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This Charming Man

(The Stranger Times 2)

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This Charming Man

By: C. K. McDonnell
Narrated by: Brendan McDonald
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

STOP PRESS! The Stranger Times wins the 2023 British Fantasy Award for Best Audio Work!

Vampires do not exist. Everyone knows this. So it's particularly annoying when they start popping up around Manchester . . .

Nobody is pleased about it. Not the Founders, the secret organisation for whom vampires were invented as an allegory, nor the Folk, the magical people hidden in plain sight who only want a quiet life. And definitely not the people of Manchester, because there is nothing more irksome than being murdered by an allegory run amok. Somebody needs to sort this out fast before all Hell really breaks loose - step forward the staff of The Stranger Times.

It's not like they don't have enough to be dealing with. Assistant Editor Hannah has come back from getting messily divorced to discover that someone is trying to kidnap a member of their staff and while editor Vincent Banecroft would be delighted to see the back of any of his team, he doesn't like people touching his stuff - it's the principle of the thing.

Throw in a precarious plumbing situation, gambling debts, an entirely new way of swearing, and a certain detective inspector with what could be kindly referred to as 'a lot of baggage' and it all adds up to another hectic week in the life of the newspaper committed to reporting the truth that nobody else will touch.

This Charming Man is the second book in the critically acclaimed The Stranger Times series.

'Wonderfully dark, extremely funny, and evocative of Terry Pratchett - which I think is the highest compliment I can give.' ADAM KAY, about The Stranger Times . . .
'A gag-filled romp . . . in the spirit of Terry Pratchett.' The Times
'Great characters, a jet-propelled plot, and a winning premise.' Guardian
'Fresh and genuinely funny.' SFX

© C.K McDonnell 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

 Crime Thrillers Fantasy Fiction Humorous Mystery Thriller & Suspense Comedy Funny Paranormal Witty

Critic Reviews

With crisp plotting, scabrous dialogue and deftly applied splashes of gore, former comedian C.K. McDonnell has served up another winner from his cast of delightful losers.
McDonnell makes Manchester chaotic, hilarious, elegiac and sinister at the same time . . . very, very funny . . . the work has already been compared frequently to Terry Pratchett, and given the whip-crack sharp lines and wryness, it is not inappropriate. But it is not a weak clone of Pratchett's work, and it has its own political edge.
Intriguingly brilliant . . . its greatest strength is in its engaging and enthralling characters, both new and old. The author revels in their personalities, their foibles and flaws as they guide you hilariously through an urban fantasy landscape bursting with myth and magic; all often hiding in plain sight . . . perhaps more Gaiman or Adams than Pratchett, McDonnell has a gift for describing the fantastical as delectably formulaic . . . if you enjoy your fantasy peppered with wit and deft creativity, then McDonnell's books will sit comfortably on your bookshelf next to those revered genre alumni.
Fast-paced, brilliantly written, and with characters to die for, This Charming Man will have you laughing out loud time and again.
All stars
Most relevant
Second instalment in a great series. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Another great yarn

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Much like the first one, I immediately got hooked on the story and finished the book as soon as possible. There isn’t a character in this book that is not interesting in some shape or form.

One charming book

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even better than stranger times. love the humor, wit, characters. Hard to wait for next installment.

rollicking fun, witty

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I've always suspected that living in Manchester might risk my sanity, but C.K. McDonnell's books have convinced me to stay well clear ... hopefully Australia is far enough. A terrifying tale of the occult with tongue firmly in cheek. Despite this serious physical impediment - and despite the various accents of the protagonists, Brendon McDonald has done a great job as narrator, too!

Gothic humour - great tale, beautifully performed!

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I really Really like this series the storyline is fun and interesting but low key, the stakes aren't high (but they are made from old church pews doused in garlic mayo) but you get drawn in to the world just the same. The author is really good at adding just the right amount of little asides and back and forth banter to keep things colourful but not dragging the story out. The performance by the narrator also really helps make this series great he brings the characters to life and with his delivery makes the humour in the book really shine through.

Rancid Garlic Mayo

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