The third novel in C K McDonnell's hugely original, fast-paced, very funny and critically acclaimed Manchester- set series revolving around the investigations ofThe Stranger Timesnewspaper into the weird, the spooky and the supernatural!
Love can be a truly terrible thing.
Marriages are tricky at the best of times, especially when one of you is dead. Vincent Banecroft, the irascible editor ofThe Stranger Times, has never believed his wife died despite emphatic evidence to the contrary. Now, against all odds, it seems he may actually be proved right; but what lengths will he go to in an attempt to rescue her?
With Banecroft distracted, the shock resignation of assistant editor, Hannah Willis, couldn't have come at a worse time. It speaks volumes that her decision to reconcile with her philandering ex-husband is only marginally less surprising than Banecroft and his wife getting back together. In this time of crisis, is her decision to swan off to a fancy new-age retreat run by a celebrity cult really the best thing for anyone?
As if that wasn't enough, one of the paper's ex-columnists has disappeared, a particularly impressive trick seeing as he never existed in the first place.
Floating statues, hijacked ghosts, homicidal cherubs, irate starlings, Reliant Robins and quite possibly several deeply sinister conspiracies; all-in-all, a typical week for the staff ofThe Stranger Times.
About the Author
Born in Limerick and raised in Dublin, C K (Caimh) McDonnell is a former stand-up comedian and TV writer. He performed all around the world, had several well-received Edinburgh shows and supported acts such as Sarah Millican on tour before hanging up his clowning shoes to concentrate on writing. He has also written for numerous TV shows and been nominated for a Kid's TV BAFTA. His debut novel, A Man With One of Those Faces - a comic crime novel - was published in 2016 and spawned The Dublin Trilogy books and the spin-off McGarry Stateside series. They have been Amazon bestsellers on both sides of the Atlantic. As C. K. McDonnell, he is the author of The Stranger Times series contemporary comic fantasy series. Caimh lives in Manchester. To find out more, visit whitehairedirishman.com
Praise For…
"Full of dark comedy that will leave you chuckling under your breath . . . it is always lovely to catch up with the gang in Manchester, watch them get on to new shenanigans and deal with some more supernatural stuff." —Nerd Daily
"My favourite of the series, not only does it manage to be funnier than the others it also gets a whole lot darker.—THE READER'S ROOM
"As completely and wonderfully bonkers as the previous two books in this series . . . a rollercoaster of a ride . . . kooky and fantastical, a riotous experience, one not to be missed. As The Times put it"a tennis match of witty banter."—Writing.IE
"A gag-filled romp . . . in the spirit of Terry Pratchett." —The Times
"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
"McDonnell makes Manchesterchaotic, hilarious, elegiac and sinisterat the same time . . . very, very funny . . . the work has already been comparedfrequently to Terry Pratchett, and given the whip-crack sharp lines andwryness, it is not inappropriate. But it is not a weak clone of Pratchett's work, and it has its own political edge.’—SCOTSMAN
‘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 sitcomfortably on your bookshelf next to those revered genre alumni.’ —STARBURST
