Everything in the Garden - Giles Cooper

This is a comedy of prosperous suburbia, with corruption as its theme and core. A charming, apparently happily married couple, the Actons, live comfortably in their newly-furnished home, but feeling always that life owes thein just a little more: a car, an expensive lawnmower, money for parties and so on. Temptation comes in the shape of Leonie Pimosz, a very high class brothel-keeper. It is not long before pretty, sweet Mrs Acton becomes involved with her and the Acton fortunes are startlingly improved. Soon it becomes clear that Mrs Acton's new career is by no means unusual; indeed, the wives of all their friends are acquainted with Madame Pimosz, and the husbands are quite content to keep up with the Joneses in this as in everything else. But the denoument is startling and horrific.