The Clementine Complex - Bob Mortimer

The bright orange cover of The Clementine Complex caught my eye -  and the description of Bob Mortimer's first novel sealed the deal.

"...a delightfully quirky mystery in the vein of Richard Osman and Nita Prose."

Gary is a bit of an odd duck as my gran used to say. But he's a nice guy. He's at a bar one night, having a pint with his co-worker Brendan when Brendan has to unexpectedly leave. That empty stool lets him start a conversation with the beautiful woman at the end of the bar, reading a book titled The Clementine Complex. She too leaves - but leaves the book on the bar. When Brendan goes missing and the Clementine woman can't be found either, Gary decides to start his own investigation.

I loved Gary! He's the guy you might not notice, and he's kind of used to it. But he sees everything. His interactions with some of the characters he meets through his investigation are downright laugh out loud funny. Gary meet some darker characters along the way, but he's still just Gary. I also loved the quirky supporting characters, notably his elderly next door neighbor Grace. His discussions with with a squirrel are quite quite entertaining.

Alongside the mystery of the missing people is a romantic thread as well. (You saw that coming, didn't you?) And that just being yourself is enough.

I chose to listen to The Clementine Complex as Bob Mortimer was the reader! It's always a treat to hear an author read their own work. For me Bob's voice completely embodies the character of Gary. The pauses, the emphasizing of dialogue, the emotions and action are perfect as he's the one wrote it all! He was joined by Sally Phillips who brought Clementine to life. 

If you enjoy British humor, as I do, this would a great listen for you. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of The Clementine Complex. (Note that the book was released as The Satsuma Complex in Britain.)