Bob Mortimer

I bought The Satsuma Complex because it was written by Bob Mortimer.
A bit bonkers, slightly surreal and laugh-out-loud funny, it is interwoven with threads of darkness, poignancy and extreme violence.
Disenchanted with his day job and disinclined to give his Peckham flat any sense of permanency, Gary’s high points are Saturday pie with Grace next door and Battenberg with banter at Wayne’s coffee shop until the fateful evening he agrees to meet Brendan at his local for a pint where he is drawn to a pretty, dark-haired girl he names Satsuma (after the book she’s reading – it could happen to you!) and listens to his guffawing, garrulous work colleague for the last time.
What follows is a well-constructed murder mystery with twists a-plenty, great character development, sad back stories and many hysterical moments. Alternative herbal tea, DIY health food bars and lower back pain remedies. Attic invaders, ducks and mouth-watering jelly snakes!
And then there’s the squirrel.
Of course there’s a squirrel.
What better sounding board than a bushy-tailed buddy?
I loved the humour, the harsh realities and the pacy plot as well as the portrayal of Gary, Emily, Grace and all the other characters, bad and badder.… (mehr)

A life less ordinary

One of the best things about Bob’s life story is the way he tells it. Having laughed along with him over the years, reading And Away… was a no-brainer.

1959 – 1987; blocked arteries, open heart surgery and recovery; the journey from pubs to arenas with Vic – there’s never a dull moment. Middlesborough for family and footie, Brighton for tigers and shyness, Manchester for curries and studies and London for clerking and articles.

I really enjoyed Bob’s memories of growing up in the 60s and 70s and found myself smiling nostalgically at the fads and fashions of the times.

The chance meeting with Vic that kick-started Bob’s career in comedy and gave birth to Shooting Stars et al is also a lovely reminder of how hysterically funny and out-of-the box everything they dreamt up together was.

Pocket meat and pie. Red Kickers and cable-knit jumpers. Old Man Christmas and The Witch’s House, Bob’s letter to his mum and battle with social anxiety.

“If you yourself are a shy one, then please try not to settle for living in your isolation cage.

Humble and heartfelt, moving and motivating, witty and wise.
Have a giggle and shed a tear with Mr Robert Mortimer.… (mehr)