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Common Decency: The hilarious, smart debut novel from the beloved comedian and presenter - perfect for your next book club read!
Not yet published
Expected 21 May 26It may be quiet in the suburbs, but it's far from peaceful . . .
Oak Drive can be found nestled tidily in an unassuming English town. Its uniform front gardens overlook a midsized common which the street's residents survey with quiet, some might say smug, pride.
This is the sort of place where it pays to sweat the small stuff, and let the big things look after themselves. Bins should be placed back in their right positions in a timely fashion and paintwork should share the same tasteful but muted palette.
Sometimes, however, the big things do not look after themselves - and all hell can break loose in sleepy suburbia.
Common Decency chronicles the lives and interactions of the street's residents as they band together to save a beloved oak tree from destruction at the hands of ruthless developers.
As tensions rise and repressed neuroses and resentments seep out, the secrets of Oak Drive threaten to shatter the well-ordered veneer, revealing some rather more unsettling truths. . .
Tom Allen brings his trademark dark comedy to the page in this brilliant novel about what it truly means to be a neighbourhood.
Oak Drive can be found nestled tidily in an unassuming English town. Its uniform front gardens overlook a midsized common which the street's residents survey with quiet, some might say smug, pride.
This is the sort of place where it pays to sweat the small stuff, and let the big things look after themselves. Bins should be placed back in their right positions in a timely fashion and paintwork should share the same tasteful but muted palette.
Sometimes, however, the big things do not look after themselves - and all hell can break loose in sleepy suburbia.
Common Decency chronicles the lives and interactions of the street's residents as they band together to save a beloved oak tree from destruction at the hands of ruthless developers.
As tensions rise and repressed neuroses and resentments seep out, the secrets of Oak Drive threaten to shatter the well-ordered veneer, revealing some rather more unsettling truths. . .
Tom Allen brings his trademark dark comedy to the page in this brilliant novel about what it truly means to be a neighbourhood.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 21, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
| ARC REVIEW | Publication Date: 21st May 2026
★★★★☆
Summary
On Oak Drive, a quiet, suburban street, four houses are occupied by four very different families: Miranda — an old lady with a young and mischievous spirit, Fanny and Donald — a placid, people-pleasing wife and a controlling, demanding husband, Barry and Alice — a couple navigating a rocky marriage whilst parenting their two teenage children, and Oak Drive newcomers — sensible and anxious Vince, and his boyfriend Nathan Luke, the more confident and adventurous of the two.
For the most part, these individuals are wrapped up in their own lives with nothing in common except the street they live on and the shared hope of keeping their personal secrets under wraps. However, when new planning developments threaten to upend their community, they decide to unite forces and fight together to save the heart of Oak Drive. But, as the neighbours become increasingly more close-knit, they begin to realise that secrets will eventually spill whether they want them to or not.
My Thoughts
It's no secret that Tom Allen is a very funny guy, and his comedy was woven perfectly throughout this book. His talent for ironic, witty and humorous writing made for an incredibly enjoyable story. I found myself grinning on countless occasions whilst reading this book. I also loved how he managed to turn the normal, mundane aspects of everyday life into something so interesting and rather tender.
This book is written from multiple points of view which allowed me to follow each of the four homes' occupants' lives in an alternating manner. I found this an engaging way of including the background lives of several distinct characters. I'll admit, in the beginning I found it hard to keep track of who was who, but Tom Allen wrote about each character in a way that gave them all their own well-rounded, fleshed out personalities and their own little quirks, meaning that I very quickly got to know each character and soon had no problem following along with each one. This detailed character formation is what I think truly brought the story to life. The characters were handled in a way that made them feel so real — almost as if I was living on the same street and that I could step outside of my door and bump into them.
However, I did sometimes feel that the focus on each character switched too prematurely, occasionally losing some opportunity for certain events, interactions, or personal circumstances to have been explored more deeply. — But, after some thought, I feel that this accurately mirrors how very little we often know about the people we are surrounded by and how the relationships most of us have with our own neighbours are more often than not, surface-level and somewhat superficial. I suppose that this means the regularly alternating POVs ensured that the book stayed true to the theme of "you never completely know what's going on in somebody's life, no matter how much you think you know them".
I found each character entertaining to read about in their own ways, however my favourite has to be Miranda. She was such a mischief maker and I found her absolutely hilarious! However, I also really enjoyed Fanny's character development throughout the story and loved how she eventually developed a backbone and stood up for herself.
Although there were some parts of the story that were slower than others, the plot twists that came as a result of everybody's secrets being gradually revealed were enough to give me whiplash! I was totally surprised and found myself very eager to find out what was going to happen next.
Overall
This was a warm-hearted, funny and thought-provoking read which I found very easy to immerse myself in. I know this one hasn't even been released yet, but if Tom Allen doesn't write any more novels then I will RIOT! I really enjoyed his writing and can't wait to (hopefully) read more of his work in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tom Allen, and Hodder and Stoughton | Coronet for gifting this eBook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
❀ Tia ❀
★★★★☆
Summary
On Oak Drive, a quiet, suburban street, four houses are occupied by four very different families: Miranda — an old lady with a young and mischievous spirit, Fanny and Donald — a placid, people-pleasing wife and a controlling, demanding husband, Barry and Alice — a couple navigating a rocky marriage whilst parenting their two teenage children, and Oak Drive newcomers — sensible and anxious Vince, and his boyfriend Nathan Luke, the more confident and adventurous of the two.
For the most part, these individuals are wrapped up in their own lives with nothing in common except the street they live on and the shared hope of keeping their personal secrets under wraps. However, when new planning developments threaten to upend their community, they decide to unite forces and fight together to save the heart of Oak Drive. But, as the neighbours become increasingly more close-knit, they begin to realise that secrets will eventually spill whether they want them to or not.
My Thoughts
It's no secret that Tom Allen is a very funny guy, and his comedy was woven perfectly throughout this book. His talent for ironic, witty and humorous writing made for an incredibly enjoyable story. I found myself grinning on countless occasions whilst reading this book. I also loved how he managed to turn the normal, mundane aspects of everyday life into something so interesting and rather tender.
This book is written from multiple points of view which allowed me to follow each of the four homes' occupants' lives in an alternating manner. I found this an engaging way of including the background lives of several distinct characters. I'll admit, in the beginning I found it hard to keep track of who was who, but Tom Allen wrote about each character in a way that gave them all their own well-rounded, fleshed out personalities and their own little quirks, meaning that I very quickly got to know each character and soon had no problem following along with each one. This detailed character formation is what I think truly brought the story to life. The characters were handled in a way that made them feel so real — almost as if I was living on the same street and that I could step outside of my door and bump into them.
However, I did sometimes feel that the focus on each character switched too prematurely, occasionally losing some opportunity for certain events, interactions, or personal circumstances to have been explored more deeply. — But, after some thought, I feel that this accurately mirrors how very little we often know about the people we are surrounded by and how the relationships most of us have with our own neighbours are more often than not, surface-level and somewhat superficial. I suppose that this means the regularly alternating POVs ensured that the book stayed true to the theme of "you never completely know what's going on in somebody's life, no matter how much you think you know them".
I found each character entertaining to read about in their own ways, however my favourite has to be Miranda. She was such a mischief maker and I found her absolutely hilarious! However, I also really enjoyed Fanny's character development throughout the story and loved how she eventually developed a backbone and stood up for herself.
Although there were some parts of the story that were slower than others, the plot twists that came as a result of everybody's secrets being gradually revealed were enough to give me whiplash! I was totally surprised and found myself very eager to find out what was going to happen next.
Overall
This was a warm-hearted, funny and thought-provoking read which I found very easy to immerse myself in. I know this one hasn't even been released yet, but if Tom Allen doesn't write any more novels then I will RIOT! I really enjoyed his writing and can't wait to (hopefully) read more of his work in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tom Allen, and Hodder and Stoughton | Coronet for gifting this eBook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
❀ Tia ❀
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Life in suburbia - it happens slowly. On a street next to a park sits a row of houses; and in them live all the characters you might expect to find. There's the over-anxious, timid woman who runs the local shop and her domineering, some might say pompous husband. There's the GP who's overworked and unsatisfied with her life - craving some excitement what with her two teenaged children and her underachieving husband making sure home life is usually more of the same. There's the elderly lady who lives alone; often underestimated she's lived a more interesting life than anyone would suspect. And finally the occupants of the house on the end, the gay couple who have extensively renovated their suburban semi, and moved here to have a quieter life.
This is above all a very sweet book. In telling the individual stories of the residents of the street, we also get to see how a group of individuals come together to form a community, and how every individual can have an impact on the world and people around them. Far from being action packed, the pace is as slow as any year in suburban England - ebbing and flowing with the seasons and centering around a couple of key events which may or may not bring change with them.
I think everyone can identify with the setting in this book, and most of the people in it. Whether we realise it or not we all know a Donald or an Alice, and we can all picture a place like Oak Drive - and that's the real beauty of this story. There are cringeworthy scenes, unlikely friendships, and heartwarming moments as we follow the residents through a year or two of their lives. And of course, this being suburbia, there are just bound to be some secrets waiting to come out.
If you're a person who wants high-octane or deep mystery then this won't appeal. However, I really enjoyed this as a lovely gentle book about change, acceptance, belonging, and community.
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -
This is above all a very sweet book. In telling the individual stories of the residents of the street, we also get to see how a group of individuals come together to form a community, and how every individual can have an impact on the world and people around them. Far from being action packed, the pace is as slow as any year in suburban England - ebbing and flowing with the seasons and centering around a couple of key events which may or may not bring change with them.
I think everyone can identify with the setting in this book, and most of the people in it. Whether we realise it or not we all know a Donald or an Alice, and we can all picture a place like Oak Drive - and that's the real beauty of this story. There are cringeworthy scenes, unlikely friendships, and heartwarming moments as we follow the residents through a year or two of their lives. And of course, this being suburbia, there are just bound to be some secrets waiting to come out.
If you're a person who wants high-octane or deep mystery then this won't appeal. However, I really enjoyed this as a lovely gentle book about change, acceptance, belonging, and community.
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a light hearted and gentle read set in a suburban town and the residents of Oak Drive.
The street contains a cast of characters that very quickly become real people with the way they are written. Gay couple, Vince and Nathan Luke have moved in and renovated their house and are at a crossroads in their lives and relationship. They miss the faster pace of life in London but they want to feel that they belong to a community but have no idea how to go about it. Their nearest neighbours consist of elderly Miranda, who at 80 is living her best life and not at all what she seems, Alice and Barry have two teenage children, a typical suburban family, but the kids are frustrated with their parents, Alice is the local doctor but dissatisfied with her life and her marriage as, husband Barry, flits from one project to another. Older couple Donald and Fanny, have been married for years and Fanny doesn't know how she puts up with him as Donald spends a lot of time writing letters of complaint, berating the council and generally getting angry about everything.
The book eases you into their lives gently. They're familiar types and the situation doesn't allow for a lot of humour until things start to come together as the community park is under threat of redevelopment and a surprising stage show is being rehearsed at the local community hall.
I could hear Tom's voice in my head as I read further which made it funnier and also made me realise that he'd made the characters and story his own.
It was easy to get caught up in the day to day struggles of the Oak Drive residents. There are a few secrets & surprises although one big twist was telegraphed in advance and I wasn't sure if the reader was supposed to know before the characters did.
If you're after a gentle, cosy read with a little dark comedy then this could be for you.
Thank you Netgalley for the review copy.
The street contains a cast of characters that very quickly become real people with the way they are written. Gay couple, Vince and Nathan Luke have moved in and renovated their house and are at a crossroads in their lives and relationship. They miss the faster pace of life in London but they want to feel that they belong to a community but have no idea how to go about it. Their nearest neighbours consist of elderly Miranda, who at 80 is living her best life and not at all what she seems, Alice and Barry have two teenage children, a typical suburban family, but the kids are frustrated with their parents, Alice is the local doctor but dissatisfied with her life and her marriage as, husband Barry, flits from one project to another. Older couple Donald and Fanny, have been married for years and Fanny doesn't know how she puts up with him as Donald spends a lot of time writing letters of complaint, berating the council and generally getting angry about everything.
The book eases you into their lives gently. They're familiar types and the situation doesn't allow for a lot of humour until things start to come together as the community park is under threat of redevelopment and a surprising stage show is being rehearsed at the local community hall.
I could hear Tom's voice in my head as I read further which made it funnier and also made me realise that he'd made the characters and story his own.
It was easy to get caught up in the day to day struggles of the Oak Drive residents. There are a few secrets & surprises although one big twist was telegraphed in advance and I wasn't sure if the reader was supposed to know before the characters did.
If you're after a gentle, cosy read with a little dark comedy then this could be for you.
Thank you Netgalley for the review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
‘Common Decency’ offers a caricature of English suburbia, replete with shallow stereotypes and reveals so predictable I could have sworn the information had been overtly stated earlier in the novel. It has a fairly amusing tone overall—if you can get past the initial infantile joke, that is—though the situations it presents and the characters’ actions are far from realistic, and it lacks anything even resembling plot.
The cast is large, but due to the cartoonish nature in which they are written, they feel reasonably distinct after the first eighty pages or so. However, their lack of depth and the author’s heavy use of filtering and telling, creating a substantial narrative distance, makes it hard to connect with any of them. Plus, none of them have any goals, which makes them impossible to root for.
The writing is okay, but in need of tighter editing. Ungrammatical constructions and head-hopping are a frequent occurrence, and they make for a jarring and disorienting read. The writing also trends towards a melodramatic, soap-opera-esque quality as it nears the end. This is particularly true of the big reveal, which somehow manages to be both predictable and completely unfounded in the story up to that point, and of the climactic scene—though, to call it ‘climactic’ is a stretch, as that would suggest a culmination and resolution, whereas this is just a random, big event shoved on the end.
‘Common Decency’ could be a good choice for you if you’re looking for an undemanding and vaguely amusing read; however, if you’re in the mood for a well-written story with characters you can care about, you’d be better off picking something else.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Tom Allen and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.
⚠️ Drug use, alcohol
The cast is large, but due to the cartoonish nature in which they are written, they feel reasonably distinct after the first eighty pages or so. However, their lack of depth and the author’s heavy use of filtering and telling, creating a substantial narrative distance, makes it hard to connect with any of them. Plus, none of them have any goals, which makes them impossible to root for.
The writing is okay, but in need of tighter editing. Ungrammatical constructions and head-hopping are a frequent occurrence, and they make for a jarring and disorienting read. The writing also trends towards a melodramatic, soap-opera-esque quality as it nears the end. This is particularly true of the big reveal, which somehow manages to be both predictable and completely unfounded in the story up to that point, and of the climactic scene—though, to call it ‘climactic’ is a stretch, as that would suggest a culmination and resolution, whereas this is just a random, big event shoved on the end.
‘Common Decency’ could be a good choice for you if you’re looking for an undemanding and vaguely amusing read; however, if you’re in the mood for a well-written story with characters you can care about, you’d be better off picking something else.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Tom Allen and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.
⚠️ Drug use, alcohol
December 9, 2025
Common Decency is a fabulous read, a real comedy of manners, set in a leafy South London suburb and centres on the residents of Oak Drive.
A new couple move into one of the houses and all the neighbours are excited to meet them to get the lowdown on them. Initially, the neighbours appear to superficially know one another, rubbing along politely and without getting to know each too well. In an act of NIMBYism, they pull together to save a tree in the park opposite their houses.
I really enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the neighbours, who when you scratch the surface are far more interesting and complex than I originally thought they’d be. It beautifully highlighted how we really have no clue about our neighbours and what goes on behind closed doors. I think we’ve all known neighbours like those on Oak Drive, the difficult and bossy Don, the put upon Fanny, the misunderstood Barry, the fabulous Miranda and so on. The book is a feel good book and I raced through it and honestly felt quite sad when the book came to an end because the residents of Oak Drive really felt like friends.
I look forward to reading more novels by Tom Allen in the future!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Hodder & Stoughton for making Common Decency available to me to read in exchange for a fair and honest review.
A new couple move into one of the houses and all the neighbours are excited to meet them to get the lowdown on them. Initially, the neighbours appear to superficially know one another, rubbing along politely and without getting to know each too well. In an act of NIMBYism, they pull together to save a tree in the park opposite their houses.
I really enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the neighbours, who when you scratch the surface are far more interesting and complex than I originally thought they’d be. It beautifully highlighted how we really have no clue about our neighbours and what goes on behind closed doors. I think we’ve all known neighbours like those on Oak Drive, the difficult and bossy Don, the put upon Fanny, the misunderstood Barry, the fabulous Miranda and so on. The book is a feel good book and I raced through it and honestly felt quite sad when the book came to an end because the residents of Oak Drive really felt like friends.
I look forward to reading more novels by Tom Allen in the future!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Hodder & Stoughton for making Common Decency available to me to read in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This certainly a very well written debut novel.
I loved the setting of the people who lived in the four houses, and found their stories enjoyable. Miranda particularly reminded me of Elizabeth in the Richard Osman books, which is no bad thing as far as I am concerned.
I didn’t find this as funny as I expected, and thought some of the events were a bit cliched, especially the ending, which was signaled well before it occurred. That said, it was an enjoyable read and it was good to read a story of ordinary people’s lives. I would definitely read another book by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I loved the setting of the people who lived in the four houses, and found their stories enjoyable. Miranda particularly reminded me of Elizabeth in the Richard Osman books, which is no bad thing as far as I am concerned.
I didn’t find this as funny as I expected, and thought some of the events were a bit cliched, especially the ending, which was signaled well before it occurred. That said, it was an enjoyable read and it was good to read a story of ordinary people’s lives. I would definitely read another book by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
December 8, 2025
I was asked by NetGalley to review this- I love Tom Allen as a comedian so thought let's see.
A good debut novel - This could be any suburban street of residents who come together to try to save an oak tree destined for desxtuction by developers.
Theres more to this than just a loved oak tree in a "perfect" looking street, and as tensions mount readers learn of secrets within this street, and takes us beyond the net curtains and closed doors. Tom has developed good charactertisation, humour and a good story all thrown into the mix.
Sadly not due for publication till May 21st 2026, so readers will have to wait a while longer.
Recommended debut novel.
A good debut novel - This could be any suburban street of residents who come together to try to save an oak tree destined for desxtuction by developers.
Theres more to this than just a loved oak tree in a "perfect" looking street, and as tensions mount readers learn of secrets within this street, and takes us beyond the net curtains and closed doors. Tom has developed good charactertisation, humour and a good story all thrown into the mix.
Sadly not due for publication till May 21st 2026, so readers will have to wait a while longer.
Recommended debut novel.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This was a gently funny and unexpectedly sensitive read, not at all what I was expecting and really enjoyable.
The book looks at the lives of four households living in a row of old fashioned houses in a quiet London suburb and tracks the life and times of those who live there through their fight to save their local park. There were a few laugh out loud moments - the queer reimagining of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dream coat was a particular highlight. This was a character driven story and really entertaining.
Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this early for in exchange for an honest review
The book looks at the lives of four households living in a row of old fashioned houses in a quiet London suburb and tracks the life and times of those who live there through their fight to save their local park. There were a few laugh out loud moments - the queer reimagining of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dream coat was a particular highlight. This was a character driven story and really entertaining.
Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this early for in exchange for an honest review
December 5, 2025
Do you know what really goes on behind the closed doors and windows of your neighbours? Not necessarily, but you all know that one nosey neighbour that always has to be right about everything. “Common Decency” takes a us behind those closed doors with a gentle reflection on what happens there and what happens when eventually everyone manages to pull together against a common foe. A warm-hearted, gentle read but don’t skip to the end as you’ll miss all the intrigue in those lives. My thanks to NetGalley and the author for an ARC.
December 29, 2025
At first I found this book a bit hard to get into but after a few chapters I began to really enjoy it and was hooked.
There was a great bunch of characters in this book who all live in the same neighbourhood and I found them quite relatable . I could really picture them all as I think we all know similar people.
The ending was unexpected but a good ending and I would recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
There was a great bunch of characters in this book who all live in the same neighbourhood and I found them quite relatable . I could really picture them all as I think we all know similar people.
The ending was unexpected but a good ending and I would recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
December 8, 2025
Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.
Oak Drive is a quiet, unassuming place where the residents take great pride in their suburban lives but do we ever really know what goes on behind closed doors? We soon find out as this book unfolds and we follow each of their stories. I loved the characters within this book and became very attached to a few in particular.
Funny, light hearted and warm I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to others.
Oak Drive is a quiet, unassuming place where the residents take great pride in their suburban lives but do we ever really know what goes on behind closed doors? We soon find out as this book unfolds and we follow each of their stories. I loved the characters within this book and became very attached to a few in particular.
Funny, light hearted and warm I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to others.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews