Product Description

She's left the rat race behind -- but taken her contacts book with her. Jo Smiley abandons her glamorous London lifestyle to decamp to a draughty manor house with her new husband, the divine Charlie. Happiness awaits: all they need is a plan to make it pay. Deep in the English countryside, Fiddleford makes an ideal refuge from the media. And as the first few paparazzi-battered guests arrive, Jo allows herself to hope. The house might be crumbling, the chef temperamental, but the Fiddleford magic never fails...apparently. But while for the guests, happiness might be a warm cow's nose and a ramble in the wild and beautiful gardens, the local council has other ideas. Suddenly Jo and Charlie's rural retreat looks shaky. Can they fend off the officials, save their dream and stay on their own path to happiness?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #113639 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 322 pages

Review
PRAISE FOR THE NEW YOU SURVIVAL KIT: A hilarious, witty comedy of modern manners.' Adele Parks, author of Game Over and Playing Away. 'refreshingly sharp and witty social satire... the author's astute observations are fleshed by plenty of insider know-how' Daily Mail 'funny, cynical, and genuinely knowing about media London... the most superbly reactionary fable' Evening Standard 'wicked modern satire' Daily Express

Guaranteed to lift the heart of the most cynical of readers, Daisy Waugh's latest novel follows the often implausible adventures of newly married Jo, who has left a high-flying PR career to live in genteel poverty with husband Charlie in his crumbling, cold ancestral home of Fiddleford Manor. Determined to save the family seat and make it a paying business, they set about turning the manor into a sanctuary for paparazzi-plagued celebrities. Of course, things don't go as planned and they gradually amass a coterie of oddly assorted characters who all fall for the decaying charm of the Fiddleford estate. From Messy, the now obese ex-glamour girl, to Colin, the neglected village delinquent, the Manor's inhabitants strive to make the would-be hotel a going concern. However, having suffered once from the brutal bureaucracy of MAFF and the mass slaughter of the Fiddleford herd during the foot-and-mouth crisis, they now face the ruthless attentions of Miss Gunston, the local Environmental Health Officer, whose zeal for red tape and sub-clauses threatens to destroy the business before it has even started. When Maurice Morrison, multi-millionaire and Minister for Social Exclusion, seeks the refuge of Fiddleford things seem to look up, but hidden agendas and twisted motives mean that Jo and Charlie will have to use every wit they have to out-manoeuvre the over-zealous local council and save their home and marriage. Daisy Waugh pokes merciless fun at petty officialdom and the bewildering array of minor rules and regulations that govern our lives. With a deliciously malicious wit, this is a light-hearted romp that will leave you with a smile on your face - even if you're a Heath and Safety official. (Kirkus UK)

CHOICE
Daisy Waugh’s refreshing tale of a glamorous urbanite’s struggle to come to terms with life running a crumbling country-house hotel is a joy.’

MARIE CLAIRE
‘Waugh’s take on media life is spot on, as are her descriptions of the more irritating aspects of country life.’

Customer Reviews

a great page turner
I have always liked Daisy Waugh's work and have followed her career a bit in newspapers and her novels and I can't believe I missed this one!! This is a wonderful, witty, amusing, hilarious read about the wonderful world of celebrity. Set in a country house that becomes a sort Priory for famous people escaping the press, Ten Steps is laugh out loud funny and it kept me reading long after the bath water went cold. I read lots of books but I particularly loved this one. It reminded me of vintage Jilly Cooper. Glad to see there is another one coming next year. Keep it Daisy!

A Book Like None Other!
When I began reading this book I thought the title was a little misleading because it is about a young couple who are opening a sanctuary for celebrities who want to just escape. Whereas i thought it would be more like a guide, it is more of a story. However, when I read on I found that it had a good storyline and the characters feel really real. It had many unexpected twists and it really played with human emotion.
I would definately reccomend this book to anyone 14, 40 or 400 you can't not enjoy reading this book!

A disappointing read
I was disappointed with this book - it promised much, but didn't deliver on any level. The story was almost non-existent and the characterisation was pitiful and one-dimensional. Maybe I expected too much from it, but I usually enjoy well-written chick-lit - this just left me feeling that I had wasted a few hours of my life reading it.