The Mountain in My Shoe

Overview

An exquisitely written gripping psychological thriller examining the meaning of family . . . and just how far we're willing to go for the people we love

A missing boy. A missing book. A missing husband. A woman who must find them all to find herself. On the night Bernadette finally has the courage to tell her domineering husband that she's leaving, he doesn't come home. Neither does Conor, the little boy she's befriended for the past five years. Also missing is his lifebook, the only thing that holds the answers. With the help of Conor's foster mum, Bernadette must face her own past, her husband's secrets and a future she never dared imagine in order to find them all. Exquisitely written and deeply touching, The Mountain in My Shoe is both a gripping psychological thriller and a powerful and emotive examination of the meaning of family … and just how far we're willing to go for the people we love. 'Deft and full of emotions' Irish Times 'It is a brilliantly creative work of fiction' We Love this Book (The Bookseller) 'A fabulous, exquisitely written novel that tugs at the soul … incredibly moving' David Young 'Full of beautiful descriptions, images and observations … hauntingly poignant, with a relentless tension and pace' Katie Marsh 'A moving and powerful book' Jane Lythell 'A rich, psychologically profound novel about overcoming adversity … It's a masterpiece' Gill Paul 'Louise Beech masterfully envelops us in two worlds separated by time yet linked by fierce family devotion, bravery and the triumph of human spirit. Wonderful' Amanda Jennings, author of In Her Wake 'Dark, compelling and highly thought-provoking … a fascinating page-turner that wrenches at your insides' Off-the-Shelf Books 'A wonderful, nuanced book probing the damages wreaked by absence and neglect, while exploring the power of love and hope … and what it means to be truly "home". It made me laugh and cry by turns. I loved it' Melissa Bailey 'An exquisite novel. Darkly compelling emotionally charged. And I LOVED it!' Jane Isaac

Author Biography

Louise Beech is an exceptional literary talent, whose debut novel How To Be Brave was a Guardian Readers' Choice for 2015. The follow-up, The Mountain in My Shoe was shortlisted for Not the Booker Prize. Both of her previous books Maria in the Moon and The Lion Tamer Who Lost were widely reviewed, critically acclaimed and number-one bestsellers on Kindle. The Lion Tamer Who Lost was shortlisted for the RNA Most Popular Romantic Novel Award in 2019. Her short fiction has won the Glass Woman Prize, the Eric Hoffer Award for Prose, and the Aesthetica Creative Works competition, as well as shortlisting for the Bridport Prize twice. Louise lives with her husband on the outskirts of Hull, and loves her job as a Front of House Usher at Hull Truck Theatre, where her first play was performed in 2012.