A surprise inheritance enables Jake to leave the treadmill of London and make a fresh start in the country. The discovery of a set of human bones pushes him back into the role of detective. i found the plot a bit predictable and correctly guessed the murderer. It had potential but for me was a bit slow and lacking in content.

This was a really good debut novel. The plot revolves around the main character Jake who has left the police service and at the same time inherits a property from an uncle in the middle of the countryside. He becomes involved in the investigation of an old murder which then leads to a murder in the present day. As an incomer he is treated with suspicion by the locals. The book was well written and the characterisation was well developed. I would highly recommend.

This book was more slow paced compared to the fast paced plots that my usual thrillers have, but I stuck with it and am glad I did as the story draws you in. I found that it had a lot of description which once I got into the story, I also enjoyed. In the end a great read.

Jake Jackson is ready to start again. Retiring early from his career as a detective, he has been lucky enough to have been bequeathed a house in the country. It’s so far in the countryside it’s only accessible by foot. Here Jake is happy to live without any distractions from the outside world, as he nurses his wounds following the breakdown of his relationship to Faye his soon to be ex.
But of course in the quiet peaceful countryside all is not as it seems.
This is a wonderful atmospheric book. The author describes the countryside so well you can almost smell that earthy country smell coming off the pages.
I found the characters to be well thought out and the story moved along well enough. I did guess the ending but I still thoroughly enjoyed the story. I see this is the first in a series and I really look forward to further stories featuring Jake Jackson. Many thanks to #NetGalley for my ARC of this book #DeathUnderaLittleSky for me this is a 4 star book. #HappyReadingFolks

It took a while to get into did this story and at first I thought the main character was a lot older than he was, but once the story got going I enjoyed it.
The characters were actually interesting and well thought out and the setting of the little town whilst quaint was also claustrophobic.
I’m glad I persevered as the ending was excellent and it took a few guesses to work out who the actual antagonist was.

Jake Jackson, former detective with the London Metropolitan police, and struggling to cope with failure to found a family, gifted a house and money to live without working for the rest of his years by an uncle he's not seen in a decade. I wasn't sure that it really sounded that plausible and I have to admit that when I first started reading this book I just couldn't get into it. Not one to be defeated, however, I decided to put it aside for a couple of weeks and when I returned to read it again found it to be an easier read than it had seemed at first attempt. Bones turn up, has there been a murder? Jake Jackson, just the person to help the police out - co-opted instantly as an (unpaid) investigator for the police. Again, that just didn't quite ring true in today's era of health and safety, employee protection, risk and insurance. The story itself was nonetheless captivating enough and notwithstanding my reservations I have to say I enjoyed following Jake in exploring whose the bones are, and in investigating the ensuing murder. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Not quite a 4, more of a 3.5*, rounded down to a 3

When Jake inherits his uncle's farm, it seems like the perfect solution - his marriage is over and his police career ready to finish too. But when human bones are found during a treasure hunt, Jake finds himself drawn into the investigation, although somebody is doing their best to stop him.

Death Under a Little Sky is a slow- burning detective story, with as much time taken over Jake's renovations of the farmhouse and his growing relationship with Livia. However, that all adds to the charm of Stig Abell's writing. The characters develop well as the story progresses.

An entertaining story

I enjoyed this book, it was beautifully written and very descriptive. The author obviously appreciates a natural world in all aspects.
It was a slightly odd combination of love story and crime novel, but it was interesting and held my interest.

The review will be posted with Waterstones

An excellent debut from Stig Abell. Detective Jake Jackson moves to an isolated dwelling left to him by his uncle. Some bones are found on a local treasure hunt, A slow start to this novel but gets better with plenty of twists, good characterization and descriptive settings. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
I received this book from HarperCollins and Netgalley for a review.

This was such an interesting concept where there are a few genres rolled into one - crime and romance. It started a little slow but then once the story got going, it gripped me. I really enjoyed it. It's so well written and I look forward to reading the next one in the series.

A very atmospheric read but a little slow for my taste. However, it was an intriguing storyline and the characters were all believable and well written with a really satisfying ending.

This appeared to be a good debut crime thriller with lots of twists and turns but for me it did not turn out that way. The writing is good in a descriptive way but I felt the author was trying to hit too many markets in that is was more of a cosy crime/romance novel. Their was a limited range of characters and although they were described well, I did not feel that I built up a relationship with them and they were a little flat. I am sure that many people will love this book, but for me it was too slow paced, over descriptive in some ways, and would, maybe, be better condensed into a smaller book. The descriptions of the village were, for me, a little long winded and did not really give you a feel of the village as a character. I did complete the book so there was something in it that kept me going but the slow pace did make it difficult, at times to pick the book up again, Good luck to the author and I am sure we will be seeing more crime fiction from him in the future.
Many thanks to Harper Collins, Netgalley and Stig Abell for providing me with an advanced copy of the book, in electronic format, in return for an honest unbiased review,
The book was released on the 13th April 2023 in hardback, audio book and e-book formats.
#DeathUnderaLittleSky #NetGalley

The first chapter was a little stilted, the reasons for this become clear later. I was not sure where it was set (somewhere remote in the UK) and it took a little while to get to know the main character, ex policeman Jake. This story gradually draws you in and the action builds up. Jake works with local policeman, Watson , ruffling the feathers of the locals as he goes. I came to like Jake and his new lifestyle very much. There are twists in the plot along the way . A great read and I look forward to reading more from this author
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Death Under a Little Sky
by Stig Abell
Publisher:HarperCollins UK
Publication Date: 13th April

As Jake's marriage falls apart, he becomes the only beneficiary of his eccentric uncle's wealth. A strange death and unwelcoming neighbours convince Jake that not everything is as it appears. The author's descriptive language enhances the story, and the pace is sluggish but appropriate for the storyline. I liked it, and I especially liked how the plot was wrapped up so nicely. When some bones from a historic case are uncovered during the yearly treasure hunt, Jake is divided between wanting to escape from his prior work and helping and providing closure for the victim. However, it soon becomes evident that someone in Little Sky opposes Jake's involvement, and the threats only fuel Jake's determination to solve the case.

This is not a fast-paced or hard-hitting crime thriller. It takes its time, and every aspect is painstakingly and thoughtfully investigated. We get to know each resident and understand life in the isolated Little Sky.



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Jake Jackson has become a recluse from society. His marriage failing and his mental health struggling with being a police detective, a fortunate inheritance has allowed him to retire to an isolated house in the countryside. Slowly he begins to mend and possibly find love until murder intrudes.
There is a nice concept here, the detective living virtually off-grid in a house not accessible by road, the cast of locals with secrets etc. However it also all seemed a little cliched at times. I did like the whole idea of rural violence against women in particular but it developed so late in the story as to almost be an excuse for the plot, rather than a driver. At its best this is a great book but it is a voice that is still developing.

'I love you because you came to hide and when it mattered you didn't '

As Jake's marriage breaks down, he finds himself the sole benefactor of his eccentric uncle's estate. A big old house, set in the remote corner of a quiet little village, a chance to walk away from the turmoil and live a quiet life. To rediscover what matters. Jake meets Livia, the local vet, who invites him to be in her team for the annual tradition of "St Aethelmere's bones" and Jake gets to meet the villagers, the quirky, the bad and the slightly less quirky! After the finding of the bag of bones, all head for the gathering afterwards, where a curious Jake, ever the detective, looks into the bag and makes a fairly surprising discovery.
I was hooked from the very start. So much more than your standard mystery, it's a story of love, finding happiness and the exploring the morally grey areas of human nature. Please check trigger warnings.

A really well written, beautifully addictive mystery.

The author has written a smooth crime detective thriller in his own style. There are three different strands wound together in the book - a historic murder in a rural community, a search for escape from the world and the pressure of dealing with multiple tragedies and finally a slowly blossoming love story.

Death Under a Little Sky is a lovely story of Jake, an ex police officer who decides to retire very early after receiving an inheritance from an uncle. He abandons city life to move to a secluded village, planning to live a simple life away from all mod cons, and technology in particular.

A suspicious death and unwelcoming neighbours convince Jake that all is not what it seems. The story is enhanced by the writer’s descriptive language and the pace is fairly slow but that suits the narrative. I really enjoyed it and, in particular, I like the way the story is rounded up so satisfyingly.

My thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read the book and share my review.

A rather different type of crime novel in a traditional village with a dark secret. I enjoyed Jake's back to nature approach and his steadily growing romance. I thought the suspense built up slowly but surely until a fairly dramatic, unforeseen ending.

When I started reading this book, I really did feel I had made a mistake in choosing it. Fortunately I did not give up as it turned into a really good and well paced tale.

What starts off as a simple tale of a quiet country village soon turns into something quite sinister and, almost of course, people turn out to be something different from their public persona! An ex-policeman inherits an independent life and decides to take up the challenges of his bequest. Almost needless to say, murders follow and he is "dragged in" to help the under-staffed local constabulary. Then it starts to get really interesting and you need to read the book to find out how interesting!