Small Bomb At Dimperley

An irresistible novel which combines a crumbling once-grand house, bumbling aristos clinging to the pre-war past, and the magnificent Zena Baxter, one of my all-time favourite heroines. This is Lissa Evans at the peak of her mighty powers -- India Knight Funny poignant, perfect period detail…it’s as if Barbara Pym and Evelyn Waugh had a secret love-child…Heaven! -- Daisy Goodwin A glorious read. I laughed many times rejoicing in the wit, cleverness and humanity -- Elizabeth Buchan This is better than Wodehouse, in my humble opinion, because it's believable as well as funny … Lissa Evans is a great comic writer and her portrait of an aristocratic family trying to cling to its privileges in the unforgiving aftermath of WW2 is all the funnier for being generous, touching and romantic rather than mean -- Clare Chambers I loved this. Brilliantly funny, moving and joyous. Also, there’s a perfect moment – when one character moves from liking someone to love -- Catherine Johnson Loaded with period detail, primed with characters you feel you’ve known for years, Small Bomb at Dimperley explodes comically, lovingly and very slightly wistfully into absolute delight. My best book (by a country mile) this year -- Hilary McKay Deeply enjoyable, lovable and poignant. I love Lissa Evans’ writing. Her characters are created with such affection and care it makes you wish you could step into the story and become one of them -- Miranda France I loved Small Bomb at Dimperley. From the first page I knew I wanted to spend time in this world, and when the time came, I didn’t want to leave it. The blend of funny and moving is notoriously elusive, but Lissa Evans finds the sweet spot with apparent effortlessness. Sharp, witty and warm. Press it on friends -- Lev Parikian I loved Small Bomb at Dimperley so much, I found myself reading slower & slower because I didn’t want it to end. Brilliantly funny, with a sharply observed cast of eccentric but utterly believable characters, it’s a masterclass in understated British fiction -- Frances Quinn One of our finest writers of literary entertainment * Spectator *