Bring the House Down
Published on 9. April 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-0-00-868805-9 (ISBN)
Description
'Punchily provocative and often bitingly funny' THE TIMES, Book of the Month
'Binge-worthy, real, really funny' KILEY REID
'Spiky, smart and so original' CLAIRE DAVERLEY
'Entertaining and very timely... One of the most enjoyable novels I've read in a long time' GUARDIAN
'Unputdownable' DAILY MAIL
A ONE WOMAN SHOW
A ONE NIGHT STAND
A 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
'Binge-worthy, real, really funny' KILEY REID
'Spiky, smart and so original' CLAIRE DAVERLEY
'Entertaining and very timely... One of the most enjoyable novels I've read in a long time' GUARDIAN
'Unputdownable' DAILY MAIL
A ONE WOMAN SHOW
A ONE NIGHT STAND
A 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
Reviews / Votes
'Enticing... 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'A punchily provocative and often bitingly funny look at power dynamics and the ethics of criticism' The Times, Book of the Month
'Entertaining and very timely... One of the most enjoyable novels I've read in a long time' Guardian
'Spiky, smart and so original' Claire Daverley
'Ludicrously fun' Stylist
'Sharp-witted, wise, and authentic - what a fierce, fantastically funny read' Claire Lombardo
'A bitingly sharp, witty, and multi-layered exploration of rage and art' Sophie Mackintosh
'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
'A multistranded tale with depth and emotional intelligence... tender and furious - not to mention very, very funny... a solid five stars all round' Marie Claire, Editor's Pick
'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
'Accountability and cancel culture are the zeitgeisty themes of this clever and compelling novel set during the Edinburgh Fringe' Red
'Highly original, clever and witty' Sunday Post
'Funny and sharp' Grazia
'Well. This is exceptional... a wholly absorbing, nuanced exploration of the modern need to have, and express, an opinion on everything' Jennie Godfrey
'Be transported to the buzz of the Edinburgh Fringe in this sharp and funny debut... Compelling, multi-layered and rich with brilliant characters' Woman & Home
'Sharp and funny... rich with brilliant characters' Woman's Weekly
'An astounding debut... five big stars' Nathan Hill
'Funny, precise, and such fun' Holly Gramazio
'A witty, of-the-moment debut about art and cancel culture' Good Housekeeping
'A funny, thought-provoking rollercoaster of a read' Scotsman
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Product notice
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 193 mm
Width: 132 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
218 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-868805-9 (9780008688059)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Charlotte Runcie has spent much of her career reviewing shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for various magazines and national newspapers. 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 BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week and named a Book of the Year in the Spectator, The Scotsman and Prospect. She lives in South Wales.