: A recurring theme is the reality of the supernatural versus public perception; many things traditionally thought to be real are fake, while the truly dangerous forces remain hidden in plain sight. Major Characters

As the staff of The Stranger Times investigates these "allegories run amok," they must juggle several subplots:

The central mystery of This Charming Man begins with a series of gruesome murders in Manchester that appear to be the work of vampires. This is inherently problematic because, in the world established by McDonnell, vampires are strictly a work of fiction—even to the "Folk" and the "Founders," the secret supernatural entities that actually exist.

: McDonnell, who also writes as Caimh McDonnell, utilizes his background in comedy to balance dark supernatural elements with sharp, dry wit.

C. K. McDonnell’s This Charming Man is the second installment in The Stranger Times series, a genre-blending urban fantasy that follows a ragtag team of journalists at a Manchester-based newspaper dedicated to the paranormal. While the paper’s primary mission is to report on the "weird and wonderful," the staff often finds themselves at the center of very real supernatural conspiracies. Plot Overview: The Impossible Vampire