User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
What a fun book!
Recently divorced Hannah is in desperate need of a job. After her previous disastrous interview, she isn't full of confidence for her interview at "The Stranger Times". A newspaper that publish about supernatural happenings from around the world. Hannah is surely in for some strange surprises.
It did take some time to enjoy the story but once I crossed a certain point, I didn't let go of the book until I finished reading it. It was that good.
There were many enjoyable things about this but I liked most is the conversations among the employees of "The Stranger Times". Those were hilarious and made me laugh out loud. Initially the characters seemed a bunch of misfits thrown together but the more time spent with them, the more I realised how well they gel together.
This is a very good book for a first book. Hope there will many more in line.
Rating: really liked it
Fun but awkward. I was intrigued by this one because of a friend's review who thought it may be appreciated by Aaronovitch fans. I'd disagree on the fan base, as it's really quite lightweight in both sense and humor--really, almost Pratchett-like at times. My brain must also have recognized that the author, C.K. McDonnell is the one who wrote the very funny A Man with One of Those Faces (and it's significantly less-funny sequel). It's very clearly urban fantasy with a light touch, spoofing off that Men in Black bit about reading the dailies seriously.
Hannah Willis is desperate for a job after being ostracized for an accidental arson (she was burning her ex's clothes). So desperate, in fact, that she finds herself answering this ad:
"‘Publication seeks desperate human being with capability to form sentences using the English language. No imbeciles, optimists or Simons need apply.’"
When the weekly The Stranger Times offers her the job as assistant editor, she takes it, even when editor Vincent Banecroft seems to be the rudest and most callous person she's ever met.
"‘You were telling me what this job entails.’ ‘No, that doesn’t sound like something I’d do.’ ‘You were explaining how you’ve been emasculated by your own office manager.’ ‘Before that.’"
At least Grace, the office manager can keep him in line. At first the team is only chasing the story of a suspicious death, but when a wannabe reporter is found dead of apparent suicide, the entire staff gets drawn into crime-solving.
"It turned out that the ‘freedom of the press’ was what Banecroft called his lock-picking kit."
It's a great premise and the voice is usually entertaining with a large side-helping of irony. Hannah is a rather sad, bedraggled stand-in for the reader and provides a good entry point into the less normal aspects of the world.
Narrative was the most challenging part of the story. It literally switches through most of the appearing cast in a third-person limited voice, from arch-villain to police inspector to victim to Hannah. I'm not sure why the author didn't just do a more omniscient point of view and worker harder on transitions, but I definitely felt like continuity struggled. (Actually, once I realized it was the same author, it made more sense, as the majority of his career seems to have been in script-writing for television).
My other challenge comes from the plot implications in the decision to include the antagonist-team and the perspectives of those they murder. Since we're privy to the steadily increasing number of victims, we're more aware of the potential danger than any of the characters in the book. Using their viewpoints makes for a strange emotional conflict between humor and the increasing body count. It was also uncomfortable to be so concerned about the people being kidnapped and killed, even if some of them were jerks.
But, the ensemble group is a lot of fun and they all have their own backstories that will undoubtedly make for increasingly interesting interactions. I think the re-read potential is probably solid, and I'll be checking out the follow-up book as well.
"‘Yes,’ said Sturgess, in a way that acknowledged a lot of words had just been spoken."
Three and a half broadsheets, rounding up.
Rating: really liked it
So…..clearly I need more supervision. Once again, I blew right past a stack of long suffering TBR’s & went for a bright & shiny new ARC. In my defence, it is the latest from Caimh McDonnell (don’t be fooled by that “C. K.” business). Just a heads-up for fans: we’re not in Dublin anymore.
Welcome to Manchester. And a whole new cast of colourful, odd, rude & entertaining characters. The prologue also signals a new genre. This is a mash-up of sci-fi, mystery, fantasy & mythology, served with a side of the author’s signature snark.
When we meet MC Hannah Willis, she’s not having a bad day…she’s having a bad life. Recently divorced from her wealthy can’t-keep-it-zipped husband, she’s in desperate need of something she’s never had. A job. By a stroke of (good?) luck she ends up at the Stranger Times, which we will loosely refer to as a newspaper.
There she meets Grace, Simon, Stella, Ox & Reggie. They fulfill the colourful, odd & entertaining part of the equation. The rude bit comes courtesy of managing editor Vincent Banecroft, a man intent on drinking himself into a coma. Right away, you know each of these people has a past that needs to be explored & we get hints as the plot progresses. But it’s not all giggles & insults. There’s a spooky, darker side to the whole story.
In alternate chapters, we follow a strange man named Moretti (or, as I referred to him in my head, “creepy weasel guy”). He’s a man on a mission & if some unfortunate souls happen to get in the way….well, sometimes life is messy.
So what we have is the basic battle of good vs. evil. Initially, readers are as clueless as Hannah as to what is actually going on in the world around us. Magic, mythology, scary critters & the stuff of nightmares….Manchester has it all. And it’s the Stranger Times’ job to keep us informed. They’re used to the usual harmless weirdos but clearly there is a new game in town. And not everyone from the newspaper will survive.
This was an entertaining read with well defined characters. Hannah is a young woman just discovering that she has opinions. And a spine. Grace is the house mother who takes care of them all. And there’s definitely more to Banecroft, a man who pisses people off like it’s his job.
The author dials down the silly & replaces it with a grittier edge than his previous books. During one scene in particular, I found myself waiting for someone to gaze into the distance & mutter “Winter is coming”. As book #1, time is spent establishing the cast & setting & some of the funniest lines are those describing Manchester itself. My only complaint about the ARC was the missing newspaper articles that I’m sure will be interspersed throughout finished copies.
If you are new to this author, it’s the perfect place to start. Book #2 is due later next year & I look forward to catching up with some of Manchester’s more peculiar residents. Well, except that guy with the eyeball thing. Never mind.
3.5 * rounded up.
Rating: really liked it
Highly enjoyable urban fantasy with a Pratchett/Gaiman vibe (as in the combination in Good Omens) plus a touch of the Slough House series: a pack of losers led by a ghastly drunk with very-well-hidden redeeming features get caught up in mystery. In this case the mystery is magical, and the setting is a Fortean Times type newspaper reporting nonsense. It's entertaining, with some great banter, and hit exactly the right spot for me (the "I am really stressed and need something that will absorb and entertain me but not put me through any emotional wringer" spot).
Rating: really liked it
The Fortean Times and the National Enquirer are real newspapers in the same way that Dr Pepper is a real doctor. But while The Stranger Times may appear to be another such questionably-sourced publication, the news it reports - on subjects like vampires, werewolves, etc. - are all true. Hannah Willis becomes the latest in a string of Assistant Editors of The Stranger Times who figures this out shortly after starting - just in time to cover a dark magician’s infernal goings-on in the Manchester underworld that might make her the last hire of the paper… evarrr!
CK McDonnell’s The Stranger Times, the first in a series of urban fantasy novels, is a decent beginning that, while not telling the most compelling or original of stories, introduces a beguiling cast of characters in a pleasing style that will mostly appeal to fans of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London books.
The book gets off to a good start. McDonnell introduces his fair-sized cast skilfully while establishing the plot: a homeless person is murdered in grisly circumstances closely followed by a supporting character loosely connected to the paper. And then... things stagnate for quite a bit of time with characters slowly realising what we already know: that there’s a bad guy going around a-killing. The pacing never really recovers after that and the final act is an uninspired and neatly-forgettable Hollywood-esque conclusion.
I guess “Mild Spoilers” for the rest of the review…
The plot twists aren’t tense as there’s never any doubt of their resolution. Will the paper be shut down forever? Nope, because this is the first book in a series dependent on there being a paper. Will they stop the bad guy? Of course, because this is the first book in a series where our heroes will face more bad guys in more books.
I wasn’t that gripped with much of anything that was happening because a lot of it was predictable - even when a minor character dies early on, I knew they were going to be resurrected because this is set in a world of magic so why not? And then in the epilogue, there they be. Yawn. McDonnell isn’t able to make the reader feel the emotions his characters are feeling because events either have little or no weight to them or you can guess what’s going to happen next so you’re never convinced that what he’s telling you is what it is.
That’s also the weakness of magic itself in any story: write yourself into a corner? Magic will set you free! And so it goes here. He at least tries to quantify magic (poorly - “she’s a Type 8!”; it’s still vague, and sounds dumb) but it’s still used as a get out of jail free card with regards any scene and, rather than create an exciting finale, made for a tedious one instead.
Still, the cast and their amusing office dynamics more than make up for a fast-moving, gripping story. Hannah is a fine protagonist/reader surrogate - flawed but likeable and “good” - while Vincent Banecroft, the irascible curmudgeonly editor-in-chief (think Spider-Man’s J. Jonah Jameson but Irish) stole the show with his bottomless fury energising every scene he was in.
Dr Veronica Carter, the paper’s giggly lawyer (or is she…?), and the paper’s owner Mrs Harnforth, who was comparable to Ankh-Morpork’s ruler Lord Vetinari, were both memorable and enjoyable characters too. McDonnell also keeps us interested in these characters with surprise moments that reveal hidden depths like Banecroft’s vulnerability when it comes to his wife or mild-mannered Reggie’s vicious side when a pair of would-be muggers appear.
McDonnell leans a bit too heavily on prefab elements/archetypes at times. He describes the villain Moretti as a “Danny DeVito lookalike” which is lazy descriptive writing (though it did give me a good idea of the character so it was effective to an extent). The werewolf hitman’s motivations were to save his sickly kid (cue eye-rolling) and all that rubbish about the Accords (rules for magic users) could’ve been taken from any urban fantasy story.
There are some fun scenes though like Hannah sitting through her first Loon Day, when the paper allows members of the public into their church-based offices to try to sell them their insane stories, and Moretti’s Men in Black-esque visit to a magic shop. And the interstitials - excerpts of stories from The Stranger Times proper - were a cute addition.
I would’ve liked to have seen more originality and a stronger core storyline but this first book of The Stranger Times succeeds in establishing the world and tone of the series, and, more importantly, its likeable cast of main characters. Easy to read, mildly entertaining, even funny at times - while not as good as Pratchett or Aaronovitch’s books, McDonnell’s novel is still worth checking out for fans of those authors.
Rating: really liked it
4.5 strange stars
Witty, entertaining, and lighthearted—my cup of tea! And if you like smart writing, low(ish) stakes, and some newspaper-y nonsense, this might be your cup of tea too.
Concepts: ★★★★
Dialogue/wittyisms: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★★
Welcome to
The Stranger Times,
Manchester's one-and-only newspaper reporting on the weird, supernatural, and bonkers beliefs of the worldly public. Do they believe it? Who knows. But the public does, and that's what a good journalist does: reports on the opinions of the public.
The staff at
The Stranger Times are strange themselves, obviously. Like calls to like and all that—and, frankly, when you hit rock bottom it's always the weird and wacky that open up their arms and say they have an extra spot at the dinner table for you. (A life lesson is hidden in there somewhere about humanity and judgements.)
Hannah's hit rock bottom. She's landed a job as reporter wrangler for this odd publication, which is housed in a former historic church and managed by a truly terrible editor with a drinking problem and nothing but barbs. She thinks it's odd, but money is money and frankly, she's been stamped with "strange" herself by the public.
But then, to the utter shock of the reporters of the weird, ACTUAL weird stuff starts to happen. The Stranger Times might actually be... on to something? Oh dear.
Alright, y'all, strap in—I LOVED this!
Was it oddly paced and clearly too long? Yes. Did the author rely on too many hilarious yet unimportant scenes to carry our interest in a relatively bare-bones plot? Yes. But did I enjoy the hell out of reading it? Also yes. This is the kind of novel for those who enjoy
Terry Pratchett,
Neil Gaiman on a humorous day,
T.J. Klune's sense of good prevailing over evil, and a smattering of
Seanan McGuire's blend of the absolutely horrifying with the absolutely pragmatic belief in the magic structure.
I am very much planning to reread this again, and I look forward to the later two books in the series. Welcome to
The Stranger Times...
Blog | Instagram
Rating: really liked it
I got a sneak peak at a sampler for the first in a new series for this author, centred around a newspaper called The Stranger Times. From an article about a toilet in a pub that was possessed by the devil (hey, it could happen...):
"The commode, having previously spent nineteen years at the property providing the expected normal services has recently branched out into issuing ominous predictions, lifestyle advice and shortbread recipes".
Oh yeah. I'm in.
Rating: really liked it
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Hannah Willis has walked away from her London home and her marriage after hitting the point of no return with her husband’s numerous affairs, and the fact she burned down their house, by mistake.
Penniless she finds herself in Manchester and in need of a job, rapidly. Any paying job will do and that is what she gets when she applies for a job reporting for The Stranger Times newspaper which covers the weird and wonderful goings-on in the world. From haunted toilets to waxworks attacks. The staff is a mix of eclectic misfits and their boss is as eccentric as they come. She is also promoted to Assistant Editor on her first day.
Whilst most people scoff at the paper and their reporting, strange, supernatural occurrences are currently happening in Manchester right under everyone’s noses and The Stranger Times is suddenly thrown into the mix, but the forces are dark and the staff has found themselves in grave danger.
OMG, where to start with this review? The book is aptly named, not only because it is the title of the newspaper in the story but because it is completely and utterly strange. It is bizarre, weird, and oh so wonderful.
The book is part mystery, fantasy, thriller, supernatural, and suspense. It has a bit of everything really. It feels like there are two plots woven within one another, one the daily life of the goings-on a The Stranger Times and the other a man on the run from powers outside of our realm that has enlisted the help of a man who is desperate to save his dying daughter and has agreed to be the man’s ‘Beast’.
From the very first page, I was hooked. I adore the writing skills of Caimh McDonnell (C.K. McDonnell), the way he hooks you in, and the humour he creates whether that be the type to make you roll your eye or laugh out loud. It is littered with one-liners, comments, or quotes that made me snigger on more than one occasion.
The member of The Stranger Times team are all so different, yet they work well together. They are realistic with all their flaws on show. They are comfortable with one another and caring in their own sarcastic way. But then this is set in Manchester and sarcasm is how we deal with life around here!
Not having read this style of book before I took my time and savoured it. I simply adore the book and I do hope that there will be more to come from The Stranger Times, perhaps more stories to cover, especially with that ending too!
Rating: really liked it
This is the first in a new series, set around a newspaper which focuses on the paranormal , housed in an old church in Manchester. We meet the inhabitants of, “The Stranger Times,” through the eyes of Hannah Willis, who has walked away from an unhappy marriage with a wealthy man and now finds herself in the position of needing a job. This need is mirrored in the job description, “Publication seeks desperate human being with capability to form sentences, using the English language. No imbeciles, optimists or Simons need apply…”
Having had a previous, cringe-worthy interview, it seems life can get no worse, but, oddly, “The Stranger Times,” is where Hannah will find her new home. There is Grace, the kindly office manager, Reggie, the flamboyant feature writer, computer whizz, Ox, young runaway, Stella, Simon – who lurks outside (see job description) and the Jackson Lamb like, Vincent Banecroft – not to mention the actual printing press and the man who encourages it to perform its magic in the basement.
I haven’t read anything by Caimh McDonnell before and, to be honest, found some of the dialogue a little stilted, which meant I took a while to get into it. However, by the middle, I was totally engrossed. For, while, “The Stranger Times,” has been seen as a publication full of odd stories and run by some crazy characters, there may be more fact than fiction in the bizarre events that seem to be occurring in the city. When a homeless man is killed in strange circumstances, and the unpopular and ambitious D I Tom Sturgess insists on investigating, the scene is set for the bizarre to need to be believed.
I think the test of any series is whether you would read on. Certainly, I would read the second in this series, which suggests it will be a success. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review. Great fun and possibly just what is needed in these troubled times.
Rating: really liked it
Goodbye Dublin, hello Manchester.
It's always a pleasure to unwind with one of Caimh McDonnell's highly entertaining, odd and ironic stories.
Rating: really liked it
I'd like to start this off with a huge thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and C.K McConnell.
‘Good meeting. Now, whose leg do I have to hump around here to get a cup of tea?’
This was hands down the funniest book I have read in a long time.
It has an absolute fantastic cast of eccentric characters.
‘Message one,’ came the electronic voice. ‘Hello, yes. This is . . . It doesn’t matter who I am. I want to keep my identity secret.
My next-door neighbour, he’s an alien. His address is . . . Oh, wait a sec . . . I’ll call you back.’
It was absolutely filled to the brim with hilarious moments. The story is a brilliantly written modern fantasy. That breaths new life into the world of the supernatural.
‘By any chance are you referring to this little slaphead thunder -anus in the background?’
I usually copy 2 quotes for a review, however I have 7 and could have copied so many more. The whole book was filled with "moments" and by these I mean really memorable outstanding moments.
What an absolute joy to read :)
Rating: really liked it
The Stranger Times is one of those novels where you don’t know what to expect when you start, but you’re quickly pulled into the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. An excellent cast of characters, an engaging and fast-paced plot and some proper humour made it even better. Utterly different to the authors usual writing, this change to urban fantasy is both a huge surprise and an excellent decision. Highly recommended for sure.
Rating: really liked it
This was a fun light UF which I enjoyed a lot. I really liked the characters. The plot and magic of the world were unsurprising and slightly generic to the UF genre, I felt. All in all, a sound start to a new series. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
Rating: really liked it
It is early in the year, being only Feb but I am calling it. This will be in my top 3 for the year
It was bananas. Batshit insane. Bonkers and totally hilarious. I loved everything about it, it was all told with such humor even the more horror bits. Interspersed throughout are newspaper clippings and one about a drunken Loch Ness monster had me cackling in the middle of a very quiet lunch room at work. SO awkward. I loved this so much it was a fantastic, fun and very weird read and I wish the sequel was out right now so I could read it as well
Rating: really liked it
This book is the perfect antidote to the current strange times we live in!
The basic plot involves an eclectic collection of characters who work at a newspaper called The Stranger Times. This publication is unconventional in the sense that it focuses on the weird, wonderful, supernatural and magical tales.
The plot is great but the real joy in the book are the characters. There is such a range of people and they all have their own eccentricities, quirks and issues. Together they investigate some suspicious deaths that lead them deeper into a hidden world.
I don't normally read science fiction/fantasy genres as I struggle to really immerse myself and believe in the scenarios created. However, this had me completely believing in the reality I was reading. It was so well written.
The best bit is just how funny this book is. There are so many one liners, analogies and descriptions that made me laugh out loud.
I really hope that this is the beginning of a whole series of books as it is so unique and entertaining!
Thanks so much Caimh and The Pigeonhole for access to this wonderful book.
