The Satsuma Complex
by Bob Mortimer
5.7
The Satsuma Complex follows Gary, a somewhat aimless legal assistant whose quiet life is suddenly upended after a chance encounter in a pub. When his charismatic colleague disappears under mysterious circumstances, Gary finds himself drawn into an unexpected tangle of clues, awkward coincidences, and one very memorable woman known only as “Satsuma.” What begins as a simple, slightly bumbling search for answers turns into a quirky blend of mystery, humour, and offbeat observation — all told with Bob Mortimer’s signature surreal warmth. It’s part crime caper, part love story, part rambling inner monologue, with plenty of odd charm along the way.
Judging the Book by Its Cover
The edition we’re reviewing is the 2023 Gallery Books printing with cover design by Harry Mortimer, Matt Johnson and the Simon & Schuster Art Depatment.
(The cover plays no part in our final rating, but it’s always fun to discuss!)
The Satsuma Complex has a bright, eye-catching cover that definitely stands out on a shelf, but once you look a little closer, there isn’t a huge amount to dig into. The design leans heavily on bold colours and simple, minimalist illustration — clean and modern, but not especially memorable.
Our edition also features several real review quotes splashed across the front, which slightly distract from the minimal aesthetic. They take up a surprising amount of visual space, and we both felt they lessened the impact of the artwork underneath.
That said, the fake review quotes on the back are a fun touch. They fit the book’s offbeat, tongue-in-cheek tone perfectly, even if we completely missed the joke at first. (Jess initially skimmed straight past them because she doesn’t care for review blurbs on covers and didn’t realise they weren’t from real publications.) Once you notice them, though, they do add a layer of humour that feels very on-brand for Mortimer.
Overall, it’s a cover that does its job — bright, quirky, and clearly signalling the book’s playful style — even if it’s not one that left a strong impression on us.To quote the book itself
"The jacket was dark blue and in the middle of the front cover there was a large satsuma orange, with the silhouette of a squirrel inside. It looked a bit shit."
Closing the Book
Our feelings about The Satsuma Complex are complicated, to say the least.
Structurally, the story does exactly what you expect it to. Every chapter contributes something, even when the purpose isn’t immediately obvious. It moves at a steady pace, never lingering too long or drifting off-course.
Mortimer’s voice is unmistakable — if you’ve ever heard him tell a story, you’ll recognise the same surreal, rambling charm throughout the narrative. There’s a brilliant warmth to the way he sees the world, and that signature oddball humour appears in almost every chapter. It genuinely feels like viewing events through his eyes.
But while that storytelling style is delightful in person, we weren’t always convinced it translated seamlessly to the page. The tone is fun, quirky, and very “Bob,” yet sometimes the delivery loses a little of its flair without his voice behind it.
We both found the cast of characters a bit lacklustre. The main three have their own draw, but many of the surrounding characters — mostly men — tend to blend together. They feel like variations on a similar template, just tweaked slightly. We’d have loved a more rounded ensemble, with a wider mix of personalities and perspectives.
Gary, our main character, often drifts rather than drives the story. Things happen to him rather than because of him, which sometimes left us feeling a step removed from his journey. Strangely, we came away knowing far more about the secondary character, Emily, than Gary, and that imbalance stood out. Emily’s story feels vibrant and full of potential — almost like her book is happening somewhere off-page. While Gary’s tale is enjoyable in its own way, it can feel a touch subdued in comparison.
There were moments where we both felt a little underwhelmed — sometimes unsure if we were truly enjoying it — yet we still didn’t want to stop reading. The pull of “just one more chapter” was always there. A third of the way in, we nearly put it down entirely… and then the chapter ended, another question appeared, and suddenly we were into the next section. It’s a strange mix of being lukewarm on the book while still compelled to keep going.
One thing we both really appreciated was how cleanly everything wraps up. Knowing there’s a sequel, we expected loose threads, but instead we got an ending that feels complete and satisfying. It was refreshing not to reach the final page thinking, “Oh great, now I have to read the next one.” — though we probably will, since we accidentally bought that one first without realising it was a sequel. Oops.
Even after talking it through together, we’re still not entirely sure how we feel about The Satsuma Complex. It’s intriguing and unusual, yet somehow a little muted — full of interesting ideas but not quite the life we expected. We can absolutely see why people enjoy it, and there were plenty of moments that made us smile or lean in. But would we rush to recommend it? We’re not so sure. It’s one of those books you have to experience for yourself to know whether it clicks with you — and maybe that’s part of its charm.
Rob 5.8 - Jess 5.7
💡 Want to take a look into the way book covers shape our buying habits? Check out Jess' feature on The Power of a Book Cover..
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