Near-perfect tale of cross starred lovers

CHARLOTTE Runcie's debut novel Bring the House Down asks a timely question - is giving an artist a one-star review an act of abuse?

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The story follows Alex Lyons, a theatre critic known for savage takedowns, who watches a poor Fringe show by Hayley Sinclair, then sleeps with her hours before publishing a brutal review. The fallout is swift and public.

Humiliated Hayley turns her failing solo act into a viral hit by retelling it on stage - in The Alex Lyons Experience. It's part confessional, part call-out, part comedy.

Women queue up to share their stories of Alex or men like him. The show becomes a sensation while Alex's reputation spirals.