The Good Mayor

Book excerpt: 'A triumph of tone, very moving, completely convincing' - ANDREW MARR 'A Baltic Brief Encounter' - INDEPENDENT Every morning, Mayor Tibo Krovic stops off at the local café on his way to work. He drinks his Viennese coffee with extra figs, leaves a bag of sweets for the owner, and then continues on to his office. There he awaits the arrival of his secretary: the beautiful, married, but lonely, Agathe Stopak. In the respectable town of Dot, there is nothing the good Mayor Tibo can do about his love for Mrs Stopak. Until one day Agathe accidentally drops her lunch into the fountain and a family tragedy is revealed. In that moment, everything changes. The Good Mayor is a magical story of fate and chance, of loss and love. An international bestseller, published in 23 countries, this stunning novel will be loved by fans of Joanne Harris (Chocolat), Louis de Bernieres (Captain Corelli's Mandolin) and William Boyd (Love is Blind). PRAISE FOR THE GOOD MAYOR: 'One of the best books I've ever read . . . It had a humour and lightness of touch that hooked me from the first page to the last' - Daily Telegraph 'An extraordinary achievement - original and profoundly creative' - Scotsman 'The delicious writing takes it into a rare league' - The Sun 'A story of love, dreaming and loss . . . you will not be disappointed.' - Andrew Marr, Observer 'An exuberant, whirlwind read, with a glint of steel beneath the frothy plot.' - Guardian 'Clearly the handiwork of a master storyteller.' - Financial Times 'A literary novel and gorgeously written, old-fashioned romance.' - The Australian Women's Weekly 'Told with fantastical detail, delightful insights and a touch of humour, this fairy tale-ish romance is a genuine treat.' - Publishers Weekly