The Clementine Complex

We get to know Gary quite well in the first several chapters, as he opens up about his appearance, career, vivid imagination, and social life (or lack thereof) in London. How would you describe Gary’s personality and attitude toward life?

Consider Gary’s earliest interactions with his neighbor, Grace. Besides their fondness for pie, what initially draws Gary and “Dog Woman” together as friends?

When Gary first encounters Clementine, he observes her burgundy Doc Martens with blue laces tied in double bows and “clinically straight fringe lying across the middle of her forehead” (pg. 16). During their second interaction, Gary notes that Clementine’s “fringe was no longer perfectly set and her hair was distressed and ruffled. She was wearing a gray dressing gown, and her Doc Martens were untied” (pg. 61). 

Compare and contrast Gary’s first encounter with Clementine in the pub to his surprise arrival at her stairwell. What does Clementine’s change in appearance represent? Why do you think she lets Gary keep her book?

DC Bailey tells Gary in chapter 10 that “nobody in the major investigation team had heard of Brendan Jones and there certainly was no ongoing investigation into his death” (pg. 101). He also confirms that there are no officers connected to the police station by the name of Wilmott or Cowley. What do you make of this revelation? Do you agree with Gary’s assessment that Brendan is still alive?

Gary forms a habit of communicating with his “squirrel friends” about Clementine and the events unfolding in his life. What sort of conversations do they have? How does Gary’s active imagination aid his character as well as plot progression?

Part Two begins with a new narrator. We are introduced to Emily, whom we gradually discover is the woman Gary knows as Clementine. Just like Gary’s opening chapters, we learn a lot about Emily in a short amount of time. How would you describe Emily’s character? Does she seem like a reliable narrator?

When Gary meets Wayne for a statement about his arrest, Wayne tells Gary that he looks like a “carpet salesman or a card-shop owner” and that “it’s not fitting with [his] status” (pg. 139). This is something Gary is told repeatedly throughout the book. What role do clothing and physical descriptions play in the shaping of Gary and the supporting characters? What physical descriptions stand out and why? Think back to other observations of appearance, such as the description of Emily in question 3.

In chapter 15, Emily shares that Tommy is a workmate of Brendan’s at Cityside Investigations. We learn that Emily was in the pub on the night she met Gary to “identify the person [Brendan] was meeting and more specifically watch to see if Brendan handed any documents, or in fact anything at all, over to that person” (pg. 168). Readers are privy to this information before Gary.

What purpose does dramatic irony serve in the unfolding of this mystery? How does Emily’s version of the night she met Gary enhance or contradict what we already know about “Clementine” from Gary’s perspective?

Gary is met with another shocking piece of news when he learns from DC Bailey that Brendan has now been found dead behind a warehouse in Peckham. With the information we know at this point in the story, who do you think killed Brendan? What evidence leads you to this belief?

On a related note, what part do you think Emily continues to play in Brendan’s murder and Gary’s mix-up in the investigation? Before she spends the night at Gary’s flat, do you believe her story about breaking up with Tommy?

Gary’s relationship with Emily is the centerpiece of the story. However, Gary’s friendship with Grace is equally important to the plot and character arc. After an emotional moment over losing the corncob dongle, Grace admits her loneliness to Gary. Gary confesses that this “was a topic I had never raised, and hearing her mention it made me panic. It wasn’t something I wanted to address, probably because I was lonely, too” (pgs.177–78). Grace later shares with Gary how she became estranged from her daughter and granddaughter (pgs. 242-45).

What do these two moments of vulnerability reveal about Gary’s relationship with Grace? How has their friendship progressed throughout the novel?

Even in climactic moments, Bob Mortimer embraces the humor of both his characters and their absurd situations. Consider the “gun” McCoy points at Gary, which turns out to be nothing more than a prop for practical joking. Think about the moment Gary wraps Emily’s injured foot in one of Brendan’s tea towels that’s “covered in images of brightly colored novelty socks” (pg. 288). Analyze specific moments where the author relies on comedic choices. How does humor affect the overall tone of the story?

The book ends with Gary, Emily, and Grace celebrating the arrest of McCoy and Peterson and an end to the “dongle nightmare” (pg. 293). They take a drive to Brighton for the day and discuss the possibility of Emily taking over her father’s hotel. How have our three main characters evolved from the beginning of the book to the end? Did any predictions you made throughout this mystery come true?

Back in chapter 6, Gary reads the blurb on the back cover of Emily’s book: “The Clementine Complex is a novel about loneliness, lack of identity and cultural and moral corruption. Its characters are confused but compelling. A haunting meditation on love and loss and everything in between” (pg. 55). How accurately do you feel this blurb reflects the “real” copy of The Clementine Complex—that is, the book you are presumably holding in your hands?