The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer

I bought The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer in the Waterstones half price sale at Christmas. I initially intended to read it straightaway, but somehow I ended up not starting it until March. I’d just read Katherine of Aragon The True Queen by Alison Weir and wanted to read something lighter. I suspected The Satsuma Complex would be just what I needed – and I was right.

The Satsuma Complex is the story of 30 year old Gary. Gary works as a legal assistant at a firm of solicitors in London. His only friend is his much older neighbour, Grace. Gary talks to squirrels on his way to work and, with Gary’s help, they talk back to him.

At the start of the story, Gary reluctantly goes for a drink with Brendan, a work contact. Brendan is a man who laughs too much and wears very funky socks. Not long after they arrive, Brendan receives a phone call and has to rush off. Gary decides to finish his pint and get some food and gets talking to an interesting young woman. They strike up a real connection and chat for a couple of hours. Gary thinks he might be in love.

But the young woman rushes off and he doesn’t even catch her name.

The next day, Gary gets a visit from a couple of police officers telling him Brendan is dead and he was the last person to see him alive.

Concerned that he may be implicated in Brendan’s death (and because he fancies her), he decides he needs to track down the young woman. He gives her the nickname ‘Satsuma’ after the book she was reading in the pub – The Satsuma Complex.

The Satsuma Complex is a comedy crime story, which has some similarities to Belinda Bauer’s books. It also has some similarities to cosy crime novels, but the setting is far from cosy and there is far too much use of the word ‘shit’ for it to be classified as cosy crime. It is full of Bob Mortimer’s trademark surreal humour – particularly in the way he talks to his ‘squirrel mate’. When I read books by Graham Norton, I couldn’t tell that they were written by Graham Norton, but I could really tell this was written by Bob Mortimer.

The Satsuma Complex is an enjoyable, entertaining and easy read. It took me just three days to read, which was exactly what I needed after wading my way through a heavy book for nearly a month. If you like surreal humour, I would definitely recommend The Satsuma Complex. If you don’t like surreal humour, you should probably give it a miss!