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The show-stopping new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author and
widely beloved Mel Giedroyc.
Sometimes life surprises you with an encore...
Twenty years ago, aspiring performer Gill Piper boarded a bus out of Leatherhead with a
spring in her step and stars in her eyes. Things didn''t quite pan out...
Back home again, Gill finds much has changed. Young Lights, the youth theatre group
which coaxed her out of her shell, is no more. The theatre itself, once the heartbeat of the
community, now feels like a has-been; Gill can relate.
When Gill learns the theatre is approaching its hundredth year, she decides to put on a
spectacular anniversary show to give it a comeback and unite the town. She has just eight
weeks, but if she can persuade some shy newcomers to step into the spotlight, it might
just be possible.
But Gill hasn''t counted on self-appointed Artistic Director and diva extraordinaire C arla
Keswick, who declares war. C an Gill and her unlikely company of amateurs defy C arla''s
dirty tricks, and prove it''s never too late for a curtain call?
Praise for The Best Things:
''I enjoyed it HUGELY. A real treat'' MARIAN KEYES
''A brilliant cast of characters and properly funny!'' GRAHAM NORTON
''A warm contemporary fable bursting with colourful characters and comic
energy'' DAILY MAIL
Mel Giedroyc has been entertaining the nation for over thirty years. A comedian, writer,
actor and presenter, Mel is also known for her work alongside Sue Perkins, such as multi
Bafta-winning Great British Bake Off (BBC ) and Light Lunch (C hannel 4). Mel has written
two non-fiction books and has appeared in sitcoms and panel shows, as well as on radio
and on stage, in Stephen Sondheim''s Olivier Award-winning Company in the West End and
in Starter for Ten at Bristol''s Old Vic. Mel lives in London with her husband and two
daughters. Her debut novel The Best Things was a Sunday Times hardback bestseller.
''Exactly like Mel herself: engaging, uproarious and gleeful. A stonking good
read'' JO BRAND
''A warm look at a family and what really matters in life. Brimming with
hilarious scenes, it is also a redemptive book, and one of hope'' WOMAN & HOME
widely beloved Mel Giedroyc.
Sometimes life surprises you with an encore...
Twenty years ago, aspiring performer Gill Piper boarded a bus out of Leatherhead with a
spring in her step and stars in her eyes. Things didn''t quite pan out...
Back home again, Gill finds much has changed. Young Lights, the youth theatre group
which coaxed her out of her shell, is no more. The theatre itself, once the heartbeat of the
community, now feels like a has-been; Gill can relate.
When Gill learns the theatre is approaching its hundredth year, she decides to put on a
spectacular anniversary show to give it a comeback and unite the town. She has just eight
weeks, but if she can persuade some shy newcomers to step into the spotlight, it might
just be possible.
But Gill hasn''t counted on self-appointed Artistic Director and diva extraordinaire C arla
Keswick, who declares war. C an Gill and her unlikely company of amateurs defy C arla''s
dirty tricks, and prove it''s never too late for a curtain call?
Praise for The Best Things:
''I enjoyed it HUGELY. A real treat'' MARIAN KEYES
''A brilliant cast of characters and properly funny!'' GRAHAM NORTON
''A warm contemporary fable bursting with colourful characters and comic
energy'' DAILY MAIL
Mel Giedroyc has been entertaining the nation for over thirty years. A comedian, writer,
actor and presenter, Mel is also known for her work alongside Sue Perkins, such as multi
Bafta-winning Great British Bake Off (BBC ) and Light Lunch (C hannel 4). Mel has written
two non-fiction books and has appeared in sitcoms and panel shows, as well as on radio
and on stage, in Stephen Sondheim''s Olivier Award-winning Company in the West End and
in Starter for Ten at Bristol''s Old Vic. Mel lives in London with her husband and two
daughters. Her debut novel The Best Things was a Sunday Times hardback bestseller.
''Exactly like Mel herself: engaging, uproarious and gleeful. A stonking good
read'' JO BRAND
''A warm look at a family and what really matters in life. Brimming with
hilarious scenes, it is also a redemptive book, and one of hope'' WOMAN & HOME
- Publisher Name:Headline Publishing Group
- ISBN: 9781472256270
- Author:Giedroyc, Mel
- Publication Date:2026-08-27
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