The Stranger Times

C.K. McDonnell

A podcast featuring short stories and news from the world of The Stranger Times - a newspaper based in Manchester reporting the weird and wonderful from around the world. Based on the novel The Stranger Times by C.K. McDonnell - out Jan 14th 2021.

Play

Open in

20 episodes
Avg 39 min
English

Episodes 20

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

July 21 · 1 hr 6 min
The Caimh Files - Chapter 1 - The Early years
An historic joint episode with The Bunnycast podcast where Caimh brings you up to speed on what is going on and then we have the first of a series of interviews featuring him with the brilliant Marc Burrows attempting to get a word in edgeways and ask the questions. There's also a story about a dog and a sprinkler - nobody knows why. https://www.marcburrows.co.uk/
S5 · E5
Dec 28, 2025 · 35 min
The Believers - a non-Christmas story
It's the non-Christmas Christmas special of The Strange Times podcast with a brand new story read by the wonderful Janice Connolly. Enjoy!
S5 · E4
Oct 31, 2025 · 36 min
Happy Mondays: a brand new story narrated by Phil Mealey
*Brand New Story Alert* Caimh is back with some updates, including a sort of 'live reaction' section of the podcast with a man looking at stuff that is on-sale in his own shop! More importantly, the superb Phil Mealey is here to read a brand new Stranger Times Short Story.
S5 · E3
Oct 13, 2025 · 39 min
The Front Room Files - Brendan and Caimh Volume 1
In this 'special' episode narrator Brendan McDonald and author Caimh have a chat while also drinking. The results are a rambling shambles that you may love or hate - both are valid responses.
Oct 1, 2025 · 44 min
Smile Like You Mean It
BRAND NEW STORY ALERT! That's right, the wonderful returning narrator Ruth Cockburn narrates a brand new Stranger Times story called Smile Like You Mean It, and Caimh gives a quick update on all the news about the impending launch of Ring The Bells, as well as explaining the closest thing he's seen to actual magic in real life. Spoiler: It involves a man putting on glasses like a comedic Superman.
Sep 23, 2025 · 35 min
Season 5 offically starts - if it hasn't already
I'm not sure if the last ep or this ep counts as the start of season 5, but we can all agree it's definitely started now. Also - news on events in THREE countries plus Brendan McDonald reading an exclusive preview of Ring The Bells.
S5 · E1
Aug 4, 2025 · 51 min
Two brand new Stranger Times Releases
Roll up, roll up. roll up - the Stranger Times is back with two releases - Tales From The Stranger Times, a collection of the short stories all narrated by the wonderful Brendan McDonald, and Ring The Bells - book 5 in the series. Catch up on all the news and then hear Brendan performing a Stranger Times banger! https://whitehairedirishman.shop/collections/the-stranger-times
S4 · E4
Jan 31, 2024 · 46 min
New: Paint by Numbers Ruth Cockburn
This week's episode sees the return of the the magnificent Ruth E Cockburn reading a new Stranger Times short story, Paint by Numbers, Caimh gives you an insight into his hobbies and an update on Diller's reading abilities.
S4 · E3
Jan 24, 2024 · 28 min
New: Launch Week, Baby! Relight My Fire Preview
This week’s episode sees Brendan McDonald’s caressing your ears with a cheeky preview of Relight My Fire (Chapter 2). Caimh’s also out in the wild this week signing books and doing events. Find out where you can pick up signed books or meet him/listen to his chatting nonsense.
Jan 15, 2024 · 33 min
New: A Good Book - Brand new story read by Mark Stay
The legend that is Mark Stay is here to narrate a brand new Stranger Times story written by Caimh called A Good Book.
Jan 9, 2024 · 24 min
Happy New Year, Events, Prologues, previews!
Caimh does his trademark rambling about God know's what before the episode is mercifully saved by the ever effervescent Brendan McDonald reading the Prologue of Relight My Fire.
Dec 19, 2023 · 35 min
New: Christmas Special read by Brendan McDonald!
Finishing the year off in style, we've got the unsurpassable Brendan McDonald, narrator of The Stranger Times audiobooks, reading a brand new short story featuring a well-loved character from one of the previous books. Relight My Fire out Jan 25th - Preorder now and a merry Christmas to one and all!
Dec 13, 2023 · 32 min
Christmas Trilogy Part 2 with Jason Manford
Join Caimh as he reveals exciting details about events (including the correct dates), gets very excited about meeting one of his heroes and then the incredible Jason Manford reads the podcast's most popular story ever.
Dec 5, 2023 · 32 min
Christmas Trilogy: Part 1
Ahead of the upcoming brand new Stranger Times Christmas special, we're going to be visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past. Also, the ghost of foggy brain as Caimh gets the dates of events wrong - see the Waterstones website for correct dates!
Nov 8, 2023 · 44 min
Spooktacular - Brand new short story!
In this ep, Caimh reads a brand new short story that he read LIVE on the first annual Stranger times Spooktacular. As if that wasn't enough, he also reveals the exciting goodies available to you if you preorder Relight My Fire, Stranger Times book 4 in hardback. And for the first time, info on events happening next year - plus, we edit out his diatribe about firework misuse so you don't have to hear it.
Sep 13, 2023 · 48 min
Random Gold Part 2 - Awards, afflictions and Barry Castagnola
Join Caimh for some exciting news, an update on big events coming up and a slice of Stranger Times gold .
Jun 30, 2023 · 46 min
Random Gold - Deals, Feels and Janice Connolly
Caimh drops a surprise ep, like one of them Beyonce Knowles albums - only this has no singles but it does have a deal, an update and a slice of pure Stranger Times GOLD!
Mar 7, 2023 · 56 min
Series 3: Episode 7: We are ready for launch!
Re-live the highlights, the lowlights and the big fights of the online launch event for Love Will Tear Us apart as Caimh, author Mark Stay and narrator extraordinaire Brendan McDonald talk mostly nonsense. You should hear the crap we cut out! Also, there's a fun quiz which you can not now win as it was an on-the-night sort of thing. You had to be there!
Feb 21, 2023 · 30 min
Series 3, Episode 6: The Beautiful Game with Charlie Baker
This week's episode of The Stranger Times is the last to be broadcast from Caimh's writing shed as it's move day! Caimh reminisces about book launch week and laments on the woes of moving. The uber multi-talented Charlie Baker narrates the short story The Beautiful Game.
Feb 8, 2023 · 24 min
Season 3, Episode 5: Love Will Tear Us Apart Preview – Stanley's back!
In this episode, Caimh talks about being a consultant on a film and launch week rituals. The brilliant Brendan McDonnell takes it home in the last preview where we get reacquainted with Stanley Roker, the worst of the worst of tabloid journalists.

Showing 1–20 of 20 episodes