The Hour of Dust and Ashes (Charlie Madigan, #3)

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The Hour of Dust and Ashes (Charlie Madigan #3)

by Kelly Gay (Goodreads Author)

4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 · rating details · 1,105 ratings · 126 reviews

To save her sister, she must stop a silent killer. . . .

Protecting Atlanta from the off-world criminals of Underground is tough enough, but now Detective Charlie Madigan and her siren partner, Hank, learn that the addicts of the offworld drug ash have begun taking their own lives. Ash makes humans the perfect vessels for possession, and something or someone is leading the

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Mass Market Paperback, 324 pages

Published August 30th 2011 by Pocket

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Sep 02, 2011 Rane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, keeper

I freely admit I’m addicted to this series. (More so to Hank but that’s another story) the world building, the characters, everything just draws you in and holds up even beyond the last page. In The Hour of Dust and Ashes a lot of events that has happened in the pervious two books are wrapped up with a new arc unfolding with our attention turned toward the other “heavenly” scope.

Of course before that, Kelly Gay takes Charlie and the reader to hell first on a short time limit. Because hell in...more I freely admit I’m addicted to this series. (More so to Hank but that’s another story) the world building, the characters, everything just draws you in and holds up even beyond the last page. In The Hour of Dust and Ashes a lot of events that has happened in the pervious two books are wrapped up with a new arc unfolding with our attention turned toward the other “heavenly” scope.

Of course before that, Kelly Gay takes Charlie and the reader to hell first on a short time limit. Because hell in Charlie Madigan’s world isn’t all fire and brimstone, but close enough. Charlie’s still dealing with the after effects of the events in The Darkest Edge of Dawn, with ash victims possessed and the worry about her sister weights heavy even more so when these victims suddenly start taking their own lives. And anyone who could help is bailing out of the city. Charlie is up against a rock and a hard place with time running out to figure whose truly behind the sudden suicide notice of these people and the offer to be able to save their lives through a series of close to death tests, Charlie is about to visit a known hell with a lot more at stake..

One of the things I really like about this series is the series of choices given to Charlie. Their not easy choices and sometimes like in life we come across a few do or die that may be hard to make. Charlie is given these choices time and again and not everyone will agree with her choice even when she follows her heart and her gut she makes the tough choice and goes with it, then again who said life was fair and easy?

Kelly Gay has given of glimpses and a little taste here and there to keep the reader wondering about characters, and she builds a great tension in the first half of the book. This was a give or take, while the tension could be cut with a knife it gave the story flow a slow feel to it, something the other two action packed books didn’t have. This weakness was also it’s strength with more development for character growth and relationships. In book two there was a big leap between Charlie and Hank and was left hanging, book three picks up from there and revels more about Hank hidden past. Hank has drawn me in from the first book and while I wished for more screen time with him, the author must have heard my and other readers wish because he got major amount of real screen time that shaped his character even more. (The Christmas present scene had me AWWWing) Along with Hank, Rex, Bryn, Em, and Aaron and even more so Charlie are all changing and evolving in deeper richer characters that I felt was a tad shimmed in the pervious two books.

While the action may have taken a backseat, the author builds it up and sprinkles it with some great “Aww” moments and humor with the case always in the driver seat with a breadcrumb trail leading to a very surprising find, and the almost near death tests Charlie is given in order to save her sister and others kept the reader glued to the book/kindle to find out what would happen next. With it all leading to Charlie’s trip to “hell” and once again KG throws the reader for a loop with the trip and with a ending that had me clutching my kindle in a death grip wanting more and not wanting to wait for the next book to be out!

When this arc closing and another is opening with a lot unawansed questions still left and a few new ones popping up, I can’t wait for the next in this series- it’s no wonder why I love and adore this series....and this maybe my inner Hank fangirl talking...(less)

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Jan 28, 2013 Veronica G. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: female-protagonist, other-things-that-go-bump-in-the-ni, urban-fantasy

I'm still really enjoying this series. Charlie continues to be a likeable heroine who doesn't walk around acting like she's some total badass all the time. She's smart enough and mature enough to know when she should be scared out of her mind and, despite her growing powers, she never just assumes that she can overpower anyone. Hank continues to be deliciously sexy. What a flirt! We learn more about him as the consequences of his past come home to roost and it looks like the next book will expan...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Bastard rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://bastardbooks.blogspot.com/2011...

The Hour of Dust and Ashes is the third book in the Charlie Madigan series. I quickly became a fan of Kelly Gay after reading The Better Part of Darkness partly because I thought Charlie was simply a badass character and really enjoyed the political intrigue and procedural the book presented. Not only that, it was action packed, and Gay created a world in which actions have consequence, sometimes ruthless ones.

Though most enjoyed the sequel The Darkest Edg...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-will-beat-u-down-4-this-book, arc, review-for-smexybooks, urban-fantasy

Originally reviewed at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/09/rev...

Favorite Quote: “You got me a Buns Of The Month subscription?”

Charlie Madigan, ITF agent, has had a very hard year. Dying and brought back to life, she has acquired unknown powers and gifts that have yet to fully reveal themselves. Her ex husband cheated on her and became of victim of his own black magic use. She has inherited an illegal hellhound who adores her daughter and when she accepts the DNA from two off world races in order...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Lise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Does Kelly Gay keep up her good work in "The Hour of Dust and Ashes"? Yes, she most definitely does. She has that rare ability of being able to keep her writing tight, very tight. That and her spelling and grammar helps the reader keep from being distracted. Add to that a pretty good plot, fun characters and talent and you have the flow.

Charlie Madigan is an interesting character. She is a believable woman in a fantastic yet believable world. Yes, this is all science fiction and fantasy, but the...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Kathy Davie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, urban

Third in the Charlie Madigan urban fantasy series revolving around Charlie and her friends and family in Atlanta in an alternate world.

My Take
They just keep hammering the poor girl with one disaster after another. One of the few bright spots is the change in her relationship with Hank, well, if she can just get past her own feelings of inadequacy. And all the messes she needs his help in cleaning up, LOL.

I keep thinking I've figured out who/what is Charbydon, and I keep finding out that I'm clue...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Anita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This is book 3 in the Charlie Madigan urban fantasy series. I really loved book one - I felt that it had exceptional promise for a series. This one was very good, but didn't quite suck me into its world as much as I hoped it would. It was still a very good urban fantasy, though. It hasn't sunk it's claws into my brain like the best books do. You know when you just can't stop thinking about the book after you put it down? It's not quite that good, but has the potential to get there.

This book is a...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Dangerous Romance Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you love Kate Daniels, you’ll love Charlie Madigan. Both series have similarities that expand well past the fact that they are both set in a Magical Atlanta, and yet there is nothing derivitive about this creative and gritty dark blend of magicial police procedural and Urban Fantasy/SciFi blend. It goes from horror to humor to action with a hint of romance in minutes. All kinds of mythos are explored. These are the kinds of books that keep you up all night. There are commonalities; the female...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Alexia Chantel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hi, my name is Lexi. And I am an ash addict.

Well not exactly, but it would be much more of a mouthful to say Charlie Madigan series addict.

The Charlie Madigan series started out strong with book one, delivered a solid hit with book two. Now The Hour of Dust and Ashes manages packs in more action and deep emotion than the previous books. Can Urban Fantasy get any better than this?

Picking up right where book two left off, with Charlie right in the middle of potential inter species war and enemies...more

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Dec 25, 2011 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, urban-fantasy

drey’s thoughts:
The job never stops when you’re Charlie Madigan. Now that the fate of the world is in good hands (for the time being!), she’s got to track down the reason ash addicts are committing suicide, preferably before anything happens to Bryn… In the course of her investigation, she finds that not all is as it seems, and the fate of the world may not be quite as happily-ever-after as she’d thought.

Charlie is one of my favorite female characters in an urban fantasy. (Now why does that sou...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Marg K. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star-rating

Halle-freakin-lujah! Thank you book gods for finally bestowing upon me a story I could thoroughly enjoy from start to finish. It has been MONTHS since the last time I was truly smitten with a book, and I was starting to feel more than a little frustrated.

Listen, The Hour of Dust and Ashes certainly isn't perfect, but what it does well, it does really well, and it sure is a lot of fun to read. I finished this book in pretty much one sitting. And that's saying something because lately I've been re...more Halle-freakin-lujah! Thank you book gods for finally bestowing upon me a story I could thoroughly enjoy from start to finish. It has been MONTHS since the last time I was truly smitten with a book, and I was starting to feel more than a little frustrated.

Listen, The Hour of Dust and Ashes certainly isn't perfect, but what it does well, it does really well, and it sure is a lot of fun to read. I finished this book in pretty much one sitting. And that's saying something because lately I've been reading books at a pace equivalent to an elderly snail with narcolepsy trying to trek up a really steep incline.

What I love the most about this series and especially this 3rd installment is the nonstop, fast-paced action. Danger, conflict, and all sorts of complications await the characters at every turn. Charlie in particular gets put through the wringer over & over again. Near death experiences have become regular occurrences in her life, and she's repeatedly forced to make some really tough and heart-wrenching decisions.

Charlie is a flawed character, that's for sure. She's stubborn like a mule, hot-tempered, and a bit recklessly impulsive. More often than not, she runs head first into dangerous situations without fully thinking things through. Normally this would totally annoy me about a protagonist who is supposed to be a cop, but the fact that the driving force behind Charlie's behaviors & choices is her passionate & unwavering determination to protect those around her at any cost makes those imperfect aspects of her characterization wholly endearing (at least to me).

Another thing I really loved about this book was the further exploration & development of Charlie's relationship with her siren partner, Hank. I will say upfront that I am a sucker for the partners-turned-lovers romance trope. The bond that develops between partners who work together in dangerous circumstances can be very strong...it has to be. Partners have to rely on each other's instincts & skills. They also need to be able to read each other and trust one another with their lives. Throw in some crackling chemistry & steamy sexual tension, and you've got yourself a romance gold mine. On top of that, there's the ever exciting forbidden love aspect, since romantic relations between partners in any kind of law enforcement tend to be frowned upon if not outright prohibited.

Needless to say, I was completely on board with the possibility of a Charlie & Hank romance from the very start of the series, but I did feel that it initially came off as somewhat rushed. This was primarily due to the fact that in the 1st book Charlie & Hank had limited (mostly work related) interactions with each other. Readers were told that they were good partners and best friends, but weren't really shown it until halfway through the 2nd book when romantic sparks suddenly began to fly between the two.

Fortunately, that issue was remedied in The Hour of Dust and Ashes. This time around, we actually get to see how close they've grown as friends, how well they know & understand each other, and how deeply they care for one another. Plus, we get more insight into Hank's character, who I have always found very fascinating because of his multifaceted personality. Hank can be boyishly playful one moment and then very manly & fiercely protective the next. He can also be a shameless flirt at times, but then switch gears and become serious & guarded. The things Charlie (and we the readers) learn about his past help explain why he is the way he is and setup a really interesting storyline to be explored in the upcoming 4th book.

Now, despite being fully entertained, I did have one issue with The Hour of Dust and Ashes. As much as I loved the very descriptive & vivid writing, I did think that at times it got a bit too wordy and repetitive. I understand trying to refresh readers' memories, but the same overly-detailed explanations & summaries of past events were reused 2-3 times when they really only needed to be mentioned once (if at all). I felt that to be a little distracting & cumbersome.

Nonetheless, if you're an action junkie like me and a fan of Urban Fantasy, then I would definitely recommend giving this series a try. It's full of intriguing & unique characters, and I think that the story keeps getting better and more exciting with each new installment. (less)

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Sep 04, 2011 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Hour of Dust and Ashes by Kelly Gay
Urban Fantasy –Aug. 30th, 2011
4 stars

The Hour of Dust and Ashes is the third in the Charlie Madigan series. This series is a one that builds upon itself with each book. So while it could be read by itself it would be best read in order to fully appreciate and more easily follow this latest installment.

Charlie Madigan is a detective who deals with the paranormal. Her partner is a powerful siren named Hank. In the last book, Charlie inherited some unknown pow...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, own, urban-fantasy

As far as urban fantasy series goes, the Charlie Madigan books deserve all kinds of love. I was first attracted this is exceptional series by their dynamic covers (I bow down to the genius of Chris McGrath) and have kept coming back for more after spending some time with Charlie and her family. Truly these books have so much going for them: a loyal and determined heroine, unique mythology, and a cast of quippy characters.

**SPOILER WARNING** You know the drill folks. We're onto the third book in...more As far as urban fantasy series goes, the Charlie Madigan books deserve all kinds of love. I was first attracted this is exceptional series by their dynamic covers (I bow down to the genius of Chris McGrath) and have kept coming back for more after spending some time with Charlie and her family. Truly these books have so much going for them: a loyal and determined heroine, unique mythology, and a cast of quippy characters.

**SPOILER WARNING** You know the drill folks. We're onto the third book in this first-rate series so, you know, spoilers for the previous books contained herein and all that.

Special Forces Detective Charlie Madigan has never been one to sit back and let others handle her problems. She's more of a confront them head on and beat them until they lie shivering in a corner type of gal. Unfortunately that tactic isn't working too well for her at the moment. Charlie's currently juggling a precocious magic-wielding daughter who thinks a hellhound makes a excellent pet, a sarcastic revenant currently residing in her ex-husband's body (and in her house), some curious new DNA which is giving her wicked yet unpredictable magical abilities, and a very new and very unexplored relationship with her longtime siren partner Hank. Charlie's most immediate concern however is the safety of her younger sister Bryn whose inadvertent addiction to the off-world drug ash has left her susceptible to possession and even death after other ash addicts begin to commit suicide. As a last resort (frankly the only option she has left) in helping her sister, Charlie agrees to a plan that will most likely kill her if she doesn't play it safe. Too bad she's never been particularly good at toeing that line.

Well. Seeing as we are now onto book three, The Hour of Dust and Ashes certainly ups the ante as far as tension goes. Despite the non-stop action, most of my favorite scenes are the ones that focus more on Charlie's relationships. I simply never get tired of her interactions with the swaggering revenant Rex or her feisty daughter Emma. And as far as Hank is concerned, let's just say that Kelly Gay gets the sizzle juuusst right in that department.

Even though I spend every first 50 or so pages of Kelly Gay's books trying to remember the complicated names and belief systems of the opposing Elysian and Charybdon races, I am still all kinds of fascinated by the heaven/hell mythology she has created. Especially as Charlie visits Charybdon (yeah, that would be hell) for the first time in The Hour of Dust and Ashes. Suffice to say, it's one skeery place. Though our girl Charlie fits right in. I really don't see this series going stale any time soon as Ms. Gay still has so much to explore in terms of cultures and relationships. I for one want to be there with Charlie as she gets a better handle on it all.

And holy crap! Hank!! My lips are sealed on that front, but all I can say is Charlie really has her work cut out for her in book 4. Want. Now.(less)

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Jan 21, 2012 Chani rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: strong-woman, favorites

I really love this series. Every time I read one of these books, I find myself CRAVING more, in a good way. I have to force myself to read slow and to savor the words. The books are too skinny! I need more scenes, more interaction, more information! Not that it is lacking, but I just love the whole world and characters, that I want more. And the author's pacing is genius and frustrating at the same time. I did enjoy the Rex/Will situation being resolved. The background info on Hank was random bu...more

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Sep 02, 2011 Michelle Cummings rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This was almost going to be a 5 star review until I got near the end. (more on that later).

I love the world that Kelly Gay has created, I love the pacing in the story (I never feel like I need to skip past anything) and I love Charlie Madigan, her daughter Emma, her sister Bryn, her partner Hank and her pseudo ex-husband Rex. If you haven't read the first two books in the series, get them now.

In this installment, Charlie is trying to deal with the fact that her sister may be possessed, and we le...more

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Oct 17, 2011 The Reading List (Megan) rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Hour of Dust and Ashes is the third book in Kelly Gay's Charlie Madigan series so you definitely want to pick up The Better Part of Darkness and The Darkest Edge of Dawn before you read this one.

The books follow Charlie Madigan a divorcee and a single mother who also happens to be a cop working in the Integration Task Force (a special branch of the Police Force that deals with paranormal cases). Charlie and her partner, Hank, are often the front line defense against some of Atlanta’s less th...more The Hour of Dust and Ashes is the third book in Kelly Gay's Charlie Madigan series so you definitely want to pick up The Better Part of Darkness and The Darkest Edge of Dawn before you read this one.

The books follow Charlie Madigan a divorcee and a single mother who also happens to be a cop working in the Integration Task Force (a special branch of the Police Force that deals with paranormal cases). Charlie and her partner, Hank, are often the front line defense against some of Atlanta’s less than human criminals.

The Hour of Dust and Ashes takes place where the last book left off. Charlie is still trying to help her sister Bryn who has become an Ash addict, an illegal drug from Charbydon (one of Earth’s neighboring planets), and find a way to restore her ex-husband Will’s soul to his body which is now occupied by a Reverent named Rex.

Charlie is trying to deal with the effects of the DNA that she inherited from two other world races to save her daughter’s life and in doing so also unwillingly pits the city of Atlanta into complete darkness. Charlie’s daughter, Emma, has also discovered that she has a number of otherworldly powers, one being that she seems to be able to communicate with their pet hellhound, Brimstone, in ways that neither her mother nor Rex can.

When something starts driving the Ash victims in Atlanta to start committing suicide it’s up to Charlie to find out what before her addicted sister Bryn is next. Ash makes humans the perfect targets for possession and they quickly find out that something is taking over the victims. It’s up to Charlie to make a deal an ancient race of beings and enter Charbydon (which is pretty much the equivalent of Hell) with Rex and Hank to save Bryn.

I think what I really appreciate about this book series in general and Charlie's character is that she's so human. I think that a lot of Gay's readers can relate to her character. Charlie is a single mother and a cop struggling to raise her daughter in a world that's less than perfect. Even though she’s slowly acquiring magic abilities and she’s a cop she isn’t unbelievably strong, however, she is determined.

It’s interesting to see how Charlie handles chaotic situations that not only involve the paranormal but also involve her daughter. More often than not these situations are intertwined but it’s still nice to see a fresh perspective on stereotypical urban fantasy heroine.
I’m a sucker for Rex (more so than Hank, sorry!) and I think it’s great how we got to see how conflicted he was about Will. On one hand he wants to help Charlie and Emma get Will back but that means that of course means that he’d get the book. You definitely get the feeling that he really cares about the Madigan women and it’ll be interesting to see where Gay goes with this plotline in the future.

In defense of Hank, Gay begins to give us more background about his character in this book and he suddenly doesn’t seem like the overly athletic, captain of the football team, jock-ish personality type that I originally thought he was. I’m anxiously awaiting the fourth book where I’m certain that we’ll find out even more about Hank his home planet Elysia.

There is something missing from this book and it took me a while to figure out what it was. Unlike the first and second book, it takes Charlie little time to figure out who they’re up against and they come up with a way to stop the Ash victims from killing themselves. There’s not as much of a mystery element in this book. There’s also a sort of get the feeling that the third book is more focused on expanding and finding out more about Charlie’s abilities as well as tying up the loose ends from the first and second books. There’s less mystery and more of a general sense that everyone’s just trying to figure out what’s going on and how to end it. This is definitely a good thing, at least for me since I was dying to get some answers to burning questions. By the end of the third book Gay introduces a number of new plotlines in the third book that make me anxious for the fourth book.
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Sep 01, 2011 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh I was so itching for this book I had to break open the calamine lotion! Then, I actually got the book and devoured it! Oh for those following Charlie's adventures you will be right back with her enjoying her character as before. Those that have yet to join in her adventures, no worries... I will do my best to be non-spoilery for you.

Oh in this book we get a bit more of Hank who is Charlie's partner on the force. *Squee!* Can I has a Hank of my own? It isn't his siren good looks or voice that...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was the third book in the Charlie Madigan series by Gay. It was an excellent addition to the series and I really enjoyed reading it. There was a lot more character development in this novel and a bit less action, but it still made for a wonderful story.

Something is making Ash victims commit suicide. No one knows if they are being possessed or if it is just part of the Ash addiction, but Charlie is very worried about her sister Bryn who was accidentally exposed to Ash during the big battle i...more This was the third book in the Charlie Madigan series by Gay. It was an excellent addition to the series and I really enjoyed reading it. There was a lot more character development in this novel and a bit less action, but it still made for a wonderful story.

Something is making Ash victims commit suicide. No one knows if they are being possessed or if it is just part of the Ash addiction, but Charlie is very worried about her sister Bryn who was accidentally exposed to Ash during the big battle in the first book. In order to figure out what's going on Charlie is forced to make a deal with some Charbydon creatures and has to venture into Hell itself. Not all is lost though; she has Hank and Rex at her side and will hopefully solve the mystery of her sister's Ash addiction before it is too late.

Charlie grows more as a character in this book than in any other previous book in this series. In fact more page space is dedicated to character/character interaction than the previous books and this leads to less action but a lot of growth in the characters we already know and love. Charlie has to take on a lot of responsibility in this book and she is finally learning how to handle that responsibility. She also grows a lot emotionally as she deals with her daughter, her possessed sister, and her partner in crime, Hank. I liked her more in this book than I have in the previous books.

The best character of the book though is Hank. We learn a ton about Hank's mysterious past and it was a lot of fun to read about. The tension between Hank and Charlie is wonderfully done in this book; there were parts where you couldn't have pried this book out of my hands...I just had to know what would happen next.

I continue to love the interesting world building and also love watching Charlie grow into her new powers. We get to meet some new types of creatures and get to watch Em's Hellhound in his natural environment.

There wasn't as much action, but I still found the book incredibly engaging. The book does end with a horrible cliffhanger and I am dying to find out what is going to happen in book 4, Shadows Before the Sun.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It is one of the strongest in this series. I continue to love this world. I also loved how much the characters grew and changed throughout this book. Hank is by far one of my favorite characters and learning his mysterious past was awesome. Can't wait to see what happens next. Recommended for fans of urban fantasy; especially for those who like complex world-building in their urban fantasy.
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Sep 29, 2011 Ria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aliens, angels, demons, dragons, elves, favourites, magic, romance, urban-fantasy, read-in-2011, favourite-books-of-2011

There was SO MUCH to love in this book, I'm struggling to gather my thoughts. First and most prominent thought is this: the Charlie Madigan series has now officially joined the ranks of my auto-buy favourite series.

The characters: Charlie ticks so many of the cliched urban fantasy heroine boxes, but not once did her behaviour or attitude make me roll my eyes. She is a living, breathing ball of energy who bursts off the page. Flawed, courageous, funny and loving, Charlie would make for an awesome...more

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May 21, 2012 Coucher de soleil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I enjoyed this one. All in all it was a fun addition to this series.

Good points: Several ongoing plot points in the series were resolved in this installment which was satisfying. I can also say that the main character struck me as less irritating in this book than in the last one, possibly as a result of the fact that she didn't spend as much time contradicting everyone and everything (something which did irritate me a bit in the last one). She also went above and beyond (as usual) to do the ri...more I enjoyed this one. All in all it was a fun addition to this series.

Good points: Several ongoing plot points in the series were resolved in this installment which was satisfying. I can also say that the main character struck me as less irritating in this book than in the last one, possibly as a result of the fact that she didn't spend as much time contradicting everyone and everything (something which did irritate me a bit in the last one). She also went above and beyond (as usual) to do the right thing and to protect those she loved, which did tend to make me remember I like her. The plot in general was interesting and the world building was well-done as usual. Also, one fact which I appreciate is that this series has so far avoided a problem I have encountered in various other series, in that the main plot points of each individual novel do get tied up/resolved.

Not so good points/criticism: Much as I like this author, I can't deny that these books NEED AN EDITOR!! In this book this lack manifested in many annoying grammatical errors (including an obviously missing word in a sentence) as well as the wrong word being used on occasion. I personally find this very annoying.
Another comment needs some spoiler space and spoiler warnings...

Don't read on if you don't want to be spoiled...
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I was really wondering whether the author had intended for the main character to be involved romantically with the particular character that she does end up involved with (trying not to give everything away here) since the beginning of the series, as I really did not have this impression. I admit that I could very well be wrong (this happens to me about once a minute, LOL), but this 'hooking up' as it were felt rather sudden to me. Add this feeling to the fact that the character in question mentioned that he had lied to the main character for no good reason (this was advanced to explain an inconsistency between something he had earlier claimed about his past and what he subsequently revealed in this book) and I couldn't help but wonder. This did not feel like it had been 'planned' from the get-go, IMHO.

JMHO of course, and you mileage may vary.

Regardless of these aspects of course, I did find this to be an enjoyable third installment in this series.
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Nov 20, 2011 Van rated it 5 of 5 stars

Charlie and the gang is all back in the third novel, The Hour of Dust and Ashes. Someone is forcing ash victims to take their own life and making it look like a suicide. Charlie’s sister, Bryn, is one of the handfuls of people that are addicted to ash (off-worlder drug) and Charlie does everything in her power to make sure that her sister doesn’t end up dead like the others. I fell in love with the world and characters when I first started this series. As each book progress, the story gets bette...more Charlie and the gang is all back in the third novel, The Hour of Dust and Ashes. Someone is forcing ash victims to take their own life and making it look like a suicide. Charlie’s sister, Bryn, is one of the handfuls of people that are addicted to ash (off-worlder drug) and Charlie does everything in her power to make sure that her sister doesn’t end up dead like the others. I fell in love with the world and characters when I first started this series. As each book progress, the story gets better and better. Charlie is one of my favorite heroines in the Urban fantasy genre, she strong, independent, caring, and really protective of her friends and family. Readers will get to leave Atlanta for a while and see a little of hellish Charbydon. We will also get to learn a little more about the men in Charlie’s life. Rex (Revenant) with his Jinn background and Hank, where he came from and what happens to him as he grew up.

Overall, a great addition to the series! What really stood out in this third installment is the relationship between Charlie and Hank. Their relationship is not just partners on the job but something more. There is definitely chemistry between the two characters but both haven’t taken it to the next level. I love their interaction and dialogue and think readers will enjoy it too. If you enjoy reading the Mercy Thompson series, Kate Daniel series, or The Elemental Assassin series…then pick this series up now! You won’t regret it. Mrs. Gay definitely knows how to create a world where you never want to leave and realistic character that will you will grow to love and care for.
My favorite passage in ‘’The Hour of Dust and Ashes’’:

“For the record,” he said looking up at me with a crooked smile, “this is not how I pictured removing your pants for the first time.”
“That confident, are we?”
His smile filled out, deep and brimming with humor. “When something is this inevitable. Yes.”
I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help but smile. I pulled one leg free and then the other.
He tossed my wet pants into the pile with the rest of my soiled clothes, then turned back and froze.
“You’re wearing spongebob underwear”
Shit.
My gaze flew downward and my mortification was finally complete. “Emma got them for me…for my birthday.” What the hell. Might as well get it over with. I turn around. “Patrick is on my ass.”
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Sep 19, 2011 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars

As posted on www.clairesbookcorner.blogspot.com

The Hour Of Dust And Ashes is the third book in the Charlie Madigan series by Kelly Gay. It is a dark and gritty urban fantasy, my favourite kind of book. There is a lot of time between books as they are released annually and I had forgotten what had happened in the previous books and had to keep skimming through them to jog my memory. So if you have a bad memory like me here is a little run down of what happened. I have tried to keep it really brie...more As posted on www.clairesbookcorner.blogspot.com

The Hour Of Dust And Ashes is the third book in the Charlie Madigan series by Kelly Gay. It is a dark and gritty urban fantasy, my favourite kind of book. There is a lot of time between books as they are released annually and I had forgotten what had happened in the previous books and had to keep skimming through them to jog my memory. So if you have a bad memory like me here is a little run down of what happened. I have tried to keep it really brief and not give away spoilers. If you like dark urban fantasy I would recommend this series and strongly advise you read the first two books before reading this book so you might want to look away now or at least skip over the next two paragraphs.

The Better Part Of Darkness is book 1 and introduces us to Charlie Madigan who is a police detective and mother to 11 year old Emma who lives in Atlanta with other races known as off worlders. Off worlders are people such as Sirens and Jinn who have come from other parallel planes of existence known as Charbydon our version of hell and Elysia our version of heaven. These people have been coming into our world for thousands of years but humans have only known about Charbydon and Elysia for the past thirteen years after they were discovered by the scientist Titus Mott. Charlie works with Hank who originates from Elysia. He is a siren who emits an energy that makes women weak at the knees with a voice that can do all sorts of things. The story starts with Charlie dying but she is brought back from the dead by being injected with DNA from both Charbydon and Elysia. This starts to transform her into something that isn’t human. Charlie and Hank are given a case where they have to find and stop the people who are making a drug called Ash which is made from a Charbydon flower called the bleeding soul. Whilst working the case Charlie’s sister Bryn suffers a forced Ash overdose which results in her being addicted. On top of this Charlie also finds out her ex-husband has been possessed by a revenant called Rex after Will make a deal with him. The deal was for Will and Charlie to get back together then when Will died Rex could move into his body. Charlie eventually finds out that her life was saved and DNA changed so that she would unwittingly take part in a ritual to save her daughter’s life and plunge Atlanta into permanent darkness. This is because the moon in Charbydon is dying and soon people will not be able to live there and will need a new home to move too. The ritual works and darkness engulfs Atlanta.

The Darkest Edge Of Dawn is book 2. So Atlanta has been plunged into darkness, Bryn is addicted to Ash, Rex has taken over Will’s body and Emma has a hellhound called Brim for a pet whilst Charlie and Hank are working a case where powerful Elysians are being murdered. Whilst investigating the case Charlie and Hank experience a moment together which results in a fight where both end up tattooing the other with a Truth mark using a twig from the Throne Tree. It turns out that a cult, called Sons Of Dawn are doing the murders in order to capture the victims souls to raise a first one. A first one is a being where all three races human, Elysian and Charbydon come from. The Sons Of Dawn need the first one to prove that Charbydon nobles once ruled Elysia before being thrown out into Charbydon. A battle on top of Helios Tower ensues and Charlie is victorious but she cannot destroy the first one so Charlie and Hank hide her in a lake.

Phew so this leads us to book 3. It’s so hard to write a description of The Hour Of Dust And Ashes without giving too much away but here goes. The story picks up one week after the last book. The Ash victims are possessed and taking their own life and with Charlie’s sister Bryn one of those Ash addicts it is a race against time for Charlie and Hank to discover what is happening and to prevent the remaining Ash users from committing suicide. In order to save her sister Charlie follows Bryn to Charbydon with Hank, Rex and Brim where they encounter dangerous creatures and Charlie finds out about Hank’s mysterious past.

I absolutely love this series and book 3 hasn’t changed that in fact I love it even more. Ms Gay gives us a fantastic new world with fantastic characters. Charlie is a witty kick ass cop and her relationship with her daughter comes over brilliantly. Hank is amazing, he is incredibly good looking as one would expect from a Siren but he is also a good loyal friend. The relationship between Charlie and Hank develops some more in this book and it is great to finally find out about Hank’s secret past. There is one scene in the book where Hank is using his voice to heal Charlie and it is so well written that it is more intimate than some sex scenes that other authors have written. Rex appears more too, in the past I wasn’t too keen on Rex but I have changed my mind now, Rex really shines in this story. This book isn’t as fast paced as the other two books which I liked. We also see one of the other worlds for the first time as Charlie goes into Charbydon. We are not left with a cliff hanger per se but we are left with a situation that means I have to buy the next instalment as soon as it is released. If you like books with lots of sex and happy endings this book is not for you, however if you like kick ass chicks, hot men, witty writing and a cute hellhound I would definitely recommend these books. I would like to give this book 5 stars.

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Sep 10, 2011 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, from-publisher-author

Charlie Madigan, my favorite kick butt, special forces huntress is back in action and trying to save her sister, Bryn, from her deadly addiction to ASH, a drug made from a flower found in the underworld. The drug is making inroads with humans and helps the Otherworlders possess them. Charlie's ex husband's body has been taken over by the Revenant, Rex and is now her go to guy for domestic issues. There are a lot of laughs from his direction. Oh, and her hot siren partner, Hank, has gotten his vo...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Vickie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: booksthatmakemegowow

This is one of my favorite UF series. It has grit, action, chemistry between the characters, fae world, Hell and Heaven creatures, just about everything for the perfect story.

THE HOUR OF DUST AND ASHES had me claustrophobic, tense, happy, sad, a super mix of emotions that had me turning the pages in the need to find out what was going to happen next with Kelly Gay's excellent pacing.

I know the story was mostly about Bryn's addiciton to 'ash', the off-world drug, and Charlie trying to get her of...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Stacy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-publisher-author

reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blo...

There is a lot of things happening in THE HOUR OF DUST AND ASHES. Charlie has to figure out a way to protect her sister and the other ash addicts so that they can not be controlled into committing suicide by things that are possessing them. Charlie, Hank and Rex have to step out of there world to try and stop an assassination attempt on another and Charlie has to undergo some life ending "gifts" to help save her sister from her possession befor...more

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Jan 31, 2012 mlady_rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author__kelly_gay, fiction__speculative, fiction__part_of_a_series, genre__urban_fantasy, genre_sub__demons_or_angels, genre_sub__witches_psychics, pov__first_person_female, 2012, own_series_box_8, format__mass_market_pb

I'll start with my biggest complaint. ... The next book isn't out until July. The book ended on a bit of a cliff-hanger. One that will obviously take the whole next book to resolve, but still odd to see the innocent real life stuff at the end with such a big thing dangling over their heads.

Rewinding... The mystery focus of the book is the suicide of two of the ash victims and the fear that the other ash victims will either try to kill themselves due to coercion or depression brought on by the d...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Things are heating up between Detective Charlie Madigan and her Siren partner Hank as each is trying to explore their feelings for each other. But everything must be put on hold while trying to find an exorcist to free her Ash addicted sister, because Ash victims are starting to commit suicide. When her sister breaks free from her guards and portals to the Charbydon world, Charlie, Hank, her Hellhound and her Revenant possessed ex are hot on her trail to stop her possessed sister from starting a...more

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Sep 25, 2011 Christen *Goldilox And The Three Weres* rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Bare knuckles and butterflies, that's me."

That's a perfect description of Charlie inThe Hour of Dust and Ashes, as well as pretty much the whole darn series. She is a tough, kick ass chick and if you mess with her family or friends, man are you screwed. But she's also a woman. She feels fear and anxiety, and...butterflies (especially when it comes to a certain siren...).

This one picks up pretty much where The Darkest Edge of Dawn left off. A week has gone by since those events took place and th...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have only praise for Kelly Gay and her books. She is one of my top four authors (including Chloe Neill, Ilona Andrews and Karen Chance). I am so grateful that I have never even have had a twinge of 'sigh. why am I reading this?' with any of the books and fervently hope this continues in the books to come. She perfectly blends an incredible mystery and story with a nail-biting relationship between hero and heroine in every book and I think I should stop now before I just start fan-girling out....more

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Mar 19, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first time in a long time that I've had ALL THREE books of a series in my house at the same time. :)

Yes, this yet another book in the urban fantasy genre, but this one is a bit different...which is why I think I like it. Instead of your vampires and werewolves, and zombies, (oh my!) we have the angelic people from Elysia and the "demonic" creatures from Charbydon, yet nothing is black and white. There are evil Elysians and people who are from Charbydon that do good...even if it is f...more

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About Kelly Gay

Kelly Gay writes the critically acclaimed 'Charlie Madigan' urban fantasy series. Her work has been nominated for a double RITA, an ARRA, a Goodreads Choice Award, and landed on SIBA's Long List Book Award Finalists. Kelly is also a recipient of North Carolina Arts Council's fellowship grant in Literature. She is published in Young Adult fiction as Kelly Keaton.

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Books by Kelly Gay

The Better Part of Darkness (Charlie Madigan, #1)

The Darkest Edge of Dawn (Charlie Madigan, #2)

Shadows Before the Sun (Charlie Madigan #4)

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“I relaxed back into the mattress as other elements in the room began to filter though my senses, namely the extraordinary warmth at my back. The air was filled with the smell of masculine skin and hints of cologne, soap, and dryer sheets.

Hank was back. And his scent wasn't the only thing surrounding me; his arm was thrown over my hip and my back was tucked nicely against his front. ...

It was nice. Good. Right, even. And then another feeling struck me in a novel way. Protected. I felt protected. A disbelieving laugh bubbled in my throat as I lay there, a small smile parked on my face.

I was always the one out there protecting people. And after Will and I had split, I'd had no one to go to for comfort, to let all my guards down, to take a rest from being the caregiver, provider, guard, and detective. To let someone else be tough for a while.

Had to admit, I liked it. And I never thought in a gazillion years I'd find this feeling with an off-worlder. I liked Hank's strength, his power, his quirky humor, even the badass attitude he caught sometimes.

I was in so much trouble.” — 6 people liked it

“It wasn't until after we were pulling into the back lot of Station One that I remembered asking Hank if he wanted to have coffee and talk.

Crap.

I slid a quick glance his way to find him staring out the window. His expression reminded me of a conversation I had with Emma when she was six years old and I found her sitting with her knees drawn up on the back of the couch, staring out the window.

"Hey, kiddo, what's wrong?"

"I'm looking out the window."

"Why?"

"Because that's what people do when they're sad. They stare out the window.” — 2 people liked it

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The Hour of Dust and Ashes (Charlie Madigan #3)

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