Part three of a trilogy that I never wanted to end, the sort of book you want to finish, but you dread the last page! You must read these in sequence to become acquainted with this weird world of The Stranger Times, a newspaper set in Manchester, that specialises in the most peculiar events and apparitions around.
Vincent Banecroft, the editor, is more morose and despondent than usual. He has never been convinced of the death of Charlotte his wife, and is having nightmares in which she is asking for help. He wants Simon Brush to help him, but ghosts aren’t always reliable visitors.
Hannah is at the Pinter Institute, trying to find out why her ex- husband has suddenly had a change of heart, and wants the relationship to be given another chance, whereas before, Karl was refusing to give her any monies from the divorce settlement.
Elsewhere in the building, investigations are continuing into how a dead man can move money from his bank account two days after he died, why a man boarded a flight to Majorca and apparently disappeared, but CCTV footage shows him being kidnapped by men in body armour, and talking birds and dogs also have their say. Stella and Betty are digging up a grave to check on the occupant, stone cherubs come to life and attack people, Vincent is particularly careless with his favourite blunderbuss, so a really normal time all round!!
The whole story is very like The Picture of Dorian Gray, it completes a really enjoyable romp of fantastic nonsense, brilliantly delivered. The ending was the best that could be hoped for and to be believable. I do hope there will be another series , I have loved having guaranteed laughs.
My thanks go to Netgalley and the publishers Penguin Random House UK, for my advance digital read, given in exchange for my honest review.
I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK, s five star read.

The Stranger Times rollercoaster ride

5 stars

If the first two books in the series hadn’t already shown how strange times are in Manchester then ‘Love will tear us apart’ takes things to the next level. In this rollercoaster ride Banecroft’s achilles heel, the loss of his beloved wife, is exploited by the villains of the piece and Hannah goes undercover to expose a cult like organisation with an immortality obsessed leader.

The book ties up the first trilogy quite nicely but the more we know about the characters the more questions we have about who they are and their backstories, not least just who, and what, is Stella? I’m sure there are many more tales to come from the Stranger Times and I look forward to them avidly.

I was given this book from the author via netgalley only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.

The third book in the series and I've loved every single one. You definitely have a 'What have I just read?' moment.

Set in Manchester where the journalists of The Stranger Times newspaper only publish the weird and wonderful. They are an absolutely fantastic bunch of misfits characters who delve into the supernatural world. Lots of tounge-in-cheek humour and wacky situations.

I've loved being in this world for the 3 books but I think this was definitely the best!

Serendipity at my local library led me to the first book of this series - The Stranger Times. Having consumed this in one gulp I moved straight onto This Charming Man, so imagine my joy when I found Love will Tear us Apart available to request on Netgalley.
This latest instalment of the story of the worlds wackiest newspaper (though with proper journalism!) where Hannah, assistant editor, has left leaving a gaping hole in the team. The team is fracturing, Vincent is grumpier than ever and Ox, Reggie, Stella, and Grace despondent not understanding why Hannah left so suddenly.
The newspapers owner pitches in and appoints a new assistant editor called Betty who is definitely not all she appears to be (tweed is the best camouflage). We get to follow the gang through some formative experiences and to be honest as I write this review I am realising how tricky it is to write a review without spoilers. All I can say is if you haven't started the series I urge you to do so (I converted my husband) then read this gem of a novel.
Other musings on the characters - I have been watching Slow Horses on AppleTV and now in my head I see Vincent Bancroft as Jackson Lamb portrayed by an excellent Gary Oldman. My husband disputes this as Jackson is not Irish, and has Bernard Black played by Dylan Moran in the quirky Black Books - we will agree to disagree.
Go enjoy some urban fantasy in Manchester - it is a treat not to be missed. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to this ARC, all views are my own.

Why on Earth have I not come across these books before? Even my baby brother, my personal sci-fi and epic fantasy guru, didn’t know about them, and they are really good. Good enough that having read the first one, I immediately looked for the second, and then, when I discovered that the third was not published yet, I went hunting on Netgalley (thanks Netgalley). No luck with a fourth, I suspect it’s still in the pipeline.

I’ve read comparisons to Pratchett and Aaronovitch, and I can see why, but I think The Stranger Times books are a thing of their own and goodness knows, there’s enough space in the market for slightly sarcastic hidden-magic-in-the-everyday-world books. Obviously that’s my own opinion. I loved these, and I read all three in two days. Please can I have some more?

This is really developing into a great comic series. The staff of the Stranger Times newspaper return trying to work out where the assistant editor has gone, why are there so many boxes in the reception area, and how do you weigh down a petrified person successfully.
Recommended!

This is book three of this most excellent series. It is a bit interconnected with previous and also a tad convoluted so, more than usual, I really do recommend you read the first two first.
So... set just a few months after the shenanigans of This Charming Man, the staff of The Stranger Times are still reeling from the sudden departure of Assistant Editor Hannah who surprisingly has decided to forgive her cheating scmbg of a husband and work on their marriage. Editor Vincent is distracted by his obsession into finding his previously thought dead wife.
So, it's a good thing that the powers that be have appointed a new Assistant Editor, Betty, to oversee things. Especially in the run-up to Loon Day...
More than that I can't say as it's too hard to even hint at anything without the possibility of spoilers. Suffice to say, if you enjoyed the first two - and you have read them, haven't you? - you'll be pleased to know that this book continues the ongoing shenanigans in the same quality, bonkers fashion...
It's also very funny - careful if you are reading on the bus, you might get funny looks when you snort out loud at one of the many, extremely funny, well observed, one liners...
There's a lot going on, and there are also a lot of characters, so you do have to have your wits about you but it all does come together nicely at the end. An end that I was hankering for and also trying to avoid as it means that I now have to wait for the next one... My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for that chance to read this book.

I really enjoyed this funny and engaging book. I read the first in the series and was interested to see how the loveable characters developed in the increasingly bonkers situations they were put in. The plot in magical reality books quite often don’t make sense within themselves but once you have accepted the premise the ridiculous seems normal in this book. It should appeal to Pratchett fans.

Saying that strange things are afoot at the offices of The Stranger Times is a bit like telling someone that the Pope is a Catholic but bear with me because they are weird even by Banecroftian standards.

Simon Brush’s ghost is still channeling Charlotte Banecroft, Ox and Reggie are getting in even more trouble than usual, Grace is having a meltdown, Stella is still battling her own…self and Hannah is considering getting back with her ex. See, I told you…strange.

But there’s more. Whilst Hannah is gone, a new assistant editor, Betty steps in - you’re going to LOVE Betty.

So, same old mayhem and lovably bonkers characters. For me, the plotting on this book was a bit too fractured and it was quite hard to keep all of the scattered plot lines together in my head. There was also nowhere near enough of a certain dashing policeman in evidence, with or without his live-in friend.

And then there are Cogs and Zeke.

Basically, there are an awful lot of characters to juggle and nowhere near enough space to fit them all in I mean, I haven’t even name-checked everyone - maybe it needs a tv series?

Loving it. More please!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Random House UK, Transworld Publish for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This excellent series continues with this, book 3 in The Stranger Times saga!

This time Hannah has unexpectedly left the paper to go back to her husband. Bad news for the team, but it does mean we get to meet her replacement, the wonderful Betty! And Betty has her hands full straight away as eccentric editor Banecroft is acting even more unusually than ever and it is left to the rest of the gang to keep the paper going and deal with some of the very strange goings on.

This is another excellent instalment filled with a great supernatural story, a brilliant bunch of characters and lot of laughs!
If you are new to the series, please start at book one to get the full, experience, you won't regret it!

Chaotic, hilarious, oodles of quirk and incredibly touching.

I just love this series and how much I love it grows with each book. These characters are becoming etched into my psyche. Cogs and Zeke may well be my most favourite characters of all time (although they will have to compete for that title with Manny) and fully deserve their own book. Hannah, who has gone awol in this volume, to go back to her husband (as if?!), Banecroft who we love to hate but we don’t get the chance because he is struggling so much and all the other regular crew. And with the addition of Betty, the new Assistant Editor who absolutely fits right in, the group feels complete, she’s kick-ass, quirky and drives a Reliant Robin - need I say more?

The story is crazy, well just crazy but also crazy fast paced, a true romp, so step up, strap in and hang on and enjoy the ride. I know I did, highly recommended. Bring on Stranger Times #4. Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Very good comedic fantasy thriller

This third part of this series about The Stranger Times is possibly the best of the lot. Hannah and the rest of the staff get involved in many fantastical adventures involving the Founders and other magical beings. It's highly enjoyable and entertaining and I hope that the author stops here with this series as this volume makes a worthy conclusion. It's probably best to read the previous two novels to fully appreciate the plot. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The third book in the brilliantly funny Stranger Times series continues the bumbling adventures of a group of publishers and journalists reporting on the (very real) supernatural.

This instalment features strangely hypnotic wellness retreats, a new assistant editor who can move objects with her mind, a hidden base of magic under central Manchester, so many kidnappings you almost lose track and the culmination of a ghostly plot that has been seeded in since the first book in the series.

This is urban fantasy with a hilarious twist. I can't get enough of the constant bickering and bantering between the central characters, and where the plot of this one sometimes felt over- or underwhelming, it was always made up for by the sheer craziness of the circumstances and the relatable reactions of all involved.

At this point in the series, I'm heavily invested in the entire team, and love seeing them progress as they face up to the possibility of impossible things. Fans of myths, legends and conspiracies won't be disappointed by the myriad of creatures that this series crams in, from sirens to shape-shifters, floating statues to split remnants of souls.

I can only imagine what book four will bring, and I'm totally down for the ride.

This is the 3rd book in the Stranger Times series. Stranger Times is a newspaper that reports on stories that are a little different, well a lot different to mainstream papers. If there is a UFO sighting or a conspiracy that needs an airing, the moon is hollow or any other number of strange theories, bits of gossip or potential stories then you will find these in stranger times.

the editor is Banecroft, and his assistant editor Hannah has left, in her shoes has stepped the indomitable force that is the new assistant editor and the rest of the news team is trying to work out what on earth is going on in the office.

Having read and adored the previous two books in the series I was looking forward to seeing what delights the author had in store. As you can see from the synopsis there is a lot going on in this story. It is as if each member of the team at the paper has their own story or mystery that they are following. This means the office is more than its usual organised chaos and is in just plain chaos. The author has mixed stories from the past with the present.

With pretty much every member of staff trying to discover their own thing, you would think that the plots would become mixed but the author keeps his cast in order and the stories flow between one another. This makes it quite difficult to write a review, if I mention too much about one plot then it will inevitably spoil another. I will say that lives are on the line with this one, lives of the living and of the dead, or the nearly dead or of whatever state of death they are in!!!

This is another brilliant read that mixes fantasy and humour together so well. The author has moments of real tense drama and the next had me chuckling at some of the situations his characters find themselves in.

I am loving this series and as it continues I am getting to know the characters more and I can see how this disjointed group are coming together. A fabulous book and series for fans of urban fantasy with a strong humourous slant, full of mystery and mayhem and an altogether excellent read. It is one I would definitely recommend.

Love will Tear us apart continues on the story of The Stranger Times Newspaper and it’s eccentric, entertaining and sometime irascible ensemble of reporters.
A world set very much in the here and now but with a very large sprinkle of hidden magic, supernatural and dastardly cabals, this fun, witty yer serious series is a joy.

There is lots going on in this one, so for a new reader I would think that they could easily get lost and perhaps frustrated with the story. For us fans. We will just continue to lap it up.

As this third book closes it ties up some ends, but also springs plenty a new to let us know this series has many more miles to run yet. And for one am very glad.

Wildly entertaining, with a cast to love, full of strange and mysterious going’s on from an author with an overactive imagination. Magic, laughs, crime and friends.

Superb. One of my favourite things.

The third book in the series, and the darkly humorous chaos is showing no signs of letting up. Banecroft is in a worse state then ever, if such a thing is possible. Hannah has inexplicably quit and headed off to a high-class retreat, but her suspiciously newly-reformed soon-to-be-ex-husband, and the retreat's even more suspiciously high success rate, appear to be factors.

Take some homicidal cherubs, midnight graveyard shenanigans and irascible talking birds, and plonk them in the Manchester I know and love - what more could I ask for to entertain me on a long, dark night? This series obviously has a long way to run yet. Someday we might even find out what the deal is with Stella...

I enjoyed this a lot. It was as good as the other book in the series I read, This Charming Man, if not better. It might take a short while to get used to, as the writing and plot are so different, but the alternative vision of Manchester and the surrounding areas are instantly recognisable and the storylines are an excellent mix of humour and thrills. I recommend this.

The deeper I get into this series, the more I find I'm enjoying it. But do start at book 1 if possible (nb. this is book 3).

The Stranger Times is a publication reporting on the weird and wonderful, with its own rather weird and wonderful staff to match. In book 3, the focus is (sort of) on the romantic side of life. Assistant editor Hannah has seemingly quit to visit a culty new-age retreat. Editor Vincent Banecroft is more insane than usual, fixated on his dead wife and a ghost that might be able to talk to her from the other side. It's not going to end well. Which is half the fun.

This is a comic urban fantasy; the more you know the characters, the more you can laugh along with them and their banter. It is a bit chaotic, I'm not going to lie. Storylines go all over the place, characters go on little diversions, and some bits go on for quite a long time just to make a joke about the M62. But as a whole, it works.

This is either going to be right up your street or a street you'd quickly cross to get away from it all. Luckily for me, it's the former. Can't wait for the next instalment.

Book 3 on the Stranger Times series and the newspaper business seems to have gone to hell (not literally just yet). Hannah has walked out, the new deputy editor is definitely not what she seems and even Banecroft seems to be weirder than usual. Something is rotten - can the team find out what it is before disaster strikes? Maybe... Maybe not... but it's fun reading about it.

I love writers who think outside the box, and this one certainly does. However I wish that I had the same imagination to have enjoyed this book more. I struggled with it I am sorry to say. I hope other readers enjoy it though..