The Understudy

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 *

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.

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