The Satsuma Complex: The million copy bestselling first novel – 'funny, clever and sweet' Sunday Times

"The Satsuma Complex" is the million-copy bestselling debut novel from acclaimed comedian Bob Mortimer, winner of the 2023 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. This page-turning comic mystery follows Gary Thorn, a thirty-year-old legal assistant whose unremarkable existence in London is upended after a chance encounter in a pub. When a work acquaintance, Brendan, disappears and a mysterious girl leaves behind only a book title, Gary embarks on a surreal quest through South London's estates and pie shops. The result is a brilliantly funny, clever, and sweet story that has charmed both readers and critics alike.

Blending noirish tension with absurdist humor, Mortimer crafts a cast of unforgettable characters and a narrative crackling with wit. Fans of quirky, character-driven fiction will delight in Gary's attempts to bring meaning, love, and a little chaos into his life. The novel's offbeat charm and genuine heart make it a standout in contemporary British fiction, drawing favourable comparisons to the works of Richard Osman and Gail Honeyman. It's a book that feels both deeply human and laugh-out-loud funny, securing Mortimer's place as a fresh voice in literary comedy.

The Sunday Times described it as 'funny, clever and sweet,' and the Observer praised its 'surrealist humour.' Whether you're new to Mortimer's brand of comedy or a long-time fan, "The Satsuma Complex" offers a thoroughly entertaining read that bridges literary fiction and comic caper with effortless flair.