Plot Sally Parker is the bored wife of an elaborately rich hedge fund manager. She has a full-time nanny, a chef and someone to groom her dogs. But when her husband suddenly goes bankrupt, all this is whipped away from her and she can start to find herself again. This debut novel comes from the comedian and former Bake Off co-host Mel Giedroyc, one half of Mel and Sue. Main character The story is told from the perspective of all four characters, although the main one is Grace, a woman approaching her 90th birthday with the same energy that most approach their 30th. We meet her on a beach, snapping at a patronising do-gooder, and things progress from there. Who should buy this book? Fans of The Great British Bake Off, especially fans who have just started to notice how wobbly the show has got without her. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman To describe me as anonymous would be unfair, but to notice me other than in passing would be a rarity.

While meeting a work colleague for a drink one night, his attention is taken by an attractive young woman who is sitting alone reading a copy of The Satsuma Complex. His friend suddenly leaves citing a work call and he strikes up a conversation with the girl, a conversation that carries on for hours. He’s smitten, but through all of their chatting, he never found out her name. Next thing he knows, she’s gone and he’s come to the realisation he’s fallen for her. When the police arrive on Gary’s doorstep the next morning saying Brendan is missing and he was the last person to see him alive, the book takes all sorts of twists and turns. There’s a bit of a mystery, a bit of romance, and a bunch of insight in human beings and their behaviour. Mortimer commented on the win: “I'm really chuffed to have won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction, and what a treat to have an old spot pig named after the book. I still have no idea if I can actually write but this award gives me fresh hope. Cheers!”

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This is a really slow burn, and I found the ending to be terrifically satisfying. So much so that I’d enjoy a Gary Thorn Part II. Or Gary and Emily. Or what Gary did next. Bob Mortimer wins 2023 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction with The Satsuma Complex As in his television work, Mortimer conveys an infectious joy in his own oddity, and, as his recent bestselling memoir And Away… showed, there’s a sweetness to his worldview that makes his writing gently poignant. And although I can’t imagine non-fans emerging anything other than baffled, those who are used to his brand of weirdness will find that the book works well as a thriller, too. Like Spike Milligan, the only vintage comic whose fiction is still read, Mortimer has managed to use a novel as a vehicle for his distinctive comedic voice. Peter Florence, Chair of the Judges, commented: “He approaches the world with a sly, mischievous smile. I guess this is what happens when you turn a brilliant, oblique comedic attention to life. The language and the tonetip your perception all the time, and he has this strange ability to keep the reader on the very brink of guffawing for whole chapters at a time. You get to love all these characters, the good ones and the bad ones and the very bad ones. And you’ll start talking to squirrels. And then you’ll have to think around what that’s achieving for you.”

It came as no surprise that a beloved comedian like Mortimer could write funny, warm characters, but he’s equally skilled at writing the sort of people you really wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of, perhaps the sort of people he encountered from time to time in during his pre-showbiz career as a solicitor. With his insider knowledge of the law and its legal system, Mortimer is able to craft a story that, when it’s not being thoroughly amusing, shines a light on the flaws in criminal justice, reminding us that, for some, the police can be as equally intimidating as any gang. Make no mistake, this isn’t designed to be a gritty, hard-hitting critique of the justice system, but there are a few sharp lines here and there that reflect the current turbulent climate we live in, and one can only imagine what Mortimer might have to say were he to take the gloves off. Plot A fiftysomething woman is devastated when her partner is diagnosed with dementia and his children turf her out of the home they shared. Her partner was insistent that the house should never be sold. But why? Graham Norton, now an established author in addition to his TV and radio career, finds out. Dystopian Fiction Books Everyone Should Read: Explore The Darker Side of Possible Worlds and Alternative Futures Main character Sally, a woman who gleefully rediscovers her can-do attitude when all the unnecessary peripherals start to fall away. In a year when laughing out loud and seeing the comical side of life seems more important than ever before, the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction 2023 has been awarded to Bob Mortimer for his funny and clever debut novel The Satsuma Complex.Main character Technically, the Thursday Murder Club are an ensemble – Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim – but the leader is arguably Elizabeth, an ex-spy and primary carer for her husband, who has dementia. Oh Bob Mortimer, you funny, funny man! This book made me laugh out loud so much. I am a big fan of this silly man. His appearances on Would I Lie to You often making me cry in laughter. He is so funny, no matter what he turns his hand to. If you like British humor, you have to read this book. I was thrilled when I received an early copy from Simon and Schuster Australia in the mail. My husband grabbed it and started to read it straight away. All this suggests that novel-writing is a very promising new direction for comedy’s latest national treasure. On he podcast, Mortimer also said that he regretted having never done a solo stand-up show, and said: ‘I wouldn’t mind doing that.’ Mortimer, who found fame as one half of Reeves and Mortimer alongside Vic Reeves, said he was “really chuffed” to have won the award. “I still have no idea if I can actually write but this award gives me fresh hope,” he added.

Previous works An autobiography (And Away…) and a Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing tie-in gift book.So, it’s no surprise that I’m a Bob Mortimer fan and have been appreciating his quirky style of humour for years now. So it’s not surprising that, while reading The Satsuma Complex, I could hear his voice every time his lead character, Gary Thorn, opened his mouth. Plot Mia has it all: a husband, a stepson, an important job and a cat. However, she increasingly feels as if she is simply holding it all together to present herself the way society wants. If only she could be more like her cat. This is the fifth novel by presenter Dawn O’Porter. Who should buy this book? If I had to guess, I’d say every single woman who owns a cat will have this pressed into her hands over the next few months. Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift Inspiration So many comedians have published novels this year that I have begun to wonder whether writing one is an assignment in a yet-to-be-broadcast episode of Taskmaster. Most of them have confirmed the axiom that comics can’t write memorable fiction: even the novels of master funnymen such as Eric Morecambe and Les Dawson did not burnish their reputations.