Castle — Season 3

When the new season of "Castle" begins, Beckett hasn't heard from Castle since he left for the Hamptons months ago to finish writing his second Nikki Heat novel, "Naked Heat". The most Beckett, Ryan and Esposito have seen of Castle is a bookstore standee of him advertising an upcoming book signing. So when Beckett and her team burst into a shadowy apartment on the trail of a murderer, the last thing they expect to see is the real-life Castle standing over a dead woman's body holding a gun! As Castle protests his innocence, Beckett has no choice but to arrest him on suspicion of murder.

When a famous psychic is murdered, Beckett and Castle search for her killer while also carrying on a spirited debate on the existence of extrasensory abilities. Evidence mounts on both sides, especially when a letter arrives from the victim, penned the day she was killed and predicting her own death -- or was it written by a clever killer, hoping to throw off the investigation?

When a coded document hidden by a murdered bail bondsman gets Castle's imagination running wild, Beckett must steer the case back to the violent felons who populated their victim's world - only to discover that maybe Castle's crazy theories aren't so crazy after all. Complicating matters is the surprise arrival of Beckett's ex-partner. As the two reunite over a history that Castle has no part of, Castle is forced to watch the relationship take a turn towards the romantic.

Castle and Beckett look into the murder of a young mathematician gunned down with a 200-year-old bullet, sparking some wild theories by Castle about a time-travelling killer. When their investigation uncovers a tricked-out DeLorean and a suspect in Victorian clothing, is it possible Castle's crazy idea has some validity? This winding tale twists through the towers of Wall Street and into the world of a secret steampunk society that embraces the romance and simplicity of the past, while coupling it with the hope and promise of the future.

Mysteries abound when pallbearers at a funeral lose control of a surprisingly heavy casket only to have a second unknown woman tumble out along with the original deceased. When Castle and Beckett learn that the victim was a doctor at County Hospital, their investigation takes them into the world of amorous, bed-hopping physicians. Did jealousy turn to murder, or did the doctor's mysterious work outside the hospital lead to her demise? Meanwhile, Castle's relationship with Gina is challenged when she tries to bond with Alexis.

When a beautiful woman is found dead in an alley, all clues point to her being a victim of the notorious Triple Killer. The Triple Killer, or 3XK, terrorized New York City four years ago, then mysteriously disappeared. Now he's back. In a deadly battle of wits, Castle and Beckett race against time to stop 3XK before he claims his next victims.

Responding to an "Officer Down" emergency call, Castle and Beckett's latest case takes a shocking turn when it's revealed that the victim isn't a cop but a male stripper dressed up as one. The murder leads them into the world of male strip clubs, the hardships of struggling actors, and the price that people pay in pursuit of fame. Did our victim's dreams of stardom get him killed, or was there something more nefarious afoot?.

While investigating the murder of a NYC subway worker found shot to death in Central Park, Castle and Beckett unexpectedly uncover the shocking and violent abduction of a young boy. Working against the clock, the team must unravel the motives behind the high stakes kidnapping, not just to bring a murderer to justice, but to save the innocent lives that hang in the balance.

After a prominent astrophysicist's body is found in her car -- the victim of explosive decompression - Castle jokingly theorizes that perhaps she was killed in the vacuum of outer space. Yet as they delve deeper into the victim's life, they're confronted with evidence that keeps pointing them back to the impossible -- alien abduction. Lance Henrickson stars as Benny Stryker, a well known alien abduction expert, and Lyle Lovett plays a mysterious government agent intent on shutting down the investigation.

When the body of a dockworker turned bar owner is found floating in the East River, Castle and Beckett's investigation takes them into the forgotten tunnels and passageways of turn-of-the-century New York, where they uncover a secret that's been buried since the days of Prohibition. The story celebrates New York bar culture, setting Castle on a quest to preserve history by buying a bar of his very own.

Castle's novel "Heat Wave" is being turned into a movie, and the Hollywood hottie cast as the movie's lead shows up at Beckett's invitation to better understand the character she's going to play. Laura Prepon guest stars as actress Natalie Rhodes. As our threesome investigates the murder of a high-class matchmaker, Natalie goes to extremes in the name of "character research," transforming herself into the spitting image of Beckett -- much to Castle's delight and Beckett's dismay.

When the owner of historic Drake's Magic Shop in New York is found drowned in Houdini's famous water torture tank, Castle and Beckett must delve into the world of magic, magicians and their secrets to find his killer. As part of their investigation, Castle & Beckett meet master magician Tobias Strange. Meanwhile, the magicians aren't the only ones keeping secrets, as a new romantic relationship is revealed for Esposito and Lanie.

Old wounds are reopened when the retired lead detective on Beckett's mother's homicide case contacts her with new information, but then is gunned down right in front of Beckett before he can tell her what he knows. The investigation into his death leads back to a decades-old conspiracy that may hold the answer to who was behind Beckett's mother murder and why. With the stakes and emotions running high, Castle and Beckett take their partnership to the next level.

The brutal murder of a lottery winner has Castle and Beckett up to their eyeballs in suspects, envious and angered by the victim's sudden move from the poorhouse to the penthouse. As the precinct buzzes with fantasies of what our cops would do if they won the lottery, Martha struggles with the reality of such a decision when she suddenly inherits money she feels she doesn't deserve.

Castle and Beckett find themselves on opposite sides of the case when Castle's old school friend emerges as the prime suspect in his own wife's murder. As they work to solve the crime, Castle comes to realize that one of two terrible things must be true: Either Detective Beckett is about to arrest an innocent man for murder, or his old friend is a cold-blooded killer.

Castle and Beckett investigate the apparent robbery-homicide of a New York cab driver, only to discover that the victim was involved in a mysterious conspiracy with unimaginable consequences. As the stakes continue to rise, hard-charging federal agent Mark Fallon takes over the investigation. Together, Fallon, Beckett and Castle must race to unmask the truth about the victim before it's too late.

With time running out, Castle and Beckett must put aside their differences with Agent Fallon to avert a city-wide catastrophe.

A murder has been committed on the set of "Temptation Lane," one of New York's longest running soap operas. Sarah Cutler, the head writer on the soap, has been killed with a fire axe. Castle & Beckett quickly discover that the behind the scenes drama at "Temptation Lane" is just as scandalous as the fictitious storylines, and just about everyone would kill to get ahead. Ultimately, Castle's unique skill set as a writer leads to a discovery about the killer and the secret he or she would do anything to protect.

During the high-profile trial of a murdered socialite, a juror suddenly tumbles out of the jury box -- dead! When Castle & Beckett learn the juror was poisoned, their investigation soon uncovers that this seemingly innocent juror may not have been so innocent after all.

Castle & Beckett work the case of a man found dead inside a pizza oven, but it turns out not to be someone associated with the restaurant - it was a reporter. Was his story, "The Pizza Wars," enough to get him killed, or was it something much deeper than that?.

When a champion swimmer and Olympic hopeful is found dead in a training pool, Castle & Beckett dive in to investigate his murder, and uncover myriad secrets that might have led to his death. Also in the episode, crime fiction authors Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane guest star, offering Castle their insights into the case over a game of poker.

While investigating the shooting death of her ex-partner in New York, Beckett comes to believe the suspect has fled to Los Angeles. Against orders, she travels to L.A., going renegade to track down the killer, with Castle unexpectedly along for the ride. As they dig deeper into the motives, they uncover a trail that leads from a rooftop pool in Hollywood to the sandy beach of Santa Monica. Along the way, they visit the set of the "Heat Wave" movie and enlist the cast to help break the case. But as they get closer to apprehending the killer, Castle begins to wonder whether Beckett is out for justice -- or revenge.

During rehearsal for "Baron's All-American Beauty Pageant," the contestants are shocked to discover the body of Miss Illinois - strangled, but by whom? As Castle and Beckett delve into the cut-throat competition of the pageant world, they learn that a number suspects had motive for murder, including jealous fellow contestants, the pageant's larger-than-life millionaire sponsor, Victor Baron, and the show's host -- hedonistic TV personality, Bobby Stark.

Kate Beckett's investigation into her mother's death is reactivated when Hal Lockwood - a professional hitman with knowledge of Beckett's mother's murder - stages a spectacular escape during a court hearing. As police launch a manhunt for Lockwood, Castle and the team uncover evidence of a deeper conspiracy involving a mysterious figure with law enforcement connections who is linked to both Lockwood's escape and the killing of Johanna Beckett. The search for Lockwood and the quest to identify his co-conspirator leads to a shocking and deadly conclusion.