Love Will Tear Us Apart

(The Stranger Times 3)

By: C. K. McDonnell

Narrated by: Brendan McDonald

Brought to you by Penguin.

The Stranger Times - winner of the 2023 British Fantasy Award for Best Audio Work!

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 of The 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 of The Stranger Times.

©2023 C. K. McDonnell (P)2023 Penguin Audio

definitely witchcraft

How does Caimh consistently write books this entertaining? He never misses. If writing side characters was an Olympic sport he'd be the Michael Phelps of whatever they decided to name it.

Not much publishing going on with all that mayhem

With Hannah and Vincent split on their own story lines the energy was very different, especially at the start. I found that it felt more like the first two books when I turned the speed up to 120%, as if the recording was posted at a slower speed than the earlier titles.

It was good to see the vulnerability behind Vincent's bluster, and learn more about Stella. The plot borrowed a seed from Harry Potter, but took it in an amazing, and creepy direction.

Amazing!

book three of this series did not disappoint the stories and characters are so amazing if you've yet to start a series check it out it gets better and better with each book!

Fabulous

Over, as always, too soon. Fascinating expansion on the characters we know and love. Plus Gordon 🤎

Still fresh and funny

I liked book 2 as much as book 1. It’s surprisingly complex for such a funny book. I laughed so hard at the AR15 getting on the Supreme Court that I nearly drove off the road. Full of gems. Awesome narrator.

Beyond

Few books, combine, satire, droll, humor social commentary, vibrant characters, and inventive plots. Love the narrator, love the author, love the series, and can’t wait for the next one!

Brilliant, as usual

The only negative thing I can say about this latest book in the Stranger Times series is that, as with all the rest of CK McDonell’s books, I’m sad that it’s over.

Loved

Awesome series. Hoping for more!!
Loved the characters the narrator and the stories. Read them in a matter of days

Superlative Narration.

I am really enjoying this series. The Stranger Times is gaining a life of its own with recurring characters weaving in and out with new ones. I know much more about Manchester than I ever did before. However, it is the narration that really stands out for me! Each character (and there are many) has their own distinct voice and together with the verbal descriptions, I can see them in my mind’s eyes very clearly. In some ways, I would love to see an adaptation along the lines of Prime Video’s Good Omens but could actors “own” these characters? It would take bloody good actors fluent in Manc to do it!

Brendan McDonald is unmatched

Listen, if you like Cai…I mean C. K. McDonnell, you’re going to love this book, audio or otherwise. But Brendan McDonald brings the story to the next level. His distinct voices for every character are so playful and full of life! Such a treat to listen to and really engages you in the story. 10/10!!