The Satsuma Complex

National Treasure Bob Mortimer is a very funny man and his autobiography was a great read so I had high hopes for his debut novel. And while it's a fun, easy read, The Satsuma Complex is something of a letdown.

There are flashes of Mortimer's trademark humour, especially in the protagonist Gary's inner monologue and the prose is very easy to read. But the plot is nothing new, it's a bog standard crime thriller enlivened by a few quirky characters (Gary's next door neighbour Grace the pensioner IT guru and Emily, the mysterious girl Gary moons over for much of the book).

But the story feels hackneyed and unoriginal. Given the flights of surreal fancy that his other works have involved I was hoping for something a bit stranger.

But overall it was a fun, light read. If you like humourous crime fiction, this should be right up your alley.