The Understudy
A comic masterpiece by the author of ONE DAY and YOU ARE HERE
Published on 4. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-1-3997-6519-0 (ISBN)
Description
The Understudy: a scintillating comedy of ambition, celebrity, jealousy and love
'Wonderfully chaotic'
THE TIMES
'A funky, less-fluffy-than-funny rom com'
METRO
'Brilliant'
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
'It could hold its own against a Richard Curtis script'
INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
'A zippy comedy . . . irresistible'
DAILY MAIL
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?
ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST ACCLAIMED WRITERS
'One of the most astute chroniclers of England as it is now'
FINANCIAL TIMES
'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
'No one else writes novels that are both relatable and revelatory in the way he does'
EVENING STANDARD
'Genuinely brilliant'
NEW STATESMAN
'Wonderfully chaotic'
THE TIMES
'A funky, less-fluffy-than-funny rom com'
METRO
'Brilliant'
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
'It could hold its own against a Richard Curtis script'
INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
'A zippy comedy . . . irresistible'
DAILY MAIL
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?
ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST ACCLAIMED WRITERS
'One of the most astute chroniclers of England as it is now'
FINANCIAL TIMES
'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
'No one else writes novels that are both relatable and revelatory in the way he does'
EVENING STANDARD
'Genuinely brilliant'
NEW STATESMAN
Reviews / Votes
Sharply funny . . . wonderfully chaotic * The Times * The set pieces of social embarrassment are neatly threaded together, and there are some well-crafted tender moments too . . . It could hold its own against a Richard Curtis script * Independent on Sunday * This bitterly funny book is a delightful reminder of how much acting we all do in the name of love * Observer * Highly enjoyable . . . both knowing and charming * Mirror * A zippy comedy with laugh-out-loud lines, grounded on a solid plot and first-rate dialogue . . . irresistible * Daily Mail * An entertaining follow-up to Nicholls' brilliant debut * Heat * A funky, less-fluffy-than-funny rom com * Metro * I adored The Understudy. It's a fantastic comedy . . . delightfully written * New Woman * Darkly funny and oddly romantic * More * An unusual mix of cynicism and romance - no slush, just lots of laughs! * Company * Hugely entertaining with a high ratio of chuckles and snorts per chapter * Good Book Guide * Deeply funny, with brilliant dialogue * Good Housekeeping * Sweet and funny * Eve * Funniest book of the year * Marie Claire * Jaunty, big-hearted . . . Romantic comedy with a charming British accent * Kirkus * Brilliantly written and very funny * Closer * The humour is authentic and perfectly pitched * Waitrose Weekend *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Hodder & Stoughton
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
n/a
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
298 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3997-6519-0 (9781399765190)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
03/2005
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
€4.49
Available for download
Person
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.
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.