About David Albertyn

Born in Durban, South Africa in 1983, David Albertyn immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1993. A graduate of Queen’s University and the Humber School for Writers – where he received a Letter of Distinction – he has been writing stories since the age of six. A tennis coach who has competed extensively in both tennis and track and field, David’s goal is to write visceral novels that are both thrilling and meaningful. The result of all David’s interests, influences and efforts is Undercard (2019), which is infused with scrupulous research and the pulse of the times we live in. It immediately resonated with David’s Canadian publisher, House of Anansi, and went on to resonate with his international publishers, HarperCollins Germany and HarperCollins France, his World English audiobook publisher, Dreamscape Media, and the award-winning production company that optioned the film/TV rights, Shaftesbury. 

Visit David’s website and the Reader’s Guide for Undercard.

Contact David. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

From the publisher of Undercard

When Tyron Shaw returns to his hometown of Las Vegas after eleven years in the Marines, he’s surprised to discover that two of his best friends from childhood are all anyone is talking about: Antoine Deco, three years out of prison, hasn’t lost a boxing match since his release, and tonight is fighting in the undercard to the fight of the decade; and Keenan Quinn, a police officer who killed an unarmed teenager and escaped punishment from the courts, is the subject of a protest tomorrow morning.

Tyron has trouble reconciling either story with his memory of these men, and the situation escalates when he runs into the love of his life, Naomi Wilks, a retired WNBA player, basketball coach, and estranged wife of Keenan. As Tyron reconnects with his old community, he will learn over the next twenty-four hours that much has changed since he left Las Vegas . . . and there is much more that he never understood.

The Reef, an aquarium-themed casino and the hottest resort on the Strip, is the backdrop for this bullet-paced narrative, where loyalty to one’s friends, one’s family, and one’s community are ever at odds, and every choice has deadly repercussions.

Praise

“An absolute knockout! Albertyn’s unforgettable voice transports readers to the underbelly of the Las Vegas boxing world, the dramatic ending a sucker punch that will leave you breathless. In Undercard, the emotional resonance, well-drawn characters, and seamless prose will keep you reading until well after the final bell. Best debut of the year.”

K.J. Howe, author of The Freedom Broker and Skyjack



“When I say that a mystery about boxing and boxers kept me reading intently, you know it has to be better than good. Undercard, a debut novel by Toronto author David Albertyn, is that book… Albertyn is a writer to watch.”

Margaret Cannon,
The Globe and Mail

“Gritty, dark, and cinematic, Undercard is as tough as the Nevada desert of its setting. As a diverse cast of characters struggle to find meaning in fractured lives and a fractured world, Albertyn’s taut writing makes the pages fly by. The climax descends like a prizefighter’s knockout punch.”

Grace O’Connell, author of Magnified World and Be Ready for the Lightning