The Understudy
On sale
4th June 2026
Price: £10.99
‘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 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 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 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?
Reviews
I adored The Understudy. It's a fantastic comedy . . . delightfully written
A zippy comedy with laugh-out-loud lines, grounded on a solid plot and first-rate dialogue . . . irresistible
Sharply funny . . . wonderfully chaotic
An entertaining follow-up to Nicholls' brilliant debut
This bitterly funny book is a delightful reminder of how much acting we all do in the name of love
Darkly funny and oddly romantic
An unusual mix of cynicism and romance - no slush, just lots of laughs!
Hugely entertaining with a high ratio of chuckles and snorts per chapter
A funky, less-fluffy-than-funny rom com
Deeply funny, with brilliant dialogue
Sweet and funny
Highly enjoyable . . . both knowing and charming
Funniest book of the year
Jaunty, big-hearted . . . Romantic comedy with a charming British accent
Brilliantly written and very funny
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
The humour is authentic and perfectly pitched