Well!

Book two of The Stranger Times series was just as phenomenal as the first! I have to admit I was worried, but Caimh stuck the landing with This Charming Man, going further into the world he is weaving with this series left me excited and engaged. Having multiple protagonists each investigating a different strand of the story while filling in essential background information of the overarching story without masses of expository dialogue was fantastic!

I am fully on board with the idea of more books in this series and await book three with anxious expectation.

This series is essential reading for fans of Jim Butcher, Ben Aaronovitch and Kevin Hearne!

Great fun! Dark humour, fantasy, crime and thriller all in one. Vampires in Manchester, battles between good and evil, Stranger Times newspaper on the case...all makes for a perfect bit of escapist fiction.

If you enjoy the likes of Ben Aaronovitch, Mark Stay and Terry Pratchett this will be right up your street.

As other reviews note perhaps read the first book first as this one follows on directly time & event wise. I am off to my local bookshop to get a copy...

I hadn't realised that this was the second book in a series and I struggled to get into it. It is not really my sort of book as humour is not for me. Reflecting on the book afterwards I came to the conclusion that if I had read the first book I would have enjoyed this one a lot more. As I read on and became more familiar with the characters the humour worked a bit better. Sadly despite enjoying vampire and fantasy books this one is not for me.

I didn't realise this was a sequel when I requested it so I had to hastily buy the first in the series. I have no regrets. Caimh McDonnell has made such a funny and yes, charming, bunch of weirdos in these books that you can't help but want to spend time with them. Even if you want to throw things at Banecroft. Everyone felt realistic, multi-faceted and sincere. This second book was just as much of a romp as the first one and I cannot wait to see what The Stranger Times publishes next.

This was a fantastic sequel that starts straight after book 1 as we return to Manchester. The main difference here is that we see much more development of the characters and start to explore complication. It's a great series so far with much humour and mythology to keep me interested

Received arc from random house UK and Netgalley for honest read and review.
2nd in the series of the Stranger Times. And this did not disappoint, followed in after goings on in Stranger Times and it was a funny ,brilliant jaunt including vampires in Manchester of all places.
Cannot wait for the next in series.

Fun, but perhaps I wasn’t quite the right audience for this one. I found it a bit of a challenge to reach the end and some of the humour didn’t land for me.

Always a mistake to start with the second book in a series, and that is my fault. I really struggled to get into this book, I loved the sound of it, but just didn't connect with the characters. I really wish I had enjoyed it more.

If you like humorous fantasy stories this a book for you. C K McDonnell takes us on a complete romp, with a story line and characters that continually make you smile and keep you second guessing what is going on. Mythical characters, familiar and new, are seeded throughout sensationalist newspaper The Stranger Time’s search for the truth about vampires being real and in Manchester. A fantastic read. This is the second book in this series and enjoyable as a stand alone book. But if you do read this one first you will probably, like me, go and immediately buy the first in the series - The Stranger Times. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

Thank you to Random House UK for gifting me This Charming Man in exchange for an honest review!

It's no secret that I loved The Stranger Times and the humour found within the pages, and I was absolutely ecstatic when Random house UK got in contact with me to offer me an early chance to read This Charming Man!

I can confirm that This Charming Man did not disappoint!
The book picks right back off where we left our lovely misfits, it genuinely felt like being welcomed back to a group of old friends. Banecroft and his antics really stood out to me in this book, especially his swear board!
Filled with the same humour and magic as the first book, This Charming Man is an excellent sequel to The Stranger Times. Can't wait for the rest of the series!

CK McDonnell’s comic urban fantasy with a side of horror The Stranger Times introduced readers to an occult side of Manchester (and the world) through the eyes of a fringe newspaper. It was clear by the end of that book that McDonnell had a much larger story in mind. That book introduced the weird and whacky staff of The Stranger Times, a newspaper of the bizarre working out of an old church, and quickly established that at least some of the things that they were reporting on were possibly true. The plot touched on an ancient war between Founders and Folk, introduced a character with significant unexplained powers and a bunch of others with weird connections.
This Charming Man opens a few weeks after the end of The Stranger Times. The crew at The Stranger Times are asked to investigate the death of a vampire. And while vampire attacks increase, everyone in the magical world seems to agree that vampires do not exist. Meanwhile, they are also investigating who might be trying to kidnap Stella, the young, mysteriously powerful woman who they have now sworn to keep safe.
Once again, McDonnell manages to balance a page turning of mystery, personal drama, comedy, urban fantasy and body horror. The plot itself runs to the aforementioned vampires (or not?), river goddesses, talking dogs (formerly human), eldritch loan sharks and a kind of faerie IRA. And all this with a cast of characters who manage to be loveable (or at least interesting) even when they are being totally obnoxious. The central mystery gets solved while the world of this series broadens out and narrative arc slowly progresses towards something much bigger in the future. It is a potent mix and one that is likely to bring fans of this style of genre mash back for more.

Not my usual kind of book but a mix of fantasy & mystery with a bit of comedy thrown in
Easy reading but its a series so don't expect a grand finale

The second in the Stranger Times series, This Charming Man does not disappoint. The same dry wit characterises the narrative and it contains some passages that I won't forget.

This time, Hannah and her colleagues at the Stranger Times newspaper have to discover why something that doesn't exist is running amok around Manchester. when Cogs, a strange being who can only tell the truth, insists vampires don't exist, things get weirder. And, to add to the confusion, what do the developers of a dating app have to do with any of it?

According to these wonderful tomes, Manchester is stuffed with a supernatural underworld hiding in plain sight, working in some official or otherwise capacity with the police and generally keeping to themselves and out of the way of ordinary mortals.

The novel is left on a cliff hanger so Banecroft, Hannah, Stella and all the Stranger Times staff will return. These are becoming my annual Christmas reading so I'll look out for the next one this time next year.

Hoodoo from the start, as Banecroft would call it, there's Peeping Toms, the Founders and vampires, and that's all in Hannah's first meeting back ... McDonnell has a brand, and he's certainly on it, weird wonderful, and everything stranger, the Stranger Times have a new editorial to write up and it's certainly not normal.

More on the Folk and the Founders from the get go.

"What about expenses?"
"Don't incur any, " Banecroft turned and headed for the door.

Zeke the talking Dog, the Rising and Cogs. The old magic is coming back.


If it needed proving, This Charming Man proves McDonnell is here to stay with his own brand of paranormal satire - much like how Pratchett has a comedic empire, I'm very sure The Stranger Times will be vast and plentiful series. I'm making room for the rest of the books on my shelf as we speak, what the Charming Man also does is show us that this isn't a one trick pony, along with serious, brilliant world-building surrounding the Founders and the Folk, there's many many more stories for the Stranger Times team to explore. And I look forward to every one of them.

A mention to the Special Operations team Stanley and Ox ... what a duo haha.

The plot: well, it appears, my good readers, that a vampire is on the loose. And, well, what do the Stranger Times report on if not vampires? There's also a lot more on the Folk, the Founders and the paranormal and fantasy aspects are turned up on high from the beginning which I thoroughly enjoyed. There's new characters in the mix, namely Stanley, a journalist fired at another publication by Banecroft who farts like a trooper and only eats ice cream. Reggie is back and paired with Hannah, fresh from divorce proceedings, and Ox is on the Special Operations team this time ... a duo which is nothing short of hilarious. Who knew a fence post could counter all kinds of magic?

Banecroft multilayered, the mystery of his life Charlotte comes forefront as the reason for his ... abrasiveness? Though our Editor-in-Chief of The Stranger Times is all the comic relief we need. I bloody love this character and his harsh one-liners, he's great. The right sort of caring, also bonkers and eccentric, he's a lot more to do with the 'paranormal' problems this time and goes about solving it like a bull in a China shop, with Chekhov, his blunderbuss.

And the ending, the final part of the last chapter, and both epilogues ... well, wow. They are pure genius, they both tie up loose ends and also expand the world and story in a way that dwarfes what we already know. I couldn't possibly describe the events here as I don't spoiler good books, or any, for that matter, but world-building comes to a head here. The magical, the Folk, the Old Magic. It is coming back.

What a great read.

3.5 stars

Let me start with my issues with This Charming Man. It's overly long and could definitely have cut out some parts, some of the subplots in the latter half of the book were snoozeworthy and, my biggest issue, occasionally the quippy-ness becomes unbearable (particularly Banecroft in the latter half of the book). At times I got so frustrated reading jokes be stretched to death when interesting plot things were happening as the pacing would come to a halt so I could read Hannah and Banecroft have the same exchange they'd already had a half dozen times. It was a touch anti-climactic also.

That said, this is a really fun book. The whimsy of the world really drew me in and I liked that it was set in Manchester. For the most part, I really enjoyed the characters too and will definitely continue with this series

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this charming man.
Love a good vampire story so when I saw this arc pop up I requested straight away.
I didn't realise this was in fact book 2, and to be completely honest I don't see myself hunting down book 1 the whole thing can be summed up as just meh. Didn't love it didn't hate it.

Something strange is happening in Manchester - builders employed by 'The Stranger Times' have been dismissed before the job is finished and Vincent Banecroft (editor of the paper) has tasked his team with finding out who induced the builders to place a trapdoor under the shower. This leads the team into an underworld of Founders and Folk (magical people from what I could gather). Team this with an investigation into a spate of Vampire attacks (marred by the fact that Vampires don't exist), a policeman with an eyeball in the top of his head that he is unaware of, debt collectors, a seemingly all powerful being who isn't aware why she has these powers and you have a book that is....quite confusing.

I haven't read 'The Stranger Times' so maybe starting with the sequel was a mistake....as I hadn't got a clue what I was reading. I had no clue about the characters or world that they lived in. I found myself reading pages and pages of text having literally no idea about what was going on or who the people were and why they were behaving in the manner that they did. The title seems to bear absolutely no relation to anything that happens in the book. The writing style is quite Young Adult or teenage, I just didn't get the 'humour' at all.

If you are a fan of the first book then you will probably love this - however, as someone who hasn't read it I was so confused I almost gave up. I don't think I'll be reading anymore of these, they aren't for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

LOVED THIS! So much so I went and bought the first in the series within 5 minutes of finishing it! You definitely don't have to read in order but it will help!
The title drew me in, I'm a fan of The Smiths ( let's not mention Morrissey, eh?) and I'm a sucker for tales set in the north, especially cities that I have some vague knowledge of!
I also love it when a rag tag bag of characters come together to solve a problem - basically this ticked all my boxes!This was a treat to read and recommend it to fans of Rivers of London, Manchester and basically just good books

Huge thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley as always for allowing me to read an ARC.

I was really excited to hear that a sequel to The Stranger Times was going to published ever since I first heard the news. The Stranger Times is one of my favourite books of recent years and it's one I would really recommend to anyone. It has hints of Pratchett, and Gaiman while still being a brilliant new take on the genre. I loved it from the very first pages. The characters are really engaging, I loved Vincent Bancroft in particular (reminded me of Bernard Black which is not a bad thing !). He's an interesting character, he can be very rude and brash yet there is a tenderness there somewhere and this is more apparent in the sequel This Charming Man, where we also find out more about his backstory. The first book dealt with supernatural entities and this one is no different. We are back in Manchester and here there are vampires aplenty.The characters from the first book reappear in this one along with some new faces. There are snippets of newspaper entries dealing with the stranger news just like the first too. I cannot heap enough praise on this book, it is wonderful. It is funny and suspenseful and has moments that were very unexpected. I did not think a sequel could live up to The Stranger Times, but This Charming Man does. I really hope there will be more books in this series and C.K. McDonnell is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.

If you've been following my reviews, you'll know I loved "The Stranger Times" so much that I couldn't put it into words. When "This Charming Man" came along, I was worried... Would I find it as funny as the first book? Would it be as entertaining? Would it do justice to the first? I did. It was. It definitely did. This is a fantastic series that I hope continues for a very long time. I can't wait to get back to the staff of "The Stranger Times" - even Banecroft!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.