I said when I first found The Stranger Times that it was one newspaper that no one would ever accuse of being dull. The same holds true for its Newest installment.

Hannah having survived her frist adventure took a break to sort out her messy love life and work on self improvement. Three weeks later she's finally devoriced and re thinking the need for exercise. She returns to work to find the builders who were hired to build a decent bathroom with showering facilities decided to include a trapdoor to ,kidnap the youngest member of the stranger Times staff, which they left off the building plans....

On top of that there seems to ve a rash if deaths that have all the hallmarks of Vampire kills...and yet She and her Manger are all told the same thing Vampires don't exist!

So with bodys turning up and a desire to know why someone wants The newest and youngest staffer to themselves it's time to figure this out as well as make sure they put out an issue this week!

I’m always a bit wary about humorous fantasy. Far too often I’ve been assured that I’ll find a book absolutely hilarious when – as far as I’m concerned – it’s nothing of the sort. But on reading the first book of the series, I regularly laughed aloud as I inhaled the trials and tribulations of the staff working for a newspaper that features the weird and whacky. In amongst the adventure are also some delightful snippets featured in the paper – it’s these that mostly had me howling with laughter. The humour is very British, as this series is based in Manchester, a northern, industrial English city renowned for its soggy weather, which will give you an indication as to whether this is your type of thing.

This Charming Man is just as amusing and picks up more or less where The Stranger Times left off. That said, I don’t think you need to read the first book to fully appreciate this one, which is always an advantage with a series. I’ve seen this series compared with Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series – and for once, there is some mileage in that comparison. McDonnell also writes in third person semi-omniscient viewpoint – which means the author is actually telling the story, at least in places, rather than using the protagonists to do the task. I’m not a huge fan of this mode of narration in modern fiction, other than children’s books, as it’s easy to do badly and difficult to do well. But McDonnell is an experienced wordsmith – he also has written The Dublin Trilogy and the McGarry Stateside series under the pen-name Caimh McDonnell, which I haven’t yet read, but will be checking out very soon.

The mystery at the heart of the book has a nicely satisfying consequence of some thoroughly unpleasant behaviour. So there is a strong moral theme which comes through without being remotely finger-wagging – something else that Pratchett was adept at, particularly in the earlier books. While reading this offering, I enjoyed reacquainting myself with the characters, and was interested to discover why the ghastly Vincent Banecroft, editor of The Stranger Times, is quite so awful. As with most really funny books, there is light and shade within the story, so there are also moments of real poignancy.

All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I look forward to checking out more of McDonnell’s writing – while oh-so-impatiently waiting for the next adventure featuring the eccentrics working for The Stranger Times. Very highly recommended. While I obtained an arc of This Charming Man from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

The Stranger Times assistant editor Hannah has just returned to work after a week off, to find that not only is someone mysterious trying to kidnap one of her colleagues, but that vampires have started popping up around Manchester. To make matters worse everyone who's anyone is adamant that vampires don't exist. The Founders (the secret organisation that runs the magical world) and the Folk (the magical people trying to live a quiet life), are equally unhappy, and all are pushing for someone to figure out what is going on.

This is book two in the Stranger Times series. It is a standalone story for the most part, but there are plenty of references to book 1 and it is sort of assumed that you will know who the characters are and how the world works, so I'd recommend reading book one first.

I'm really enjoying this series, it's the perfect blend of weird and wonderful and altogether very strange that is one of my favourite sorts of books to read.

The characters are a wacky mixture, and this one definitely builds a bit more on what we learnt in book 1. Banecroft is probably my favourite - despite being an insufferably grumpy man who is often downright rude, he really does care for his team. I think there is definitely some fantastic character development to come for him, especially given what we learn towards the end of this book. Cogs makes an interesting addition to the cast for this one, and I hope he becomes a regular for future books.

I really enjoyed the plotline for this one. Although the books are very humerous and certainly not suggesting that vampires do exist in real life, McDonnell has clearly done a lot of research (or just has a genuine fascination) with all things occult, and a lot of the myths and legends that go along with them. There's plenty of action happening, and we get to see the investigation from a few different perspectives (the press, the police and the perpetrators) which makes for compelling reading.

If you enjoy books that are a little bit ut there and a lot of fun, I would definitely recommend this series.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK and Transworld Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.o

On her first day, Hannah’s boss shot himself in the foot. It’s now been three months since Hannah joined The Stranger Times as assistant editor and she’s just returned from two week’s leave (divorce holidays aren’t especially fun), only to have a close encounter with the office toilet. It escaped the building via an upper window. Never a dull moment.

‘Rumour has it the sun’s come out and people are losing their minds.’

Her boss, Vincent Bancroft, editor at large, remains “‘challenging’, in the way a cat sanctuary might use the word to describe a moggy that attempted to rip your face off while you slept.”

Banecroft, Stella, the paper’s purple haired intern, and Manny, their printer, are all currently living at the office. And let’s not forget the spirit that cohabits with Manny. Rounding out the team are Grace, the office manager, Ox, the ufologist, and Reggie, the paper’s paranormal consultant.

So, having been introduced to all of the “woo-woo nonsense” that’s hidden in plain sight in Manchester in the first book, what delights does this sequel contain? Vampires.

‘They don’t exist.’

Sure, tell that to the people who never signed up to be blood donors.

In the course of their investigation, we meet Cogs

‘Would it kill you to lie?’
‘Actually, dear lady, it would.’

and the dog that regularly puts him in his place. The dog quickly became my favourite character.

Because this is The Stranger Times, there’s more to the investigation than meets the eye. Which eye, I hear you ask? Touché. If you didn’t ask, I’d suggest you read the first book for the inside scoop.

I love this dysfunctional team and their investigations. The case of the non-sparkly vampires does have a resolution but that doesn’t mean the vampires are all going the way of their reflection in a mirror. I’m almost certain more blood will be spilled when we catch up with the strangeness in the next book. If not, though, there’s plenty of territory left to cover in this series, from questions about individual team members to the conspiracy theories I’m formulating about the Founders.

With more farts than your average book, a smelly gun and inexplicable Spam, you’ll be grateful this read isn’t presented in Smell-O-Pages. I was delighted to learn how to swear by number and I definitely need to hear more about the woman who was chased by the spectral dinosaur.

I’m already looking forward to the third book.

If anyone needs me, I’ll be at the Spoonful of Sugar with Stanley.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bantam Press, an imprint of Transworld Publishers, Penguin Random House UK, for the opportunity to read this book.

I was a huge fan of book 1 in this series - The Stranger Times, so was very eager to get stuck into this one!

The gang at the paper are this time dealing with what may or may not be a vampire, although noone seems to be able to pin down whether they exist or not. Even the guy on the barge with his talking dog who can only tell the truth! Add in that Stella is still in danger after the events of the last book and is not happy with the rest of the team being so overprotective of her, they are having a bit of a wild time!

This was another hilarious outing for the Stranger Times crew. The characters are just excellent and you can't help but fall in love with them, especially the grumpy Banecroft!!

Word of advice though, please, if you can, read book 1 first. It is also utterly fantastic and you will be missing out on a great book, plus I have a feeling this series is going to run and run and you don't want to miss out on the start of that.

Bring on the next one! I. Can't. Wait!

This is the second book in the Stranger Times series, which details the bumbling adventures of a newspaper team reporting on the supernatural. It picks up where the last one left off, and had me laughing my way through a murder mystery in much the same way as the first book did. 



The characters are weird and wacky, from the grouchy editor with anger-management issues and an assortment of weaponry in his cupboard to the caretaker possessed by some kind of angel who keeps them safe from evil forces. I can't get enough of the rag-tag team, and enjoyed their chaotic morning chats as much as the actual action scenes. It was great to see their character development, and I appreciated their relatable responses to crazy things like talking dogs.

I really like how the overall story is building, with subtle hints at the lives of the Folk and the rules most of them live by. I also love the references to mythology, language, grammar, film and music, and the way it all somehow comes together to create a setting both ancient and modern.

This Charming Man is a ridiculous paranormal comedy with vampires, truth-tellers and ghosts running rampant against the backdrop of modern Manchester. If that sounds like your cup of tea, I highly recommend this series.

This Charming Man by C.K. McDonnell is the second book in the Stranger Times series. We return to Manchester, to the offices of The Stranger Times - a newspaper reporting on the strange and unusual. The narrative picks up shortly after the events in the first novel. Hannah and the motley journalistic crew are swept up into another investigation. This time it is the vampires - despite both the Folk and the Founders agreeing that vampires do not exist.

It is a weird and wacky book, completely bonkers, and so much fun, especially, the strange possession of Morrissey! It is the characters that stand out. They were compelling and delightful to read, the interplay between the characters is captured well. The plot is intriguing, it kept me invested in the story from beginning to end.

There are enough hints dropped for the over-arching plots for the preceding books. This is a brilliant mixture of dark mystery, crime, thriller, and supernatural fantasy. It was funny and doesn’t take itself too seriously, very highly recommend.

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for a free e-arc.

*4 Stars!!

This Charming Man is the 2nd book in The stranger Times Series. The story manly follows a group of misfits who work together at the local newspaper called The stranger Times. In this book Hannah who only recently learned about the supernatural side of the world delves into a new case brought to the newspaper by a member of the secret organisation known as the founders. Are Vampires a myth? True or false? According to the founders, the folk and a talking dog they're a myth. Then how do they explain the man in the morgue who has fangs and combusted when he was exposed to sunlight? ......................and let's not talk about what's found in his stomach!!

People are being attacked and drained of their blood and the founders are trying to keep these attacks quiet but its not long before the attacker strikes again attacking a well known vlogger whilst she's blogging live. It's upto Hannah alongside DI Tom Sturgess to quickly find the culprit before the public decide to take matters into their own hands. It's upto the rest of the crew try to find out who wants to kidnap one of their employees when they realise their builders have made a secret trapdoor in their bathroom.

Ok i really enjoyed this book the characters were all wonderful and wacky. I really liked the talking dog and the banter he provided. I also liked how we got to see another side of Banecroft instead of the rude and unintentionally funny man we normally get to see. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next especially for Hannah and DI Sturgess who's flirting is soooooo bad but we all want to see it anyway!!!

*Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Bantam Press for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.*

I devoured the first novel in this series. And now came back for seconds. Just such a good series! Normally i'm not a fan of reading a novel when I know the locations really well but there's something about the writing style that just makes me forget everything. This is witty, great characters with throwbacks to the first novel and, just for the fun of it, vampires. Sometimes you don't need another urban fantasy novel - well, this isn't one of those times. Definitely a recommendation from me!

This is the second book in the series and just as brilliant as the first. Funny, unique, with great characters and a decent plot. What more could you ask for?

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this wonderfully mad follow up book. It’s fun, it’s totally implausible, it’s hilarious and it is everything escapism through books should be! Loved it from beginning to end.

‘This Charming Man’ by C.K. McDonnell is the second in The Stranger Times series. I haven’t read the first one, but got most of the jist pretty quickly. That said reading the first one will give a greater understanding of what on earth is going on from the get-go.

The Stranger Times is a publication reporting on the very odd things happening around Greater Manchester and beyond. This weird group of characters involved in the paper work together in the most bizarre circumstances. Yet they manage to keep a sense of humour – well most of them do. When it appears vampires are on the loose in the city, wreaking havoc and leaving bodies in their wake, an investigation is demanded. What will they uncover – and can they really trust what they find?

It was funny, irreverent and just plain bonkers. But lots and lots of fun. This urban, supernatural fantasy kept me laughing. The author sees the bizarre in every situation and keeps the reader engaged until the end.

I was given this ARC for review.

This is book two of what is shaping up to be a cracking series. I know I say this all the time but I really do mean it here - please go back and read book one if you haven't already done so. This book will make much more sense if you do that. I fear if you don't that you might struggle...
So... Hannah returns to her job at The Stranger Times after having mostly sorted out a rather messy divorce to her almost satisfaction. And things haven't really change much. Apart from there's a new way of swearing...! The plumbing is incomplete and, on further investigation, rather interestingly done. And possibly threatening to one of their own. Definitely worthy of more investigation. And who better than to investigate the weird...!?
And weird is definitely where we go when it also appears that maybe one of the most feared, and non-existent, monsters might actually be real...
Honestly, this book is so convoluted and interconnected and all things in between that, apart from having caught up by reading book one, you really want to go in as blind as you can. For maximum impact as well as maximum enjoyment and maximum jollity - as there are some really funny bits to be found herein.
I loved book one and was so excited to get my hands on this. Top reconnect with all the fun (?) people I met in that book and also excited to see who I would meet here. Not that I like all of them, but they do all bring something to the table. A dysfunctional group that rubs along okayish!
And the story is just the right side of bonkers for me. And anyone who knows me knows that I do love my bonkers. As already mentioned it's a bit convoluted and I did wonder where we were going on occasion. But that just gave me some of the best lightbulb moments when we finally got there and I did have to sit back and applaud the author. Oh and kick myself for being dense!
All in all, a worthy follow up to a cracking series opener. Making me hanker for book three all the more... My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is a really fun read. It’s lighthearted, funny, and just a great easy read.

In short, the Stranger Times newspaper has discovered vampires have suddenly started turning up, except they are constantly being reliably informed that vampires don’t actually exist (unlike many other entities)…..what is going on?!!!

A great fun read.

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review

4.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2022/02/14/this-charming-man-the-stranger-times-2-by-ck-mcdonnell/
My Five Word TL:DR Review : A Good Deal of Fun

I’m loving this series. It’s funny, fast paced, has good storylines and characters that I’m becoming attached to.

If you’re planning on picking this up I would suggest reading The Stranger Times first – although to be fair I think you could probably read this as a standalone – I just really enjoyed the first in series and so basically think ‘why deny yourself the pleasure of reading it?’ Also, it’s possible that this review will include spoilers so be aware of that before reading on.

So, once again we meet up with the staff of the Stranger Times. Things are moving forward since events in the first instalment and work is being carried out to the old church that the Stranger Times newspaper works from, mainly to accommodate the fact that one of the staff (Stella – a young girl who there is much more to than originally meets the eye) is now temporarily living in the building in order to stay safe. In fact this feeds into one of the plotlines involving a potential kidnapping.

At the same time as the staff are investigating who or what might be interested in secreting Stella away it appears that vampires are suddenly sprouting up in the streets of Manchester. An occurrence that causes great consternation as although the ‘folk’ the ‘founders’ and other weird and wonderful entities do actually exist – everyone agrees that vampires are simply a work of fiction. Until bodies start to crop up, torn to pieces and drained of blood.

Again, I will reiterate that I love the setting. I may be slightly biased of course having worked in Manchester for many years but I really do feel it lends itself well to this storyline and I think the author really captures the place and the essence of the people, their banter and humour really well. I also think that Manchester has some wonderfully gothic buildings that would really lend themselves to future storylines.

I’m also becoming very easily attached to the characters. Banecroft, the boozy and prickly long suffering editor with a heart of gold, Hannah, his latest recruit and journalist with a detective love interest, the suffering secretary Grace who seems to be able to accomplish virtually anything, Ox and Reggie, the other investigative journalists, Stella who is becoming a great point of interest and quite possibly a new addition to the team that I won’t elaborate on here.

On top of this the team get out and about plenty. I loved that they come across a character who lives on the canal. I’ll leave you to discover about him, his unique canine companion and his unusual story about why he lives permanently on water. There’s also some new additions to the strange world of the Folk that involves a visit to a Godfather type who is not to be crossed.

I thought all the elements came together really well and I was so in the mood for a fun adventure with vampires and an underlying mystery that I simply didn’t see coming.

I’m loving this series and can only reiterate my comments from the first instalment – ‘more please’.

In terms of criticisms. I really don’t have anything. For me this worked on every level. I liked the setting. The author had me smiling and laughing with his excellent comedic flourishes. The pacing was good. There isn’t a dull moment to be honest. The characters are likable and the plot was intriguing. Colour me happy.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

The second book in this series, it follows the staff of The Stranger Times, a Manchester based newspaper dedicated to the weird, wonderful and unexplained. In this book, they are having to deal with a vampire problem that has popped up, even though vampires DEFINITELY DO NOT EXIST.

What a brilliant book!

The Stranger Times was an enjoyable book, but as the first in the series it needed to establish the world and the characters who inhabit it, meaning it took a bit of time to really get in to it. But now that it has been, the story is able to stand more on its own in this instalment. And it’s entertaining , well written and just so damn funny

The team at the newspaper are more aware of the truth of the world, but are still far removed from it that their surprise and bafflement helps to create some funny and ridiculous scenarios. There isn’t one character I didn’t enjoy in this book. Even Banecroft, the foul mouthed and angry editor made me laugh. The sniping, sarcasm and back-and-forth of the characters is written so well and brings some lightness to the book, even as vampires (which definitely don’t exist) are rampaging through Manchester

The story itself is interesting, and well paced, as all of the magical world is confused as to what is happening. The mystery is built up well, with a few red herrings and twists and turns in the book. There are a lot of threads that make up this story, which all come together for a great final showdown. It also introduces some brilliant new characters, including a talking dog…but not really a dog. The author was a comedian, and I think it is obvious in the way he writes and the situations he creates

For fans of urban fantasy, such as The Rivers of London, I would highly recommend this book. It would help to read the first book first, but enough background is given that it would be able to be understood without going back. With brilliant characters, an interesting story and some ridiculous scenarios it makes for such a fun read

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for the ARC to read and review.

TL;DR
Big fan. The old gang is back (with some new faces) and ready to tackle the vampire problem that absolutely doesn’t exist.

READ THE STRANGER TIMES FIRST, YOU DOUGHNUTS.

THE JUICE
Before we get started, this book is nothing to do with The Smiths. If for some weird reason you’ve landed here thinking it has anything to do with their sad, melancholy tunes, then you’re in the wrong place. Also whilst I’ve got you, this absolutely can be read without reading The Stranger Times, it will 100% help you with the context otherwise there might be a few WTF moments.

I’m done promise.

Right, so vampires don’t exist. It’s a well-known fact that everyone is very accepting of. However, it’s a tad annoying when people develop pointy teeth, an aversion to sunlight and an unquenchable thirst for human life liquid start showing up in Manchester and cause havoc.

The Founders aren’t massively chuffed with this finding. The Folk want nout to do with it and continue their if-I-can’t-see-it-they-doesn’t-exist vibes. The only people who are keen to tickle the mystery are the fine humans from The Stranger Times – a paper dedicated to reporting the paranormal.

The gang of merry misfits is back (plus some new faces) with Banecroft still yelling into the void and Hannah trying to make the paper run smoothly whilst tackling dodgy builders, a man who can’t tell any lies and a kidnap plot against one of their own.

Oh, and they’re trying to figure out this whole vampire thing at the same time.

The old magic is coming back.


THE TAKE
Vampire books have had a bit of a rough ride recently (I fully blame those sparkly bastards), so I’m always a bit standoffish when one appears. This Charming Man is different. If What We Do In The Shadows started up a paper, I imagine this would be very close in style.

This book is a proper delight to read. Humour sprinkled over it at the right points and a plot that will have you chuckling when you least expect it.

I was a huge fan of The Stranger Times. And that 100% set my expectations of book 2 through the roof. So whilst I really, really rate this book, it didn’t win me over as quickly as the first.

If your jam involves urban fantasy that doesn’t take itself remotely seriously whilst having a nonsensical but genius plotline, this is for you.

📰This Charming Man📰

By C. K. McDonnell

🤫spoiler free review🤫

Description:

Vampires do not exist. Everyone knows this. So it's particularly annoying when they start popping up around Manchester . . .

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.

📝📝📝📝

I hadn’t realised when I requested this arc that it was the second in a series, following on from The Stranger Times. However this didn’t impact my enjoyment of This Charming Man.

There was enough recapping that I had a decent grasp of events from the first book, and I was able to quickly engage with the characters and story. This series has been compared to the work of Terry Pratchett, which if you’ve been following me for a bit, you will know is basically the highest praise possible.

While that is a huge comparison to live up to, I was definitely put in mind of the sort of wry humour found in the Sir Terry’s writing. One of the main characters, Banecroft, had strong vibes of Sam Vimes for me.

There were also similarities to the Rivers of London series for me here - a bit of police procedural investigating weird stuff, that the rest of the police force want to turn a blind eye to.

There was everything I like here, urban fantasy, investigating a paranormal mystery, a fun cast of characters, a lot of humour.

If you’re a fan of the Discworld or Rivers of London series I highly recommend this great new urban fantasy series, and I will definitely be going back for book one, and hopefully many more!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley @caimhmcd and #bantampresspublishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Vampires don't exist, so when someone turns into one he isn't very happy about it, especially when he gives into the hunger....
I am a fan of paranormal books so jumped at the opportunity of reading an advance copy of this book, the second in The Stranger Times series. I haven't read the first one, so missed the back stories, but it still really enjoyed this book. It reminds me of a darker version of the Unhuman series by Wilkie Martin with that touch of humour to balance the (not too explicit) horror aspect. The characters and plot are definitely over the top, but that is what makes the book so enjoyable. I really must get around to reading the first in the series and am definitely looking forward to the next one.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Vampires do not exist. Even the Folk, the magical people living amongst humans say so. So, when vampires start popping up around Manchester and killing people, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. And who better to look into it than the staff of The Stranger Times – a niche newspaper reporting on the paranormal.

The Stranger Times was an excellent romp, and This Charming Man is a continuation of the superb madness. I would even go so far as to say that I enjoyed it more then first book, now that the characters and the premise are firmly established.

The characters are really a lot of fun. Hannah brings some level or ‘normal’ to the group, while Vincent Banecroft provides endless entertainment with his bad temper and offensive attitude. I also enjoyed DI Sturgess more in this book. He had his own investigation going on and met up with Hannah to exchange information, so we get to see the two different investigations into the same story going on simultaneously.

If you enjoy stories filled with nonsense surrounding a genuinely solid plot, look no further.