“She might be interested in me, or what I attempt to represent.”
It’s fair to say that we here at What We Reading have a taste for the darker shades of stories. From S.A. Barnes’ chilling blend of sci-fi and horror in Dead Silence, twisty whodunnits by the likes of Lucy Foley, to the haunting dystopias in Never Let Me Go and The Handmaid’s Tale, we love any books that can get our pulses racing and the hairs on the back of our necks up. But, sometimes it’s nice to lower the stakes somewhat and enjoy a more cheery read. The Satsuma Complex is the first fictional novel by comedian Bob Mortimer and offers a cosy and comedic look at loneliness and finding the extraordinary in being ordinary. Lauded as one of the best books of 2022, join us today for our The Satsuma Complex review to find out what we made of the British comedian’s debut mystery!
Date Published: 2022
Author: Bob Mortimer
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Pages: 301
Goodreads Rating: 3.68/5
Premise
Gary is a thirty-year-old legal assistant working for a firm of solicitors in London. One evening, he goes for a pint after work with an acquaintance named Brendan. When Brendan leaves, Gary meets and begins talking to a girl. He doesn’t catch her name; nevertheless, he falls for her completely. When she suddenly disappears, the only thing he has to remember her by is the book she was reading, The Satsuma Complex.
But, when Brendan is announced as missing, the girl he has taken to calling Satusma is the only key he has to unlock some answers. What follows is a colourful quest through the estates and pie shops of South London as Gary attempts to work out what has happened to his friend, as well as introducing some love and excitement into his otherwise bland existence.
What Worked
The Satusma Complex is a fast-paced and fun ride where the stars of the show are undoubtedly Gary and the cast of characters he encounters along the way rather than the mystery that pulls the narrative forward. The characters all stand out from one another and their outlandish personalities and interactions help to keep things
Bob Mortimer is one of the most beloved comedians in the UK and all of the energy and spontaneity he has become known for shine through in The Satsuma Complex. If you’re a fan of Mortimer, as we are, this is the book for you. The callbacks and repetitions of jokes help to make his writing feel succinct, and there’s a strong sense that he is projecting himself into Gary which makes him feel authentic as a result.
Further on the style of writing in The Satsuma Complex; Mortimer uses short, sharp sentences that help set the stage without wasting any time. It might not be the conventional approach to writing a narrative, but it works in helping this feel like a story with Mortimer’s voice.
The Satsuma Complex is a pleasant-feeling adventure that most readers will find themselves relating to, however, Mortimer also has time to include a number of deeper themes such as isolation, loneliness and dependency that come chiefly from Gary’s relationship with his elderly neighbour, Grace.
What Didn’t
As we alluded to above, calling The Satsuma Complex a ‘cosy mystery’ feels slightly unfair. It is much more of a dramedy. There are hardly any reveals or shocks along the way, no ulterior motives, unreliable narrators or any other writing device, and even the stakes in play for Gary as he tracks Brendan’s disappearance feel too small to invest in. Essentially, everything you expect to pan out in a particular way does so.
The romance between Gary and the girl he names Satsuma is presented as being another big driver of the story; however, that too felt like it didn’t have the weight or assuredness of Mortimer. The chemistry between Gary and Satsuma works well during the opening scene, however, after that, it feels more like two characters crammed together because the plot requires them to be.
There is also a considerable amount of British slang and references that readers outside of the UK may not get, as well as a fair amount of silly toilet humour that, again, might not be for everyone.
Verdict
The Satsuma Complex is a low-stakes, warm-feeling cosy mystery whose distinctiveness almost solely arrives on the back of Bob Mortimer’s surreal, slapstick and silly humour. Most of the time, this humour helps to elevate the characters and give the narrative an energy that it would have otherwise been lacking. As mentioned above, if you’re a fan of Bob Mortimer, this is a solid book for you, if you are not, there may be better reads out there.
The mystery at the heart of The Satsuma Complex really isn’t much of a mystery. There are hardly any twists or surprises, there’s very little investigating or suspense to speak of, and nothing especially ‘new’ is brought to the genre as a result of that. You can tell that this is Mortimer’s first foray into the world of fiction writing. We would be excited to see how comfortable he would be pushing the boat out a bit more in his follow-ups with a bit more experience under his belt.
Nevertheless, there’s a relatability that arises from Mortimer’s distinctive honesty and self-deprecation through Gary that you can’t help but enjoy and also resonate with. The quirky characters are all endearing in their own way and the unapologetic silliness of most of Mortimer’s humour is sure to keep a smile plastered on your face as you follow Gary. For a lighthearted quick read from one of Britain’s most beloved comedians, we would wager you could do a lot worse than The Satsuma Complex.
Our Rating: 3.5/5
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
