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

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.

David Nicholls trained as an actor before making the switch to writing. his TV credits include the third series of Cold Feet, Rescue Me and I Saw You. He was also co-writer for the film adaptation of Simpatico, which starred Nick Nolte, Jeff Bridges and Sharon Stone. David's bestselling first novel, Starter for Ten, was published to much acclaim in 2003 and selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club in 2004. David is writing the screenplays for forthcoming film versions of both Starter for Ten and The Understudy. Most recently, David has written a modern version of Much Ado About Nothing for BBC TV, as part of a Shakespeare season to be screened in 2005. David Nicholls lives in London.