Small Bomb at Dimperly
Lissa Evans

Valentine Vere-Thissett is a post-war version of Bertie Wooster with his incoherent speech and diffidence but he does have a sense of the ridiculous.
After being the lesser, disappointing son he found comradeship and purpose in the army but at the end of the Second World War, with a hand injury he returns home to find he is still the failure who cannot compete with his dead, war hero, spendthrift brother.
Meanwhe Zena Baxter has been loving the faded stately home she found herself in for the past few years.

As usual the author's attention to detail conveys the post-war sense of ennui and stalemate in the drab, still rationed existence of late 1940s Britain.

Although not as immediately enthralling as books featuring the indomitable Mattie, the suffragette, it grows on you and becomes unputdownable - it's also very funny

It's 1945, Corporal Valentine Vere-Thissett, age twenty-three, is on his way home. But "home" is Dimperley, built in the 1500s, vast and dilapidated, up to its eaves in debt and half-full of fly-blown taxidermy and dependant relatives, the latter clinging to a way of life that has gone forever. And worst of all - following the death of his heroic older brother - Valentine is now Sir Valentine, and is responsible for the whole bloody place. To Valentine, it's a millstone; to Zena Baxter, who has never really has a home before being evacuated there with her small daughter, It's a place of wonder and sentiment, somewhere she can't bear to leave. But Zena has been living with a secret, and the end of the war means she has to face a reckoning of her own.

Valentine has just been demobbed as the war is over. The family are all back together, living at Dimperley, a house from the 1500s that has had new wings added to it. The lovable characters have been well-drawn, and the era has been well-described. Valentine needs to find and marry a rich heiress so that he can save Dimperley. The story is told from multiple perspectives. There were certain elements I would have liked to know more about. Overall, this is a beautifully written, heart-warming story that tells us of the struggles people had after the war, and it didn't matter if you were rich or poor.

Published 5th September 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPublishing and the author #LissaEvans for my ARC of #SmallBombAtDimperley in exchange for an honest review.

Unhelpfully for a review, I don’t have a word at my disposal to convey how much I love Lissa Evans’s novels. Let’s just say when I heard that Small Bomb at Dimperley was heading our way I literally punched the air. And with good reason, it’s fabulous.

Small Bomb… looks at how the changes wrought by the Second World War, affected all parts of society, not least those higher up the food chain, a dilemma familiar to anyone who watched Downtown Abbey or has more than a passing knowledge of the Mitford family. Evans skillfully brings to life post-war England, bringing humour to those straitened times whilist remaining sensitive as she has done in her previous historical novels to the people who lived through them.

If you are familiar with Evans’s wiritng since Their Finest Hour and a Half you won’t be disappointed. It is more of the same - but in the very best way.

If you have not read any of Evans’s novels before. I envy you. You have many hours of joy ahead.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel. It was greatly appreciated.

I did not really like this book too much. I liked a couple of the characters and the plot twist towards the end, but that was pretty much it. I felt that we did not really get an idea of what was wrong with Ceddy, which I feel would have added to the story. Speaking of the story, I feel that the story did not particularly match up to the book description, and I was left feeling rather underwhelmed.

Absolutely wonderful, funny, perceptive, a real sense of time and place, adorable. Some great characters including child Allison and a satisfying conclusion. The best Lissa Evans yet I think and I’ve enjoyed them all.

This is such an enjoyable and fun read by Lissa Evans. You can almost hear the characters talking aloud as you read. Set just after the First World War when soldiers are coming home and society is changing, this is the tale of Dimperley Hall and the family’s struggle to keep it afloat. Brilliant!

A cozy comfort read about life in a country house immediately after the Second World War and the attendant changes in society. The wide cast of characters is well drawn and likeable, and if they’re not likeable they’re at least sympathetic. The plot is oiled just enough to make developments and turns seem natural and not happening at the authors whim. It’s an easy and entertain book, perfect for a long journey.

Valentine is the youngest son of Irene VereThissett and returns home after serving in WWII, following the death of his eldest brother, Felix. The middle brother, Ceddy, suffered a brain injury as a child and so Valentine finds himself unexpectedly and reluctantly responsible for the estate and its inhabitants.

Zena Baxter is one of these. She came to Dimperley during WWII when it was requisitioned to be used as a home for expectant mothers, eventually giving birth to her daughter, Allison. She was then employed as a secretary to Valentine's uncle, Alaric, who is writing an extraordinarily dull, excessively detailed history of his family and Dimperley.

Others include Miller (responsible for Valentine's injured fingers);   Barbara, wife of the recently deceased Felix and their two daughters, Kitty and Priss, who have returned from evacuation to America. Priss is particularly entertaining and I could quite happily read a book just about her exploits!

There are many more characters, all brilliantly written and with their own quirks and the clear distinctions in personality were a big help as the story does jump around a lot.

It took me a while to get into this book, especially the passages from Alaric's books, but it's definitely worth persevering.

'Small Bomb at Dimperley' is a feel-good novel in the true sense of the phrase - a story that makes you feel better about the world. Not the sort of deliberate, emotionally manipulative, melodramatic fare that gets churned out deliberately to tick the box of the 'feel good' genre. Instead it's a well written story about likeable people that is a real pleasure to read.

The novel is set in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, and revolves around an assortment of characters living in a stately home. These include Valentine, the unexpected and somewhat reluctant lord of the manor; Zena, a secretary and single parent badly let down by her child's father; lady Irene, a fairly typical dowager duchess type who can't accept times have changed; and Priss and Kitty, teenaged children recently returned from evacuation to the USA and unimpressed by Britain. All of these and more must find a way to adapt to a world undergoing huge social change and recovering from the aftermath of war.

The characters are interesting, amusing and almost all are really likeable. I loved Valentine and Zena in particular, but even the more minor characters get a chance to shine. The writing style is very easy to read and there is plenty of humour, without anything being trivialised. It's a story that manages not to be heavy going, without being lightweight. I felt confident that Evans would deliver a satisfying ending, and she did so.

If you are looking for a book that you can really enjoy reading, and not be left depressed by, this is a great choice. It's an absolute must-read for historical fiction fans and those interested in the post-war period, but I'd also recommend it more widely than that. For readers who like literary fiction, it's a rare gem of a well-written novel that isn't gritty and depressing. I wish there were more books like this, fingers crossed Lissa Evans will write some more!

Absolutely devoured this book! Set at the end of WWII, dyslexic Corporal Valentine Vere-Thissett, aged 23, has been reluctantly demobbed. His dashing "Flash Heart" type older brother, Felix has been pronounced dead after being MIA for several years and so Valentine is now the Baronet of a rotting pile called Dimperley which is saddled with massive debt and several in house demanding dependent relatives. Mrs. Zena Baxter who has a young daughter works at Dimperley as a secretary for Valentine's Uncle who is slowly writing an exhaustive and dull Family history. Zena came to the house to give birth to her child a few years before when part of Dimperley was requistioned as a Maternity Home during the war and after living through the horrors of the Blitz she chose to stay on to give her child safety and space to grow. With Dimperley under threat of being bull dozed can this diverse bunch somehow manage to save it. Such a great feel good novel with bittersweet elements and laugh out loud moments. Fantastic!

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and Lissa Evans for an early copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Lissa Evans is an incredibly gifted writer in my opinion. She’s writes beautifully; her imagery is always perfect, her language selected with artistic skill and everything she writes is filled with gentle positivity and wry humour. And Small Bomb at Dimperley is no exception.

We follow a family from the lesser aristocracy who have fallen on hard times after the war. The heir has been killed in action, the spare is disabled and the third son has severe dyslexia and is viewed as pretty useless by his mother. Their house, Dimperley is under threat from death duties and the sheer cost of running a country house.

The house was used for pregnant women during the war and one, Zena has stayed on as a secretary to the uncle. She’s the main character although we are told the story from many points of view, including all the family: the third son, the matriarch, the young daughters of the heir and his widow. The main thrust of the story is the interaction between the outsiders and the family.

As usual with Ms Evans the characters are well drawn believable individuals who you care about straight away and it is easy to become part of their world. In fact I miss them now I’ve finished the book! This is such a lovely, heart felt novel and it is pure delight to read and revel in it.

I would have preferred a little more in the way of romance as this is the slowest of slow burns and whilst we know that the main characters are made for each other it takes them a long time to get there. I would have also liked more about the young girls returning from the USA. There is so much to love about this book that it could have easily been longer so we got to know even more about all the characters.

Lissa Evans is one of my favourite authors and this book just adds to that. I definitely recommend her, and the pleasing worlds she creates.

Lissa Evans has wrtten another very enjoyable story set in the 1940s. The characters are interesting and well developed, the storyline progresses well with plenty to think about and to laugh at - and to make you want to tear your hair out (or maybe that's just me.). Plenty of social history for ths interested in the period immendiately after the end of the war and how people living in and owning large houses coped (or not) with the future. I read it in less than 24 hours. I liked the ending. With thanks for an e-ARC to read and review.

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.