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L’Autre Tournée
288 pages, Paperback
Published September 12, 2025
About the author
Andi Watson
149 books91 followersAndrew "Andi" Watson (born 1969) is a British cartoonist and illustrator best known for the graphic novels Breakfast After Noon, Slow News Day and his series Love Fights, published by Oni Press and Slave Labor Graphics.
Watson has also worked for more mainstream American comic publishers with some work at DC Comics, a twelve-issue limited series at Marvel Comics, with the majority at Dark Horse Comics, moving recently to Image Comics.
Watson has also worked for more mainstream American comic publishers with some work at DC Comics, a twelve-issue limited series at Marvel Comics, with the majority at Dark Horse Comics, moving recently to Image Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 12, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for granting me an E-ARC copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
In this book we follow our main character through a series of unfortunate misunderstandings and misidentifications that ultimately lead to imprisonment for murder.
My review is this: I fear I don’t get it.
In this book we follow our main character through a series of unfortunate misunderstandings and misidentifications that ultimately lead to imprisonment for murder.
My review is this: I fear I don’t get it.
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June 23, 2026Running in parallel to The Book Tour's beleaguered novelist, here we follow encyclopaedia salesman Mortimer through the same city, at the same time, getting accused of the same crimes, yet never quite intersecting with his fellow victim of endless misunderstandings and misidentifications. If the original is one of your all-time favourites (and I certainly know people who feel that way about some Andi Watson comics) then this revisit might do it for you, but for me the art seemed sketchier this time around, and the story less compelling through repetition. I know 'Kafkaesque' is often applied to bureaucracy which, by definition, will tend to put multiple people in the same bind – but in fiction, unless you're going the very different The Wire route of showing how and why systems and processes have become misaligned, I think maybe the malign gravity of it depends on a sense of a particular individual with the whole machinery of society aligned against him, rather than a procession of the poor sods.
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Andi Watson, the publisher,Top Shelf, and Netgalley for a book to be released October 6, 2026.
Since I had only recently picked up the first volume in the series, The Book Tour in May 2026, and I saw this opportunity on Netgalley, I jumped at it. At a glance from other Goodreads reviewers who also read it early on Netgalley, most of us agree it is puzzling. Well, in some ways it is supposed to be puzzling, as it was in the first book, but why tell essentially the same story twice?
In the first book Fretwell is a writer on a nightmare book tour where thngs spin out of control and he locked up for a murder he didn't commit. The publisher rightly calls it Kafkaesque, and it is funny in a kind of Hitchcockian The Wrong Man manner. In feels like fever dream/nightmare. I liked the first one for the sheer absurdity of it.
In the second book the tone iand action is essentially the same as Mortimer, an Encyclopedia salesman with similar luck in book marketing is jailed for a crime he also did not commit. He's trying to get back home for his daughter's Sports Day and will not make it. It'a crazy nightmare all the way through, and it's essentially the same nightmare, so what's the point? Except Mortimer keeps finding Fretwell's book everywhere and intends to bring it home for his wife. In neitherbook do we meet the wife and daughter, or wives and daughters. So it's comic nightmare within a nightmare? Probably.
I confess I read it all the way through and also confess I did not see the point. At times I had to check and see if I had in fact already read and reviewed it! I will look to wiser readers for why this may be such a clever book, but I'm thus far not convinced it was necessary.
Since I had only recently picked up the first volume in the series, The Book Tour in May 2026, and I saw this opportunity on Netgalley, I jumped at it. At a glance from other Goodreads reviewers who also read it early on Netgalley, most of us agree it is puzzling. Well, in some ways it is supposed to be puzzling, as it was in the first book, but why tell essentially the same story twice?
In the first book Fretwell is a writer on a nightmare book tour where thngs spin out of control and he locked up for a murder he didn't commit. The publisher rightly calls it Kafkaesque, and it is funny in a kind of Hitchcockian The Wrong Man manner. In feels like fever dream/nightmare. I liked the first one for the sheer absurdity of it.
In the second book the tone iand action is essentially the same as Mortimer, an Encyclopedia salesman with similar luck in book marketing is jailed for a crime he also did not commit. He's trying to get back home for his daughter's Sports Day and will not make it. It'a crazy nightmare all the way through, and it's essentially the same nightmare, so what's the point? Except Mortimer keeps finding Fretwell's book everywhere and intends to bring it home for his wife. In neitherbook do we meet the wife and daughter, or wives and daughters. So it's comic nightmare within a nightmare? Probably.
I confess I read it all the way through and also confess I did not see the point. At times I had to check and see if I had in fact already read and reviewed it! I will look to wiser readers for why this may be such a clever book, but I'm thus far not convinced it was necessary.
March 3, 2026
J'avais bien aimé l'itération précédente de ce récit kafkaesque, mais l'auteur me paraît manquer d'imagination s'il se contente de reproduire à peu près la même situation déstabilisante, en choisissant cette fois-ci un vendeur d'encyclopédies comme protagoniste passif.
Et cette passivité, qui frôle parfois la simplicité d'esprit, irrite quelque peu. Presque autant que les dessins qui laissent parfois subsister un p'tit doute à propos de ce qui se passe sous nos yeux.
Et cette passivité, qui frôle parfois la simplicité d'esprit, irrite quelque peu. Presque autant que les dessins qui laissent parfois subsister un p'tit doute à propos de ce qui se passe sous nos yeux.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
★★☆☆☆ (2/5) – A Confusing Detour That Never Quite Comes Together
I picked up this book expecting an engaging mystery with a touch of dark humor, but the story left me more frustrated than entertained. The book leans heavily into a Kafkaesque atmosphere of mistaken identity and bureaucratic confusion, but for me it crossed the line from clever to repetitive. That touch of promised Kafka's Metamorphosis level outcome was missing. The premise of a traveling encyclopedia salesman being mistaken for a criminal is intriguing, yet the plot spends so much time wandering through absurd situations that it rarely feels rewarding.
The artwork has a charming retro style and the deadpan humor occasionally lands well, but the characters never felt developed enough for me to care about their predicament. Instead of building suspense, many of the twists seemed designed merely to prolong the confusion.
While fans of surreal mysteries may appreciate its oddball approach, I found the story lacking emotional depth and a satisfying payoff. An interesting concept, but one that ultimately didn't hold my attention.
My NetGalley review
“There’s no evidence you didn’t do it.”
I picked up this book expecting an engaging mystery with a touch of dark humor, but the story left me more frustrated than entertained. The book leans heavily into a Kafkaesque atmosphere of mistaken identity and bureaucratic confusion, but for me it crossed the line from clever to repetitive. That touch of promised Kafka's Metamorphosis level outcome was missing. The premise of a traveling encyclopedia salesman being mistaken for a criminal is intriguing, yet the plot spends so much time wandering through absurd situations that it rarely feels rewarding.
The artwork has a charming retro style and the deadpan humor occasionally lands well, but the characters never felt developed enough for me to care about their predicament. Instead of building suspense, many of the twists seemed designed merely to prolong the confusion.
While fans of surreal mysteries may appreciate its oddball approach, I found the story lacking emotional depth and a satisfying payoff. An interesting concept, but one that ultimately didn't hold my attention.
My NetGalley review
July 2, 2026
Huhhh?
I thought I was getting it and then I wasn’t. The mystery and suspense kept me at the edge of my seat but then the ending wanted to be more clever than it needed to be and it just fell into a confused flatline.
I thought I was getting it and then I wasn’t. The mystery and suspense kept me at the edge of my seat but then the ending wanted to be more clever than it needed to be and it just fell into a confused flatline.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A charming follow-up revisiting the world of The Book Tour.
These are conceptually clever graphic novels, and I love that Watson found a new and equally zany direction to take his salesman’s story in for the second installment in the series.
Book Tour Gone Wrong is an excellent adventure to imagine, particularly with the cleverness in play here as to what “book tour” really means in this context. If you thought things couldn’t get worse for our intrepid and exasperated encyclopedia salesman, buckle up!
Generally I think the plot worked pretty well, though I don’t love Idiot Plot stuff, and we get a fair amount of that here. There’s a touch of repetitiveness to the content as well that wasn’t wonderful.
But the humor (before it becomes overused) is good, and I always enjoy the domino effect that occurs in these as far as what goes wrong for our hero.
I still don’t love the art in these, and I noticed that more in this one than I did in the first installment. The original is a better product overall, though this one is well worth a read if you’re into quirky graphic novels with nontraditional subject matter.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
These are conceptually clever graphic novels, and I love that Watson found a new and equally zany direction to take his salesman’s story in for the second installment in the series.
Book Tour Gone Wrong is an excellent adventure to imagine, particularly with the cleverness in play here as to what “book tour” really means in this context. If you thought things couldn’t get worse for our intrepid and exasperated encyclopedia salesman, buckle up!
Generally I think the plot worked pretty well, though I don’t love Idiot Plot stuff, and we get a fair amount of that here. There’s a touch of repetitiveness to the content as well that wasn’t wonderful.
But the humor (before it becomes overused) is good, and I always enjoy the domino effect that occurs in these as far as what goes wrong for our hero.
I still don’t love the art in these, and I noticed that more in this one than I did in the first installment. The original is a better product overall, though this one is well worth a read if you’re into quirky graphic novels with nontraditional subject matter.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wasn't quite sure what t o expect when I picked this up, I was drawn to it by the lovely cover, and after reading, I'm still not sure!
I loved it though, I need to understand more about the story and so will go out my way to get the other part(s?)
It has beautiful graphics, an interesting story, and just enough anxiety to keep you gripped
I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.
I loved it though, I need to understand more about the story and so will go out my way to get the other part(s?)
It has beautiful graphics, an interesting story, and just enough anxiety to keep you gripped
I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In The Book Tour we saw the miss adventures of G. H. Fretwell as he tries to promote his recent book in an unnamed European town. For the sequel, A Lack of Alibi, we are focused on the encyclopedia salesman Mortimer. He is desperate to make a few last sales so he can go back home in time for his child's field day. Unfortunately for both him and Fretwell, they are traveling in similar circles and often confused.
Like the first book, Mortimer has a set goal but circumstances continually complicate his task. The town is difficult to navigate and his bewilderment is met with scorn, sympathy or confusion. Not helping matters is a murderer on the loose.
Watson builds on the mystery and darkly comedic misunderstandings in highly detailed scenery with simple appearing cartoon characters. Volume two certainly rhymes with volume one, and helps solve some of the issues!
Recommended to readers of bewildered main characters, comedies of errors or mysteries.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
Like the first book, Mortimer has a set goal but circumstances continually complicate his task. The town is difficult to navigate and his bewilderment is met with scorn, sympathy or confusion. Not helping matters is a murderer on the loose.
Watson builds on the mystery and darkly comedic misunderstandings in highly detailed scenery with simple appearing cartoon characters. Volume two certainly rhymes with volume one, and helps solve some of the issues!
Recommended to readers of bewildered main characters, comedies of errors or mysteries.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Amazing read!! Love the storyline so muchhhh!! Now it explained a bit how people keep confusing Mr Mortimer and Mr Fretwell tho the book ends in cliffhanger. I need moreeeeee. I love how funny and quirky the book is!! I love the adorable artwork!!! Amazing book!!!
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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance~
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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance~
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mr Mortimer is trying to go back home so he can attend his daughter’s sports day; however, it seems the universe is against him. From missing his appointment to being mistaken for a murderer, every unlikely event happens, that is, except making his sale. And why does everyone keep calling him every name except his own?
I enjoyed reading this! It is funny and lighthearted with a cute art style that leaves you wanting more. (And that cliffhanger was illegal!)
I enjoyed reading this! It is funny and lighthearted with a cute art style that leaves you wanting more. (And that cliffhanger was illegal!)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh, my goodness! This graphic novel is quirky! But, oh, so, enjoyable.
The art is so amazing in a, well, quirky, minimalist way.
The story, well, that will depend on your sense of humor. If one more person gets his name wrong, I’m gonna have to have surgery for busting a gut. It reminded me of the Anne bit from “Arrested Development”.
You can’t help but love Mister McCallister. Such a great character. You just feel for him all the time. Charlie Brown wishes this guy could catch a break.
So, trust me. Just read it. I can’t explain it.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
The art is so amazing in a, well, quirky, minimalist way.
The story, well, that will depend on your sense of humor. If one more person gets his name wrong, I’m gonna have to have surgery for busting a gut. It reminded me of the Anne bit from “Arrested Development”.
You can’t help but love Mister McCallister. Such a great character. You just feel for him all the time. Charlie Brown wishes this guy could catch a break.
So, trust me. Just read it. I can’t explain it.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews