V for Victory: A Novel

By Lissa Evans

In this witty, charming follow-up to the acclaimed Crooked Heart, the life of lies a small time scammer and her adopted son have constructed in London becomes endangered during the tumultuous final months of World War II. 

It’s late 1944. Hitler’s rockets are raining down on London with vicious regularity and it’s the coldest winter in living memory. The Allies are gaining ground, but victory is certainly dragging its feet.

In a large house next to Hampstead Heath, Vee Sedge is barely scraping by with a herd of lodgers to feed and her young charge Noel, almost fifteen now, to clothe and educate. When she witnesses an accident and finds herself in court, the repercussions are both unexpectedly marvelous and potentially disastrous. Because Vee is not actually the person she’s pretending to be, and neither is Noel.

Victory is coming. Yet the end of the war won’t just mean peace, but discovery . . .  

With caustic wit and artful storytelling, Lissa Evans summons a time when the world could finally hope to emerge from the chaos of war. As witty as Old Baggage and poignant as Crooked Heart, V for Victory once again reveals Evans to be one of the most original and entertaining writers at work today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: May 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063059856

Lissa Evans

Lissa Evans has written internationally bestselling books for both adults and children, including Crooked Heart, Old Baggage, and Their Finest Hour and a Half, which was made into the feature film Their Finest. Her books have twice been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She lives in London with her family.

Reviews for V for Victory

[beamis12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A terrific view of London in the last months of WWII. Was glad to reunite with Vee and young Noel as they try to make slim resources stretch enough to feed their lodgers. Bombs keep raining down, but by now people are used to this and though they care where they fell they also no look over panic and the building once there, now gone has become commonplace. A new threat to the real identity of V and two visitors for Noel, cause a small panic.Also Winnie, who is a warden and sees all the horrors of the war. Worried about her husband who is in a prisoner of war camp. This is a follow-up to [book:Crooked Heart|19546111] and though this can be read alone, I think knowing what came before, how Noel and V came together, make this story richer.

[edwardsgt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The third book recounting the story of Noel, abandoned by his teenage mother in the care of irascible Mattie initially, then informally adopted by Vee. This volume covers the years 1944-5 and includes a series of well-drawn, interesting characters lodging with Vee and Noel in Mattie's old house in Hampstead. The author also reintroduces one of Mattie's proteges, Winnie, working as an Air Raid Warden, drawing on contemporary reports to provide an insight on these unsung heroes.

[vancouverdeb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the third in the Noel Bostock series. I've read the two previous books, but it has been such a long time since I read them, this could certainly be read as a stand - alone novel. It's a heartwarming and engaging tale. The story takes place in 1944 London during the Blitz. Noel's " aunt" Vee is getting making do by running a lodging home known as Green Shutters. A group on interesting characters lodge there, and in exchange for tutoring Noel part- time , they pay a slightly reduced fee. Mr Jepsen works as a reporter for the North London Press, and teaches 14 year old Noel Latin, Dr. Parry-Jones tutors in Science, Mr Reddish teaches Math, and Mrs Appleby mixes her French tutoring in with more personal lessons about the heart. ARP Winnie Crowther is a senior Warden at Warden Post 9, where she and her colleagues deal with the aftermath of the bombings. All of these memorable people combine to create a fascinating story.4. 5 stars