The charming and original story of a small, declining community’s struggle to survive in the shadow of an all-consuming metropolis, from from the multi-million copy bestselling author of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared.
All over the world, people sleep blissfully in Traumbett beds. These marvellous feats of German engineering have successfully cornered the mattress market everywhere. Everywhere, except Sweden and owner Konrad Kaltenbacher Jr is desperate to expand there.
With Konrad Jr’s sights set firmly on stylish Stockholm, Julia Bäck, district councillor of the small, decaying town of Halstaholm, has plans of her own. Seeing an opportunity to attract 800 new jobs, Julia jumps into spearheading a persuasive campaign to win the contract. A roundabout is hastily renamed in honour of Angela Merkel; a German school is quickly established under the leadership of a ten-year-old boy and three elderly pensioners; and the town swimming pool is rapidly transformed into a beerhouse – it had been empty for years anyway!
Julia’s get-up-and-go impresses the German boss … but has she made herself a tricky bed to lie in?
| ISBN: | 9780008767372 |
| Publication date: | 15th January 2026 |
| Author: | Jonas Jonasson |
| Publisher: | 4th Estate an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 144 pages |
| Primary Genre | Humorous Fiction |
| Other Genres: |
The charming and original story of a small, declining community’s struggle to survive in the shadow of an all-consuming metropolis, from from the multi-million copy bestselling author of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared.
All over the world, people sleep blissfully in Traumbett beds. These marvellous feats of German engineering have successfully cornered the mattress market everywhere. Everywhere, except Sweden and owner Konrad Kaltenbacher Jr is desperate to expand there.
With Konrad Jr’s sights set firmly on stylish Stockholm, Julia Bäck, district councillor of the small, decaying town of Halstaholm, has plans of her own. Seeing an opportunity to attract 800 new jobs, Julia jumps into spearheading a persuasive campaign to win the contract. A roundabout is hastily renamed in honour of Angela Merkel; a German school is quickly established under the leadership of a ten-year-old boy and three elderly pensioners; and the town swimming pool is rapidly transformed into a beerhouse – it had been empty for years anyway!
Julia’s get-up-and-go impresses the German boss … but has she made herself a tricky bed to lie in?
The Distinctly Competent District Councillor features in the following genres: Fiction in translation, Humorous Fiction, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Narrative theme: Sense of place
The Distinctly Competent District Councillor is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Distinctly Competent District Councillor was written by Jonas Jonasson and published by 4th Estate an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
The Distinctly Competent District Councillor has 144 pages
£8.99
