I love Lissa Evans' books and this one was a real treat. She balances humour and emotion superbly. Her style is witty but not self-conscious. Her characters are colourful but not cartoonish; you can't help caring about them. Her feeling for fairly recent history - her favourite time being around the Second World War - is assured. Small Bomb at Dimperley is funny and yet it tugs at your heartstrings in a non-sentimental way. She writes cracking plots, utterly believable and (mostly) lovable characters. And I loved the new departure of locating this story in an upper class country estate . If you like Kate Atkinson and David Nicholls, you'll love this too. A classy and heartwarming read.
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.
It’s a tribute to Julian Dutton’s way with words and characters that the reader immediately accepts its crazy premise, and is plunged into the extraordinary world of 145-year-old Lester Mayfield. Despite his age, Lester is out for revenge. The book is funny from page one, and the inventive humour never flags. Not that I would expect anything less from writer, actor, comedian and impressionist (have I missed out anything?) Dutton, who surely knows his craft. The plot bowls merrily along in a madcap fashion, introducing us to a colourful cast and taking the occasional pop at the absurdities of modern life. I inhaled this book in two sittings. My chuckle muscles are aching!
'A comic tour de force,' - Independent.
'One of our funniest writers,' - BBC Comedy.In 1898 Lester Mayfield was sentenced to 120 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. It is now 2025. Lester is about to be released. He's 145 years old. And he's angry.
When new prison warden Hank McClusky takes charge of a crumbling out-of-the-way jail in Lemmington Falls, Oklahoma, he is shocked to discover a prisoner still languishing in a cell in an old wing, way beyond his release date. He's even more shocked to learn Lester Mayfield has been there since 1898, when…
The Price of Dormice is an unusual book from its beguiling title and cover art through to its ending. Part eco-lit, part thriller, part comedy, part romance and part underdog-fights-back, it combines elements of all those genres into a densely plotted and readable narrative that kept this reader hooked. Hang on, because it’s a heady, entertaining and instructive ride, and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
When Mick's life is almost ended by Oxford's influential chief planner Conrad, the near-miss and ensuing violence awaken his sense of justice.
Conrad, deeply embedded in Oxford's elite, colludes with venerable St Mark's College in their sale of a 650-acre farm for development. Strategically located in the OxCam Growth Arc, the development will involve bulldozing a nature reserve and its dormice.
Mick joins fellow ordinary people in protest. Meanwhile Conrad's wife Kimberley demands a divorce and extends a helping hand to Mick.
Tragedy strikes when two people, believed to be Conrad and Kimberly, die in a suspected arson attack on…
Note To Boy in a hilarious and uplifting page turner.
Eloise is an erratic, faded fashionista. Bradley is a glum but wily teenager. Together, they make an unlikely team. In need of help to write her racy 1960s memoirs, the former ‘shock frock’ fashion guru tolerates his common ways. Unable to remember his name, she calls him Boy. Desperate to escape a brutal home life, he puts up with her bossiness and confusing notes. Both guard secrets. How did she lose her fame and fortune? What’s he scheming – beyond getting his hands on her bank card? And just what’s hidden in that mysterious locked room?
