“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

For most people, that means a time of celebration, relaxation and inebriation, but not for the staff of The Stranger Times. While a book club meeting ending in a triple murder isn’t unprecedented, it is at least noteworthy. It quickly emerges that this is no ordinary book-club-triple-murder either, as it features a librarian possessed by a chaotic entity who has broken through from another dimension and is hellbent on vengeance. He’s made a list, but he’s not checking it twice as the whole of humanity is on it. Who would want to summon such a thing? And how is anyone going to be able to send it back?

As if that wasn’t enough to be dealing with, a shocking revelation about a member of The Stranger Times team’s past brings family together, but not in a way that’s ever going to make it into a Hallmark movie.

Featuring demonically possessed Santas, blood-thirsty books and the ghost of a legendary nightclub, it’s beginning to look a lot like a Christmas apocalypse . . .

Ring the Bells is the fifth book in the award-winning, critically acclaimed and laugh-out-loud funny The Stranger Times series.”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to hand the blog over to my guest reviewer, Ryan (my husband) who will be sharing his thoughts on Ring the Bells, the fifth book in The Stranger Times series by C.K. McDonnell. Ring the Bells is published by Bantam Press today (that’s Thursday 9th October 2025) and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow. Ryan has read and enjoyed the first four books in this series so has been looking forward to getting his mitts on a copy of Ring the Bells. He chose to read a free eARC but that has not influenced his review.

Here’s what he thought…

I don’t remember the last Christmas book I read. I certainly don’t remember the last time I sat in a heatwave reading about snow and Santa! But when C.K. McDonnell rings in a new book in The Stranger Times series, seasonal concerns are quickly thrown out the window.

Ring the Bells is the fifth book in The Stranger Times Series. The Stranger Times is a paper covering the more esoteric and unusual new stories of the day. But as we’ve seen in the previous books of this series, they are all too often the only paper reporting the truth!  If you’ve read previous books in the series you’ll recognise the wonderful cast of characters and laugh out loud style of writing. For me this book added a much more emotional edge to the series. One of the storylines in this book brings a new dimension to the series and it was written brilliantly against the chaos of the demonic Santa! If you’ve read or heard (through The Stranger Times podcast) the short story “The One” you’ll know that this author can write in a way that stays with you – and this book delivers one hell of a punch. But do not fear, this book still brings the chaotic, fantastical, apocalypse bound rollercoaster that you have come to expect from this author. When a book club accidentally summons something that can best be described as a ‘demon hell bent on subduing humanity to its will’ (and let’s be honest which book clubs haven’t come close to doing this as some point!) it starts a trail of death and destruction around Manchester which build to a thrilling finale.

As usual the local police are ill-prepared to deal with the fallout of unforgiving entities from other dimensions and so it falls to the staff of The Stranger Times and the network of contacts they have built in the magical communities to save us from catastrophe. With Vincent Banecroft’s acerbic editorial leadership style, the staff, the paranormal inhabitants of the region and even Santa need to watch out! I really enjoyed the interplay between the staff in this book, which started with Grace’s futile attempts to bring the team together for some forced Christmas jollity. As ever the rest of the staff were not spared from the chaos! I particularly enjoyed Ox’s attempts at mentoring a new addition to the crew, Reggie’s constant frustration of Vincent’s journalistic standards and Hannah’s attempts to keep her love-life alive. The story cleverly intertwines two major plot lines providing great pacing throughout the book – as one storyline builds pace and chaos, the other thread provides a new insight into one of the characters which I found utterly compelling. The prologue of this book already had me worried about what the author may do to a character, to the point I found it hard not to think about what might be about to happen. I would tell you more but we know damppebbles hates spoilers! [I do!]

As we move through the book, Christmas and its associated festivities provides multiple targets for the author to take aim – especially the ever-reviled Christmas Wonderland. I am delighted to say McDonnell never misses, providing laugh out loud moments throughout the story. The occasional news stories interspersed between chapters provide another bright spot in this wonderful read.

In any series there is always a question of whether a book can be read as a standalone. In this case it can, but you will definitely miss out on the emotional impact of one of the storylines. And why would you not read the rest of this amazing series?!

In the style of damppebbles “would I recommend this book?” I would, but I would strongly recommend building to it through the earlier books in the series. I would also suggest that if you enjoy them, to try the Bunny McGarry series by the same author (under the name Caimh McDonnell!). Ring the Bells is an excellent story that will be enjoyed by many. I expect to see it on many Christmas lists and can’t wait to see what is planned next for this superb series.

Five Stars.

Ryan chose to read and review a free eARC of Ring the Bells. The above review is his own unbiased opinion.

Ring the Bells by C.K. McDonnell was published in the UK by Bantam Books on 9th October 2025 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

C.K. McDonnell is the paranormal pen name of the Irish bestselling author Caimh McDonnell. He is a former stand-up comedian and TV writer, who now spends all of his time writing books as his dogs don’t like it when he leaves the house.

When not writing about the adventures of the staff at The Stranger Times, he is the author of the Increasingly Inaccurately titled Dublin Trilogy of books featuring Bunny McGarry and the various spinoffs, all of which have been Amazon bestsellers on both sides of the Atlantic. The Stranger Times won Best Audio at the 2023 British Fantasy Awards, a fact Caimh is constantly finding increasingly tenuous ways to casually mention in conversation.

Check out The Stranger Times podcast, available everywhere, and featuring short stories set in the world of The Stranger Times, written by Caimh. And read by some of the finest stand-up comedian talent that are willing to do it for the money.

Caimh lives in Manchester with his wife and their two dogs. To find out more about him or The Stranger Times, just google the phrases ‘Caimh McDonnell website’ or ‘The Stranger Times website’ and you can get a free collection of short stories for your trouble!