I had no expectations going into this read. Despite this, whatever subconscious bar I had set was not quite met. I appreciated the dive into the opera scene, which facilitated a lot of the "love' for any of the characters that I may have experienced. The pacing in the beginning wasn't enough for me to forgive how unlikeable I found our main character, Kit, and I was more compelled by the problem diva Yolanda.

It's an interesting concept and, on a base level, a good read, although somewhat convoluted. I'm all for insufferable or unlikable characters, but you really have to slog through a bit of the book to be able to swallow the bold character flaws.

Thank you to NetGalley for facilitating the arc, and many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor.

Morgan Richter's The Understudy delves into the cutthroat world of opera, where ambition, jealousy, and obsession collide with potentially deadly consequences. The novel centers around Kit, a seasoned opera singer who finally lands her big break as the lead in a new production based on the cult classic film Barbarella. However, her rise to the top is threatened by the arrival of her understudy, Yolanda, a stunningly beautiful and unnervingly confident young woman who seems determined to usurp Kit's place, no matter the cost.
The author carefully crafts a tense and suspenseful atmosphere from the very beginning. The reader is immediately immersed in the high-stakes environment of the opera world, where talent and hard work are often overshadowed by ruthless ambition and personal connections. Kit, the protagonist, is portrayed as a dedicated and disciplined artist who has poured her heart and soul into her career. She is initially dismissive of Yolanda, viewing her as an inexperienced novice. However, as Yolanda's manipulative tactics become increasingly apparent, Kit is forced to confront her own insecurities and fight for her place in the spotlight. Their dynamic is the driving force of the novel, a simmering tension that threatens to boil over at any moment.
Richter expertly develops the characters, revealing their complexities and vulnerabilities layer by layer. Kit is not simply the established star threatened by a newcomer; she grapples with insecurities and past disappointments that fuel her determination. Yolanda, with her enigmatic charm and unwavering focus, is more than just an ambitious understudy; she is a force of nature, driven by a deep-seated need for recognition. The author skillfully avoids simplistic portrayals of good versus evil, instead presenting two women locked in a battle for survival in a fiercely competitive world.
Yolanda, the antagonist, is a truly captivating and chilling character. She is the embodiment of unchecked ambition, willing to exploit and betray anyone who stands in her way. Richter skillfully peels back the layers of Yolanda's charming facade, revealing a deeply disturbed and manipulative personality. The dynamic between Kit and Yolanda is the driving force of the narrative, creating a constant sense of unease and anticipation. The reader is left wondering just how far Yolanda will go to achieve her goals, and whether Kit will be able to protect herself from her understudy's machinations.
The supporting characters in The Understudy are equally well-developed and contribute to the overall richness of the story. From the demanding director to the eccentric costume designer, each character adds depth and texture to the opera world that Richter has created. The novel also explores the complex relationships between women in a competitive environment, highlighting the challenges and pressures they face.
The narrative takes a darker turn when a cold-blooded murder disrupts the company, adding a layer of suspense to the already tense atmosphere. As the story unfolds, the reader is drawn into a web of secrets and hidden agendas, unsure of who to trust. The psychological tension escalates, with both Kit and Yolanda pushed to their limits. The question becomes not just who will take the stage, but how far each is willing to go to achieve their desires. As Kit delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding the murder, she uncovers dark secrets and hidden connections that threaten to unravel everything she has worked for.
Richter's prose is sharp and evocative, capturing the beauty and drama of the opera world while also delving into the darker aspects of human nature. The pacing is expertly controlled, building suspense gradually and culminating in a dramatic climax. The author's attention to detail, whether describing the intricacies of an opera performance or the inner turmoil of the characters, adds depth and authenticity to the narrative. The author also makes effective use of foreshadowing and red herrings, keeping the reader guessing until the very end, until the thrilling climax is revealed.
The Understudy is more than just a thriller; it is an exploration of the human psyche, the relentless pursuit of dreams, and the sacrifices made in the name of ambition. It is a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt the pressure to succeed, the fear of being replaced, or the allure of the spotlight. Richter has crafted a compelling and thought-provoking novel that will stay with the reader long after the final curtain falls.

• Strengths: Compelling characters, suspenseful plot, evocative prose, insightful exploration of ambition and jealousy.
• Weaknesses: Some readers might find the pacing slow in the initial chapters as the author establishes the characters and setting.

The Understudy is a unique and suspenseful thriller that explores the dark side of ambition and the destructive power of jealousy. Morgan Richter has crafted a captivating story with complex characters, a richly detailed setting, and a plot that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. This novel is sure to appeal to fans of psychological thrillers, suspenseful dramas, and stories that delve into the complexities of human relationships.

Who knew there would be such an undercurrent of competitive
greed in the New York Opera season. It borders on the maniacal
with just a touch of misogyny thrown in for good measure.
The atmosphere is diabolical, leaving the reader working to
solve the mystery, which as solved, but not until the story
was taking off, exposing Kit’s choices. The story did seem
to be about the murder, but it’s not really the point.
My thanks to Knopf via NG for the download copy of
this book for review purposes.

Starts slow but picks up and is an interesting look at an opera singer and the cat and mouse game with her seemingly dangerous/glamorous understudy. Besides being a psychological thriller, it is also a woman coming into her own. It is a study in contrasts between her mouse like appearance /demeanor, perfectionism and the passion and fury underneath. She is a contrast to her mother, a contrast to the understudy. and between technique and emotion. Lots of interesting things in this book. A solid 4.5

I've never read a thriller about the opera before, but this one sucked me in. It was interesting to see all of the backstage stuff that can go on at an opera, and the tension between characters is written magnificently. It kept me hooked, but I felt that some parts of the story were one-dimensional or rushed. All in all, solid read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ — Morgan Richter’s *The Understudy* is a darkly glamorous psychological thriller set in the cutthroat world of New York City opera. It follows Kit, a disciplined soprano finally landing her big break in a new opera based on *Barbarella*. Her excitement is short-lived when she meets Yolanda, her dangerously ambitious understudy who’s willing to do anything to steal the spotlight.

The novel thrives on its atmospheric setting—backstage drama, diva rivalries, and the high-stakes tension of live performance. Yolanda is a standout villain: seductive, manipulative, and chillingly unpredictable. Kit’s journey from self-doubt to resilience is compelling, though some readers found her passivity frustrating at times citeturn0search1.

While the pacing stumbles slightly in the middle as the narrative delves into Yolanda’s backstory, the final act delivers a crescendo of twists that make the journey worthwhile citeturn0search1. The murder mystery adds a layer of suspense, though its resolution feels rushed and less impactful than it could have been citeturn0search1.

Despite these minor flaws, *The Understudy* is a stylish, addictive read that blends ambition, rivalry, and suspense into a satisfying crescendo. It’s perfect for fans of *All About Eve*, *Black Swan*, or anyone who loves a backstage mystery with bite.

As an opera fan and a lover of psychological thrillers, I was attracted by the premise of this novel--production of a new opera based on the Roger Vadim space sex-romp "Barbarella.." This is certainly no more whack than making an opera about Nixon in China or Einstein on the beach, both of which are pretty amazing. Coloratura soprano Kit is cast as the sexy space adventurer. It's a big step in her career--her first time performing in Manhattan, so close to the Met.! The issue is her understudy Yolanda, who spends most of her time undermining Kit, playing out that old trope of warring divas, even though neither is a diva. Women undermining women is not my favorite trope, especially when it is so obvious. The second half of "The Understudy" takes off after a very clever twist, so hang on!

I found it hard to hang on. I wish that Morgan Richter had called more on the clever lobe that she uses so well in the latter part of "The Understudy" in the first half. Wondering what the producers were going to do with Barbarella was a treat. Just keep reading.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the e-galley!

More of a psychological thriller than expected. Kit is an opera singer finally getting a lead role, only to find her position undermined by a nobody. Yolanda is a smarmy character that has you trying to figure out if she is truly vacuously toxic or overtly evil. Following her murder, Kit scrambles to find out what happened to Yolanda in order to clear her name. Kit is not the strongest character, but this matures her quickly. I went back and forth at to how I felt about Kit, but her amateur sleuthing was pretty good. Once she started looking for clues, this story began to pick up the pace and became so much more interesting and exciting. Yolanda's evolution was convoluted, and getting to the core of her personality was interesting. The book may have started a little slow for me, but it quickly picked up the pace and triggered my investigator response. Thank you to Samantha Bryant of Penguin Random House and NetGalley for allowing me to read and ARC of this book!

This story was something different from what I typically read. I enjoyed the plot and most of the pacing although it fell flat in a few places it picked up towards the end. I was not a fan of the character development as they seemed very predictable and flat. Overall just ok.

I enjoyed this and felt like I learned about the competitiveness of the opera scene in New York! It kept me on the edge of the seat. The characters are complex, ambitious, and cut throat. I would recommend this book to friends and family who enjoyed The Black Swan.

Many thanks to NetGalley for this ebook ARC! 3.5 stars!

This is a really interesting murder mystery read. We follow Kit, who works for a small Opera in NYC called Brio. When rehearsals start for a new opera that she has recently moved into playing the lead for, Kit immediately starts noticing how weird it is that her cover (opera speak for understudy), Yolanda, is at the rehearsal. From the first day they meet, Kit and Yolanda have a tumultuous relationship. It's pretty clear that Yolanda is trying to get in Kit's way of successfully making it to the opening night of the opera. Along the way, many disturbing things happen....but ultimately it's someone unexpected who ends up dead. From there, Kit engages with the mystery of trying to figure out who the murderer is and what the heck is going on, putting herself in many dangerous situations along the way.

Overall I really enjoyed this. While it wasn't the most realistic thing ever, I thought the plot and concept were interesting. Everything also ended up making sense in the end, which you don't always have an author do successfully in a mystery or thriller, so I really appreciated that.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon and Vintage for this advance reader’s copy, in exchange for an honest review. “The Understudy” has an expected publication date of August 5, 2025.
And check out all my reviews at my Raised on Reading (www.raisedonreading.com) book blog.
I have mixed feelings about Morgan Richter’s soon-to-be-released novel “The Understudy,” mostly because I finished the book and was confused over what I had just read. What I thought – from both the title and the opening chapters – would be story about a rivalry between an opera star and her understudy, quickly devolved into one of fraud, obsession, jealousy, and unrealistic scenarios.
Kit Margolis, stage name Katerina, has just landed her first lead role in the new opera Barbarella. Why anyone would even consider making an opera based on the 1968 cult movie of the same name is beyond me, but that’s neither here nor there. Kit has a magnificent voice, but her stage presence and lack of emotional connection with the audience have the director, Daniel, eyeing her understudy, Yolanda – who has never performed in an opera before – as a replacement.
This, of course, leads to immediate friction between Kit and Yolanda, fueled by the latter’s supposedly innocent prank of lacing Kit’s tea with tetrahydrozoline (eye drops), which land her in the hospital. Yolanda even cops to the nasty deed. Despite this admittance, and subsequent ‘innocent pranks,’ Kit somehow finds herself developing a friendship with Yolanda.
And if that’s not unrealistic enough, Kit immediately becomes a super sleuth when a crime is committed, somehow believing she can solve the mystery faster and better than the police – despite repeatedly placing herself in harm’s way. Someone fighting for her operatic life just wouldn’t go there.
I also found the characters, including Kit, difficult to like. None of them have any redeeming qualities, so there’s really no incentive to root for anyone. Had the narrative retained its initial focus on the rivalry between Kit and Yolanda, that might have been more interesting. But too many plot deviations hindered the story’s flow.
I’m not a huge fan of opera, stemming mostly from my lack of understanding of the genre. So, from that perspective, I appreciated Richter’s detailed explanations of how an opera comes together, without getting overly technical. I may still never go to an opera, but at least I have a better understanding.
I’m not totally down on “The Understudy,” I just feel it lost its way from what it could have been. Three out of five stars, and perhaps that’s being a tad generous.

Many books start out well and then tank out mid way through. This is just the opposite. If I hadn't been asked to review this I would have DNF'd it. Thankfully I stuck with it because I had to and just past the midway point it really picks up and becomes an excellent read.

Kit has worked hard to get to the top of the ultra-competitive world of opera in New York City. She has finally landed the main role in an opera dealing with pop culture classic, Barbarella. But Barbarella is voluptuous and Kit is not. But with enough padding and makeup, who knows? She's confident in the role, until she meets her understudy. Yolanda is raw and untrained, but she is beautiful. And has the sexy looks that Kit lacks. But the biggest problem is that Yolanda will do anything, and I mean anything, to get the principle role.

After a rocky start, though, Kit and Yolanda have seemed to form a decent working relationship. In fact, it borders on friendship. But then Yolanda is found dead. Kit feels obligated to dig into Yolanda's checkered past to figure out what happened. But she turns up more than she bargained for.

I found this to be a captivating book. It offers a rare glimpse into the world of the New York opera scene. Characters are well-developed and relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Knopf for the ARC. The blurb sounded super interesting but the execution was a let down. The plot dragged and the characters were more flat than interesting.

Morgan Richter's The Understudy delves into the cutthroat world of New York City's opera scene, weaving a tale of ambition, rivalry, and intrigue. The story centers on Kit Margolis, an opera singer who, after years of dedication, secures the lead role in a new production based on the 1960s cult classic film Barbarella. Her ascent, however, is threatened by her understudy, Yolanda, whose allure and ambition cast a shadow over Kit's hard-earned success.

Richter masterfully captures the nuances of the opera world, from the intense rehearsals to the backstage politics that often remain hidden from the public eye. The tension between Kit and Yolanda escalates when a murder disrupts the production, forcing Kit to confront not only the external challenges posed by her understudy but also her own insecurities and past traumas.

The setting is extremely interesting, providing readers with an often unseen view of opera and immersing them into a high stakes environment. Despite this interesting setting, the emotional depth of the characters often did not go beyond rivalry and the mystery concludes a bit too quickly for my taste.

However, The Understudy remains a compelling read, especially for those intrigued by the performing arts. Richter's portrayal of the opera world, combined with the suspense of a murder mystery, offers a unique narrative that keeps readers invested until the final curtain call.

I'll give it more of a hard 3.75. It's very detail oriented and that its fault in some cases. However, the overall plot and twists were really fun to read and encounter. It doesn't hook you that quickly, but it's for sure a page turner that you keep wanting to read the next chapter. Overall, a solid mystery read.

This one was ok. I enjoyed the first part of this book way more. I enjoyed Kit and Yolanda being enemies. But the second half felt super dragged out. IT picked up again towards the end, but this just wasn't for me.

Truth be told, heading into this I had reservations that a story involving players in an opera would be a bit boring but I was happy to find this assumption to be very wrong. The opera at the heart of the story is Barbarella (yes, it is based on the campy movie of the same name) so that made it much more relatable to this no-nothing-about-opera-thus-intimidated-by-it reader.

The story follow Kit, the lead of the opera, and as the title indicates, the troubles she encounters with her understudy. No spoilers, but will say this was a pretty intriguing murder mystery and once I started reading, I didn't stop until the end because I needed to know all the answers. I was deep into the book before I put the pieces together and while I usually like to be surprised, I was still very satisfied even though I solved the mystery before the reveal.

Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book from NetGalley and Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House LLC (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

Kit has finally fulfilled her dream of being an opera singer in the leading role. She is overwhelmed and overjoyed that her talent had finally been discovered. But her insecurities begin to arise when she meets her understudy. A lady with a plan to take Kit's role and makes it very well known. Soon Kit finds that she is not only struggling to save her role but also her life.
A good mystery based around the world of opera and the dedication of those who perform. The plot line starts out with the threats to Kit's life and with a sudden twist takes the reader into another story. Some parts were a little slow and dragged for me, but the ending was a good climax.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for a chance to read an advanced copy of this book.