Title: This Charming Man (The Stranger Times #2)
Author: C.L McDonnell
Publisher:  Transworld Publishers Ltd
Page Count: 512
Published: 17th February 2022
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Crime, Mystery

Big fan. The old gang is back (with some new faces) and ready to tackle the vampire problem that absolutely doesn’t exist.

READ THE STRANGER TIMES FIRST, YOU DOUGHNUTS.

Before we get started, this book is nothing to do with The Smiths. If for some weird reason you’ve landed here thinking it has anything to do with their sad, melancholy tunes, then you’re in the wrong place. Also whilst I’ve got you, this absolutely can be read without reading The Stranger Times, it will 100% help you with the context otherwise there might be a few WTF moments.

I’m done promise.

Right, so vampires don’t exist. It’s a well-known fact that everyone is very accepting of. However, it’s a tad annoying when people develop pointy teeth, an aversion to sunlight and an unquenchable thirst for human life liquid start showing up in Manchester and cause havoc.

The Founders aren’t massively chuffed with this finding. The Folk want nout to do with it and continue their if-I-can’t-see-it-they-doesn’t-exist vibes. The only people who are keen to tickle the mystery are the fine humans from The Stranger Times – a paper dedicated to reporting the paranormal.

The gang of merry misfits is back (plus some new faces) with Banecroft still yelling into the void and Hannah trying to make the paper run smoothly whilst tackling dodgy builders, a man who can’t tell any lies and a kidnap plot against one of their own.

Oh, and they’re trying to figure out this whole vampire thing at the same time.

The old magic is coming back.

Vampire books have had a bit of a rough ride recently (I fully blame those sparkly bastards), so I’m always a bit standoffish when one appears. This Charming Man is different. If What We Do In The Shadows started up a paper, I imagine this would be very close in style.

This book is a proper delight to read. Humour sprinkled over it at the right points and a plot that will have you chuckling when you least expect it.

I was a huge fan of The Stranger Times. And that 100% set my expectations of book 2 through the roof. So whilst I really, really rate this book, it didn’t win me over as quickly as the first.

If your jam involves urban fantasy that doesn’t take itself remotely seriously whilst having a nonsensical but genius plotline, this is for you.