Obviously can’t give a proper review after reading a couple of chapters of Bob Mortimers novel. However, it’s got me hooked with its surreal humour and I will buy the book to enjoy the exploits of Gary Thorn.

Obviously being only an excerpt it is impossible to give a full review. But it has definitely piqued my interest in reading the full book, which I was intrigued by anyway as I'm a fan of Bob Mortimer.

A lovely couple of chapters to Bob's new book. I'm super excited to read the full thing when it's released!! Two more names added to his wacky list; Zac Briefcase and Lengthy Parsnips!!

An entertaining start and taster to Bob Mortimers first novel. With it being a 2 chapter teaser there isn’t much to review but what there certainly leaves enough to make me think about buying a copy of the book.

The first two chapters of Bob’s first novel, a mystery, which is being published next year. It is off to an entertaining start and reads as classic Bob. I had an instant sense of recognition of the humour and the descriptions of the people and world around Gary, who is a legal assistant in a firm of solicitors.

This at the beginning of the book made me laugh out loud: ‘My only real friend in London is
one of my neighbours on the estate. I did make a good connection with a girl this past week or so, but earlier today that blew up in my face and smacked my arse with a fish slice.’

And I adore this description of Brendan, Gary’s work colleague: ‘He's about ten years older than me, skinny and short with wavy side-parted hair
that gives him a slightly Tudor edge. He usually wears a blue or grey sports jacket with a beige turtleneck and deep blue, A-line denim jeans that sit slightly high above his pointy brown
leather shoes. A hint of novelty sock is always deliberately on offer. His face is plain-looking, his nose a bit thin and sharp, the overall effect being that of a rolled oat’

I would definitely be interested in reading more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an excerpt of this book.

Just a wee teaser of the upcoming Bob Mortimer novel which takes a humour filled spin on the police procedural genre.

This review is for the first 2 chapters of The Satsuma Complex.
If you used to love Vic and Bob's Big Night Out, with its random and eccentric humour then I think you'll love this book. Straight away, as you read, you'll have Bob's dead pan delivery in your head, naming dogs Lenthy Parsnips and having imaginary conversations with squirrels about dating. Very odd but incredibly addictive reading. Will definitely read this book, I loved this taster!

This wasn’t for me, sadly. I don’t know much about Bob Mortimer, but the first two chapters of ‘Satsuma’ are definitely in his ‘voice’ - I think they’d work better delivered out loud than written down.

As a fan of Bob Mortimer's work, I'm pretty sure I'd have been buying this anyway - almost certainly the audiobook given its narrated by him and Sally Phillips, but this sealed the deal given the first two chapters confirm its very much in Bob's style and sense of humour.

Thanks for the chance to confirm!

I am a massive Bob Mortimer fan and was thrilled to be given the first two chapters of his first foray into fiction with The Satsuma Complex. I whizzed through the two advance chapters and have been left wanting more!
As I was reading, I could hear Bob's voice in my head. It's a definite must read for fans of Bob Mortimer and the wonderfully funny and manic stories he regales.

As soon as you see a dog named Zac Briefcase you know you're in Bob Mortimer's company.

In the words of William Hanson, I enjoyed what I had.

This is Bob Mortimer’s debut novel, and I received my copy of the first two chapters of the novel as a ‘taster’ from NetGalley and publisher Gallery UK, who sent a copy to me on the understanding that I would give the novel my honest thoughts in my review. Like many others I really enjoy watching Bob Mortimer on the panel show ‘Would I Lie to You’. He has such a cheeky smile and when he laughs his face lights up with joy. I read his autobiography last year. It was the number one best seller of the year in the memoir genre. I loved finding out more about Bob, I loved his writing and the comedy he brought with his ‘tales' so that is why I read the ‘taster’ of two chapters and why I am writing this review.
The narrative begins with Gary Thorn giving the reader an idea of who he is and what he likes to do when he is in his London home. He works in London as a legal assistant for a solicitor’s firm. He is quite a quiet guy, just in his thirties, and has not been very successful with the ladies so far, despite the odd liaison or two. But one night he scores BIG. He is out for a drink with his friend Brendan when he spots the girl of his dreams. Brendan has already left the pub by then, so Bob has her all to himself and soon he is totally smitten. It's the real thing for Gary, he is already certain. He glances at the book she has been reading and sees it is called ‘The Satsuma Complex’. When they are unexpectedly parted, he realises he doesn’t even know her name as it was so noisy in the packed pub, so he hasn’t caught what she has said. He decides to give her a name and thinks hard about what the name should be. He chooses Satsuma, it seems obvious to him.
He is horrified to find out that his friend Brendan has gone missing, and Bob decides to try to track him down. He makes it his mission to find Satsuma at the same time, and so starts his investigations, trudging through the streets, the lanes and housing estates of South London. He feels adventurous, even excited, and is determined to change his lifestyle forever. He wants more from his life, but particularly excitement and romance. He must enhance his quiet, predictable, dull existence, he wants more in his life and he decides to take the bull by his horns and go for it.
I really got into this novel full of comic one-liners and even nonsense at times, yet I found it intriguing at the same time. Bob’s an educated man and his story is well written. I enjoyed his characterisation and look forward to meeting more characters in his story. The novel is described as General Fiction, Adult, but I sense a bit of mystery and maybe skulduggery as well, as well as a few twists and turns and blind alleyways. I also think that Bob will have a lot of fun with his unique and engaging story. It is impossible to decide what the full potential this book could reach, having only read two chapters, but suffice it to say I can’t wait to read more. Bring it on!

I knew this was going to be good and now, after reading the start, I am even more excited to get my hands on the full book...
The only decision left for me is whether I READ or LISTEN to it...
Only 2 more sleeps.....!

A little taster of Bob Mortimer's novel and I'm looking forward to reading the rest on publication. It seems unfair to write a full review, having read only two chapters but so far, so good. Thanks to Netgalley.

I want to read this book as I found these sample compelling and well written.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I thoroughly enjoyed this taster sample of the book. I could hear Mortimer's voice narrating the story especially the conversation with the squirrel. I am looking forward to reading the full book.

I loved the first two chapters of this book. Quirky and interesting. They left me wanting more.......

An enjoyable opening which is hard not to read in Bob Mortimer's voice! looking forward to finding out what happens to the characters

A taster of the first original novel written by household name, if you’re of a certain age, by comedian Bob Mortimer.

Gary is a lonely legal assistant who lives an uneventful life. That is until one day he meets a fascinating lady in a pub who vanishes before he can pluck up the courage to ask for her number. The only clue is the book she leaves behind, “The Satsuma Complex”. This sends Gary on a quest to find the girl and perk up his unexciting days….

These first two chapters left me wanting to read more. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this taster.

The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer (Exclusive first look)

Thanks to NetGalley for an exclusive first look at this book.

Although this is only a snippet of the complete novel, all I can say is 'wow!' SO funny, SO compeling and SO Bob Mortimer!
As you read through, you can virtually hear Bob narrating to you, in his own unique way. Mad cap humour as you would expect, but with a good story plan, and already after just a couple of chapters, we get to meet several wonderful characters which we want to know a lot more about, and no doubt will as the tale unfolds. Can't wait to read more of what I am certain will be a massive hit!