The Satsuma Complex

 The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer (2022 Gallery Books paperback 298pp)

UK comedian, actor and now writer Bob Mortimer first came into the spotlight on television in the mid-1990s. He was part of a double act with Vic Reeves (aka Jim Moir) and together they added their unique blend of surrealism and absurdism to sketch shows, panel games and sitcoms. In recent years he’s gained a new generation of fans as part of Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing, a gentle and visually stunning show that sees him team up with fellow comedian Paul Whitehouse and try his hand at fishing while talking about life, health issues and what’s for dinner. A brush with death due to a bad heart has seen him become quite philosophical and reflective whilst retaining an impish sense of humour. He’s now turned himself to writing books, first putting out a memoir (2021’s And Away...) and more recently a novel, The Satsuma Complex.

The Satsuma Complex tells the story of Gary, a mild-mannered legal assistant living an unrewarding life in contemporary London. He lives in a tiny dump of a flat and despairs at everyday indignities. He has befriended his neighbour Grace and her dog Lasso and through his interactions with them we learn more about his past and present situations.

One day he meets up with a work acquaintance, Brendan, for drink in the local pub and encounters the girl of his dreams in the same establishment. Later after finding out that Brendan has apparently been killed, he must track down the woman for an alibi – but he doesn’t even know her name, his only clue is the book she left behind, the titular The Satsuma Complex.

I thought this was going to be the main thrust of the story but that mystery is soon solved and Gary then finds himself in a dangerous world of angry boyfriends, dodgy private investigators and corrupt policemen. The story actually goes into some quite dark and introspective places along its way to a somewhat happy ending. I was expecting light-hearted humorous fluff but there’s actually quite a lot of meat on the bones here. Of course, coming from Mortimer there is humour and plenty of it – not really straight out jokes but more in the form of banter between characters and wry observations of modern life. Gary finds himself talking to an imaginary squirrel frequently when he has self-doubt or has made a decision he's unsure of and often gets berated back by it for his trouble. There’s a lot of little things like that in the text that help drive it along at a rapid clip and just when you think things are getting a bit serious for Gary something slightly surreal or absurd will occur.

I enjoyed this book, it’s a quick read – I finished it in two sittings. Funny but does also try and explore the interior lives of those living what seems like ordinary existences from afar.