"Spying, cats and catastrophic self-improvement in one of Mortimer’s most charmingly strange stories."
Another typically Mortimer-esque tale, The Long Shoe follows Matt, a former high-end bathroom salesman whose life has stalled badly. Convinced his girlfriend Harriet has left him because he isn’t quirky or exciting enough, Matt jumps at the chance to rent the luxury flat Harriet once adored at a knockdown price, and with a catch. His new landlord expects him to spy on the neighbours.
Early on, the reader learns that Harriet’s disappearance is not of her own making, and I spent much of the novel convinced I’d already guessed the twist — happily wrong, as it turned out — while thoroughly enjoying Matt’s hilariously misguided journey towards the truth. Along the way he dodges the unwanted attentions of his old neighbour Carol (who resolutely refuses to take no for an answer), fails spectacularly to rescue his kidnapped cat (with whom he conducts imaginary conversations), and shops for quirky accessories in the hope of reinventing himself, never knowing whether Harriet will return to enjoy them with him.
The supporting cast is irresistibly funny, from The Hamper ( Matt’s unlikely yoga teacher and evangelist for “very essential oils”) to a local, good-natured wannabe gangsta Matt affectionately calls Hotdog. The laughs come thick and fast, and the ending is as surprising as it is satisfying.
The title itself is a perfect Mortimer touch: a portmanteau of the “long shoe” Matt aspires to become and the quirky accessory that ultimately saves the day. For maximum enjoyment, the audiobook, read by Mortimer himself, is highly recommended.
THE BRAND-NEW BOOK FOR 2025 BY 2 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR BOB MORTIMER.
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
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THE BRAND-NEW BOOK FOR 2025 BY 2 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR BOB MORTIMER. Bathroom salesman Matt is at a crossroads. He has lost his job, he is about to be made homeless and his girlfriend has left him.
The Long Shoe features in the following genres: Audiobooks of the Month, Crime and Mystery, Feel-Good Fiction, Humorous Fiction, Modern and Contemporary Fiction
Paperback, Hardback, Audiobook. Not Available.
The Long Shoe was written by Bob Mortimer and published by Gallery UK
The Long Shoe has 336 pages
