Roy， a psychotherapist， and his first wife， Bea， a caterer， are the characters around which this hilarious and unpredictable novel revolves. The other players include their four children， their assorted friends and lovers， as well as Roy s subsequent two wives， one of whom he steals from a patient. Not to mention Bea s lover--the Russian migr superintendent--her lesbian artist sister， and her caustic mother， the landlady of the chaotic building. Throughout the novel， Bea and Roy struggle to redefine the idea of family without giving up the fantasy of endless self-gratification. Entanglements， betrayals， couplings， and uncouplings abound， as each person seeks love and happiness in the free-for-all 90s. Beneath the wit and absurdity runs a wry social commentary on who we are in an age when the rigid old values are gone and the new ones have not quite meshed. Told in short scenes and pungent dialogue， In the Family Way has verve and style--Jane Austen would approve.