06/19/2023
Comedian Mortimer’s quirky debut novel follows a hapless protagonist on the adventure of a lifetime. Gary Thorn is an awkward 30-year-old legal assistant at a London law firm. When Brandon Jones, a private investigator for the firm, invites Gary for a drink for the umpteenth time, he finally accepts, having run out of viable excuses. After a brief conversation, Brandon gets a phone call and leaves the pub. Gary is pleased and surprised when an attractive woman who had been watching the pair then walks over to him and strikes up a conversation. The two talk for hours, but the woman leaves without giving Gary her name. The following day, two detectives show up at his apartment and inform him that Brandon has been murdered. Gary sets out to find the mysterious woman from the bar, hoping she will provide him with an alibi. The author’s comedy chops translate well to Gary’s deadpan voice (“I’ve never been good at striking up conversations with the opposite sex. I knew what would work for me if the roles were reversed—something like: ‘Do you prefer even or uneven surfaces?’ ”), and he never lets the frantic pace flag. Here’s hoping Mortimer has more mysteries up his sleeve. (Sept.)
"Funny, clever and sweet... The good news is that there is a lot of Mortimer's ridiculousness in all this." —The Sunday Times
"A surprisingly serious debut novel... a remarkably dark and gritty tale of... estate murder, law and order mystery, and honey-trap romance... it's a bit unusual... you'll love it." —The Independent
"Contains the funniest description of somebody having a bath that you're ever likely to read." —Daily Express
"Mortimer conveys an infectious joy in his own oddity, and... a sweetness to his worldview that makes his writing gently poignant." —The Telegraph
"It's as hilarious and surreal as you would expect... stuffed with laugh-out-loud moments." —Daily Mail
"As funny, idiosyncratic, and full of squirrels as you'd expect. It's also really rather lovely." —Heat, book of the month
“[A] punchy page-turner starring a quirky character who must leave his comfort zone to unravel a complicated knot of mysteries....will appeal to readers of Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project... and Nita Prose's The Maid.” —Booklist
“Comedian Mortimer’s quirky debut novel follows a hapless protagonist on the adventure of a lifetime... The author’s comedy chops translate well to Gary’s deadpan voice... and he never lets the frantic pace flag. Here’s hoping Mortimer has more mysteries up his sleeve.”—Publishers Weekly
“(F)illed with witty dialogue and a distinctive quirkiness.... This whodunit’s memorable characters help set it apart from more traditional crime fiction. Will appeal to readers who appreciate a healthy dose of eccentric humor with their murder mysteries.” —Library Journal
“The first novel by British comedian and memoirist Mortimer is a rom-com and mystery packaged in one.... Quirky, self-aware... You’ll root for a happy ending.”—Kirkus Reviews
06/10/2024
British comedian Mortimer's (And Away…) debut novel, first released in the UK as The Satsuma Complex, follows Gary Thorn, a British legal assistant with little to distinguish him besides his large nose. Gary meets up with Brendan, a private investigator he knows from work, at a local pub. When Brendan is unexpectedly called away, Gary strikes up a conversation with a pretty woman sitting alone, reading. The two hit it off, but she disappears before Gary can get her name. Fortunately, she leaves her book behind, allowing Gary to use it to track her down. Then Brendan goes missing, and Gary is caught in a web of police corruption that may involve Emily, his mystery woman. When Emily also goes missing, Gary jumps into action. Mortimer and narrator Sally Phillips portray Gary and Emily, respectively, providing energetic and humorous renderings of their interactions. Listeners will enjoy their antics, though remnants from the UK publication may cause some confusion (e.g., the titular clementine is referred to as a satsuma throughout). VERDICT Mortimer spins a hilarious tale populated by outlandish characters with hearts of gold. A perfect fit for listeners who enjoy light, funny mysteries.—Joanna M. Burkhardt
07/01/2023
DEBUT British comedian and memoirist Mortimer's (And Away) fiction debut is filled with witty dialogue and a distinctive quirkiness. On the evening that unassuming legal assistant Gary meets his coworker Brendan at the local pub, he also hits it off with an intriguing, book-reading stranger who leaves without giving Gary her name. However, she leaves behind her book, The Clementine Complex. Confused by her hasty departure but unsurprised due to what he considers his ordinariness, Gary keeps the book and heads home. After learning the next day that Brendan is missing and possibly deceased, Gary decides that finding the mystery woman is the only way he can clear his own name while also getting justice for Brendan. Armed with the book she left behind and a description of her bicycle, Gary starts asking questions. Recruiting his oddball neighbor Grace and her dog Lassoo for assistance, Gary stumbles into a world of corruption that leaves him wondering whom he can trust. VERDICT This whodunit's memorable characters help set it apart from more traditional crime fiction. Will appeal to readers who appreciate a healthy dose of eccentric humor with their murder mysteries.—Lucinda Ward
Both narrators are spot-on delivering this lighthearted mystery. Thirty-something Gary Thorn reluctantly meets his colleague, Brandon, for a drink. When Brandon leaves suddenly, Gary starts chatting up a beautiful woman who is carrying a popular book titled THE CLEMENTINE COMPLEX. When Gary goes for more drinks, the woman disappears--leaving the book behind. The next day, Gary learns that Brandon has been murdered. Or has he? Narrator Bob Mortimer gives Gary just the right flippancy. He is terrific as Gary's eccentric neighbor, Grace, making her slightly loopy but undoubtedly in charge. Sally Phillips as the elusive woman sounds as beautiful as Gary describes her. Her attitude is snarky and seductive, while her backstory is performed with just the right tongue-in-cheek tone for this entertaining comic mystery. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Both narrators are spot-on delivering this lighthearted mystery. Thirty-something Gary Thorn reluctantly meets his colleague, Brandon, for a drink. When Brandon leaves suddenly, Gary starts chatting up a beautiful woman who is carrying a popular book titled THE CLEMENTINE COMPLEX. When Gary goes for more drinks, the woman disappears--leaving the book behind. The next day, Gary learns that Brandon has been murdered. Or has he? Narrator Bob Mortimer gives Gary just the right flippancy. He is terrific as Gary's eccentric neighbor, Grace, making her slightly loopy but undoubtedly in charge. Sally Phillips as the elusive woman sounds as beautiful as Gary describes her. Her attitude is snarky and seductive, while her backstory is performed with just the right tongue-in-cheek tone for this entertaining comic mystery. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
2023-06-14
A 30-year-old legal assistant musters the courage to talk to a woman in a pub and unknowingly inserts himself into a criminal plot.
The first novel by British comedian and memoirist Mortimer is a rom-com and mystery packaged in one. Our narrator, Gary Thorn, is alone in London with a dull job and no relationship prospects, but life gets more interesting when he goes for a reluctant drink with Brendan Jones, a private investigator who works closely with his law firm. While Brendan chats away, Gary is distracted by a woman sitting at the end of the bar with a book. When Brendan needs to leave after receiving an urgent call, Gary is free to ask the woman about her book, The Clementine Complex. This turns into a multihour conversation that ends abruptly—the woman disappears while Gary is fetching a drink. A defeated Gary is surprised to learn the next morning that Brendan has been found dead. Gary was likely the last person to see him alive. And what about the woman, whose name he never got? Is she in danger, too, or is she suspicious given that she left in a hurry? Gary has many questions, which he bounces off his neighbor Grace, who loves to gossip over meat pies. With heavy reliance on Gary’s rich interior dialogue, the book has little allegiance to the rule of “show, don’t tell.” Gary can’t resist the urge to figure out what’s transpired, so, with good intention and zero preparation, he plods his way through police stations and South London estates in search of answers, hoping to find the woman who's taken his fancy in the process. Gary’s quirky, self-aware nature is often endearing, especially in how much he subtly cares for others, but the surface-level humor Mortimer uses to give the story pep can be a tough sell, more awkward than funny. The narrative flow is derailed halfway through when our mystery woman becomes the narrator. Despite the whiplash, the fresh perspective—which is raw and humorless in a good way—is welcome. You’ll root for a happy ending despite the flaws.
Quirky, lighthearted, but easy to forget—it could have been a gem with more polish.
