Sample
  • The Stranger Times

  • The Stranger Times, Book 1
  • By: C. K. McDonnell
  • Narrated by: Brendan McDonald
  • Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (698 ratings)

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The Stranger Times

By: C. K. McDonnell
Narrated by: Brendan McDonald
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Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

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

There are dark forces at work in our world (and in Manchester in particular), so thank God The Stranger Times is on hand to report them . . .

A weekly newspaper dedicated to the weird and the wonderful (but mostly the weird), it is the go-to publication for the unexplained and inexplicable.

At least that's their pitch. The reality is rather less auspicious. Their editor is a drunken, foul-tempered and foul-mouthed husk of a man who thinks little of the publication he edits. His staff are a ragtag group of misfits. And as for the assistant editor . . . well, that job is a revolving door - and it has just revolved to reveal Hannah Willis, who's got problems of her own.

When tragedy strikes in her first week on the job The Stranger Times is forced to do some serious investigating. What they discover leads to a shocking realisation: some of the stories they'd previously dismissed as nonsense are in fact terrifyingly real. Soon they come face-to-face with darker forces than they could ever have imagined.

The Stranger Times is the first novel from C.K. McDonnell, the pen name of Caimh McDonnell. It combines his distinctive dark wit with his love of the weird and wonderful to deliver a joyous celebration of how truth really can be stranger than fiction.

©2020 C.K. McDonnell (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

A filmic romp with great characters, a jet-propelled plot, and a winning premise. (Eric Brown)

I tore through The Stranger Times. Like an entertaining collision between the worlds of Mick Herron and Charlie Stross, it's a novel that proves ancient eldritch horror is no match for old-school journalism. (CHRISTOPHER BROOKMYRE, bestselling author of Fallen Angel)
There are weird happenings in Manchester; good job the drunk and dysfunctional journalists of The Stranger Times, a newspaper dedicated to paranormal and the unexplained, are on hand . . . terrific, easygoing fun. (Robert Millen)

What listeners say about The Stranger Times

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

So much fun

Great characters. Thoroughly enjoyable. Humorous. Can’t wait to read or listen to the next one. Narrator is awesome

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5 people found this helpful

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Absolutely wonderful narration!

I was transfixed by the narrative dexterity in this book. While I enjoyed the story, an interesting concept introducing characters I look forward to getting to know better in future books, I was engaged wholeheartedly by the defined character narration bringing these quirky people to life in a way I simply loved.

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2 people found this helpful

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So great! Love this writer!

I cannot recall when I have been so enamored of a writer, or with the narrators chosen for the books. Whether it is The Stranger Times series or the McGarry books Mr. McDonnell writes, I cannot get enough of them. I have blown through everything this man has authored in a very short time. Can't wait for more.

This book grabs you and doesn't let go. It's funny, imaginative and mysterious. Loved every second!

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1 person found this helpful

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Loved it!

As a long time Fortean Times reader, Stranger Times is right up my alley. The writing is fantastic and nuanced, the characters are well developed, and the performance is perfect! I’m listening to the first two books TWICE in a row. Eagerly awaiting the third installment (fingers crossed there is one).

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A surprising delight

I was not interested in this series as it’s not really my genre… but I love Ciamh’s writing and it’s the best narrator on audible performing. So glad I listened in. Definitely strange times indeed, but thoroughly enjoyable!

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1 person found this helpful

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Really fun story

Great story. Great characters. Great narration. I will definitely be listening to the rest of the books.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Started a little slow… but highly enjoyable

Took a chance on this while it was on sale, and glad I did!
Nothing wrong at all with the beginning, just a bit of set up - I felt it paid off nicely, and this is a world that I hope to enjoy in many other episodes.

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1 person found this helpful

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A bit teenagerie

Still nice.. I think I might be too old for this book. Storyline is nice, a bit on the smarty-pants side of character writing. would definitely enjoy if I was a few decades younger.

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1 person found this helpful

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buy this book!

One of the funniest books I've read in a long time! Could not put it down!

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Great escape from reality

This book is everything and then some. The story line is fun and imaginative, the narration amazing and the end of the story came too quickly. I can’t wait for the next book so I’ll tune in to the podcast to get my fix.

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