The Stranger Times: (The Stranger Times 1)

Product Information

This Charming Man” is the second novel in the “Stranger Times” series and was released in 2022. Vampires don’t exist. Everybody knows it. So it’s especially annoying when they begin popping up around Manchester. All across the USA, people are showing up dead. The deaths don't appear to be connected in any way until one particular death occurs and gets the Secretary of Defense's attention. He arranges for a task force to investigate.

Stranger Times Series by C.K. McDonnell - Goodreads Stranger Times Series by C.K. McDonnell - Goodreads

At least that’s their pitch. The reality is rather less auspicious. Their editor is a drunken, foul-tempered, and foul-mouthed husk of a man who thinks little of the publication he edits. His staff are a ragtag group of misfits. And as for the assistant editor . . . well, that job is a revolving door – and it has just revolved to reveal Hannah Willis, who’s got problems of her own.Throw in a precarious plumbing situation, gambling debts, an entirely new way of swearing, and a certain detective inspector with what could be kindly referred to as 'a lot of baggage' and it all adds up to another hectic week in the life of the newspaper committed to reporting the truth that nobody else will touch. Stella is enjoying life as an almost student, or at least she is until a man falls from the sky right in front of her, leaving a big old hole in the pavement for Manchester Council to fill. The obvious question of how he ended up in the sky in the first place has no obvious answers, which is where The Stranger Times come in. At least that's their pitch. The reality is rather less auspicious. Their editor is a drunken, foul-tempered and foul-mouthed husk of a man who thinks little of the publication he edits. His staff are a ragtag group of misfits. And as for the assistant editor . . . well, that job is a revolving door - and it has just revolved to reveal Hannah Willis, who's got problems of her own. Vincent Banecroft, the irascible editor of The Stranger Times, has never believed his wife died despite emphatic evidence to the contrary. Now, against all odds, it seems he may actually be proved right; but what lengths will he go to in an attempt to rescue her? Vincent Banecroft, The Stranger Times’ irascible editor, never has believed his wife died for a minute, despite emphatic evidence to the contrary. Now, against all odds, it would seem that he might actually get proved right, however what lengths is he going to go in an effort to rescue her?

The Stranger Times Podcast - Project 1 - The Stranger Times

The Chronicles of St Mary's series author JODI TAYLOR declared 'I loved this . . . great premise - great story - great characters . . . hugely enjoyable.' The Stranger Times is the first book from C.K. McDonnell, the pen name of Caimh McDonnell. It combines his distinctive dark wit with his love of the weird and wonderful to deliver a joyous celebration of how truth really can be stranger than fiction. Wonderfully dark, extremely funny' proclaimed ADAM KAY, author of the No.1 bestselling This is Going to Hurt Nobody is pleased about it. Not the Founders, the secret organisation for whom vampires were invented as an allegory, nor the Folk, the magical people hidden in plain sight who only want a quiet life. And definitely not the people of Manchester, because there is nothing more irksome than being murdered by an allegory run amok. Somebody needs to sort this out fast before all Hell really breaks loose - step forward the staff of The Stranger Times. The Stranger Times is the first in a whole new series of books under the pen name C.K. McDonnell. Paranormal thrillers set in his adopted home town of Manchester, they still feature that same distinctive comedic voice that fans have loved in his other books, but now there will be added strange. The book has been described as perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, Ben Aaranovitch, Douglas Adams or, y’know, Caimh.A filmic romp with great characters, a jet-propelled plot, and a winning premise' said the GUARDIAN Vincent Banecroft has problems of his own in the form of a tall, dark but-definitely-not-handsome man dressed like a funeral who has been sent to make the paper's editor atone for his sins. Once he finds out exactly what that entails, Banecroft is not keen. Being banished to a Hellscape for all eternity looks like being no fun at all, not least because he has that pale Irish skin that burns really easily . . .

The Stranger Times - Penguin Books UK

The books feature that same distinctive comedic voice that fans have loved in McDonnell’s other books, however this time around there is an added strange. It combines paranormal, urban fantasy, and humor with crime. Readers really liked the conversations between the employees of The Stranger Times, because they’re hilarious and made them laugh out loud. You initially feel these characters are a bunch of misfits tossed together yet the more time you spend with them, the more you realize just how well they gel together. Fans of the book were hooked from the very start, because McDonnell is excellent at hooking you in, and his humor, whether you’re laughing out loud at it or rolling your eyes. This is the funniest book that some readers have gone cover to cover with in such a long time, with an eccentric cast of characters.A weekly newspaper dedicated to the weird and the wonderful (but mostly the weird), it is the go-to publication for the unexplained and inexplicable.