Pleasant Vices

by Judy Astley, Judy Astlley

The residents of the Close were much concerned with crime--preventing it, that is. With all those out-of-work teenagers on the nearby council estate hanging around, stealing, joy-riding and goodness knows what else, it was just as well that they were setting up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

Not that the inhabitants of the Close did not have their own little activities, of course, but these were hardly the same thing. If Jenny and Alan's daughter was caught traveling on the subway without a ticket, and their son was doing a little experimenting with certain substances, and Laura didn't see the need to declare her earnings from hiring out her house to a film crew, and Jenny drove home only just over the legal limit--well, these were quite different matters, not to be compared with what went on in the Estate. And then there was Jenny's discovery, when she advertised flute lessons, that she could work up quite a nice little scheme in a rather unexpected way...

As the leafy London street resounded to the efforts of its citizens to keep crime at bay, Jenny realized that it was her marriage, rather than her property, that needed watching.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 1995

About the author

Judy Astley started writing in 1990 following several years of working as a dressmaker, illustrator, painter and parent. Her sixteen novels, the most recent of which are Laying The Ghost and Other People¹s Husbands, are all published by Transworld/Black Swan. Judy¹s specialist areas, based on many years of hectic personal experience, are domestic disharmony and family chaos with a good mix of love-and-passion and plenty of humour thrown in. Judy has been a regular columnist on magazines and enjoys writing journalism pieces on just about any subject, usually from a fun viewpoint. She lives in London and Cornwall, loves plants, books, hot sunshine and rock music (all at once, preferably) and would happily claim that listening in to other people¹s conversations is both a top hobby and an absolute career-necessity

Reviews

[Sarah Goodwin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really liked Astley's 'Melanie Unchained' which is funny, sweet, and very entertaining. A shame then, that this novel lets itself down so quickly.

The plot is slippery and nonsensical, with no resolution at the end, and there isn't a single likeable character in it. I finished the book, but it was an effort on my part.

I recommend any other Astley book over this one.

[Gabriella Vegvari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the greatest read. Tries to be funny but comes off as awkward and, in some places, crude (and believe me, I'm no prude). There is no overarching plot. And I couldn't find even one character that I could really like or relate to. In fact, there were several who were rather annoying. I bought this book many years ago and have read 5 other books written by this author, so I suspect I had expectations for this one that now, many years later, haven't been met. Either my tastes have changed or this one just hasn't measured up.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The residents of the Close were much concerned with crime - preventing it, that is. With all those out-of-work teenagers on the nearby council estate hanging around, stealing, joy-riding and goodness knows what else, it was just as well that Paul Mathieson was setting up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme."

This book made me laugh out loud a couple of times.

[patricia mctaggart · Rating 3 out of 5]

i kind of cringed in places ,esp When a 10 yearold child came out with things only those older would know ,I did plough on with the story at the very least there was onw ... Not sure or understand why,, it was thought to be funny when achild telling her class mates about all sorts ??that happend at a teenage party >>>

[Wendy Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a satire on the aspiring middle-classes this was a good premise and the central Collins family were well-drawn. Unfortunately the majority of characters were a cast of stereotypes and there was little in the way of plot.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy holiday read, bit silly.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny book. Like this author.

[Julie Dunnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read but lightweight. Seemed to treat a little prostitution as a bit of fun but I don’t think it is. Made light of some major issues. Sorry not OK with me

[Mrs J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A riotous romp through suburbia.

[Krisz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm... well... what's this book about? I mean, I've read it all right, but I just don't get it. It seems to be a chapter from someone's life, and a not very interestingly written one, at that.
As the protagonist, Jenny says, it's cliche-ish. (She doesn't exactly put it like this, but I do.) Some points are unique and could be fun IF THERE WAS A PLOT for God's sake. But altogether the book is not funny, the characters are not funny, and if you take a train without a ticket, is it really a criminal offense? Sounds nonsense.
So, because of the lack of any plot, the book doesn't go anywhere, it just stops. Annoying. When I read books like this, I wonder how could anyone believe in it and print it? There is the Rubik cube and this phenomenon. Both are amazing, huh.

[Andy Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the sort of thing I normally read but was entertained from cover to cover.

Set in an upper middle class cul-de-sac.

Errant teenagers (are there any other sort?), a housewife's accidental venture into prostitution, snobby homeowners and a neighbourhood watch scheme combine to create confusion and community adventure.

If the book tried to be a comedy it would fail.

Instead it's a social drama which often manages to be funny.

One statistic: manages more mentions of the word 'knickers' than any other book I've ever acquired from a charity shop.

[Lois Tuffield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this just after it was published in 1995, and decided to re-visit it.
The story was just as enjoyable 20 years later! It's an amusing satire on the foibles of (mainly) 'upper middle class' residents of an outer London cul de sac. Some of the antics these supposedly respectable people get up to, both shock and amuse!
A great, easy read!

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps this is supposed to be humorous, but it didn't strike me as remotely funny. The book revolves around a strange family with a druggie son and over-sexed ten-year-old daughter. The parents are even worse... I found the plot unbelievable and disgusting, and gave up after about five chapters.

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting much from it but it was surprisingly witty and insightful. Almost a parody of the pretensions of many middle-class neighborhoods and the values they hold dear. Made me chuckle more than a few times.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting tale about a middle aged housewife living in Suburbia and the characters who live on her close.

[Karen Wickham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was mildly entertaining but not something which makes me want to go out and read any more of her books.

[Libbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I left this at the gym as a bookcrossing release. Alas, no one ever registered it as caught.

[LindyLouMac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read in 1995

[Janice Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny!

[Jeanette Turner]

I have read the majority of Judy Astley's book and this is one that I think is the best. The are all good stories, well-written with a sense of humour, but this one kept me in stitches.