“Nature and death are no strangers to me really, and I’m close to one and coming ever close to the other.”

Jake Jackson, a London-based detective, receives a letter from his estranged uncle detailing that has left Jake his idyllic countryside house. Jake takes this opportunity to retire from his hectic, life consuming job and get back to nature.

A tiny village in the middle of no-where becomes his new home. His isolated country house and its stunning surroundings become part of his new routine as he finds his footing and adapts to a slower paced life.

One day, a village tradition uncovers a decade old death under suspicious circumstances that Jake cannot help but get involved in solving. Threatening his own life and those of his new acquaintances, Jake struggles with wanting to live in peace in his new life or uncover the truth.

I loved the setting of this book. There’s something about a suspicious death in the countryside that makes it feel that little bit darker. The way this novel is written is so poetic and I love the meticulous descriptions of Jake adapting to his new routine and way of living.

The isolation of this tiny village adds an overwhelming eeriness to the subtle threats within this plot as anything could happen without anyone being close enough to help.

A nice touch that Abell adds to this story is the potential romance between Jake and a local that he begins to bump into frequently. Although not the main theme of the book, it adds a nice sense of normality and escapism when things become a little dark and hopeless.

“Death Under A Little Sky” is a very cosy read and is not too heavy on the darkness of human nature that is explored. A perfect book to curl up with on a rainy afternoon.

Release date: 13th April 2023

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for an advance copy.

An ok plot and characters, but not a great prose style for me.

There are a great number of excellent crime novelists out there at the moment, and so I felt this one paled in comparison.

A surprising and refreshing must read! A great story reminiscent of many "retired" detective novels but one which makes you pray this is the beginning of a series.
A grasping thriller set in the middle of nowhere , full of scenic descriptions and led by a sharp intrigue. I just want more of little sky!

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an advance copy of Death Under a Little Sky, a stand-alone novel set somewhere in the English countryside.

Jake Jackson gives up his life as a DI with the Met, when he inherits an isolated farmhouse and land from his uncle. He is starting to enjoy his rural idyll when bones are found during a treasure hunt in the local village. The police can do little and co-opt him into helping solve what turn out to be ten year old murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed Death Under a Little Sky, which is a slow burning, mesmerising tale of murder and crime in and around the village of Caelum Parvum, the little sky of the title. I’m at a bit of a loss to explain why I found the novel so engrossing as I’m not in the least bit interested in nature and the thought of self sufficiency makes me shudder and I normally like a fast moving murder investigation.

The author paints an eloquent picture of Jake’s hideaway and its total lack of mod cons, think no electronics, not even radio, and not even a bath or shower. To me it’s a nightmare, to him it’s an opportunity to find a new lifestyle and thus the novel is about Jake’s growth in narrowed horizons. I don’t think it’s particularly realistic but works extremely well as fiction.

The investigation is a slow burner, but the author manages to hold the reader’s attention throughout with enough reveals and further questions to keep the pages turning. I like the solution, which seems to fit the setting and the new Jake.

I was astonished to learn that this is a debut novel as it is so polished and professional. It has an unusual take on crime fiction, which is not always easy to find and an addictive style of writing that draws the reader in. As I said at the beginning I found it mesmerising, so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

Review of Death Under a Little Sky by Stig Abell
Published by Harper Collins and available from 13th April 2023.

This story starts with Jake Jackson walking to find the inheritance he has received from his uncle, part of this is a house in a very rural setting. Jake has been a high flying detective but it has impacted on his marriage to Faye and they have drifted apart. He had hoped to be a father but this had not worked out and so when he finds out about the inheritance he decides to go and check it out, leaving his marriage and career behind.

Part of the beauty of this story is in the telling of the house and its surroundings. The location is not specifically revealed and this, to me, was a triumph, meaning that the reader could place it anywhere. The imagery Stig conjures made me feel the cold of the water from the lake on my skin, the unexpected warmth of the sun and the evocative feel of the countryside. This combined well with the initial pace of the story as it was languid, following the feelings Jake had about Little Sky and how he was navigating his new life.
Jake then starts to venture out and meet some of the locals, who are very well formed and grow in depth and character as the story progresses. Jake meets Livia, the local vet and they quickly form a friendship. Livia tells Jake about the neighbours he has and he starts to meet them for himself. Some of these characters are not, initially, likable but as the story deepens and Jake starts to get more involved in learning more about his home and his uncle, the characters emerge.
Jake is invited to the hunt for St Aethelmere’s Bones which is a tradition in the village, where a bag marked bones is hidden and everyone searches for them and the good luck they are supposed to bring. Jake, Livia and Diana, Livia’s 7 year old daughter, search for the bones and Jake understands that his feelings for Livia are starting to develop into more than friendship. They take the bones back to the village, to the fire and barbeque and during the encounter with some of the other characters Jake checks out what is in the bag, discovering that all is not as it should be. The bag contains human bones and this is where the detective story notches up a few gears.
I am not going to give away any spoilers but the plot then builds and twists as Jake, Livia and Chief Inspector Gerald Watson investigate whose remains these are and what happened. I got a real sense of the dreamy nature of the countryside being shifted into something darker as the book progresses. The tone and urgency pick up and this book goes from meandering and gentle into something more brooding and sinister as they start to get closer to finding out who carried out this crime.
I was completely mesmerised by evocative landscape and rich characterisation that Stig created, I was behind Jake and Livia in their quest and felt bereft when this book came to its conclusion. The rich texture has stayed with me long after finishing the book.
I would like to thank @harpercollin, #NetGalley and @StigAbell for giving me the opportunity to read this before it is released.

Stig is a new author to me and what a storyteller he is. I loved this book. The characters were an interesting bunch especially Jake leaving a bustling city to take up residence in a very rural area in a house left to him by his uncle. Stunning area for a new beginning but was soon to turn very sinister. This really was a wonderful tale and a real page turner. The retired policeman became embroiled in a potential murder inquiry. I loved the twists and turns and how the story unfolded especially the details of the perpetrator at the end. It had me on the edge of my seat at times. A brilliant read.

This, for me, was a brilliant debut novel from an author I will definitely be keeping an eye out for.

Jake moves to the countryside after inheriting a house and money from his uncle. This comes at a good time as his marriage is falling apart and he has recently left his job as a police officer. However, during a local even, some bones are found which drags Jake back into his old life as a detective.

As I say this was a brilliant debut effort. Abell was able (sorry!) to encapsulate the life of the rural countryside in great detail and the sense of the community which had formed there really struck me as incredibly realistic.

Given there were relatively few characters in the novel, he also done a great job of bringing them all to life.

A great effort and a brilliant ending as well

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperCollins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Separated from his wife, former policeman Jake decides to take the opportunity to settle in the off-grid, isolated country home his uncle has left him in a tiny hamlet where everyone knows each other. A meeting with the local vet results in him joining a traditional bone hunt, but when the bag turns out to have real bones in, he is drawn into the investigation of a historic case. Warned off by various locals each guarding their secrets, he continues to help the local force on an unofficial basis. An absorbing mystery propels the plot, as Jake begins to understand the intertwined relationships of his neighbours, discover more about his uncle’s connection to the girl at the heart of the case and develop his own relationships with the locals. This is a thoroughly entertaining novel that provides exactly the right level of hints and clues to satisfy the reader while leaving the identity of the main culprit hidden until the very last pages. Recommended for my book group and any other adult readers I know!

I absolutely loved this. I kind of didn’t want to - but it totally drew me in - and I ended up gripped by it. What the writer does incredibly well here is delivering a good old fashioned detective story but with characters you REALLY grow to care about. I was so invested in the lives and relationships of the main characters I could’ve just read about them, and yet at the heart of this story is a mystery which is solved to great satisfaction.

What a debut novel by Stig Abell!

Set in the English countryside, in the middle nowhere, Jake inherits a secluded house and land by his uncle. With his marriage ending, he sets off for a new life, but unbeknown to him, he´s cleverly drawn into an unsolved crime/mystery when bones are discovered in a game......

Very clever, mystery and romance rolled into one, with the problems that can arise when an 'outsider' joins a tightly knit community.

My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in return for an honest review.

Murder in a beautiful setting. Ex-policeman Jake has recently split from his wife. He moves to a remote house he has recently inherited, hoping to find peace and quiet there. It seems that trouble follows him around. Bad things happen in rural communities as well as cities. Bones are discovered. Compensation comes in the form of Livia, the beautiful local vet. A gripping story well told.

I really enjoyed this story of Jake Jackson, a detective who leaves his job in London and a failed marriage to go to a large house in Norfolk he has inherited from his uncle. His quiet lifestyle is shattered when a young woman’s bones are discovered and he is drawn into solving the mystery with the local police. The characters are well drawn and the plot was engaging. Didn’t guess the ending and it kept me gripped to the end. Recommended.

It is hard to believe that this incredible thriller is the author’s debut novel as it is so well-plotted and accomplished. The protagonist, Jake Jackson, is at a crossroads: his marriage has broken down, his career as a Metropolitan police offer is in jeopardy, and he has inherited the responsibility of a property, bequeathed to him by his late uncle Arthur, in a remote village by the name of Little Sky. But will Jake be able to relax a little and take stock of his life in this quiet, pastoral setting? Or will he find himself drawn into criminal investigations once more?
I enjoyed the characterisation in this book and the many subtle hints that evil human intentions can surface everywhere, including the most rustic and secluded places. I could not turn the pages fast enough to see how Jake got on and I eagerly await Abell’s next thriller now. Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for the free ARC that allowed me to read the author’s work and to prepare this honest and unbiased book review.

A first novel is always interesting to review. Particularly from an author who has a reputation in another sphere. All you can do is stop, take the author out of your head and review the book on its own merits.

The sense of pace is pretty good, most of the the characters well drawn and I loved the vocabulary and descriptive parts of the book. A complete pleasure to have someone describing the countryside so well.

The plot is fine. The dialogue at times rather clunky but the tension and sense of pace really took over in the last 20% or so of the book..

I was wildly envious of Jake being left such an amazing inheritance. His response to it all strangely muted.
There were times I found Jake self indulgent and Detective Watson, (particularly given the name) very clichéd.

The most interesting character is Mila, the love interest. Also, very interesting, is that alongside the lush and elegiac sense of countryside the author points out the hidden violence against women and misogyny. Very thought provoking.

I enjoyed reading this and would definitely read anything else the author wrote.

Jake Johnson is a high-flying, but burnt-out detective, his marriage is over and he is at the cusp of what to do with his life when he finds out he has inherited an isolated farmhouse and land from a relative.

The story was ok, but some of the writing was over descriptive and very ponderous, I also wasn't sure if I was reading a mystery or a romance??

A very long book for the number of characters and the story felt very padded and a little cliched in parts.

Not for me I'm afraid

A death in a remote rural community is investigated by a former policeman. This is a debut novel written by journalist and self confessed detective story fan Stig Abell.
Many readers will struggle to overcome the clichéd stock yokel and eccentric characters, awkward and wordy writing style (particularly in the first few chapters) and very very slow plotting but should persevere as Abell gradually succeeds in conveying a realistic sense of loneliness and redemption through the developing love affair of the hero and local vet.

Engaging detective story with old-world charm. Rich, descriptive storytelling with quirky characters.
Jake moves into his Uncle's country house. He discovers a pile of bones and decides to uncover their mystery. He also has to deal with unfriendly locals, making the case even more difficult.
The isolation and lack of technology available to Jake leads him to a step by step process of solving the mystery of the bones.
A gripping mystery for fans of classic detective stories.

What a debut novel! I loved it, so different. Apparently written after Covid, it evokes the 'get away from it all lifestyle' that people craved during the pandemic. Don't worry, there's no interaction the virus in the book.
Stig, or Stephen's foreword makes mention of not wanting to make use of technology in the detective thriller (be careful of what you wish for Stephen!). Technology for many thriller writers can be a mixed blessing and for those in the know; almost mystically impossible to get right.
Just imagine being left a country pile by your uncle. Money too. Sufficient so you can up sticks from your job and a failing marriage to live The Good Life of sustainability in the rural countryside. That's what befalls Jake Jackson, a London based detective who loves a cold case to breathe new life in to. He is soon to find that the countryside has its dark side, possibly worse than the cases he reopened in the Smoke.
Stig Abell's description of the setting of Little Sky and it's environs is a joy to read, although I have never been to a house in the countryside that didn't have an access track right to it. But I guess it's a writer's device to evoke that sense of loneliness. It also gives an opportunity for us to explore the grounds unencumbered by traversing a hedged track. The local's call it King Arthur's as Arthur was Jake's uncle. There's an allusion to the tales when a certain lady goes swimming in the lake on his property.
Anyway, I hate being a plot spoiler so I won't give too much more of the game away.
There were some niggles though:
Remember technology? Well, a mobile phone cannot tell the time without a signal, especially one which has gone flat for a time and then been recharged. It would need human intervention.
Jake finds a shotgun and places it on the kitchen table and then leaves the house unlocked. A detective or indeed any policeman would not do that as it breaks the law. Gun safes are for guns.
Rivets are rivets, not screws.
Both Livia and Jake fail to remember that her bike needed recovering from the scene of her being gripped from behind.
The bus Jake gets on to get to the railway station is new enough to have air brakes but smell of petrol? All heavy vehicles use diesel or other fuels, not petrol because of its flammability.
Moans over, a great debut novel and it would be nice to hear more of Jake in the near future.

What a wonderful book, so well written and full of exceptionally clear descriptions. It was so easy to picture Jake’s life and his surroundings. The storyline was very good. A clear plot and with such a small ‘cast’ there was a number of red herrings. The ending was very worthy of the tale, difficult to predict but so satisfying. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Little Sky is a slice of paradise! Situated amidst unspoiled nature in the English countryside, the large swathe of land contains, among other things, a farmhouse amply provisioned for life in solitude and a lake of its own. The nearest village is about a couple of miles from Little Sky and has a general store that doubles up as the local tavern, a few distant farms, and nothing much else.

Jake Jackson moves to Little Sky – a fresh start far away from the bustle of London and a marriage that is rapidly getting drained of love – after inheriting the place and a large sum of money from his eccentric uncle. Jake’s closest neighbour, living about a mile away, is the beautiful Livia – the local veterinarian with a seven-year-old daughter and no husband – with whom he feels an immediate connection. A few days later, Jake teams up with Livia to win a local event where the participants are to find a hidden bag supposedly containing fake bones but realises that the bones are real, and human. Preliminary examination by the police reckons the bones to be about ten years old and belonging to a woman, and the switching of the bones is put down as a harmless prank deserving of no further attention. But Jake is curious to know who the dead woman was, who put her bones in the bag, and why it was done now, and starts doing what he used to do for a living for fifteen years with the cold case division of Metropolitan police. His investigation, which most of the locals are not thrilled about, digs up secrets that are best left buried, earning Jake and Livia serious threats from unidentified persons. Soon, a fresh murder occurs, and the danger to the lives of the pair escalates, which could be nullified only by catching a deranged killer who has been hiding in plain sight for a long time.

Author Stig Abell says that he wrote Death Under a Little Sky out of love for the genre of detective fiction, and every aspect of the book demonstrates this. The setting of the novel – the fascinating farmhouse, the grassy fields, the magnificent lake, the thickets of trees, the meandering river, and the sleepy village – is described in so much detail it feels like watching a movie. The farmhouse’s library, packed with detective novels of all varieties, is something that would make fans like me salivate. The characters, both major and minor ones, are equally well described too – Jake, sensible, tough, and stable; Livia, beautiful, lively, and intelligent; and others with their own unique features. The narrative moves at a languorous pace for the most part, with the author choosing to flesh out the setting at every opportunity rather than moving the plot forward. Towards the end though, it sheds the flab a bit and picks up pace towards a forceful climax. While the novel is satisfying if the reader persists through to the end, the initial meandering is likely to put off readers looking for a fast-paced read. Overall, Death Under a Little Sky is a charming read that needs the reader’s forbearance in the initial phase.

I would like to thank HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read and review the Digital Review Copy of Death Under a Little Sky through NetGalley.