A good story but slightly marred by the character of Nikki - what an annoying and selfish woman she was. I was dreading what she was going to do next! Anyway, I enjoyed the story but I don’t think I’d read another if Nikki was in it!

This book was good. The storyline had plenty of twists and turns. However, there was a good bit of repetition throughout the book which I didn't enjoy.
Lisa Jackson does have an excellent style of writing. However, this book was just ok for me.
Thank you to Lisa Jackson, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The old Beaumont mansion was a shell of the beauty it had been many years prior and after a wild hurricane, small time crim, Bruno Cravens, made his way inside, determined to find the cache of jewellery his grandfather had spoken of before he died. But Bruno wasn’t prepared for what he found instead – three graves, two filled with skeletons and one empty. After his panicked anonymous call to 911, the site was soon crawling with police. Detective Pierce Reed and his partner, along with forensics and the like, did what they did best. But without their knowledge, Nikki Reed, wife of the detective, a local reporter and true crime writer, was also on site. Nikki wanted to know if the recovery was the Duval sisters…

The two elder sisters had been identified from DNA but of the youngest, five years old twenty years ago, there was no sign. The mystery deepened, the case reopened and those who were investigated and interviewed, went through it all again. But Nikki was frustrated when Reed shut her out of the case, so was determined to do it alone. The killer had thought he was safe – now he could be in trouble. Or would it be Nikki who was in trouble?

The Third Grave is the 4th in the Savannah series by Lisa Jackson and although I haven’t read the first three, this one can standalone successfully. I found it to have a slow beginning, but once the action ramped up, I jumped right in with the characters. I found Nikki to be a little annoying, putting herself in danger constantly, not caring about much else. I have read a few others by Lisa Jackson and enjoyed them, and easily recommend this one.

With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton UK for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I have by no means read all of Lisa Jackson’s books, but she has been one of my “go-to” authors over the last few years. Whenever I pick up one of her books I do not doubt that I will enjoy reading it.
The Third Grave is the tenth Lisa Jackson book I have read, but only my first for 2021. This story is everything you have come to expect from Lisa Jackson. As part of the Savannah series, you can expect all the colourful scenery and stunning architecture described in brilliant detail.
I love Lisa Jackson’s descriptive writing style that transports me to Savannah, allowing me to visualise a part of the world I have never seen. I enjoy her strong female characters and the men they love. Of course, the way she always adds a pet or two makes her characters even more appealing. Mikado is such an adorable, realistic pup – he reminds me of my wire-haired terriers with his sweeping tail and in your face devotion to his owners.
When the bodies of two young girls are in the old Beaumont mansion and identified as two of the missing Duval sisters, who disappeared twenty years earlier, Nikki Gillette sees it as an opportunity for her new true crime book. Unfortunately, Detective Pierce Reed is the lead investigator, and he will do anything to keep Nikki away from the case and safe. Yet, even after things go horribly wrong, Nikki is just too curious to wait on the sidelines, no matter what her husband has to say.
Nikki investigates on her own and it is a race between reporter and detective to find out what happened to the Duval sisters all those years ago, and where is the third sister? Is little Rose dead too, or is it possible they can find her alive?
I have forgotten how much I enjoy Lisa Jackson’s writing. Her story drags you headfirst into an intriguing mystery and then delivers a whiplash conclusion with all the pieces neatly wrapped up. Lisa Jackson never leaves you any unanswered questions, I love it.
Nikki Gillette is a woman you simply must love. She is strong, determined, and fearless. She does not allow anything to stand in her way, not even good advice from her husband. This woman is ballsy and even when you know she is headed for trouble and she will need Reed to come and save her, you cannot help but love her. Despite all her courage, she ends up needing Reed to save her, only for them to end up saving each other.
My favourite characters in this book have to be Mikado and Jennings – the author includes this dog and cat in her story adding realistic behaviour. They add warmth to the story even when their roles are not related to the storyline. As I am writing this, I have two terriers snuggling me, so no wonder these two appeals to me so much.
The Third Grave is what you would expect from Lisa Jackson, the story is gripping and leaves you eagerly turning pages as you try to figure out what happened to Rose Duval.
Lisa Jackson is one of my favourite authors and while I have not read all her books, I am looking forward to working the ones I have not read into my TBR. Luckily, my birthday is not too far away and I can add some of her titles to my wish list.
Crime, mystery, and thriller enthusiast will find The Third Grave to be a great, fast passed, gripping read full of twists you will not see coming.
If you have not spent any time with Lisa Jackson yet, you are missing out, this author is on fire. Give The Third Grave a try, you will not be disappointed. I recommend adding this book to your TBR, it’s a good read that provides a window view to Savannah.
My review will be live on the blog on 29 June 2021

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me to review #TheThirdGrave by #LisaJackson
This is a fast paced thriller centred around journalist Nikki Gillette and her husband Detective Pierce Reed.
When the bodies of two young girls are discovered hidden in an old mansion in Savannah years after they disappeared Pierce and his partner are called in to investigate. There are two skeletons but three graves, where is the third body?
Nikki is determined to get the answers before anyone else, but does she put herself and others in danger.

I hate to say this ,but I really struggled with this book. I just didn't enjoy it. My fault for requesting it.

Thanks to net galley for this free read. I thought this book was very good. It's a detective story seen from the different points of view of a police officer and his crime journalist wife. A cold case of three missing girls suddenly becomes active again with the discovery of two bodies. There are lots of twists and turns along the way and I didn't guess who did it! I will go back and look at the other books written by this author.

The Third Grave - Lisa Jackson

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton and I am leaving this review voluntarily

The old Beaumont mansion is a rotting shell of its once-grand self, especially after a disastrous hurricane sweeps through Georgia. The storm does more than dislodge shutters and shingles. It leads to a grisly find in the cellar. Three graves. But only two skeletons…

For Nikki, the discovery is a gift, the perfect subject for her next crime book—though Reed has made her promise not to keep involving herself in dangerous police business. But despite the increasing tension between them, Nikki can’t stay away from this story. Rumors are widespread that the burial site is the resting place of the Duval sisters—three young girls who went to the movies with their older brother, Owen, twenty years ago, and never returned. Forensics confirms that the remains belong to Holly and Poppy Duval. But where is the youngest sister, Rose?

This is the fourth book in the Pierce Reed/Nikki Gillette series but the first one I have read. There’s plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing, and interested. I really struggled to put this book down once the bodies had been discovered so I found it to be quite a quick book to read.

I think that this book works quite well as a standalone, and not having met the characters before really didn’t spoil my enjoyment so I would highly recommend this book.

Rating 4/5

I’m afraid I just couldn’t get on with this book, which surprised me as I’ve read and enjoyed other Lisa Jackson novels, but none from this series.

Two things spoilt my enjoyment so much that I gave up about one-third of the way through. The first was the careless repetition and inconsistencies. The same observation made on consecutive pages, for example. Or contradictory statement, like one of the characters feeling “cold to her core” on one page, then two pages later feeling “cold creeping over her.”

The second thing was my intense dislike of Nikki. I’ve nothing against characters that elicit dislike. In fact, it’s often needed in order to provide balance. But to create a character who has no redeeming qualities whatsoever? A woman who is self-centered, thoughtless and totally uncaring of anybody or anything. A woman who comes on to her police officer husband immediately after his partner has been killed, and who appears to feel no genuine guilt for her role in the woman’s death.

No, I’m sorry. I had no interest in continuing with this and wish Ms Jackson better luck with her next novel.

Wow and wow ! This is not my usual genre as crime stories usually scare me but. I was riveted by this book. I could not put it down as one thing after another was happening.
Reed is a detective and his wife, Nikki is a journalist and a writer of true crime books. Nikki is usually after the same story her husband is investigating which is not the recipe for a happy home life.

Two skeletons are found in the basement of an old house, both. are children. There is also what looks like a space for a third grave. Three youngest sisters did go missing at the same time years ago but where is the third sister ?
This was a fast moving read, practically in every chapter something spectacular happens which moves the story along. Who is lying and who is telling the truth ? It's hard to know who to believe which made me suspicious of everyone.
I have to say that Nikki drove me mad and her husband must have the patience of a saint to put up with her. She puts herself and other people in danger as soon as she walks out the door.
Reed on the other hand is someone you would want by your side if you were in trouble.
A really good read which must have taken a lot of working out by the author to bring it all together at the end .
This is the first book I have read by Lisa Jackson and I noticed this is a series so I'm going to read another one and hope that Nikki behaves herself. I'm not holding my breath.

Really enjoyed reading this fast paced, action filled novel with plenty of twists. The story itself starts off with a bang and kept me captivated from the beginning. The story was creepy but well thought out. Definitely recommend and if you are a thriller fan, this one is definitely for you.

This was the first novel I have read by Lisa Jackson and is also part of a series of books featuring detective Pierce Reed and his wife, journalist Nikki Gillette.
The bodies of 2 children are found in an old, abandoned mansion and there appears to be space left for another body. It is quickly established that the bodies are those of 2 children who disappeared many years ago, however their younger sister also disappeared, so where is she?
The detective and interfering journalist trope is freshened up by having them married to each other and it’s a pretty good thriller if a little obvious. I’d guessed most of the twists long before the end. I also found it difficult to care about the characters, mainly as this book is so far into a series.
I can see why Lisa Jackson sells so well though, it’s a neat, clever book, good it you want an undemanding thriller.
Thank you to #netgalley and #hodderbooks for allowing me to review this ARC

Abandoned estate. Local thief finds two skeletons, but three graves. They belong to long lost sisters, the third is still missing. Is she still alive?

Detective Reed tries to solve the mistery, his journalist wife Nikki constantly interferes in the investigation and that leads to tragic events.

The novel starts promisingly, but the character of Nikki is so egocentric that was really hard to relate to her. From my perspective the outcome is quite predictable.

However, good read for rainy afternoon.

This is the first book I have read from this author and I also did not realise this was part of a series but I didn't let that put me off and I'm glad as once I got into this book i really enjoyed it. I love a book that's full of twists to keep the reader guessing and I raced through it to find out how it would end. I will certainly read more from this author in the future.

I loved this book, it was very gripping and quite sad as well. It was very atmospheric and made me shiver at times. The sort of book that stays with you for quite sometime. I found it so readable that I couldn’t put it down as I was so desperate to finish it. My kind of book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I struggled to enjoy this plot. I found some of the situations difficult to believe in and the style simply wasn’t to my taste. Having said that, fans of American crime fiction may well find it enjoyable.

I really enjoyed this book, I found it entertaining throughout. As the storyline progresses it turns into quite the page turner. The story is following a cold case after two skeletons are found. They belong Holly and Poppy Duval who have been missing 20 years. It's quite sad in parts because there is one body missing.

This is my first read by this author. I didn't realise this was part of a series but I still enjoyed it.

The Third Grave by Lisa Jackson
Pub Date: 29 June 2021
A cold case. A recent discovery. A genuine threat
Amongst the ruins of the old Beaumont mansion lies a terrible secret. In the cellar are three graves - but only two skeletons. They belong to Holly and Poppy Duval, who disappeared 20 years ago. But where is their missing youngest sister?
Detective Pierce Reed is assigned to the case, which becomes complicated by his reporter wife, Nikki, trying to get the scoop on the ground-breaking new find. As Reed and Nikki start to piece together what really happened all those years ago, it becomes clear that the killer is anything but finished.
And the question remains - where is Rose Duval?
I decided to request this book as I enjoy Lisa Jackson's work.
The Third Grave is the fourth book in the series, the first I have read. To be honest, it was all a bit predictable. The characters, the story and the setting were not compelling.
I maybe would have enjoyed it more if I had started with book one. Unfortunately, it was not for me this time, but I welcomed the opportunity to read it.
I want to thank NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and author Lisa Jackson for a pre-publication copy to review.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me this advanced reader’s copy in return for a fair, frank, and honest review.

I have never read any of Lisa Jackson’s other books so have nothing to compare this to. It was a thriller as stated but I felt that it never really got started. I felt like the characters were just ok, nothing more to them. There was intrigue and mystery. There was the police investigation and notorious reporter who wants to get the story and does not care about how she gets it. She knows what she wants, and she is going to get it regardless. This was an ok book; it did not keep my attention.

I enjoyed the story and the twists of the premise but I just did not like the main character. She was self-centred and unbelievable. Which detracted from my enjoyment of this novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.