I really enjoyed the first book in this series but this one really finds the author getting into his stride- inventive, very funny, fantastic characters and a propulsive plot. More please!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Can't beat a good vampire book and this second installment following 'The Stranger Times' was a really enjoyable read. I found this book to be really funny and hope there is another one in the series

The second in the Stranger Times series, I liked this more than the first.

Vampires don't exist, so when they start appearing around Manchester it's particularly annoying. The staff at the Stranger Times have enough to deal with as someone is trying to kidnap one of the staff, there's plumbing issues, and the Editor has a new system of swearing without having to investigate this...

Without wanting to say to much, I particularly liked what was uncovered about the vampires and where they came from.

This series is funny, warm, weird and entertaining with great characters.

I enjoyed this and loved that it was set in my home town of Manchester! Some great characters and kept me interested. Recommended.

After reading the first in this series (which I enjoyed) I didn’t enjoy this as much. Always the way with sequels I find.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I enjoyed reading this, it was interesting enough to keep me reading late in the night and whenever I could find an odd moment to return to it. The structure is such that I got really engrossed in the story that was being told and then got whisked to another part of the story to become engrossed in that. So I bounced along totally absorbed to the end.

It involves the emergence of vampires in Manchester, which considering they don't exist is pretty annoying for everyone. So turn to the staff of 'The Stranger Times' to sort things out, in between keeping one of their own safe from kidnap and other stranger things.

Normally I would moan that I couldn't wait for the next book to come out, but on this occasion I had it lined up ready to jump straight into. I would quite happily keep reading about 'The Stranger Times', its staff and those it investigates on a rolling programme if C. K. McDonnell could produce them fast enough.

Thank you for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. Hadn't read the first book yet but that didn't take away from this one - enjoyed reading, would recommend....

A follow up to The Stranger Times, the second book in this series filled with the humour, character dynamics and weird and wonderful happenings in the Stranger Times office!

I think I liked number two in this series even more than the first. Same group of oddball characters, another mystery (or few). I like the humour and the urban supernatural. It’s all very funny. I suspect the series will be a bit marmite, but I’m in the love it camp. There’s nothing out there quite like it, which is a real achievement. Can’t wait to read number 3

Love or hate Banecroft he’s hard to ignore. This second instalment of the happenings around the Stranger Times people is as enjoyable as the first. Very hard book to put down. Great story, very well written I can’t wait for the next book.

This series is going from strength to strength, the humour is front and centre of course, but the family of misfits are fleshed out more with each becoming mor distinct components of a world that is real and also fantastical … I am getting a real Gaiman vibe now. Really looking forward to the newest book now!

I enjoyed this book and the others in the series. Thank you for providing me a proof.

This book was a great conuniuation from the first book. The story was interesting and well developed and I liked the characters and their relationship arcs!

Whilst still processing the information that mythical creatures do exist. The team at The Stranger Times investigate a series of vampire attacks in Manchester. The thing is, everyone in the know keeps insisting that vampires are not real.

No existent vampires aren't the only problem affecting the staff at The Strangers Times. There is an issue with the plumbing situation at the office, a staff member with gambling debts, and an entirely new way of swearing in the office. Not to mention the detective inspector and
his baggage.

It is another eventful week at The Stranger Times. The sequel builds on the world created in the first book by introducing the mysterious backers of the newspaper, more magical beings and locations in Manchester.

A very good follow up to Stranger Times, the same cast of offbeat characters still printing the weekly paper Well plotted. Loved it and will be reading the next book in the series.
I received this book from Random House UK and Netgalley for a review.

Another brilliant instalment of the the lives and adventures of the Stranger Times staff, enjoyed it more than the first, I hope Stanley & Cogs become permanent characters

Three and a half stars.

The second book in the series about a Manchester newspaper called The Stranger Times which reports every conspiracy theory, alien abduction, werewolf sighting, ghost haunting, and generally anything a bit woo-woo. Unfortunately, in the first book they discover that much of what they have been reporting is not, in fact, garbage, but actual events caused by supernatural beings who have been hidden in plain sight. However, the one thing that everyone agrees is that vampires do not exist. Unfortunately, someone has forgotten to tell the vampires, as one has just jumped in front of a bus and killed himself.

And if that isn't enough, the editor has sacked the plumbers so there are no lavatorial facilities, someone is trying to kidnap one of the staff, the editor and Grace have come up with a new swearing system, and assistant editor Hannah is trying to keep it all together.

I felt that this sort of lost its way in the middle, although in the end everything came together and I could understand why the story had meandered off into the various sub-plots because it all made sense in the end I did struggle a bit.

People are comparing this to the late, great Terry Pratchett which I think is over-egging things, I'd say more Pratchett-adjacent. But if you enjoy very British swearing (think of calling someone a one-ing five), extreme sarcasm, and the supernatural then I think you will like this series.

I received an ARC from the publisher vie NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Increasingly Stranger Times

The Stranger Times gets even stranger as the characters get themselves into increasingly complex dilemmas. DI Sturgess’s situation brings an almost ‘Men in Black’ angle to the story and a vengeful ghost wrecks havoc on some particularly undesirable people. The mystery around Stella depends and the shadowy Founders dubious motives become more apparent.

I love this series and really hope there will be many more volumes to follow.

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.

What can I say about this book? If you're looking for a funny fantasy novel this is it. Want a mystery too? Sorted.
After reading book one The Stranger Times I couldn't wait to get started with this one.

It starts with a vampire but vampires don't exist so everyone keeps saying, so our friends at The Stranger Times investigate. Another riveting, intriguing read with action and despite all the weirdness it does somehow remain funny and light hearted. I love the quirky characters and intriguing world. You never know what's going to happen next. I really don't have enough words in my tired brain atm to be able to say how much I enjoy C.K.McDonnall's writing, everything is perfect.

I was so stuck into this book I forgot to make plot notes for this review but I'm always concerned about giving too much away anyway. The main plot is as before intriguing and ending satisfactorily and I didn't guess the culprit. The subplots- what happened to Bancroft's wife for example- are left for us to wonder about into book three, which is perfect. I'm hoping there's going to be a lot more books in this series, just feels like there's always so much more to learn about the characters. They feel so real that this could be an ongoing series and never get boring. I hope it continues after book three!

I love the addition of the newspaper articles that features again, my favourite this time was the one about Earth being a tv show.

Looking forward to reading book three.

Another madcap visit to The Stranger Times crew where paranormal goings on are normal, and one liners are delivered in true northern deadpan style. You must read the series in order to get what's going on, no spoilers!

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?

Baby brother is half-way through This Charming Man now and keeps sending random messages - I could write a poem with them... "Cinema organ!/OMG her hair/What's going on with Ox/Oooh blood!". I am going to have to buy him Love Will Tear Us Apart when it comes out (on the 9th of February). Thank you Netgalley and Random House UK for letting me read it first.