Overview

'Punchily provocative and often bitingly funny' THE TIMES, Book of the Month 'Entertaining and very timely… One of the most enjoyable novels I’ve read in a long time' GUARDIAN 'Bitingly sharp, witty and multi-layered' SOPHIE MACKINTOSH ‘Spiky, smart and so original’ CLAIRE DAVERLEY A ONE WOMAN SHOWA ONE NIGHT STANDA ONE STAR REVIEW Theatre critic Alex Lyons made his name from his brutal, brilliant reviews. So when he sees Hayley Sinclair's dismal one-woman show at the Edinburgh Fringe, he thinks nothing of dashing off another of his trademark one-star pans for the newspaper. He also thinks nothing of taking her home after the performance, failing at any point to mention who he is. What he doesn't expect is for Hayley to revamp her show into a review of Alex's entire life, exposing what an awful person he really is. Worse, the show is a smash hit, and Alex is about to become national news. But can Hayley bring the establishment down without taking herself with it? Funny and thrilling, Bring the House Down gives you a front row seat to the downfall of the people who tell us what to think. It's about art, performance, female rage, and how while revenge may be sweet, it can also be perilous. 'An enticing debut. This is a binge-worthy novel that explores our obsessions, our inner critic, and who we think we are in person and in print. Intimate, real, and really funny. This one has teeth' KILEY REID 'Sharp, shrewd and witty… a stunning debut, one that I’m sure will be binge-read by many' INDEPENDENT, Book of the Month 'Dark, obsessive and razor-sharp, this is your next Baby Reindeer fix’ ELLE

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9780008688011

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Reviews

Early praise for Bring the House Down 'A novel about losing and finding yourself again, about who we are versus who we think we are, and about the inner lives we rarely reveal. Runcie’s characters feel so real I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself next to them on the train or to overhear them on the streets of Edinburgh’ Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, author of The Sleep Watcher, Starling Days and Harmless Like You 'I devoured Bring the House Down – and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. Charlotte Runcie combines her searing observation and immaculate pacing with infectious prose in this compelling, comedic and seriously clever debut novel. I can't wait for everyone else to read it so I can finally talk about it at length' Alice Vincent, author of Why Women Grow Praise for Charlotte Runcie's memoir Salt On Your Tongue 'A very beautiful book about myth and motherhood – a memoir that intertwines effortlessly and poetically with tales of the sea. Salt On Your Tongue has a rare magic to it' Sophie Mackintosh, author of Cursed Bread 'A wise and wonderful book, charting intensely personal moments against the constant yet ever-changing sea. A story of birth, loss, memory and motherhood, spliced with vivid observations of the natural world and collected myth, lore and legend. Charlotte Runcie's voice is by turns practical and poetic, objective and beguiling. An utterly immersive read' Jess Kidd, author of Himself

Early praise for Bring the House Down 'Bring the House Down is sharp-witted, wise, and authentic – what a fierce, fantastically funny read' Claire Lombardo, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had and Same As It Ever Was 'Funny, bold and tender, Bring the House Down is a biting study of power, gender and the meaning of art. I loved this incendiary debut' Emilia Hart, bestselling author of Weyward 'A novel about losing and finding yourself again, about who we are versus who we think we are, and about the inner lives we rarely reveal. Runcie’s characters feel so real I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself next to them on the train or to overhear them on the streets of Edinburgh’ Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, author of The Sleep Watcher, Starling Days and Harmless Like You 'I devoured Bring the House Down – and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. Charlotte Runcie combines her searing observation and immaculate pacing with infectious prose in this compelling, comedic and seriously clever debut novel. I can't wait for everyone else to read it so I can finally talk about it at length' Alice Vincent, author of Why Women Grow Praise for Charlotte Runcie's memoir Salt On Your Tongue 'A very beautiful book about myth and motherhood – a memoir that intertwines effortlessly and poetically with tales of the sea. Salt On Your Tongue has a rare magic to it' Sophie Mackintosh, author of Cursed Bread 'A wise and wonderful book, charting intensely personal moments against the constant yet ever-changing sea. A story of birth, loss, memory and motherhood, spliced with vivid observations of the natural world and collected myth, lore and legend. Charlotte Runcie's voice is by turns practical and poetic, objective and beguiling. An utterly immersive read' Jess Kidd, author of Himself

Author Information

Charlotte Runcie is a radio columnist and arts writer. For several years she lived and worked in Edinburgh, where she ran a folk music choir, and she now lives in the Scottish Borders. She has a secret past as a poet, having been a Foyle Young Poet of the Year with a pamphlet published by tall-lighthouse. Her memoir Salt On Your Tongue was a BBC4 Book of the Week and named a Book of the Year in the Spectator, The Scotsman and Prospect.

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