eccentric than menacing.
Beneath the humor of The Satsuma Complex is a crime story that Gary reluctantly solves. He isn’t a swaggering detective, but an anxious man stumbling into an adventure against his will and way over his head. That vulnerability gives the novel its heart.
If you’re looking for a high-stakes thriller, The Satsuma Complex isn’t it. The author is invested in exploring character and atmosphere. The novel offers us a view of an ordinary life that takes a sharp turn—and bravery is stepping outside your routine. Mortimer’s novel is a quirky warm-hearted crime novel wrapped up in a character study with a mystery to solve.
About the Author
Robert Renwick Mortimer is an English comedian, television presenter, writer and actor. He is one half of the comedy double act Reeves and Mortimer with Vic Reeves, and appears in the Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishingseries with Paul Whitehouse. He has appeared on TV panel shows such as Would I Lie to You? and Taskmaster.
Yes, it is true that life throws some punches at as from time to time, Sounds like a good story.