Common Decency by Tom Allen

It 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 surprising truths. . .

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On a perfectly tidy suburban street, it turns out saving a beloved oak tree can uncover far more than anyone expected.

Pre-Reading Thoughts

A story about suburban life, neighbourhood politics, and a battle to save a tree sounds like it could go either way - gentle satire or heartfelt community drama. I’m hoping for witty observations about everyday life and a cast of characters whose small quirks become very big problems.

Post-Reading

As I thought…
Oak Drive is a wonderfully recognisable slice of suburbia - perfectly kept gardens, carefully returned bins, and a quiet pride in keeping everything just so. The ensemble cast brings the street to life, with each neighbour contributing their own perspective, personality, and quietly simmering tension as the fight to save the oak tree unfolds.

It surprised me by…
How effectively the story balances humour with genuine warmth. As the residents rally together, their frustrations and secrets begin to surface, but instead of tearing the community apart, the shared cause gradually brings them together in unexpected ways.

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Music Pairing

🎵 Featured Song: Our House - Madness

🎶 Vibe Album: The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society - The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society

🎧 Artist Recommendation: Belle and Sebastian - witty, observational, and quietly charming.

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Vibe Check

Colour Palette: leafy green, warm brick red, soft cream

Soundtrack: rustling leaves, neighbours chatting across hedges, distant lawnmowers

Season: late spring / early summer - when gardens are thriving and people start paying attention to what matters

Mood: witty, heartwarming, gently chaotic

Scent: cut grass, fresh tea, and warm baking drifting from open windows

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Tarot Pull

Three of Cups

The Three of Cups represents community, cooperation, and celebration. Despite their differences, the residents of Oak Drive ultimately come together to protect something they all care about, turning a neighbourhood dispute into a moment of shared purpose.

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For Fans Of

Book: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

TV: The Durrells — warm ensemble storytelling with humour and heart.

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Common Decency publishes on the 21st of May, 2026. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.