Thanks to the publisher for a copy to read and give my honest opinion.

Third book to the Charley Davidson series was an absolute success! As the series goes on Charley seems to have her hands full with multiple cases and helping hottie Reyes. With a huge cast of colorful characters, I am obsessed with these books! I finish one only to dive right on into the next book. In this book Charley helps find a missing wife, Reyes breaks out of prison, and she also helps a gang find out who poisoned their dogs. With no stone left unturned Charley is a mess in the best possible way and she does her charming best to help everyone. Five stars of entertainment!

What did I like? The author sets us up for all sorts of crazy scenarios, and I just sat back and relaxed. This book was highly entertaining and Charley has all sorts of admirers. The characters in this book are wildly imaginative and the author builds them up well.

Would I buy this book? Hell yes, I'm hooked. I have to read on. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy.

Thoughts for author? I hope Reyes and Charley make up. The dynamic between the two is astounding.

Whew! Darynda had me scared there towards the end. I can only imagine the main storyline is going to get more complex and intricate. I really am loving the humor/mystery/romance/dark blend Darynda is intertwining with this series. Reyes and Charley gah, LOVE THEM.

Another great addition to the series! Plus some vindication for Reyes! I'm still waiting for them to become a real couple though. First things first they both have to overcome their trust issues, I can understand each of them but I have a feeling that those two will be stronger together and that whatever is coming that Reyes keeps warning Charley about, it'll take the two of them working together to overcome and stop it.
There were a few twists in the book that took me by surprise, some pleasantly and some not so pleasantly! The scenes with Reyes and the kids were so heart warming and had me smiling and swooning a little! It's a shame his life has gone so much to hell (no pun intended) cause I can see him being a great dad if he ever gets the chance!
Again at multiple points in the story I wanted to slap both him and Charley! The humour in the book is excellant, though there are moments that make you feel sad there are many moments that really make you smile as well! I don't want to say too much and ruin any surprises in the book for anyone that haven't read it yet!

Third Grave Dead Ahead was such a fantastic paranormal read. These books must be read in order because if not readers will miss out on important character history and developments. Once again Charley must solve a missing woman's case which also gets her caught up in finding out who killed Artemis. Reyes is still beyond furious with Charley for binding him but he refuses to be locked up in a jail cell. I absolutely loved the characters in this story and found myself enjoying Amador, Bianca and their daughter Ashlee who loves her Uncle Reyes. I have to say however, that Charley's dad has me seeing him in a different light with his actions. This story is filled with as much mystery, suspense, steamy scenes, and laugh out loud moments as the previous books in the series. I loved getting a glimpse of the powers that Charley has and I'm excited to read more of these stories to see exactly how much power she holds within her. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. These stories are absolute page turners with a lot of unpredictable moments.

If you love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie and Lulu, you definitely love Darynda Jone's Charley and Cookie! The third book in the "Grave" series finds our heroine even busier than usual. As an investigator, she has many cases to work plus she's seeing Reyes in her dreams. Her Reyes solution from book 2 is obviously not working as planned and she'll have to figure out what to do now. All the while she is struggling with her father's reluctance to help and his orders to quit while she's ahead...and alive. I'm recommending these books to all my friends. Start this series on Friday so you can binge read for the weekend!

This is the third book in this paranormal series where the heroine is the grim reaper. I am really enjoying this series

I love this series by Darynda Jones, and it's one that is a must have, especially if you love a snarky, kick ass heroine! Any book series worth it's salt has to have one of those, as well as a sexy man who walks into your wildest fantasties/dreams! Very well written, and a series worth reading over and over!

Five Stars: This series never fails to make me laugh!

Charley has become an insomniac. It has been two weeks since she bound Reyes to his body. Subsequently, every time she falls asleep, he is there in her dreams, angry yet passionate. These sultry dreams are driving Charley to drink, gallons of coffee thar is,....a few gallons more than normal, to stay awake. Consequently, two weeks without sleep makes her a little more distracted than usual. While sleep deprived, Charley takes on a new case. A doctor wants to hire Charley to find his missing wife, but he reeks of guilt and Charley is sure he is responsible. In addition to the new case, Charley is trying to solve her ongoing Reyes problem. Her dad doesn't lighten her load, either when he insists she needs to give up her private investigating as he thinks it is too dangerous. Oh, and Mistress Marigold decides to drop by, the woman who runs the website on demons and angels and is looking for the grim reaper, she imparts some interesting tidbits....and on top of all that, she is still being tailed by the sexy Garrett Swopes! Needless to say, a day in the life of Charley Davidson, grim reaper, is never dull! Can Charley find the missing wife and solve her Reyes problem and manage to stay awake?

What I Liked:
*As usual, a Charley Davidson book does not disappoint! This book is fast, furious and funny! Charley is one of the snarkiest heroines out there. She definitely has some ADD tendencies and this outing it is worse because she is an insomniac. Her quick wit and sarcastic quips always make me laugh! If you are in a reading rut, take on Charley, she will cure you!
*I absolutely adore Cookie, Charley's neighbor, best friend and secretary. Not only does Cookie put up with all of Charley's oddities, she fully supports her. Seriously, she is the best friend we all would love to have. The banter between Charley and Cookie is hilarious! I would love to have both these gals over for coffee, granted I would need to make a few pots, but it would be well worth it!
*I love that all of the books in this series have complex plots and multiple story lines. Darynda Jones always manages to tie all the threads together in the end to form a neat plot. My favorite thing about this series is that each book can be read as a stand alone since there is a complete story in each novel, no dreadful cliffhangers! I love that I can count in this series for a good solid, entertaining read!
*There were some fun surprises in this one! I loved when Charley meets Mistress Marigold. I can't go into details, but this new character is brilliant! So unexpected and so funny! I hope that we will see more of Mistress Marigold. Also, we meet the biker gang whose headquarters is by the abandoned asylum where Rocket lives, and again there are some surprises. Of course, there are also a few ghosts popping in and out to liven things up! Expected the unexpected when reading a Charley Davidson book.
And The Not So Much:
*The relationship between Charley and Reyes remains complicated. The sizzling hot attraction is still there, but the two have some serious trust issues and they continue to waltz the love-hate dance. I am beginning to think Charley needs to just give up the Son of Satan and fall for a nice guy like say, Garrett Swopes!
*Speaking of Garrett, I totally want to smack Charley for being so mean to him all the time! Garrett is amazing and he puts up with so much crap from her. Seriously, can't she see how awesome he is and loyal and wonderful... at least Cookie gets it! At the end of this one, Charley had better have a whole new appreciation for him!
*Cookie, poor girl! She is always vicariously living through Charley's sexy hot Reyes encounters and drooling over Garrett....could she please get a break and get a date with a hot guy? She really deserves it! I am kind of hoping she might hook up with Uncle Bob, that would be interesting!
*I am still waiting for Charley to wake up and realize her powers. She gets her butt kicked numerous times in this book and I can't believe that the grim reaper can't kick some ass! I am hopeful that next time out she will find her strengths and we will finally learn more about her latent grim reaper abilities.
*I was shocked and alarmed by Charley's father and his actions. I still feel like he is a mystery and I want to get to know him better so I can understand his motives.
*Finally, Charley meets Donovan, the leader of the biker gang, and I am not sure I am pleased about the possible direction things are going.....I won't say much more but here's hoping this series remains love triangle free!

Third Grave Dead Ahead is another solid installment in a terrific series that I insist is a must read! I love these books! They are witty, fun, complex and always make me laugh. Not to mention there are no cliffhangers or love triangles. Grab a copy with a cup of coffee and set some time aside. Once you dive into Charley's world you won't want to leave. I can't wait to see what is in store for book four: Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet! Ms. Jones is a brilliant writer and all I can say is please write faster!

Favorite Quotations:

"An integral part of any best friend’s job is to immediately clear your computer history if you die.—T-SHIRT"

"At least with a biker, you knew where you stood, which was usually ten feet away from his bike."

"A Nun’s Life: Chastity, poverty and obedience. Wait, chastity?—BUMPER STICKER"

"If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is NOT for you.—BUMPER STICKER"

"I chose the road less traveled. Now I’m lost.—T-SHIRT"

“I hardly loathe myself. Have you seen my ass?”

"At first, I could lie about my lack of sleep and she'd fall for it, but she started suspecting insomnia when I began seeing purple elephants in the air vents at the office. I knew I shouldn't have asked her about them. I thought maybe she'd redecorated.”

“Holy shit, are you positive?"

"As a pregnancy test a month after prom.”

“I strode toward Mr. Coffee with lust in my eyes. We'd had a thing for quite some time now Mr. Coffee and I...”

“No. This has to do with drugs."

"My jaw fell open and I almost lost my toothbrush. "You're on drugs?"

She pressed her mouth together. "No. You are."

"I'm on drugs?" I asked, stunned. I had no idea.”

“In a moment of sheer terror, I realized I couldn't feel my brain. It was there just a minute ago. Maybe I really was dead. "Do I look dead to you?”

“Want coffee?" as I headed that way.

"It's three thirty in the morning."

"Okay. Want coffee?”

“Give it up? Not likely. Besides, what else would I do? I totally should have gone to Hogwart's when I had the chance.”

“Have you slept yet?'

'Sure. I took a power nap on the way over.'

'Didn't you drive there?'

'Yeah. Other drviers kept waking me up. Car horns should be illegal."



I purchased a copy of this book and all opinions expressed are my own.

Also be sure to check out the newly released audiobook of Fourth Grave Beneath my Feet by Darynda Jones.
Posted @Rainy Day Ramblings. (less)

Darynda Jones continues the adventures of Charlotte “Charley” Davidson and her battle with all things good, evil, beyond evil and really smexy. I must give praise to Darynda Jones’s writing style. Above all else, Charley’s witty repartee, sarcastic responses, one liners, sassy come-backs with friends, enemies and frenemies would make this series a stand-out. I find myself laughing and thinking…”that is exactly what I would have said (had I been rockin’ the PI badge).” I need a {sarcasm} button whenever I visit chat rooms to discuss books and authors….or perhaps an {insert Charley sarcasm} button. Do you think Bill Gates is willing to {sarcasm} help me out?? Then again, it is Charley’s sarcasm that may cost her…..her life!!

Third Grave Dead Ahead continues a few weeks after Second Grave. As the Grim Reaper, among other things, Charley has some special powers that she is just discovering. Once again, Charley considers a missing person(s) case, but the evidence doesn’t add up. A wealthy doctor comes to Charley in the hopes she (Charley) will find his missing wife, but a mixture of guilt and sorrow pour off the man, and that in itself is confusing. But as Charley and her ‘intrepid’ side-kick Cookie scour for information, more details about the man’s past will surface and more than just one missing and presumed dead wife will tarnish the ‘good doctor’s’ reputation.

Charley’s dad, once again, begs his daughter to turn in her PI badge. Like all fathers, he is concerned and worried about his daughter, but the PI business is ugly, and week and week, Charley is risking her life for clients who are guiltier than the mob. But Dad is not aware of, to what extent Charley’s abilities can stretch. He has ‘used’ Charley with many of his investigations within the APD, since she was 4-5 years old, and that has left the man shrouded in guilt-but a father should never have to see his daughter bloodied, bruised and near death on any occasion, let alone during an investigation. Uncle Bob (Ubie) is aware of who is and what is Charley’s secret identity, and it is Ubie that will not risk his niece’s life; but the tail that is following Charley, maybe too late, in more ways than one. And Charley’s father will once again, try to protect his daughter, but in doing so he will lose more than he bargained. The father-daughter relationship is slowly crumbling and no one is around to collect the pieces of the broken heart. I can only hope, that Darynda has a direction for this particular storyline, because although I understand the guilt and remorse of the father, it is the sorrow and depression engulfing the man, that must be addressed before it is too late.

Much is revealed about some of Charley’s associates including Officer Vaughan and Swopes. Although there is no love loss between Vaughan and Charley, she has the satisfaction of knowing why the man tried to run her over in high school. And Garrett Swopes will risk everything (including his life) to ensure Charley’s safety. But a new man has entered Charley’s life-as an interesting twist at the end of the storyline will show. Although we met Donovan under less than ideal circumstances, there is a connection between he and Charley, and one that does NOT go unnoticed by Reyes. And Cookie has a new man in her life??? I hope we see this relationship grow because it should add some very humorous dialogue to an already great series.

And Reyes. The Son of Satan, who was brought to earth, to be with Charley Davidson continues to haunt every aspect of her life. But when Charley binds Reyes to his corporeal body on earth, he is left unprotected from the demons hoping to secure the Map and Key to both Heaven and Hell. Reyes knows that he and Charley are fated, but she must discover on her own how to use her powers and abilities. Without that knowledge, Charley is risking the lives of everyone on earth. But for some reason, Reyes is not allowed to interfere in Charley’s supernatural development and that is a disturbing. Reyes knows that both he and Charley have a purpose and that they are both hunted for that very reason.

And finally…Earl Walker. Reyes foster father and the man Reyes was imprisoned for murdering. Funny how the dead are actually alive when the innocent sit behind bars. But the extent of the man’s perversion and psychosis goes beyond a story and a few pictures or words. To experience first hand, the torture and degradation from a man as evil as Earl Walker, would scar more than just the body….but the soul. Could that have been the cause of Reyes’s rage and anger? Or is Reyes need and wanting of Charley more than just the knowledge that they will one day be guardian and warriors against the demons from hell. Are Reyes feelings for Charley true or a necessary evil that comes along with the title of KEYS to both heaven and hell.

Third Grave Dead Ahead is another amazing and wonderful storyline from author Darynda Jones. Her sense of humor and quick repartee between the characters will have you giggling and shaking your head. And we all know someone like Charley Davidson-a no nonsense woman willing to go the distance for someone she loves. Let’s hope Charley is loved as much in return.

Copy supplied by the publisher

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When I was invited to participate in the re-read blog tour to celebrate a long-lasting amazing series that culminates in Summoned by Thirteenth Grave, I jumped on the opportunity. I loved the idea of going back to one of the earlier books and reminiscing. There is always that niggling worry in the back of the mind that a few years later might change my opinion about how much I loved a book originally. No worries. Third Grave not only was just as good, but going back and experiencing nostalgia for who the characters were before later events and reveals happen made me love it more than ever.

I just love this series. I know I say that every time, but its worth saying again. The blend of humor, paranormal elements, mystery elements, character building and a dab of forbidden romance tossed in for good measure.

This installment begins (oh, backtracking a little to say that the series must be read in order) with several things happening to Charlie. Not a surprise, right? First off, she is desperately trying to stay awake to keep a very bound and thus very angry Reyes out of her dreams. Then she is offered a missing wife case. And finally, her dad tells her she needs to quit as a private investigator.

With her usual humor and lack of elan, Charlie goes about dealing with all the above. She gets beat down and keeps getting up and continuing on. All the usual suspects make an appearance whether its the irascible Garret, Ubie (Uncle Bob), Cookie, Reyes, her ghost friends, and her family. There are also new characters introduced in the form of the motorcycle gang and her new protector in the form of that demon dog we all come to love and adore, as well as the newly revealed Marigold.

The series just gets better and better with each new book, but knowing that had me relaxing and enjoying a look back into the past. I didn't realize how much I had forgotten so bits of the plot took me by surprise once again. I love the plot twists that leave me surprised even when I have some of it figured out. Each new scene with Reyes just leaves me wanting more (so the re-read will probably end up continuing). Oh who am I kidding? I love every scene because of Charlie.

If you haven't picked up this series yet, urban fantasy fans who like a liberal dose of humor and mayhem, I envy you your first time experiencing such an abso-fab series.

Another book about my favorite grim reaper Charlie Davidson. I can't say much about it since it is book 3 in the series and anything I could say would be a huge spoiler. There are two different mysteries in the plot of this book. The main mystery that is the focus of the book, and the one that has gone through the series so far. I've been marathoning these books since I listened to the first one. I can't believe that it's taken me so long to start this series. Great writing and very entertaining.

“If life hands you lemons,keep them. Because, hey, free lemons.-T-Shirt”
― Darynda Jones, Third Grave Dead Ahead
“An integral part of any best friend's job is to immediately clear your computer history if you die.”
― Darynda Jones, Third Grave Dead Ahead

As a fan of this series, I was shocked that I struggled with this book. It seemed that I was stuck and treading and treading in water but not getting anywhere. Which in a way this is what happened to me. I found myself reading a few pages at a time. After finally getting a third of the way into the book I skipped ahead a bit. The rest of my reading went this way with skimming the book.

What I found is that while I love Charley, she seemed off some in this book. She was not her usual sarcastic self. Plus, I had not found myself laughing one moment yet in the time that I did read the book in the first third. The storyline moved slowly and there needed to be more Reyes.