In his third novel, The Long Shoe, we return to UK comedian Bob Mortimer’s curious and comically touching imagination.

Matt thinks everything in his life is going perfectly well, until he is suddenly fired from his job and his girlfriend, Harriet, fails to return home, ghosting him. As suddenly as his life has been tipped upside down, he is unexpectedly approached by a real estate agent offering him an apartment at the luxurious Satsuma Heights, along with a new job. Matt, desperate to do anything to get Harriet’s attention again, takes the deal, knowing it’s always been her dream to live in Satsuma Heights. Little does he know, Harriet has actually been kidnapped and is being held hostage, unaware of where she is, who has taken her, or what they want from her. With the oblivious Matt as her only chance of rescue, will Harriet make it out alive?

Beyond the mysteries of how Matt can sort out his life and how Harriet might survive a kidnapping, Mortimer’s novel is unexpectedly lonely and introspective. The Long Shoe tackles the dangers of co-dependency, as Matt grows increasingly unhinged in Harriet’s absence and is forced to reckon with being by himself for the first time. Harriet, dwelling on her relationship during her solitude, is also left to question how satisfied she was in her life and to catalogue not only the different ways she misses Matt, but also the many annoying things she doesn’t miss anymore.

In this bizarre upending of their ordinary lives, Matt and Harriet must survive against those who wish them harm, but also tackle the parts of themselves that are hurting them and their relationship. However, as we can expect from Mortimer, this book balances these difficult themes with a lighthearted, humorous ease that is both fitting and uplifting, making it the ultimate cosy crime caper from a well-loved talent.