A traditional murder mystery with an unusual detective in Jake Jackson, who is a retired detective living off-grid. The background of an archaeological dig seems to have become a bit of a murder mystery cliche though, due to the potential for a bit of ritual hocus pocus and rivalry between treasure hunters.

Good fun but not startlingly original.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

I have loved this series of books since the first one captured my imagination and have been delighted when I see another one appear. Jake Jackson continues to enjoy his off grid life after the stresses of being a police detective, but somehow troubles seem to find him! The discovery of the remains of a roman villa as well as signs that there have been people here since the iron age along with a treasure trove have resulted in a lot of excitement, Archaeologists and keen amateurs flock to the site. Not everyone is in favour. Some of the team get threatening letters from the mysterious 'Wulfnoth' but when it goes beyond threats and someone is murdered Jake finds himself involved in finding the killer.

For me, a good book has to have good characters that you care and root for. Stig Abell is certainly able to provide that, but his style of writing and vocabulary is something I really enjoy- I have to look up the meanings of many words and have learned many new ones. This book was as good as the previous two and I hope the next one will be along fairly soon! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read & review this book

I'm new to this murder-mystery series and even though I was jumping in at book three, everything still made sense and I was riveted. The characters are strong, the setting fresh and the story-telling interesting. I will definitely be going back to read books one and two and looking forward to book four. There's an air of Agatha Christie to it with the archaeological dig setting and limited list of suspects. It's a series any mystery fan will love.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Having binge-read all three of Stig Abell's Jake Jackson mysteries, I'm already looking forward to the next in the series. It takes moments to settle into his beautifully written evocations of his natural surroundings (from the perspective of a newcomer to country life, which makes each discovery sound so new and awesome both to the narrator and the reader). Jake is an engaging character, surrounded by the usual gang of friends: Livia, Rose, Alethia and Martha, who help him wrestle with this latest cold case he happens upon. This time it is set on an archaelogical dig with a fair amount of twists and turns along the way. I enjoyed this so much, but I do hope the author does not slip into the common habit of following a formula for his next books in this engrossing series. At the moment I find them fresh and gripping with an acceptable touch of familiarity to make them feel like meeting up with an old friend. Long may it continue!

I really enjoyed The Burial Place by Stig Abell. It’s a solid, atmospheric mystery with just the right amount of tension to keep you turning the pages. What stood out to me most, though, was how well Abell blends the main character’s personal life with the mystery he’s trying to solve. It made the story feel more grounded and gave the character real depth.

The emotional threads running through the book made it more than just a standard whodunnit—I found myself just as interested in the character’s inner world as I was in the case itself. That balance worked really well and gave the book a more thoughtful, human feel. Jake Jackson felt real, slightly flawed, and deeply human, and his personal struggles added richness to the mystery he was trying to unravel. Rather than distracting from the central plot, these introspective moments deepened my investment in both the character and the case.

I did predict the ending, which is why it’s not quite a five-star for me, but overall it’s a really engaging read. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Stig Abell writes next.

Really thought provoking. I am now a bit fan of this author. I actually read it in three days which is quite quick for me!! It really is one of those unputtdownable books. You won’t be disappointed

As much as I tried I just couldn’t get into this book. It had the basis of a good book but it didn’t deliver. Not sure why but I just found it a bit dull.

An archaeological dig is taking place a few miles from Little Sky, home of ex-policeman Jake Jackson. When the members of the dig start getting threatening letters from a person who uses the name Wulfnoth, Jake’s friend Rose is worried – his sister is working on the dig. Then the threats turn into actual violence – a man is murdered. The local police inspector ropes Jake in to the investigation, and Jake ropes in the people we’ve come to know from the previous books – his ex-colleague and super researcher Aletheia, IT whizz Martha, and of course Livia, Jake’s girlfriend.

I loved the first book in this series, although at the time I didn’t know it would be a series. Jake lives in Little Sky, in a house in the middle of nowhere, off-grid. In the first book, this was partly because he was trying to recover from the combined stress of the police work he had just given up and of the break-up of his marriage. The descriptions of him learning how to take life slowly, appreciate nature and become self-sufficient were a major part of the interest.

However, this is now book 3, and the novelty has worn off. I don’t need to be told again about the five kilometre run he does each morning, nor the sauna followed by the skinny-dip in the lake, nor the meals made from ingredients he has grown and cooked in the fire-pit he has built. I need an interesting mystery, which this one has, followed by an investigation, which this one really hasn’t. Instead Jake’s days are filled with the above, plus endless sex sessions with Livia and angst about her so far unsuccessful attempts to become pregnant. Then it ends with an over-the-top thriller climax.

It’s just as well written as the previous books, but Little Sky has become too restrictive and Jake’s life as a semi-hermit has become overly repetitive. As for Jake and Livia and their perfect love and constant sex life, I’m happy for them, but I don’t need to know about every time the earth moves for them. I really don’t. Thank goodness Hercule Poirot never had a girlfriend.

It's such a pleasure to be able to return to Little Sky and find Jake, Livia (and some new faces) ready to pick up where we left off and solve another mystery. I have really enjoyed seeing Jake develop in this novel to a place where he is content with his life and is able to use his skills as an ex-detective to crack the crime without feeling the strain of typical work responsibilities and pressures.

The investigation that forms the basis of this story is a really interesting one - perfect for any Time Team fans - as the unorthodox group of friends are investigating cryptic letters found at the site of an archeological dig which soon escalates to murder. The wholesome 'Golden Age' crime atmosphere once again mixes with a more sinister plot to create it's unique and intriguing style.

Stig Abell has a very distinctive form of writing - his wonderful descriptions of the area, natural surroundings, the food (I'm always hungry when I read from this series!), and the people who live there are explained and talked about in such unusual detail and really reflects Jake's love for his new home. As I always do when I read a Jake Jackson novel, I spent quite some time wishing I could steal books from Jake's thriller library and to be completely honest, I didn't want the story to come to an end.

I would be really interested to discover more about some of the secondary characters moving forward - Martha, Aletheia, Rose and new police chief, Inspector McAllister. I feel like their individual skills and back-stories have a lot more scope to explore and am obviously hoping to find out if Jake gets his wish of a baby and how this might change the dynamic in the future. An easy 5 stars!

I have loved all the Little Sky series so far and the different characters are well-described. This story is possibly the best yet, with sinister notes followed by attacks and murders on an archaeological dig. Lots of suspense and very readable!

Ahh I tried so hard to get into this book but it just didn't grab me, I found the overall premise interesting and Jake himself was a likeable character but - for me - the story was too slow and loose to hold my attention.

This is the 3rd in the series featuring Jake and his partner Livia but the first one I have read. The story takes place during an archaeological dig in which Jake has taken an active interest and, following a death, Jake sets out to investigate. I tried hard to engage with this book but, unfortunately, I found the plot very slow. There was far too much extraneous details about Jakes private life and I lost interest very quickly. Possibly not this author at their best.

I was really looking forward to reading this novel but although it had all the elements I love - a mystery to solve, history and archaeology - the pace was simply too slow and there was a total lack of tension or a sense of jeopardy.

I am very aware that books are easier to critique than to write but since I try to offer genuine opinions for books I review, here goes.

The balance between the protagonist’s personal life and the case is off for me. If I want to read a character-driven book that’s one thing but it isn’t what I’m primarily concerned with in detective fiction. There are far too many sections which are purely descriptive: colours, food, sex, and none of them further the plot.

This isn’t a terrible book but I wouldn’t rush to read another in the series, which is a shame because my favourite part of the book was the acknowledgment page - I mean who can resist an uxorious writer who also loves his mother-in-law?!

With thanks to NetGalley, Stig Abell and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another brilliant installment of Jake Jackson! Love this setting - please don’t ever let him move! I love Little Sky.

The plot was similar to a lot of books I read in the past - murders occur on an archeological site, and the group is questioned as a who-done-it until the killer is found.

The descriptions of clothes and al. were too much -distracting the reader from the story. It is almost like the author didn't trust the imagination of the reader.

A brilliant follow up story with twists and clues all over the place. I enjoyed this one and this author really knows how to keep a reader engaged. Can't wait for the next one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Book 3 about Jake Jackson. It can be read as a stand alone but the stories do follow on. Jake, a retired detective, is still living his off grid life and still has a relationship with Livia and her daughter, Diana.
A Roman dig is on top of the hill near the church. It is in its 3rd summer when the vicar, Rev Jordan, an enthusiastic amateur archaeologist, is found dead after mistakenly drinking acid from a water bottle. Jake is asked to help the police investigate.
Loved this. The story flows well with the suspects explored and several twists and turns.. I am invested in Jake and Livia's story as well and will be looking out for book 4.

When I requested this book I didn’t realise it was the 3rd in a series, I read the first 2 books and now can’t bear to finish the third!
I have loved the books, the stories are fascinating and so exciting but the food, the place and the music have made them a favourite series that I am recommending to everyone! Absolutely loved them!

This was a very intense story, based around an historical dig, where lots of artifacts had been discovered. The value of the artifacts is immense and ownership in contention. After several deaths the story is aptly concluded, with a twist in the tail

An interestingly plotted, well written and well crafted read from the author. Jake is an interesting character, a former police officer, who becomes involved with a group of archaeologists working on a Roman dig site. I struggled to really get into the read as it was all a bit unbelievable and slow paced but it is still a good, steady read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.