Small Bomb At Dimperley is a wonderful feel-good novel. It’s set in 1945 and is pitch-perfect in capturing the era. All over the country, manor houses that had been requisitioned for Government departments; for troops; for schools; for hospitals, were in such poor repair that it would have been kindest to bulldoze them and put the houses – and the owners – out of their misery. There were many minor aristocrats who were asset-rich but cash-poor. And I’m sure many of them were dismayed to find out, as Valentine Vere-Thissett finds in this book, the National Trust wouldn’t accept a property unless there was cash to accompany it.

Although I’ve said it’s a feel-good book, there is poignancy: Lady Irene Vere-Thissett had three sons: Felix, who inherited the baronetcy, was killed in the war; Ceddy got brain-fever as a child and has a mental age of about three; and Valentine is dyslexic and has lost the fingertips of his right hand through a post-war mishap in the army. The house has belonged to Vere-Thissetts for over 500 years but, after troops were stationed there during the war, is in appalling condition. There is only one servant left and she, poor woman, tries to do everything – because, if she doesn’t, she’ll have to leave and get another job – and a roof over her head.

Lissa Evans does a brilliant job of giving an elegiac view of the old world, exemplified by Dowager Lady Irene, clinging on to a world in which there were servants to do her bidding and deference paid to her status; the modern world with Zena Baxter, an unmarried mother, who is energetic, intelligent and keen to run things; and Sir Valentine Vere-Thisset, a baronet who was a corporal (not an officer) in the army, who is very happy indeed with this modern world, where all men and women are equal. Surprisingly, Zena loves Dimperley, including the mismatched architecture and the centuries-old paperwork, although she no longer lives there and doesn’t have to bathe in tepid water. What will she do when her husband returns from his posting in Malta?

I loved the characters and enjoyed watching the chemistry between Valentine and Zena. However, Valentine really needs to marry a rich heiress in order to save the house. I though Lissa Evans handled this aspect brilliantly. It would have been easy to introduce a hideous shrew as the Wife Presumptive, but Yvonne is intelligent, pretty, humorous and has a lovely personality – we (and Valentine) cannot dislike her. As Valentine recognises, she would be exactly the right wife for him. The resolution of that plot-line is delicately and movingly done: we can sympathise with all parties.

Sadly, the plot doesn’t allow for a sequel, but I’m about to look for other books by Lissa Evans – if they’re half as good as Small Bomb At Dimperley, I’m in for a treat…

#SmallBombAtDimperley #NetGalley

A delectable story of post-war Britain and how things were changing for those previously regarded as 'gentry'.

Captain Valentine Vere-Thisset, aged 23, is on his way home from the war to Dimperley, the family home which is falling to bits and in need of huge sums being spent to keep it standing. With many relatives residing there, he became 'Sir' Valentine on the death of his brother and has much to sort out. Zena Baxter and her young daughter are also calling Dimperley home since they were evacuated there during the war and while she will do all she can to help, she has secrets of her own to deal with ...

This is a packed novel, with humour, pathos and a budding friendship to keep the reader glued to the page. I truly enjoyed each and every word and have no hesitation in recommending this one. Five sparkling stars from me.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is = as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

The story takes place at the end of the WWII, but it is a kind of cozy read. I really liked the characters and the place. Considering the characters there are some nice developments and I started to like them with every page more and more. They aren’t the typical one-dimensional characters, they are people you could imagine to live in real life. I liked Zena and Valentine the most. The place is quite strange but loveable (I would like to visit it). The situation of the gentry was shown very nicely and one can learn a lot about the situation changed by the war.
I recommend this book highly.

I adored this novel - it has all of the elements I love in a book and is executed so well. The crumbling pile of Dimperley, the turning of social mores, the slow burn love story between Valentine and Zena - Evans is an old pro at this kind of thing and you can tell. I read it in two greedy gulps and enjoyed every second.

I’ve enjoyed reading Lissa Evans’ previous books,and this one was no exception.In some ways it’s a bit different as it’s set just after the Second World War and in the countryside instead of in London.However ,it has an interesting plot with a range of quirky and believable characters and I loved every minute.
It’s set at Dimperley,a crumbling country house which is the seat of the Vere-Thissett family.They have fallen on hard times after the war and when Felix,the older son, dies in the war,the title of Baronet goes to Valentine,the younger son. His mother has a low opinion of him,and treats him with thinly veiled contempt,as he tries to find a way to restore the family’s fortunes and save the house from being sold.He is helped in this by his eccentric uncle,Alaric ,and Zena,who came to the house during the war and stayed on with her little daughter to work as Alaric’s assistant.
There is a wide range of characters and sub-plots in the book and it’s also very funny-the diary of the National Trust inspector made me laugh out loud.However,the depiction of life after the war is also very moving and all in all it’s a wonderful read.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.

A country house postWW2 filled with an endearing cast of characters. A warm, reassuring book - a perfect antidote to the unsettling news cycle and the lashing July rain. A well crafted romp - the only downside is that I now have to wait for another Lissa Evans book.

It takes real talent to write a historically set book that manages to be both contemporary and so of its time it feels like a classic. but that is exactly what Lissa Evans has done with Small Bomb at Dimperley. Put a silver cover on it, and it would feel at home on the Persephone list of mid-century classics - and there is no greater praise than that.

The Second World War has ended and the UK starts to adjust to the aftermath. Dimperley, a stately home in the Chilterns comprised of a hodge podge of styles, now teeters under the strain of neglect post requistion as a maternity hospital, death duties and lack of money generally, and a shortage of staff, the 27 servants once needed to maintain standards now reduced to a ladies maid, a gardener and a couple of unsatisfactory daily helps. The occupants are no more put together than their home. The Dowager can't adjust to a world with a Labour government where class doesn't mean what it once did, her widowed daughter in law is struggling to reconnect with her returned daughters who were evacuated to the US for the duration of the war, and her daughters are horrified by the contrast between California and post war England. Meanwhile Valentine, youngest son and family disappointment has inherited a house, title and responsibilities he doesn't want and feels unfit to manage. Observing all this is Zena, secretary to Alaric, uncle of the house and family chronicler, who just wants a home for herself and her daughter and an outlet for her capabiltites.

Wry, affectionate, poignant and very funny, every character is perfectly and realistically drawn. I stayed up far too late to finish it and then regretted rushing it. An instant classic. Highly recommended.

This was a warm, quietly compelling, sensitively-observed novel, with a rich and complex cast of characters and a satisfying plot - I'd expect nothing less from the wonderful Lissa Evans.

I had to read this book very slowly, not because I wasn't enjoying it but quite the opposite, because I couldn't bear to reach the end. I have loved all Lissa Evans' previous books and this is every bit as beautifully written. Her use of language, characterisation, storylines are all truly wonderful and I was completely transported to the draughty hotchpotch of country house that is Dimperley and firmly ensconced in the post-war happenings of its inhabitants and I didn't want to leave. A glorious read.

4.5* Small Bomb at Dimperley is a warm hug of a read infused with superb characters and sharp dialogue. I absolutely loved it.

Valentine Vere-Thissett was the son not meant to manage the family pile; Dimperley a house from the 1500s which has been extended with new wings in every time and style in the passing centuries. When Valentine is demobbed after the war, having almost bored himself to death as a corporal, rather than the officer class which would have been the norm for his social class, he goes home to a family in chaos. His mother still assumes herself wealthy and is in high demand to open local village fetes. His sister-in-law has a secret. His uncle is on the umpteenth volume of the family history he is writing and his nieces are just returned from the US with a modern outlook that doesn’t fit with the twee family name. Can Valentine bring the family together and are his key allies those who can see the world a little more objectively.

Warm, funny and with an absolutely fantastic cast of characters, Dimperley is a triumph. I loved Lissa Evan’s trilogy starting with Crooked Heart and this book delivers in all the same ways. This isn’t wham-bam humour, it’s a smart underlying tickle that gets under your skin amidst a tight plot. The skill is not just that each character is so well imagined, but that their interactions sparkle off the page. I hope that the author goes back to these characters again, as they will certainly be staying with me.

Thanks to Transworld and Netgalley for an ARC.

What a joy It is to read a new book by Lissa Evans, one of our most talented authors. Her characters always leap off the pages, fully human, and Small Bomb at Dimperley is another gem.

The story is set at the end of World War II. Valentine is returning to Dimperley Manor, minus some fingers on his right hand, to take his place as Baronet following the death of one elder brother and brain damage of another. He’s always been in the shadow of his eldest brother, Felix, in both his own mind and that of his mother, and must now adapt to his new position. The house has been used as a maternity home through the war, there is no money for repairs, and society is changing around him in the aftermath of war.

The country house is filled with a host of memorable characters – his fierce mother Irene, his older brother Cedric, his aged uncle Alaric (trying to write the family history and battling his own demons), his widowed sister in law (recently reunited with her two daughters following their return from safety in from the US), and Zena and her 3 year old daughter Allison, who remain in the house after first arriving during its time as a maternity home.

All of them have real stories behind them and their own concerns and struggles and it’s all balanced with the author’s usual wit and humour. It can be difficult to write children without them becoming either precocious or saccharine, but Allison is a wonderful character, full of life and absolutely believable. Cedric, also, is not a sidelined disabled person but beautifully portrayed and it’s so nice to see him as a much loved member of the family rather than a problem to be solved or handled.

I couldn’t have loved this book more. I’ve enjoyed everything Lissa Evans has written in the past and this is yet another treasure that I know I will be returning to often.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

‘Small Bomb at Dimperley’ is wonderful entertainment and great fun whilst also touching on societal prejudices prevalent at the end of the Second World War. When Corporal Valentine Vere-Thissett returns home, minus several fingertips, to take on the mantle of his ancestral home, Dimperley, alongside its crippling debts, he little thinks that he may have to sacrifice his personal happiness to save the estate. His formidable mother has other ideas!
When Valentine meets Zena Baxter and her three year old daughter, Allison, who are waiting for ‘their man of the house’ to return from war, he begins to appreciate just how much his family relies on her common sense, good humour and positive approach to everything. Zena has experienced few creature comforts in life and she is not about to allow the family’s rather feeble approach to saving Dimperley destroy her feelings of security. However, there are some problems that no amount of competency can solve!
Another wonderfully told story from Lissa Evans, this time focusing on the aftermath of war. Not only does she create a very appealing collection of characters; her plausible narrative also shows that new beginnings are possible, even after the darkest days.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers Doubleday UK for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Valentine Vere-Thissett, aged 23, is on his way home to Dimperley, a crumbling big house, at the end of WW2. His older brother has died, meaning thar Valentine is now Sir Valentine.

Zena Baxter lives there with her young daughter, and loves the house.

This is a lovely, light hearted read, to be recommended.

A splendidly entertaining book. As the country recovers from World War 2, we are treated to the story of the Vere-Thysett family, struggling to maintain a crumbling mansion and adapt to the aftermath of war. Every character is beautifully presented. My favourites were Valentine, the returning soldier, injured (but not in battle),now the reluctant baronet after the death of his older brother, and expected to restore the family fortunes by marrying money; Uncle Alaric, spending his days researching the history of Dimperley Manor and the family; Zena, Alaric's assistant and her feisty small daughter Allison; and Kitty and Priss, Valentine's nieces, back from the USA where they were sent for the duration of the war. But all the minor characters are just as vivid, with detailed back stories, conveyed to the reader in a way that does not obstruct the flow of the plot or require stilted explanatory conversations.
Apart from the excellent writing and credible plot, what makes this book shine is the humour. There are many amusing incidents and the dialogue is delightful. A group of people, each with their own problems, struggling to adapt to new situations after a war could make for quite a dark story but the way in which they all cope with their various challenges is quite uplifting. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

I have read Old Baggage and V for Victory, courtesy of NetGalley, which involve the same characters. I liked both of them and was pleased to be offered the chance to read Lissa Evan's latest book. I liked this one even more. It has the same whimsical Britishness, set after WWII in a minor stately home. I did get a bit confused by all the characters and who was related to whom at first. The hero of the book is Zena Baxter, who came to the house as a pregnant woman, to escape London. She stays on after, whilst waiting for her husband to be demobbed, in order to assist Aleric, a family member who is writing a history of the place. Then she comes up with the idea to open the house up to the public in order to pay for the upkeep, as the family have become impoverished, especially as the new Labour government is now in power, introducing huge death duties. Valentine, the heir, returns injured from the war and falls in with his mother's plan to find a rich bride to help with costs. The story barrels along delightfully, is mildly mocking of the landed gentry, and has some lovely minor characters, particularly Allison, Zena's confident daughter, and Kitty and Priss, Valentine's nieces, who have returned from America with some advanced and shocking ideas. This is a book I will re-read, which is rare for me.

I wondered if Small Bomb at Dimperley might follow the characters I’d become so fond of in V for Victory and Old Baggage but Lissa Evans presents us with a completely new cast, equally endearing and amusing. Set in 1945, her new novel’s backdrop is Dimperley Manor, home to the Vere-Thissett family, ennobled in the fifteenth century after shifting a fallen tree out of the monarch's way.
Valentine returns to the family’s Buckinghamshire seat after he’s demobbed and finds himself swiftly elevated to the baronetcy when his eldest brother is declared dead. Dimperely is in a sad state after its requisition as a maternity home during the war. Zena Baxter is still in residence with her three-year-old, typing up the seemingly never-ending, soporific history of Dimperley which is Valentine’s uncle’s life’s work. There’s no money for the patching up the house desperately needs but while Dowager Lady Iris’ solution is a wealthy match for Valentine, Zena hits on another plan.
Evans takes some entertaining swipes at the aristocracy, struggling with the ‘servant problem’ and unable to do things for themselves while the rest of the country happily throws deference to the winds, voting in a Labour government. Assumptions of superiority are niftily diverted with characterisation and plot developments that lead us to a particularly pleasing ending. I loved this one: an uncomplicated, very British delight.