Justin Myers

Laurie Blount, the ''enfant terrible'' of the West End, the voice of a generation, a shining star. Also: dead. Very, very dead. Reeling at being left behind, his husband Jo, best friend Vivi, and goddaughter Rosy must step out from the shadows and begin a new life, at their own pace. But scattered chapters of Laurie''s unpublished memoirs ensure that while he may be dead, he''ll never leave them. Waspish, wicked, and witty, they reveal a side to Laurie nobody really knew - or would admit to knowing. But who''s already had their eyes on them, and is it all really true? Who should his grieving loved ones believe to be the real Laurie - the lovable, arch comedian they knew, or the adulterous, somewhat tragic figure who comes alive on the page?Jo is about to discover he has more in common with his dear departed husband than he ever imagined, and that comedy and tragedy are just the same mistakes, made under different lighting. Those we adore let us down, halos can dim, and pedestals are there to be toppled. If Jo is ever to find peace in the future, he must confront Laurie''s past.PRAISE FOR JUSTIN MYERS''Funny, kind, insightful book, about those who get left behind'' Russell T Davies''The Fake-Up is everything I want from a rom com. It''s warm, funny and whip smart. I feel like I know all the characters, they just leap off the page. I couldn''t put it down'' Laura Kay, author of THE SPLIT''Justin Myers has done it again - a brilliantly funny reimagining of the romcom, full of helter-skelter twists'' Adam Kay, author of THIS IS GOING TO HURT''Myers uses his razor keen eye for observation, dialogue and character to the wittiest effect'' Evening Standard

'I wolfed down this brilliant book' ADAM KAY'Immensely clever and moving, dark and mature, a reflection on loss, on our compartmentalised selves, delivered in a gripping mystery' MHAIRI McFARLANE'A deliciously dark departure for Justin Myers, full of twists and turns and plenty of laughs, too' BOBBY PALMERLaurie Blount, enfant terrible of the West End, the voice of a generation, a shining star. Also: dead. Very, very dead. Killed in a car crash in the middle of the night, Laurie exited this world the way he lived his life - dramatically and dangerously. Laurie 's husband Jo, best friend Vivi and goddaughter Rosy must step out from grief 's shadow and face life without him. Until rumours of Laurie 's unpublished memoir begin to haunt the group. Waspish, wicked and witty, these confessions reveal a side to Laurie nobody really knew . . . or would admit to knowing. But can the words of a dead man be trusted? Laurie 's grieving loved ones are about to discover that comedy and tragedy are the same mistakes, made under different lighting. If Jo, Vivi and Rosy are ever to find peace in the future, they might need to lift the curtain on Laurie 's past - as well as their own. Can a dead man shatter your life one chapter at a time?'Myers does it again - crafting a moving mediation on art, love, loss and what it means to be happy in a world that has passed you by . . . You'll wish Laurie Blount was your friend. Until you very much don't' CARL ANKA'I'm going to be thinking about Laurie, Jo and Vivi for a long time to come. I was already a massive fan of Justin's writing, and now I'm officially a creep' LUCY VINE'Witty and devastatingly astute . . . Myers writes his characters masterfully, his controlled and precise storytelling leading us down a path that feels more dangerous and thrilling with each step' LAURA KAY

THE RIOTOUSLY FUNNY NEW NOVEL FROM KING OF THE MODERN ROM-COM JUSTIN MYERS'Hugely entertaining' VERONICA HENRY'Snappy, sharp, perceptive, and brim-full of wit and heart' JULIE COHEN'Ferociously funny' DAISY BUCHANANLeo's content to be in the background, letting his louder, more charismatic best friends shine. For a thirty-something gay people pleaser it's always been safer that way. But, suddenly, a gorgeous love interest from the past steps out of the wings, Leo's pushed to his limits by his overenthusiastic new boss and - strangest of all - he begins to question whether the friends he loves so dearly have been holding him back. For the first time ever, the spotlight is on Leo. But a spotlight reveals everything. And now all the things Leo has hidden away in darkness are in full focus. If he's to get everything he's ever wanted, Leo will need to face his past, and the future, head on. But he might not like everything he sees. __________Five-star reader reviews'Engaging characters with brilliant humour, humility and heart''There are twists and turns galore, even in the final pages of the story. Six stars out of five''I unreservedly recommend this book to all romantic comedy fans and also to everyone else'