Ring the Bells

The funny and festive new paranormal mystery

By: C. K. McDonnell

Narrated by: Brendan McDonald

Brought to you by Penguin.

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.


'McDonnell's world is transgressively hilarious, grimly banal and beguilingly warm. Of course there's a story that the intrepid journalists of The Stranger Times have to tease out: grave-robbing, cryogenics, a very angry witch, and a washed-up indie legend looking for a lost album, but the real joy lies in the pitfalls and pratfalls of getting there.' DAILY MAIL

'An absolute riot of a read.' DAILY EXPRESS

'Laugh-out-loud funny and full of colourful characters.' DAILY MIRROR

© C. K. McDonnell 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Critic reviews

Fiendishly clever and monstrously funny, C K McDonnell's latest will steal your soul and eat your brain. In the nicest possible way, of course.

Best one yet! It’s been a long time coming-an author that can fill Terry Pratchett’s stockings… and X-mas ones at that!

A Unicorn that poops rainbows! The old church with a sign saying that it was no longer a house of worship and to go bother God somewhere else. THIS, series I’ve been reading one after another, swallowing them without chewing properly knowing I will read them all over again before the year is over.

An Early Christmas Gift

I just finished the audiobook version and I am sad.....so sad because I do not want to wait for the next book. I tried to listen in tiny bites but every time, I had to finish the chapter. I wish I were a writer myself so I could better describe how I feel about this series and this book. it has all the elements I enjoy, the mystical, the supernatural, the action, and the diverse characters that you come to love. Please hurry with the next. I'd also like to comment on the narrator for the audiobook. He does a wonderful job!

Keep them coming!

Absolutely love the Stranger Times series. Its fun, entertaining and absolutely drenched with the trademark humor which captured my interest in the first place. Great story as always and I'm looking forward to the next book. Also just bought the Tales audio book for more fun.

Love this series!

I love these books, they always get me laughing out loud & this new one is no disappointment. The narrator does such a good job with many different and distinctive voices, a rare thing. I only wish there were more

More please + TV

Everything about these is amazing. I'm sure I'm not the only one to say it, but pleeeease call Netflix!