I really enjoyed this book which was sent to me direct rather than me choosing it. An easy to read thriller within a small community with many secrets, interesting characters and an unsolved death from years before. I didn't work it out before Jake did - which I like when reading a thriller - and the journey that Jake takes as he leaves a marriage and a city life for a reclusive life made for an enjoyable read.
As this is Stig's debut novel I look forward to reading more from him. If you like authors like Simon McCleave or LJ Ross - you'll probably enjoy this!

I very much enjoyed this - it is the perfect almost-thriller for the post-Christmas lie on the sofa. It is similar in pace to Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway series and I wonder if there will be more from this likeable cast of characters.
I don’t want to give anything away - suffice to say the case is solved and everyone lives happily ever after. What more could you want?!

The story started off really good. I loved the build up to finding the bones as part of the games and the snippets given about some of the characters. As the storyline progressed there were a few incidents that were bordering on being unbelievable. I also started to dislike most of the characters for various reasons which, for me personally, never helps with the enjoyment of a book.

I did find it quite a slow burn read and although its classed as a thriller I found it more of a cozy murder/mystery. I did like the premise of being in such a virtually secluded village with no internet, phones etc. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it.

3.5 stars

I found this to be quite an interesting read and I especially loved the hugely detailed descriptions of the landscape.
As a crime novel it was a little bit too cozy for my tastes but there's a lot to enjoy.

More a cosy detective and somewhat cliched characters/setting - burnt out city cop heads to rural Norfolk to live in rural tranquillity in his inherited house. The author is certainly good at detailed descriptions of landscape, context and characters - and this fits the slow rural peace and quiet, until bones turn up at a village 'do'. There's lots of under currents of course, a delicate somewhat hesitant romance with the local vet and some bad boy farmers, cannabis growers and the like. All this links to unpleasant, mostly historical, abuse. I see other reviewers think it would have been better set in outback Australia or somewhere. Have they never visited Norfolk or other real rural areas of the UK? We might be small but we can be very isolated, without the 'delights' of rural broadband, no supermarkets less than 20 miles away. There seemed some confusion in the author's mind to me whether he wanted to focus on Jake, the main character, and his change of lifestyle or on the solution to the bones and a missing girl from long ago. The book would form a good introduction to a series with subsequent volumes focussing on detection but would that then detract from the quiet rural idyll? 3.5* rounded up because of the lovely descriptive style of writing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

This was a good start for a first novel but it was so slow that I almost gave up. It wasn’t the crime thriller that I was hoping for, but more of a cosy romance mystery. As another reader said, it would have worked better had it been set in the Australian outback as this level of absolute isolation is difficult to find in the UK. The writing was very descriptive – too much at times – and the plot was a bit far-fetched for me. It was interesting in parts but I wasn’t thrilled or excited at any point and it was just OK. I wish the author well with it though, and thank NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read it.

Jake Jackson is thirty eight and works as a detective, mainly dealing in cold cases, in London. He is married to Faye, but they have struggled to start a family and the stress and the pressure has forced them apart. So, when Jake's uncle dies and leaves him a house in the countryside, the couple agree to split up and Jake, financially secure, heads off to his new home.

The village has very little. A general store, which doubles as a bar. A church, but no vicar. No school and not much of anything else, while Jake's new house has a magnificent library and a lake, but no bathroom or washing machine. Gradually, he begins to get to know his surroundings and the few locals. Livia, the local vet, Dr Peter, an elderly biologist, Sarah at 'The Jolly Nook,' and a host of vaguely hostile, insular locals, mainly consisting of recalcitrant matrons and aggressive farmhands.

A village tradition involves hunting for the 'bones' of a local Saint - the bones being a representative bag of sticks. Of course, though, it is Jake who discovers the bones and they turn out to be real. Before long, Jake is involved in digging up the past and trying to discover who the bones belonged to and whether any of the local inhabitants were involved. For a small community, who are already wary of strangers, and who have secrets they prefer to keep close, this soon makes him unpopular.

There was lots I really liked about this. It had a slow pace, was very descriptive and character driven. I enjoyed getting to know Jake, his unfolding relationships with the other villagers and following his investigation. One thing that I was a little disappointed with was that, like Jake, I am a huge fan of crime fiction and, pretty early on, I guessed (correctly, which is unlike me) who the murderer was. Still, although the mystery element was, to my mind, a little obvious, I would definitely read another book featuring Jake as I found this a very enjoyable read. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

I loved the opening introduction, which will appeal to all avid readers and enticed me to start reading in earnest.
I liked the unusual writing style, which I found reminiscent of a Dickensian novel. Set in rural England, it's very atmospheric and evocative, portraying the whole rejection of the outside world.
This is something different and well worth a read.

Summary: An intriguing debut and I look forward to the next installment from Stig Abell.
This is a classic, slow-burn novel where the action takes second place to the description of the environment and fits with the overall pace of the tale.
Our protoganist is one Jake Jackson, late of The Met and (former) husband of Kate. Jake is visiting the house and land, Little Sky, that he has inherited from his uncle. A man with many secrets of his own, some of which Jackson will need to unravel in order to settle into his own community.
It is towards the final quarter of the novel that the pace ratchets up, along with the sense of fear that the author has cleverly ramped up as we reach the climax of the mystery.

Jake Jackson’s marriage to Faye is over as is his career as a detective at the Met. He travels to his late Uncle Arthur‘s place, determined to honour his last wishes and instructions. After a lengthy walk from the taxi, he arrives at Little Sky bang slap in the middle of nowhere. Arthur‘s final letter to Jake is very telling about Jake‘s state of mind, so his bequest of Little Sky and all the surrounding land will be his place of renunciation with no distractions such as the Internet. Little Sky is beyond quiet, Jake thinks it’s possibly the quietest place in England. On one of his many rambles he hears a discordant sound of someone wailing but is uncertain of exactly what he hears. Later, a discovery is made of a bag of bones which may indicate a major crime. Has Jake to reprise his role of detective in this most unlikely of settings?

This is a beautifully written and very accomplished debut novel as you feel as if you are in the scenes, walking in the landscape or sitting in the wonderful library at Little Sky. The writing is lyrical at times, the descriptions of the surroundings create a wonderful atmosphere which contrasts sharply with the discoveries that Jake makes. The pace is very slow to start with but that seems to suit Jakes laid-back bucolic existence but it does take a while to get to the nitty-gritty.

Jake is an intriguing and very likeable and unconventional central protagonist and equally likeable is Livia the rural vet. The dialogue between them and other characters in the locality is smart and feels natural. You got a good mixture of characters from the taciturn to the dodgy to the somewhat aggressive which adds to the atmosphere.

One of the best features of the book is the role of detective stories in the plot, especially the likes of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. I really enjoy the clever use of those literary references.

It is not really until the final half the danger and threat levels start rise, then there is plenty of tension and I like the shades of light and darkness in the storytelling. It transpires there is a very definite black hole lurking at the heart of this picture perfect place.

Overall, I did enjoy this good blend of mystery, of atmospheric setting with some romance and relationships. It’s just a little bit different from the norm and if you don’t mind a building pace than this could be for you.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

An unusual and atmospheric book which starts very slowly but then draws you in. I would have found it easier to accept if its base was rural Australia or a nordic country than England as to find that level of sheer isolation would be hard in our small, highly populated land. The characters are well drawn though mostly very strange and fairly unlikeable, I can't imagine an ex-detective wanting to live in that sort of weird community with so little contact with the outside world and no appetite or curiosity about how life is continuing elsewhere. Despite this the story was interesting and after the half-way point moved along at a good pace.

Enjoyable as a 'light' read I found this book to be very cliched and in a well-used style. Was it a crime story, a romance or the much stereotyped 'city dweller moves to middle of nowhere with only country bumkins as residents'? I found nothing really new or gripping I'm afraid.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers HarperCollinsUK for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This is a book that manages to be better than it feels it should. I've been drawn in and annoying people for a few days as I share thoughts on the ambience and tone. I came away loving it, which can happen, but rarely with one I felt so unlikely to enjoy early on.

The opening pages are stuttering. They felt like they had a forced metre to them like a clumsy poem. I was more than a little worried about what would await me. The writing quickly became more natural though, but another concern arose. The lead, Jake, felt too based on the author's intro. Someone who had read countless thrillers and mysteries may not be uncommon, I'm guilty of it myself, but it didn't sit comfortably in this story. Jake, Little Sky, the village - it felt a bit too obvious and forced. More an homage to the genre than truly being part of it.

But something changed. I don't really know what or where. I can't think of a chapter or scene that won me over, but I was. The more I read the more I was hooked. A book I started out thinking I would struggle to pick up had become one I couldn't put down. It may not tread new ground, but it does drawn on some of the best facets of the genre and combine them together in a world I wanted to get lost in. A world I would picture vividly. Places and people who grew familiar and meaningful. About halfway through I found myself completely immersed. Out of nowhere I was reading one of my favourite books of the year.

The atmosphere created is perfect. The characters, although often a little cliché, still have a substance that brought them to life and let me invest in their lives. And to tie it all together, a puzzle that waited until the final pages to unfold. A clever turn of events that made perfect sense when unveiled. All great qualities, and the combination we want, but it still manages to be something more than just the right pieces thrown in together.

I think this book will appeal to anyone who have let their mind drift into isolation. Abell offers Jake that blend that truly appeals - remote enough to be away from it all, but around just enough life to avoid being a complete recluse. In Jake's grounded nature Abell cleverly holds a mirror up to ourselves. This isn't a supercop, he isn't outlandish in his ways, he become sympathetic and easy to relate to. I think that's where the story gains the final gloss. The extra layer that will elevate this for some of us. I think anyone who loves mysteries will enjoy the nods to the genre. But for some of us, this book is an invitation to live in Little Sky ourselves. Even if only few a the duration of our reading. And that makes this book so enjoyable for me.

Disappointing from start to finish. I requested this book on the basis of the description, "pull quotes" on the cover from leading crime writers and on learning that Abell is a journalist; I was fooled.

Is it the "stunningly written, evocative new debut crime thriller" I was promised? No, it is no more than a competently written Mills & Boon kind of romance. It doesn't thrill, it's full of cliches and the writing style is uneven to the point of irritation.

The plot is OK if you like that kind of thing - Midsomer Murders springs to mind - but the cardboard cut-out characters have no subtlety or originality. Leads are stereotypically good-looking and fit, the native villagers are dumpy middle-aged folk who appear never to have ventured further afield than the village pub. The child is cute, animals are all sweet and the farms are all small holdings run by (it is suggested) thick inbreds. All this just comes across as a city dweller who visits the countryside from time to time imagining what it must be like to live in the countryside.

Dialogue throughout is earnest, stilted and unconvincing. Clues are dropped into conversations like rocks in a canal rather than insects on a landing on a pond. Abell tries to create atmosphere and style by lumping in lesser-used adjectives and adverbs willy-nilly. I know that sub-editors delight in telling reporters to cut the flannel and run the red pen through unwanted subjective descriptions in news copy, but it's no excuse to go mad with the thesaurus when you're let off the leash.

In conclusion, not for me, but if you want a quick beach read that's something close to cosy crime, you might like it. Nice title and cover though!

I LOVED this. A beautiful calm murder mystery. I found it totally immersive & couldn’t put it down The writing is very classy and the conclusion came as a surprise, which is always a treat

Death Under A Little Sky by Stig Abell nearly lost me in the first few chapters. There seemed to be a lot of flowery language but not much action,thankfully I stuck with it and ended up really enjoying it.

London Policeman Jake Jackson discovers that he has inherited a (very) remote country house from a reclusive and somewhat eccentric Uncle. With his marriage over , feeling burnt out and in need of a change he swaps life in the Big City for life in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal,internet or even bathroom. As anyone who has ever lived in the countryside will tell you a lot more goes on than meets the eye and dark things happen there as well as in our towns and cities ,which also don't have the monopoly on bad people. Finding love and enjoying getting back to nature Jake's rural idyll has secrets beneath tis benign surface and he finds himself investigating a local "cold case", and stirring up a Hornet's Nest in the process.

Stig Abell has a unique writing style and spends as much time writing about Jake's feelings and burgeoning relationship with a local vet and quite lyrically about the countryside he lives in as the death of a young woman that the book is ostensibly about. I did initially find this a bit confusing but once I'd got used to it the book was very enjoyable. and reminded of James Lee Burke's books where his descriptions of the Louisiana Swamps and Bayous add so much to his books despite being almost a diversion.

It does at time feel as if the author is not sure what kind of book he wants to write, a crime mystery,a love story or an ode to the countryside and one man's journey to immerse himself into it,but it works and is something a bit different,always a good thing.
It's no "cozy " crime book however,in places it's quite dark and brutal. After the slow start I really enjoyed it.

Love a book Talgarth has other characters that add to the feel of the book like the weather or the flora and fauna. Really enjoyed this book but did find that I was tempted to read when I should of been doing other stuff!

For a first novel, this is an excellent start. The main character is not your normal run of the mill police detective, but a man having difficulties with his life until he is offered a way out by means of a bequest. I liked the premise of this story but found the beginning slow and hard to get into, with it feeling a bit ‘wordy’. Normally I would have given up on it but there was enough there to keep me going. Im glad I did as about halfway through it got really interesting. I liked the local police officer, a real character, if a bit of a one-off, willing to bend the rules very slightly. The atmosphere of a very small rural village came over very well too, although I’m not sure a vet these days would be able to run her practice using a bicycle at times. However, putting that all aside, a really good debut novel. 3 1/2 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Stig Abell has written a very accomplished first novel. The blend of descriptive narrative, captivating relationships, intriguing locations and the evolution of a set of dark and depraved actions of a perverse perpetrator kept me reading and enjoying.
Throughout the book I kept thinking that the plot was implausible, but it was so well thought through, that I just accepted it and let my mind see the picture being painted. Little touches, such as the sauna and shower that Jake, the mainchracter built at his house were enjoyable. Who doesn't enjoy a sauna? The joy of the countryside, the birds and animals, all added to the richness of the book. of the book. So much so that the trauma of the victims and the crimes perpetrated did not seem to take centre stage. They were more the backdrop to the lives of the main characters and their developing romance.
Stig Abell describes, in his introduction and notes at the end, of his voracious appetite for crime novels. This comes through I his writing here. He has learned from lots of master writers and now developed his own style. Well done. I look forward to his next offering.

Following the breakup of his marriage retired police officer Jake moves to a house in deepest Norfolk that his uncle bequeathed him. No Phone signal and basic living and a lovely vet. Then he comes across a cold case, Sabine, who fell to her death at a farm in the village. Why, and why was he being warned of the case.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters came to life and village life was described well. The tension rose as the plot thickened and I struggled putting the book down as I wanted to know what happened next.
A fabulous new detective story, well written and with some twists. Definitely a must read.