The Satsuma Complex

Bob Mortimer · Sally Phillips

Oct 2022 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Bob Mortimer

About this audiobook

*WINNER OF THE BOLLINGER EVERYMAN WODEHOUSE PRIZE FOR COMIC FICTION 2023*

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
 
‘Funny, clever and sweet’– Sunday Times

‘The much loved comic proves adept at noirish fiction in a debut whose surrealist humour sets it apart’ – Observer

My name is Gary. I’m a thirty-year-old legal assistant with a firm of solicitors in London. To describe me as anonymous would be unfair but to notice me other than in passing would be a rarity. I did make a good connection with a girl, but that blew up in my face and smacked my arse with a fish slice.

Gary Thorn goes for a pint with a work acquaintance called Brendan. When Brendan leaves early, Gary meets a girl in the pub. He doesn’t catch her name, but falls for her anyway. When she suddenly disappears without saying goodbye, all Gary has to remember her by is the book she was reading: The Satsuma Complex. But when Brendan goes missing, Gary needs to track down the girl he now calls Satsuma to get some answers.

And so begins Gary’s quest, through the estates and pie shops of South London, to finally bring some love and excitement into his unremarkable life…

A page-turning story with a cast of unforgettable characters, The Satsuma Complex is the brilliantly funny smash hit first novel by bestselling author and comedian Bob Mortimer.
 

Ratings and reviews

I finally got to listen to the entire book on a long drive, and was kept well entertained with the various plot lines and likeable characters. Gary is obviously inspired by Bob himself, and many familiar voices and characters (like Clown Shoes - AKA Neil Hunt), would be familiar to Athletico Mince listeners. The best way to consume Bob Mortimer, is definitely through Bob Mortimer's voice. Sally Phillips also does a great job (as you'd expect) with Emily's narrative. Looking forward to what's next

It's just fantastic. Great story with ace characters. Really draws you in, entertains you and make you laugh. Bob & Sally read it really well. God knows where they get some of these narrators from but Bob and Sally reading it is just spectacular. Can't recommend this enough. His autobiography is fab too. The review before me that says it's just ok and he sounds bored reading it is dead wrong; it's just fantastic. Can't wait for him to write and read another. Thanks Bob. Stellar work, please do more.

Story was OK. Plodded along nicely. Like Bob's autobiography though, it's not well read by Bob. At times it sounds like he's bored reading, except when he's putting an accent on and then he picks up. Sally Phillips reads the story well (Bob take some tips from her) and almost feels like a different author has written her part.

About the author

Bob Mortimer was born in Middlesbrough in 1959, the youngest of four sons. He trained as a solicitor before a chance encounter with Vic Reeves in the 1980s led to a successful career in comedy as half of duo Reeves and Mortimer. His screen credits include Shooting Stars, Big Night Out, Catterick and most recently BBC2's Gone Fishing. His memoir, And Away…, published in 2021. It became the bestselling memoir of the year, was named Times and Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year, and was shortlisted for Non-fiction Book of the Year at the National Book Awards. The Satsuma Complex is his first novel. He's on Twitter and Instagram as @RealBobMortimer.