Charlotte Runcie

Charlotte Runcie writes about the stories we tell and the ones we try not to.

Her debut novel, Bring the House Down, is a ‘tender, furious and very, very funny’ (Marie Claire) story of modern desire, betrayal and self-deception set in the world of theatre and criticism. It’s a 2025 novel of the summer according to The New York Times, ELLE, Marie Claire, The Times (London), The Independent, Lit Hub, Bloomberg, Good Housekeeping, The Bookseller and Glamour. Her earlier book, Salt on Your Tongue, is a lyrical work of nonfiction about women, water and the myths we carry and retell. It was BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week.

Charlotte has spent over a decade writing on books, theatre and culture for newspapers and magazines including The Telegraph, The Guardian and The Times. She’s also written original fiction for BBC Radio 4, and co-hosts In Haste, a podcast about books, writing and real life.

She studied English at Cambridge University and is now working on a PhD in medieval literature at Bristol, researching how medieval narratives of fear and enchantment echo in the modern novel.

Charlotte was once a poet (she’s a former Foyle Young Poet of the Year), and her background in poetry still shapes her style and voice. She lives in Wales and is writing a second novel.