Tom Allen
Common Decency: The hilarious, smart debut novel from the beloved comedian - perfect for your next book club read!
This item is available for PRE-ORDER only and will not be dispatched until official release date.
Please note: Regular and Pre-order items cannot be purchased at the same time. These will need to be ordered separately.
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This item is available for PRE-ORDER only and will not be dispatched until official release date.
Please note: Regular and Pre-order items cannot be purchased at the same time. These will need to be ordered separately.
This item is available for PRE-ORDER only and will not be dispatched until official release date.
Please note: Regular and Pre-order items cannot be purchased at the same time. These will need to be ordered separately.
IT MAY BE QUIET IN THE SUBURBS, BUT IT'S FAR FROM PEACEFUL. . .
'A fantastic frothy read about suburbia with all Tom Allen's great style' JACQUELINE WILSON, international #1 bestseller
'A deliciously witty suburban comedy of manners with real bite, shot through with Tom Allen's trademark humour. A brilliant debut novel!' TERRY DEARY, #1 Sunday Times bestseller
'Absolutely fantastic, I love Tom Allen!' SARA COX
'I love it!' JEFF GOLDBLUM
'A brilliant book' CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN
'Genuinely charming and so well-written. Read this book instead of doom-scrolling and you will go to bed happy' JEREMY VINE
'A story that made me both spit out my tea with laughter and brought me close to tears. I LOVED IT!'
RUTH HOGAN, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things
'Charming and comical with a sardonic raised eyebrow. Very Tom Allen!' JO BRAND
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. . .
Tom Allen brings his trademark dark comedy to the page in this brilliant novel about what it truly means to be a neighbourhood.
READERS ARE LOVING TOM ALLEN'S SPARKLING DEBUT
'What an exceptional piece of writing. It's witty, it's immersive, it makes you think'
'A fabulous read, a real comedy of manners'
'Tom Allen has a natural affinity for storytelling. I can't wait to see what he writes next'
'A humorous, charming book with a bit of edge to it'
'The cosiest of suburban observational dramas, with the smart sass and wit you'd expect from Tom Allen'
'I absolutely ADORED this book!'
Author: Tom Allen
Publication Date: 21-05-2026
Format: Paperback / softback
Pages: 320
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Height (mm): 234
Width (mm): 153
Length (mm): 0
How long until I get my preorder?
Please note that when purchasing a preorder book, it will only be dispatched after the release date stated on the description above.
Preorders within the Republic of Ireland are usually processed, dispatched and delivered within 2-3 working days of the book’s release date.*
Preorders going to Northern Ireland and Great Britain are usually processed, dispatched and delivered within 3-8 working days of the book’s release date.*
For timelines on international deliveries, please refer to our Shipping & Delivery Page.
*Please note that during peak trade times this timeline may increase.
Why can’t I buy a preorder with any other item?
We work to process orders as soon as they’re placed so that you get your delivery as quickly as possible in one go.
Preorders are not immediately dispatched as they are delivered upon the respective release date. This means there will be a wait between placing your order and receiving your order.
If you need to add more items to your basket, we recommend placing a separate order for this. We will send out all the items in your order in one delivery and preorder items will always arrive just after their respective release date.
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Once your order is shipped and physically in transit, we can no longer offer any amendments to your order.
How much is delivery?
We offer FREE delivery on all orders over €10 within the Republic of Ireland.
Delivery is just €3.95 for under under €10
Delivery starts from just €9 for orders to Northern Ireland and Great Britain
For international rates, please refer to our Shipping & Delivery Page.
Do you provide tracking for my order?
We provide a Tracking Reference for all orders placed online as standard.
Once your order is dispatched, you will receive an email with a custom An Post link to track your delivery every step of the way.
Can I cancel/amend my order once it’s placed?
Once your order is placed we work as quickly as possible to dispatch your order to you so we cannot promise this is always possible.
However, if you’ve made a mistake on your order and you’d like to change it, please contact our online team at customercare@bookstation.ie and we will try to fix this for you before your order is dispatched.
Once an order is shipped and in transit, we can no longer offer any amendments to your order.
SHIPPING
FREE delivery on all orders over €10* ✅
Orders dispatched within 2 working days ✅
An Post Tracking provided on all orders ✅
Republic of Ireland
*FREE on all orders over €10
€3.95 for orders under €10
UK & Northern Ireland
Shipping from just €7
*Republic of Ireland only.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING
Europe - Shipping from just €9
USA - Shipping from just €17
Canada - Shipping from just €16
Australia - Shipping from just €31.50
New Zealand - Shipping from just €26
RETURNS
Judged a book by its cover?
Don’t worry - at Bookstation you can return your order for a full refund within 14 days of delivery providing:
The item is in re-saleable condition ✅
It’s within the 14 day Return Period ✅
You have a valid proof of purchase ✅

