Publisher's Weekly Review
Comedian Mortimer's quirky debut novel follows a hapless protagonist on the adventure of a lifetime. Gary Thorn is an awkward 30-year-old legal assistant at a London law firm. When Brandon Jones, a private investigator for the firm, invites Gary for a drink for the umpteenth time, he finally accepts, having run out of viable excuses. After a brief conversation, Brandon gets a phone call and leaves the pub. Gary is pleased and surprised when an attractive woman who had been watching the pair then walks over to him and strikes up a conversation. The two talk for hours, but the woman leaves without giving Gary her name. The following day, two detectives show up at his apartment and inform him that Brandon has been murdered. Gary sets out to find the mysterious woman from the bar, hoping she will provide him with an alibi. The author's comedy chops translate well to Gary's deadpan voice ("I've never been good at striking up conversations with the opposite sex. I knew what would work for me if the roles were reversed--something like: 'Do you prefer even or uneven surfaces?' "), and he never lets the frantic pace flag. Here's hoping Mortimer has more mysteries up his sleeve. (Sept.)
Kirkus Review
A 30-year-old legal assistant musters the courage to talk to a woman in a pub and unknowingly inserts himself into a criminal plot. The first novel by British comedian and memoirist Mortimer is a rom-com and mystery packaged in one. Our narrator, Gary Thorn, is alone in London with a dull job and no relationship prospects, but life gets more interesting when he goes for a reluctant drink with Brendan Jones, a private investigator who works closely with his law firm. While Brendan chats away, Gary is distracted by a woman sitting at the end of the bar with a book. When Brendan needs to leave after receiving an urgent call, Gary is free to ask the woman about her book, The Clementine Complex. This turns into a multihour conversation that ends abruptly--the woman disappears while Gary is fetching a drink. A defeated Gary is surprised to learn the next morning that Brendan has been found dead. Gary was likely the last person to see him alive. And what about the woman, whose name he never got? Is she in danger, too, or is she suspicious given that she left in a hurry? Gary has many questions, which he bounces off his neighbor Grace, who loves to gossip over meat pies. With heavy reliance on Gary's rich interior dialogue, the book has little allegiance to the rule of "show, don't tell." Gary can't resist the urge to figure out what's transpired, so, with good intention and zero preparation, he plods his way through police stations and South London estates in search of answers, hoping to find the woman who's taken his fancy in the process. Gary's quirky, self-aware nature is often endearing, especially in how much he subtly cares for others, but the surface-level humor Mortimer uses to give the story pep can be a tough sell, more awkward than funny. The narrative flow is derailed halfway through when our mystery woman becomes the narrator. Despite the whiplash, the fresh perspective--which is raw and humorless in a good way--is welcome. You'll root for a happy ending despite the flaws. Quirky, lighthearted, but easy to forget--it could have been a gem with more polish. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Following his memoir, And Away (2021), British comedian and TV personality Mortimer presents his first novel. Legal assistant Gary has a mundane life. His apartment is spare, his routine is the same every day, and his only friend is his wacky neighbor. When his colleague, Brendan, invites him to get drinks, Gary is confused but excited to get out. And when Brendan mysteriously rushes off, Gary becomes fixated on a beautiful woman who's been watching them. She's reading a book called The Clementine Complex, so Gary christens her Clementine. He never gets her number, but Clementine becomes a part of Gary's life anyway when Brendan turns up dead. Suddenly Gary must find out what happened to his colleague--and what does Clementine have to do with it? This is a punchy page-turner starring a quirky character who must leave his comfort zone to unravel a complicated knot of mysteries. While the mystery will keep readers intrigued, Gary's growth is the main focus. His journey will appeal to readers of Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project (2013) and Nita Prose's The Maid (2022).
Library Journal Review
DEBUT British comedian and memoirist Mortimer's (And Away) fiction debut is filled with witty dialogue and a distinctive quirkiness. On the evening that unassuming legal assistant Gary meets his coworker Brendan at the local pub, he also hits it off with an intriguing, book-reading stranger who leaves without giving Gary her name. However, she leaves behind her book, The Clementine Complex. Confused by her hasty departure but unsurprised due to what he considers his ordinariness, Gary keeps the book and heads home. After learning the next day that Brendan is missing and possibly deceased, Gary decides that finding the mystery woman is the only way he can clear his own name while also getting justice for Brendan. Armed with the book she left behind and a description of her bicycle, Gary starts asking questions. Recruiting his oddball neighbor Grace and her dog Lassoo for assistance, Gary stumbles into a world of corruption that leaves him wondering whom he can trust. VERDICT This whodunit's memorable characters help set it apart from more traditional crime fiction. Will appeal to readers who appreciate a healthy dose of eccentric humor with their murder mysteries.--Lucinda Ward
