The Understudy

'Irresistible'

DAILY MAIL

'Wonderfully chaotic'

THE TIMES

'Delightful'

OBSERVER

'Brilliant'

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

'Funniest book of the year'

MARIE CLAIRE

For Josh Harper, being in show-business means everything he ever wanted: money, fame, a beautiful wife and a lead role on the London stage.

For Stephen C. McQueen, it means being stuck with an unfortunate name, a hopeless agent and a job as understudy to Josh Harper, the 12th Sexiest Man in the World.

When Stephen falls in love with Josh's clever, funny wife, Nora, things get even more difficult. But might there yet be a way for Stephen to get his big break?

“I adored "The Understudy". It's a fantastic comedy ... delightfully written and makes you realise that even though some people are always cast as second best, that doesn't mean they're never winners. - New WomanA comic genius - Maria Beaumont on David NichollsBrilliant... we would recommend it to anyone - Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan on STARTER FOR TI laughed a lot - Jeremy Paxman on STARTER FOR TENMoving, wickedly observed, warm, uplifting and above all blindingly funny, Starter for Ten hits the spot time after time. Read this book - Jack on STARTER FOR TENA zippy comedy with laugh-out-loud lines, grounded on a solid plot and first-rate dialogue...irresistible - Daily Mail Bitterly funny - Observer Darkly funny and oddly romantic. - More”

I adored "The Understudy". It's a fantastic comedy ... delightfully written and makes you realise that even though some people are always cast as second best, that doesn't mean they're never winners. - New Woman

A comic genius - Maria Beaumont on David Nicholls

Brilliant... we would recommend it to anyone - Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan on STARTER FOR T

I laughed a lot - Jeremy Paxman on STARTER FOR TEN

Moving, wickedly observed, warm, uplifting and above all blindingly funny, Starter for Ten hits the spot time after time. Read this book - Jack on STARTER FOR TEN

A zippy comedy with laugh-out-loud lines, grounded on a solid plot and first-rate dialogue...irresistible - Daily Mail

Bitterly funny - Observer

Darkly funny and oddly romantic. - More

David Nicholls is the bestselling author of Starter for Ten, The Understudy, One Day, Us, Sweet Sorrow and You Are Here. One Day was published in 2009 to extraordinary critical acclaim: translated into 40 languages, it became a global bestseller, selling millions of copies worldwide. His fourth novel, Us, was longlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction.

On screen, David has written adaptations of Far from the Madding Crowd, When Did You Last See Your Father? and Great Expectations, as well as of his own novels, Starter for Ten, One Day and Us. His adaptation of Edward St Aubyn's Patrick Melrose, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, was nominated for an Emmy and won him a BAFTA for best writer. The Netflix adaptation of One Day was executive-produced by David.

From the bestselling author of STARTER FOR TEN, ONE DAY and US, THE UNDERSTUDY is a scintillating comedy of ambition, celebrity, jealousy and love. For Josh Harper, being in show-business means everything he ever wanted - money, fame, a beautiful wife, and a lead role on the London stage. For Stephen C. McQueen, it means a disastrous career playing passers-by and dead people.Stephen is stuck with an unfortunate name, a hopeless agent, a daughter he barely knows, and a job as understudy to Josh Harper, the 12th Sexiest Man in the World. And when Stephen falls in love with Josh's clever, funny wife Nora, things get even more difficult.But might there yet be a way for Stephen to get his Big Break?THE UNDERSTUDY is a scintillating comedy of ambition, celebrity, jealousy and love.

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