The Best Urban Fantasy You Haven’t Read: A Review of The Stranger Times
The Stranger Times by Caimh McDonnell
There is nothing quite as frustrating as a long, painful reading slump—that long thread of DNF’s on the reading tracker that becomes a bad omen for a new year. Sometimes, even trying different genres does not do a thing. For me, it was months until I stumbled across a post for The Stranger Times when I finally broke the stupor. Having absolutely adored Caimh McDonnell’s Dublin Trilogy, I decided to give it a go, and I’m so glad I did! It was witty, weird, and simply fun!
At a Glance
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Supernatural Mystery
Page Count: 432
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Vibe: British humor. Urban Fantasy. Paranormal.
Synopsis
The Stranger Times was set in modern Manchester, but in a world where there were other beings that you have heard of in tales but considered nothing more than fictional. There were rules established for temporary truce between different beings, but they were so fragile to beging with that one event would have the facade collapse.
The story started with Hannah, who was trying to start a new life in Manchester. With no college degree or real work experiences, she landed a job which she did not know the title of or the salary it paid at a tabloid located in an old church. Her colleagues included a most obnoxious editor, a motherly office manager (not a receptionist, thank you very much), two journalists who either believed in the dead or UFOs (but not the other way around), a press operator who referred to himself as “we” and a teenage assistant that was taken in after she was found breaking into the office. They thought they were reporting news for a special clientele who believed in paranormal phenomena. Little did they know, they were getting close to the truth.
As a reader, you do not have to figure out who the murderer was; however, there were mysteries for you to solve and unexpected plot twists waiting for you around the pages. It is an urban fantasy without gore but a well balanced mix of humor and life.
The Heart of the Story
I am not great with names. When I read classic mysteries, I appreciate a list of names and a brief intro for all the people involved as there are oftentimes many of them, of which most are more or less fillers. There were a total of 7 people working at The Stranger Times, a few people from the Greater Manchester Police (or just DI Sturgess), several of the Folk, several of the Founders, and some in between. But everyone that had a name also came with very distinct personalities that I easily remembered. They were all full of characters but still real enough to be adored. The storyline, like the characters, started with so many different points of view but came together seamlessly.
Despite its fantasy component, I feel that every scene presented itself vividly that the story could easily become a TV series. The blend of reality and fantasy was just right for all readers to enjoy.
Favorite Lines
The Verdict
Read this if: You love Oscar de Muriel’s Fred & McGray series, the podcast The Magnus Archives, or simply want to have some good laughs while dealing with murder mysteries.
What is your favorite urban fantasy book of all time? Let me know in the comments!
