Il piccolo libraio di Archangelsk

'She's gone to Bourges.'

It was to protect Gina's reputation that Jonas had told the little lie. She had often gone off with younger men since their wedding. In fact her family, most of the neighbours - they all knew. How could the timid little bookseller forsee the dumb hostility and suspicion, the police inquiries, the ugly discoveries his lie would provoke in the place he called home?