I enjoyed 'The Stranger Times' by C. K. McDonnell but the second instalment, 'This Charming Man' is better. In the first book, we meet the staff of The Stranger Times, a newspaper dedicated to the stranger and more unusual goings on in and around Manchester. There are some veey interesting characters in this book, namely Victor Banecroft, former bigtime editor on Fleet Street. The staff are a real Motley Crew and it isn't long before the newspaper gets a new Assistant Editor. The team are tipped off snd investigate stories of the strange goings on until it becomes apparent that two of their staff may not be what they seem. A blossoming romance also begins to ensue between Hannah, Assistant Editor and DI Sturgess, the Inspector in Charge of the murder investigation that the newspaper becomes wrapped up in. I enjoyed this but it was a little repetitive at times.

I am a sucker for a new imaginative read that has me grinning from ear to ear and falling for the characters from the start.
I loved the way this incorporates the normal world with the newspaper world and the weird and wonderful stories that are to go in it.
I really enjoyed it from start to finish and have to recommend it to everyone! Love a bit of magical realism and a bit of the weird and whacky for sure!

I was very hopeful for this book because it has an interesting premise, plus it's set in Manchester. It's always nice to read a book that's set in a place you know! And it makes a serious change from it being in London. The author is from Ireland but lives in Manchester and he obviously knows the city well when he describes the weather as 'permanently miserable'. Hee! That is so true.

As soon as the character of the editor was introduced, I immediately pictured him as being like Bernard Black, Dylan Moran's character in Black Books - Irish, perpetually drunk, constantly smoking, with a bit of an attitude, but a real way with words. He also has a sharp eye which seemed contradictory to his overall shambolic presentation! I rather liked all of the characters, although I think some were better fleshed out than others. It is the first book of a series so they might get filled out a bit more over subsequent books. It would also be nice to find out a bit more of their backstory, how the others on the team ended up there and where they'd come from. Reggie certainly seems to have some history.

The plot was interesting with some nice twists. It's difficult to say much about it without spoiling it! I liked the behind the scenes aspect to the newspaper and found it interesting to see how it all worked and was put together. It would also be nice to find out some of the history of the paper and their base of operations too. The investigation doesn't take up as much of the book as I thought and the ending was a little rushed. I felt some of the resolution happened when I wasn't looking and I wasn't entirely sure what had happened. I was left with quite a lot of questions, particularly with some of the revelations regarding certain characters but I imagine those would be answered in the next book.

Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable read and reasonably engrossing. I think it's a series I would happy to continue reading. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Unfortunately I read this after reading the second and third books in this series.

I say unfortunately as had I read this first it would have made a few things clearer in the subsequent stories.

However I really enjoyed all three books and this was a really good start to the series and had I read it first I'd absolutely have wanted to read the following stories.

Amusing at times, somewhat weird but slowly the characters grow on you and it's an easy book to read.

Ok, this book was great fun!

I can completely understand the reviews likening the style to Pratchett/Gaiman - urban fantasy with a light tough and low stakes, making for an easy and enjoyable read.

The cast of characters is a real draw, and I look forward to reading about them further, to see how this world can be expanded.

It's not what I was expecting, but I ended up enjoying this one. It was a little slow to start, but I was quickly pulled into this strange but entertaining read.

The plot is pretty simple, but the weirdness and excellent cast of characters kept me engaged and wanting to read on.

I thought the cast of characters was well done. Yes, there were a couple I didn't like at the start, but they definitely grew on me by the end of the book. They are a bunch of Misfits that were weird but funny, and they worked well together. I also loved the friendship and dialogue between each of them.

This is a great book to pick up, especially if you’re after a more chilled and entertaining read.

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from the book, but I am so glad that I picked it up! I think I'd describe it as a cozy supernatural mystery, with a generous helping of humour and found family. I was completely enamoured by the story and will be running to pick up the sequel!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this Manchester-based story centred around the staff of a newspaper investigating supernatural goings on around the world. When Hannah starts to work at The Stranger Times it's a steep learning curve from the privileged life she left behind, after her rich husband repeatedly cheated on her and she set fire to their house. Along the way we meet a brilliant cast of characters - god fearing Grace, Manny the often naked printer, Vincent the alcoholic who runs the paper and Stella the teenager who has run from her old life and holds unusual powers, to name just a few. Together they end up battling more than just the police in the course of their jobs and things take a dark turn. This is a witty and engaging read, full of Northern humour and as there are two more books in the series I'm looking forward to reading those now!

I think I have found a new favourite fantasy series. So many interesting characters and crazy goings on in a world that is near enough to our own to be interesting. None of the characters felt thin or anything other than real people despite the fantastical elements. Not too convoluted but as it is a series many mysteries have not been resolved and there is promise of things to come.

Set in Manchester with a motley crew of supporting characters. The staff of the Stranger Times newspaper are both hardworking and a bit odd in their own right, but it is an alternative kind of publication.

Hannah, our protagonist is not exactly prime employee material on paper. She is recovering from a bit of revenge arson on her ex husband so she really needs this job. Good thing really as her new boss could be the worst in the world. On the other hand once she gets over the shock of it all she seems pretty competent, her resting nice face (the opposite of a resting bitch face) makes her approachable and the public seem to open up to her.

The boss Banecroft is one of the most interesting characters in the book. He is a walking cliche in as he is an almost alcoholic ex fleet street hack and is verbally abusive to his staff but he is also fiercely protective of them. We see the edges of a tragic backstory which hopefully will be more developed as the series progresses.

The fantastical elements of this book are hidden below the surface that it is implied that it is in fact set in the world we live in but pretty much all of them get a look in from werewolves to magic users with the odd vampiresque element thrown in.

What I liked:
Interesting well developed characters
A world that could be our own
Darkly funny

What didn’t work for me:
Can’t think of anything

Suitable For: Adults and Older Teenagers
Sex: None
Violence: Yes
Drug Reference: Yes
Swearing: Yes

Love it. A funny, entertaining and engaging mystery, best thing I have read in a while.

``It’s when tragedy strikes in Hannah’s first week on the job that The Stranger Times is forced to do some serious, proper, actual investigative journalism. What they discover leads them to a shocking realisation: that some of the stories they’d previously dismissed as nonsense are in fact terrifyingly, gruesomely real. Soon they come face-to-face with darker foes than they could ever have imagined. It’s one thing reporting on the unexplained and paranormal but it’s quite another being dragged into the battle between the forces of Good and Evil . . .'' I found this Book full of interesting but also very confusing characters , Not my usual Genre of Book but I am always open to trying new ones , but sadly I will not be reading this again anytime soon. #NetGalley, #GoodReads, #FB, #Amazon.co.uk, #Instagram #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>,#<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #

I read this at a time when I didn’t really know what I felt like reading, so there was always the chance I would find it ok, but maybe nothing more. Surprisingly, I loved it. So much, in fact, that I bought a copy for my husband for Christmas and have also started the second book in the series. I loved the characters, who made me laugh a lot, and enjoyed the setting of a regular London with magical happenings. Great book.

Well this novel was an unexpected joy. Set in rainy Manchester Hannah goes to work for The Stranger Times newspaper which writes stories on the unbelievable which may just turn out to be true – be it ghosts, aliens or haunted toilets!The employees of the paper are real mixed bag of delight and their relationships made me smile. I would highly recommend and I’m looking forward to the next books in the series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

Light-hearted and frivolous fantasy novel - a lot of fun.

Hannah is hired as assistant editor for The Stranger Times, a publication dealing with the weird and the absurd. She joins a small group of colourful characters and ends up investigating strange goings-on with them. There’s a good deal of humour and silliness involved. The writing is easy-going and the end result is an enjoyable and stress-free read. Good stuff. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is one of the most entertaining, weird, and funny urban fantasy series I read in these years. It's highly recommended as it's endless fun.
Can't wait to read the third book.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

The Stranger Times is a publication about strange and mysterious happenings, and it's been on the lookout for a new assistant editor for quite some time. Hannah Willis, trying to escape embarrassment in her own life, is in desperate need of a job and takes up the position despite many red flags of weirdness from the current Stranger Times staff (including the rude (if not insane) editor, Banecroft). Soon the team stumbles on a story that threatens lives as well as headlines...

That's a poor explanation, but as the first in a series this is a chaotic sort of urban fantasy, with the first half of the book split into trying to introduce the heavier supernatural-ish plot, vs the lightweight comedy of the Stranger Times team having banter and so on, before the two strands come together. As a result, it took about half the book to really grab my attention.

But I was having lots of fun before that! The book is humorous and witty, reminding me a little of Robert Rankin books I read aeons ago. Pratchett fans may well enjoy it too. And the supernatural story was intriguing enough to keep my interest and set up future books in the series. I'm already reading the second book, so I'll definitely be back for more.

I definitely had one of those 'what have I just read' moments after reading this. It's quirky, slightly oddball with 'tongue in cheek' humour. Set in Manchester the story follows The Stranger Times newspaper team where only the weird and strange events makes the news. I loved the newspaper clippings in between the chapters they made a great addition to the book. I'm already looking forward to the second book in the series.

I have to be completely honest and say that this one did not work for me. It's been compared a lot to Pratchett, which just doesn't track. A massive cast of characters who are all supposed to have their own individual quirks, but they just end up quite... annoying. Unfortunately, I wasn't endeared to any of them. Every chapter feels like the start of a brand new story, especially at the start of the book, which is jarring and doesn't let you immerse yourself in the story. Conceptually, this had the potential to be incredible, but for me, it wasn't executed very well at all.

I was offered this book as an ARC by NetGalley and found it to be an easy fun read. As an urban fantasy it vaguely reminded me of 'Rivers of London' in style and may be worth trying if you are a fan of that series. It also contained one of the best acknowledgements I have read in a long while!

Don’t you adore it when you chance upon a new author that you love ❤️? Well let me introduce you to the work of C K McDonnell, an Irish stand up comedian turned Manchester-based novelist.

Soon to be divorced Hannah interviews for a job at The Stranger Times, a ‘newspaper’ that covers stories on the weird and wacky across the world. However bizarre the stories - including those garnered during Loon Day - none are as odd as the colleagues Hannah finds herself working alongside: alcoholic editor, Banecroft; writers Ox and Reggie; printer Manny; receptionist, Grace and the undefinable, Stella. And then there’s Simon.

I challenge you to read this book without falling for the characters and grinning (at the very least) whilst reading (at least some of) this book. Fantastic and can’t wait to read the next in the series.

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

In Manchester, there is a weekly newspaper pubiished called The Stranger Times. It is full of the weird and unexplained news that is rarely reported elsewhere.

Hannah Willis has just left her cheating husband and desperate to be able to provide for herself, finds herself in the role of assistant editor to the most disgusting, foul - mouthed man who has a very low opinion of the paper and his staff.

Just hours in to her new role, tragedy strikes and the staff of The Stranger Times have to do some real journalistic work. They soon discover that some of the stories that they had always dismissed may not be quite as imagined as they had thought and before long they are battling dark forces.

Although this book took me longer than usual to read, I did enjoy it and looked forward to diving back in to the strange world that Hannah now finds herself in.

I have high hopes for the second in the series.