Small Bomb at Dimperley
Small Bomb at Dimperley by Lissa Evans is a historical novel published by Penguin Books, Limited on August 14, 2025, featuring 320 pages in English. Set in the aftermath of World War II, the story follows Corporal Valentine Vere-Thissett as he returns to his ancestral home, Dimperley, a vast and dilapidated estate burdened with debt and family expectations. As Valentine grapples with his new responsibilities following his brother’s death, he encounters Zena Baxter, a woman seeking solace and belonging in a place that holds both wonder and secrets.
Readers will find a narrative that intertwines themes of family life, friendship, and the challenges faced by women during this transformative period. The novel presents a blend of humor and poignancy, exploring the complexities of personal and societal change in a postwar context. Small Bomb at Dimperley offers a bittersweet portrait of love and renewal, inviting readers to reflect on the past while navigating the uncertainties of the future.
Official synopsis Publisher
Discover the heartwarmingly witty new historical novel about changing (sometimes reluctantly) with the times in the aftermath of WW2, perfect for fans of Maggie O’Farrell and Rachel Joyce.
‘A deeply pleasurable postwar tale’ Guardian
‘Generous, touching and romantic’ Clare Chambers
‘One of our finest writers of literary entertainment’ Spectator
‘Sometimes books that are this funny are easy to underestimate, but Small Bomb at Dimperley is wiser than a good many ponderously serious tomes. An absolute joy to read’ The Times
__________
It’s 1945, and Corporal Valentine Vere-Thissett, aged 23, 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 dependent 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 had a home before being evacuated there with her small daughter, it’s a place of wonder and sentiment, somewhere that 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…
Funny, sharp and touching, Small Bomb at Dimperley is both a love story and a bittersweet portrait of an era of profound loss, and renewal.
____________
More praise for Small Bomb at Dimperley
‘A future classic’ Woman&Home
‘This is Lissa Evans at the peak of her mighty powers’ India Knight
‘Brilliantly written, gloriously funny… a heart-warming read about learning to live again’ Sun
‘Incredibly assured and affecting… the perfect novel to be read in such dark times’ Graham Norton
‘Perfectly pitched, funny tale, sprinkled with peppery observations and speckled with a poignant bitter-sweetness’ Daily Mail
Author
Publisher
Topics
FAQ
What is “Small Bomb at Dimperley” about?
Who is the author of “Small Bomb at Dimperley”?
When was “Small Bomb at Dimperley” published?
What is the ISBN for “Small Bomb at Dimperley”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
