Audiobook review of The Long Shoe by Bob Mortimer – Cozy and Strange Crime | books

MAt Giles, the thirty-year-old protagonist of The Long Shoe, is suffering from bad luck. Shortly after losing his job as a bathroom salesman, he learned that he and his girlfriend, Harriet, were being evicted from their apartment. Could life get any worse? Apparently, it can. Matt finds a letter from Harriet saying that she left him and that he should not contact her. But then he receives a call from a stranger offering him a job with a luxury apartment, leading him to wonder if his fortunes have changed.

Maybe Harriet would come back if she knew they had a fancy new home. Comedian Bob Mortimer’s third mystery novel comes with his own quirky touches including a talking cat in the form of Matt, a Godmonson, and whimsical metaphors; For Matt, trying to put on a familiar face is like “trying to find a mouse’s handbag in a construction skip.”

The narrative is built around the alternating viewpoints of Matt, Harriet, and their neighbor Carol, a sharp-tongued divorcée. While Mortimer reads Matt’s chapters, Arabella Weir gives voice to Carol, whose love for a younger man often gets her into trouble. Harriet, who we soon discover never left Matt but was the victim of a crime, is read by Diane Morgan, whose delivery is every bit as funny as you’d expect from star Philomena Kunk. If the plot is under the weight of too many gimmicks, the surreal humor and sharp performances will be enough to keep you listening.

Available via Simon & Schuster, 7 hours 25 minutes

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