Bucket loads of atmosphere on every page from the suspicious letters, the ancient artefacts, the strange and eerie folly and the unprovoked attacks.
The story moves apace and there are plenty of twists that will ahve you suspecting everyone in turn!

This is the third in the Jake Jackson series of "detective" novels, set in an un-named rural location which, amazingly, still has a bus service. Jake has really settled in to his new lifestyle, but has also maintains links with the local police force, who call on him for help when their resources are stretched.
This book concerns poison pen letters and accidents/deaths at a local archaeological site. Like some other reviewers I found that the novel starts slowly but gradually warms up.
As usual the prose is wonderful and the cast of characters continues to be enjoyable, with McAllister and Lily welcome additions.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Third in the Jake and Livia series. Jake was a burnt out city detective whose uncle left him an isolated house deep in the country, it has no vehicular access and he lives a bucolic life of rural bliss, is building a happy family with Olivia and solving the occasional local murder. The further we get into the series it becomes more obvious that this is a city dwellers fantasy of rural life. Jake heats his big and draughty house and heats his sauna with wood and with no access for wood to be delivered Jake would need a truck and a chainsaw to cut the amount of wood he uses but has neither. His fridge is full of bottles of wine but there is no mention of how they got there - Waitrose don't deliver if you don't have a road. Jake travels to the city by bus and train but anywhere as isolated as that would not have any public transport. Also there is a good deal more equality and diversity than usually found this far from the city.All this , to someone who doesn't live in a city is mildly irritating, but if you ignore it or didn't notice, its a well written cosy crime novel with plenty of action and a complex plot that keeps you guessing.

This is the third book in the Jake Jackson series, and I loved it. I think it is the best one so far. Although they are all stand alone books, I suggest reading from the first one and see the characters develop with each story.
The Burial Place is set at an archaeological dig, where they were excavating the remains of a Roman settlement. A motley crew of archaeologists are involved. We get to know these people as the story progresses. Why did they become involved in the first place? After a horde of treasure is found by four people, things start to happen. Someone disappears, someone else dies - accident or murder? Jake becomes involved and agrees to help McAllister, the new Scottish detective. There are several theories as to who is responsible and Jake is able to give the benefit of his long police experience. The story culminates in a nail biting episode. I couldn’t put it down!
I strongly recommend this book. It is well written and much thought has gone into it. I would like to thank NetGalley, Stig Abell and the publishers, Hemlock Press for an arc of this exciting book.

I love this series! Stig Abell is a cultured writer, his prose is elegant and his vocabulary extensive. Jake Jackson is a fascinating character, a retired cop who has taken to rural living with ease but who still has a policeman's instinct and is therefore called upon to help the small local force. The story centres on a series of crimes around an archaeological dig and it is intriguing from the start. In addition, the setting is beautiful and the private life of Jake continues to be of interest. An absolute delight!

This is the 3rd in a series of which I’ve really enjoyed the first 2 books. Unfortunately I found this one very slow moving, easy to spot the culprit and got a bit fed up with the underlying story of “trying for a baby”. The joy of hearing about the scenery, living conditions, idyllic lifestyle is lovely however once again a repeat of the first 2 books. Sorry, Judy not for me!

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

My first 5-star read of 2025. This is the third in the series featuring Jake Jackson, living his rural idyll in Little Sky, with beautiful vet, Livia, and a nice group of supporting characters that I am coming to know and like.

Showing that crime can have a rural setting, in this novel we are at an archeological dig, the ruins of a Roman villa near St Giles. Close to Jake’s local village of Caelum Parvum, but not so close that they appear to have a city-like crime wave…

Rose’s sister, Lily, is working on the dig, which has received threats from someone styling themselves, Wulfnoth, claiming they are desecrating the site. Things are complicated by a discovery of treasure, which some of the group members will share part of, although it is unsure who owned some of the land on which the treasure was found. Of course, before long, things have escalated from threats to murder, and Jake becomes involved with the new police presence in the region, David McAllister.

This series is wonderfully plotted but also very character driven. In this novel, Jake has to face his fears over the issues he and his first wife had with infertility and the author cleverly weaves the storylines together. If you like endless action, this is not for you. If you like to get to know and care about the characters in a series, as well as intelligent, well-written prose, give this a try. I, for one, look forward to reading more of Jake and Livia’s adventures.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

The third in the Jake Jackson series. Beautuful, descriptive passages and good character development. The narrative too slow for me but other readers will enjoy the rich storytelling.

So, book three... What does that mean. Well, as always it's worth pointing out you could read this without either previous book, but I'd discourage it. Yes, there are enough nudges to catch you up but they'll spoil the mystery of the earlier books. I mean, the whole series feels like the more you read the more you'd enjoy it so it feels a little weird suggesting anyone would intentionally jump in here without having read the earlier books, but there's a chance so I'll say it's should be fine. But also don't, just go read Death Under a Little Sky because you're the kind of person reading a book review so I feel confident it's the sensible decision.

All caught up? Great. So what does The Burial Place add to the series? Much of the same to be honest. Jake's life moves on a bit and the little community he now lives in faces more murders. It's all very familiar. All the good stuff returns for another adventure and it's all very enjoyable and clever and I loved it. I'll be back for book four, and I suspect five, and six, or however many more will be written because I've enjoyed it all so far and have high hopes for continuing to do so. I don't even care that I cracked the case much earlier than the previous stories either. There was enough mystery to cast a slight doubt over my conclusion and even without that these stories remain a jolly good romp. Which is the main thing I'm going to talk about because otherwise I'd probably just be repeating all the praise I've lavished on the previous books.

See, the first book gave me a magical place which hit the spot perfectly. Maybe the timing helped, but the original reveal of Little Sky was just spot on and I think I got a little lost in that and didn't think enough about all the other aspects I enjoyed. And see, while reading this book it was still a cosy mystery in my head. But that designation never felt quite right either. But about halfway through I started to shift my thinking, and by the end I realised it's more that the writing is somewhat anachronistic. At times I almost wanted to call it archaic in fact, but that may be taking the idea too far. See, by today's standards it does lean more towards the cosy mystery end of the spectrum, but in truth it's more that this is a homage to the classics of the genre. It would be rather shocking 80-90 years ago, but rather oddly it sort of belongs there.

Look, I am loathe to compare anything to Agatha Christie because it's an overused cliché that rarely holds up, and to be clear this is not a "The new..." type of statement for a cool pull quote. But I am going to say these books are clearly a product of reading many mysteries of that style and era. We're treated to vocabulary you don't see very often in modern books. But the book doesn't feel dated. They're woven in well with computers and forensics and whatnot.

The result? A story that managed to stay relevant while offering a certain cosy nostalgia. One that isn't twee. It doesn't feel affected, it fits the world that's been created. It pokes fun at itself for indulging in it at times (Martha proving even more delightful in this book as she takes the lead in that regard). and it all just makes everything click. There's a deft touch that's been in plain sight for all three books and yet didn't truly come into focus until now. A bit like any good mystery really. Because that's what this series is doing - Abell clearly knows the genre well, and rather than try to reinvent it he's built on it, and that may just make him a fairly unique presence in the genre these days.

Detective story based at an archeological dig - very good.

This is the third book in the series and I enjoyed reading about Jake and how his life has developed. He seems to be the perfect man: he loves his rural idyll and his partner (lots of sex) , he can cook, build and solve mysteries. with his coterie of experienced and knowledgeable helpers. The story involves a few dead bodies and there are quite a few interesting characters, all well-developed. I didn't predict the outcome while I was pleased to read the literary/poetic descriptions although I don't think that I needed to know what each character is wearing in every scene! It's a bit of a page-turner and a satisfying read, well worth a look, and, although it works as a stand-alone, it's worth reading the previous two books to "set the scene". Coincidentally I watched the author on Christmas University Challenge while reading his novel. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The third in the Jake Jackson series which continues to improve.Jake an ex big city policeman has moved to an idyllic lifestyle in a house inherited from his uncle which is situated in an isolated countryside spot. Crime however seems to follow him and with the help of new found friends and old colleagues Jake is once again in a local crime surrounding an archeological dig. A crime which escalates into murder..Alongside the investigations we learn more of his growing relationship with the local vet and single mother Livia.
A multi layered story and a welcome addition to the British crime genre which sits nicely between cosy crime and the more hard core graphic violence of other modern crime novels. A series that I hope continues for many more books and one I can heartily recommend.

Digging up the past is a staple of crime fiction, but here it is an archaeological “dig”, and someone who doesn’t approve of such desecration. Anonymous letters to that effect have been received, but dismissed as the work of a crank. Nevertheless, retired DI Jake Jackson is asked by the head of the dig to look at the letters, because their previously mildly scriptural language has shifted to warnings of retribution and possible deaths. Jake had retired early when he’d inherited a small house (Little Sky) set in a large rural estate near the village of Caelum Parvum. Well known now because he had solved a few murder mysteries, he is the ideal person to investigate this minor problem. However, it doesn’t stay minor long, because one of the people on the excavation site is murdered. His previous successes and his knowledge of the wide unspoilt acreage around his home area, leads to Jake being retained by the police as a consultant and he is soon embroiled in a spiralling series of attempted and actual murders, ably assisted by some old contacts and some new friends.
Intertwined with all of this is his relationship, and increasingly his life, with his lover, Livia, the local vet, and her young daughter. Central to that life is his eccentric, bucolic, hippie, pot-smoking behaviour; swimming in his lake, cross country running every morning, sauna and shower and barbecue and chicken house all outside his front door, and a library full of crime and mystery books.
This is the third in a series, but has no necessary connection to the previous books. I have commented previously that the author’s style of writing plays up the rustic mode; lots of rural descriptions, lots of weather. Metaphor, usually quite original, colours all of the descriptions and I find I’ve grown to like the style. I didn’t find it difficult to work out who was likely to have dunnit (I drew my conclusion at the same point as Jake did), but ‘likely’ isn’t the same as ‘actually’ and it was fun to shadow him as he follows his suspicion to a confrontation. Overall, I think this is the best of the series so far and I gave the earlier two 4 stars each, so this has to be 5.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Really struggled with this book and found it very soporific. I was waiting for it to get going for the first third of the book. It did come good in the end but it was a laborious to get there. I love his writing and the descriptions but in this book they seemed to overshadow the storyline and almost padded it out too much. I have read the previous books and thoroughly enjoyed them but this one unfortunately was not for me.

I am really enjoying this series of books.
Stig writes in a way that it is very easy to picture exactly what is going on and the scenery etc.
This was another book of his where I hadn't worked out the plot in the first few chapters! It kept me guessing through to the end.

The third in this series, this book is every bit as good as the earlier ones. Would definitely recommend this series.

I have read all of the Jake Jackson novels and I am afraid I am getting a little bored. Why? Well, Jake (a retired detective) who inherited property and land deep in the countryside, off grid but mysteriously has electricity, seems to be living the good life. Nothing seems to go wrong, the crops grow, the fruit ripens, the bees hum, the birds sing, the weather for the main part is perfect and even when it rasins he goes walking in it then tops it off with a swim in the lake. A body honed to perfection, he takes his showers out in the open, no apparent mud around. It's all too good to be true and very cosy. He has a lover who signals to him by leaving some clothing in a tree and he comes running. The Burial Place is about an archaeological dig not far from Jakes home. An amazing discovery means rich pickings but the pickers start to get bumped off. Who will be left holding the prize, who will defacto be the murderer? Obviously a job for a retired detective as he lives locally.
Well written, not a great plot but a nice cosy read if you are in to that.

Retired detective Jake Jackson is drawn into a new case when archaeologists unearth a Roman town and start receiving threatening messages that escalate to violence. Though enjoying a peaceful life by the lake, Jake can't resist the pull of solving the mystery. The book can be enjoyed on its own, but familiarity with the small town and its colorful characters adds depth to the story. The rural setting, intriguing plot, and mix of archaeology and crime make for an engaging and well-crafted read. Another strong entry in the series!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is the third in the series, although could quite easily be read as a stand-alone. For me, this series gets better with each book, and I look forward to reading more of Jake and Livia.

My thanks to Netgalley and publishers Harper Collins for an ARC of this novel, the third in the Jake Jackson detective series by Stig Abel. As an avid reader of detective fiction, I was blown away by the first novel and loved the second. Could the escapist dream be maintained for a third time?
The basis of these stories is that the hero, Jake, is left a country estate with enough income to allow him to give up his job as a middle-ranking Metropolitan police officer and live the good life on his new estate He has a large house, which, luckily, seems to be maintenance free and fields, a wood and a lake with an island and a boat, but no road to this paradise. He grows his hair and beard and wears very basic clothes. His house has no central heating, but open fires and a wood stove for which he chops wood from his own wood. He has no shower, so he makes his own outdoors. The house has cellars, handily well stocked with a vast amount of basic foodstuffs such as flour etc and wine. But the very best of all is a huge room with an open fire, comfortable sofas, and walls completely covered in book shelving containing every detective novel ever written. He gets up early every day and goes for a long run through his own fields, followed by a strenuous swim in his lake. This really is the stuff of fantasy.
He then acquires a rather lovely girlfriend who happens to be the local vet. She has an ancient VW estate car, which he is able to use if necessary. Her veterinary duties don't begin to compare with the hectic pace of "All Creatures Great and Small", so she is often on hand when needed. There being no telephone or other forms of electronic communication, they message each other by hanging material in trees. Jake tends his vegetable garden for the necessary food and develops a flock of chickens for eggs. He also has an orchard for fruit, but who tends the fields is not clear.. Laundry is referred to but doesn't seem to take up much time, considering that he has no washing machine.. The sun often glints through windows, which is odd considering that he has been burning wood fires for a few years. Household tidying is referred to, but never any serious deep cleaning. I just loved this fantasy, but it's very much from the male perspective.
This third novel centers on an archeological dig taking place a few miles away, which of course Jake3 yomps across to regularly, whatever the weather. Murders and attacks take place on the site which need solving. There is a new local detective inspector who welcomes Jake's ex-police input. But more importantly, an old colleague and friend comes to stay, who is a researcher, fairly senior in the police and government, who has a "special kit that gets connected anywhere" to the internet. Of course she does ! ! It's going to be vital for Jake and Co to be connected to each other via the internet, even though he has no connection.
So, the charmed life goes on, even in the midst of a complex murder investigation. But I can't help feeling that reality is just starting to intrude into Jake's fantasy lifestyle. Given the ending of this novel, it will be interesting to see how much more it will impinge in subsequent tales. I can't wait to find out.
This third novel can be read as a stand-alone tale, but if you haven't read the first two books, I highly recommend them. This series is a total joy.

Read this late into the night to finish it - think it is the best in the series so far. Good balance between the crime and detective parts and Livia and Jake’s developing relationship. Enjoyed the archeological details and Jake’s lifestyle almost makes me (a determined city dweller) want to move to the middle of nowhere. Main frustration is having to wait another year until the next instalment.