The Understudy

A comic masterpiece by the author of ONE DAY and YOU ARE HERE

By: David Nicholls

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Paperback | 4 June 2026 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Format
Paperback

Dimensions(cm)
19.61 x 12.6 x 2.79

Paperback

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'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?

About the Author

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 long-listed for the Booker Prize for Fiction. His latest novel, You Are Here, was an instant Sunday Times number one bestseller on publication.

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.

Industry Reviews

'One of the most astute chroniclers of England as it is now' - FT

'An uncanny ability to make us laugh out loud, but also care passionately about his characters' - DAILY TELEGRAPH

'Nicholls writes with such tender precision about love' - THE TIMES

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