Bookseller Reviews
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This Sky Has No Limit and is Soaring High!
An innovative and highly absorbing take on the classic country murder mystery but told with a freshness and a tantalizing plot that had me completely hooke... READ MORE
A rural idyll hiding dark secrets...
Jake Jackson is a London detective with a talent for cold cases but a marriage that's ending. When he inherits an isolated plot in remote countryside from... READ MORE
Another dark corner of the British countryside
This is the story of Jake Jackson, retired Met detective and incredibly lucky recipient of a gorgeous, vast piece of land in the heart of Britain, complete... READ MORE
Synopsis
A detective ready for a new life...
For years, Jake Jackson has been a high-flying detective in London. But then one day he receives a letter from his reclusive uncle - he has left Jake his property in the middle of the countryside. For Jake, it is the perfect opportunity for a fresh start.
A rural idyll the stuff of dreams...
At first, life in the middle of nowhere is everything Jake could wish for. His new home is beautiful, his surroundings are stunning, and he enjoys getting back to nature.
A death that disrupts everything...
But then, what starts as a fun village treasure hunt turns deadly, when a young woman's bones are discovered. And Jake is thrust once again into the role of detective, as he tries to unearth a dangerous killer in this most unlikely of settings.
Publisher information
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9780008517014
- Number of pages: 352
- Dimensions: 240 x 159 x 34 mm
- Weight: 550g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allAn atmospheric page-turner
When former policeman Jake unexpectedly inherits a property from his estranged uncle, he thinks he is escaping his demons to a quiet, rural life. Before he... READ MORE
Quirky and engaging.
I loved the writing in this novel especially with regards to the setting, so beautifully described it puts you right there. The characters are uniquely eng... READ MORE
Enjoyable detective story.
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 inheri... READ MORE
Beautifully written and thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery
Second book in what is hopefully a series of stories about Jake Jackson the “good life” policeman, an ex cop from the city who is carving himself a new lif... READ MORE
Brilliant Debut
Just the book that modern British crime writing needs. The plot is excellently drawn and the writing style fits exactly. Jake a young DI recently resigned ... READ MORE
A cosy read for a rainy day
“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, receive... READ MORE
Rural detective psychological thriller
Jake has been left a house and a nice sum of money by a reclusive uncle after his death. Sounds great except that the house is in the middle of nowhere, th... READ MORE
ExCID man solves historic murder in rural England
Old human bones in a grave – not surprising. Recent bones found in a bag – very surprising. Whose bones? Why are they in a bag? Is this a crime? The... READ MORE
A breath of fresh air for a detective from The Smoke
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 ... READ MORE
Unusual and atmospheric
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 ... READ MORE
Fast paced and hard to put down.
This book was engaging from the start. Jake inherits his beloved uncles house. The only hitch is that it is in the middle of nowhere, no easy access and a ... READ MORE
Wonderful first book
Death under a little sky, what a delightful book! The characters were very well described and believable. The plot was well thought out and kept me guessin... READ MORE
A fabulous debut
Jake's marriage is over. He has left the police at the grand old age of thirty-eight. After receiving a letter informing him of his uncle's death, he moves... READ MORE
An enjoyable thriller
Jake is left a property by his uncle ,it’s dilapidated and in the middle of nowhere but is this the solitude he needs?
He is a former police officer with a... READ MORE
This just wasn’t for me.
What first piqued my interest in this book was the brief description in the sleeve. Sadly for me, that was as good as it got.
The descriptions were beauti... READ MORE
Great Debut Thriller Novel!
This was a great read - I raced through this debut novel from Stig Abell.
Jake has been working in London as a detective, but with his marriage in trouble... READ MORE
Mellow mystery
The blurb for this book was interesting - what starts as a fun village treasure hunt turns deadly, when a young woman’s bones are discovered. And Jake is t... READ MORE
unique storyline
Death under a little sky
Jake Jackson receives a letter from a solicitor stating that he has received an inheritance from an uncle that he hardly knew. Af... READ MORE
First-class Literary Crime Thriller
Although I have never read either of Stig Abell’s non-fiction works and have seen him only briefly on TV I was actually quite excited to read his debut nov... READ MORE
An interesting read
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 l... READ MORE
Compelling
Loved this story of Jake who has been a high-flying detective in London. When he receives a letter stating that his uncle has left him his property in the ... READ MORE
Jake moved from London to rural life but can he stop being a detective?
Jake needs a fresh start to life as his marriage fails and he is no longer happy as a Detective in London. He is gifted a new home and a quiet life by his ... READ MORE
Excellent read
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 c... READ MORE
Clever and unique mystery thriller
An ex detective seeks a simple life in an unspecified chunk of rural middle England as he takes on a rambling property left to him and quickly becomes emb... READ MORE
A must read, auspicious mystery series debut!
Written partly as an homage to detective fiction, this stellar debut is a must read!
Former London police detective Jake Jackson's marriage has been snuff... READ MORE
Detective
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 ba... READ MORE
Sometimes good, sometimes not
Jake Jackson has become a recluse from society. His marriage failing and his mental health struggling with being a police detective, a fortunate inheritan... READ MORE
A unique, atmospheric story
This book is an interesting read, and quite different to most detective/police procedural novels. The descriptions of the land and remote house where Jake... READ MORE
An atmospheric debut mystery
This is such an atmospheric book, I find it difficult to believe that it is a debut novel. A real slow burner but all the better for it.
Jake Jackson’s ... READ MORE
A great debut novel
I am so grateful to have been introduced to this author through his debut novel. It is in one of my favourite genres, but it is not a run-of-the-mill dete... READ MORE
Death Under a Little Sky
Jake is a bit warn down. His marriage is all over bar the divorce and he is pretty burned out from his high-flying London based detective job. So the death... READ MORE
Great debut thriller
Stig Abell has an exceptional ability as a writer and this debut crime thriller is a very good start. Jake has recently inherited a huge house in extremely... READ MORE
Good fiction
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author has written a smooth crime detective thriller in his own style. There are three different strands wound together... READ MORE
A satisfying murder mystery
I’d like to think that there are still places like that described in Stig Abell’s debut crime novel. Abell’s detective, Jake Jackson has inherited a large ... READ MORE
Worth a read
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 r... READ MORE
Slow Burn Country Noir
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,thankfull... READ MORE
A beautifully addictive mystery!
'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 eccent... READ MORE
A different type of 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 o... READ MORE
Couldn’t put it down
A real psychological thriller. One of those books you know you’re not going to want to put down but then you don’t want it to end either. The main charact... READ MORE
Loved it!
When Jake inherits his uncles property deep in the countryside he decides that it is time to leave the stresses of being a detective & try the rural life. ... READ MORE
New Crime Series
Well it is rare that my husband raves at me about a book... but on this occasion it is all credit to him that I dragged this book out of my towering to be ... READ MORE
Death Under A Little Sky by Stig Abell
Death Under A Little Sky by Stig Abell is a debut book by the author and it is a very well written and extremely clever read. I liked the main characters, ... READ MORE
Rural murder mystery
Jake has retired hurt from the police, separated from his wife and moved to the depths of the English countryside, where he takes on life in a large but re... READ MORE
Good cosy crime drama
More like 3.5 stars from me. I enjoyed this book and would very happily move to the village Jake settled in after leaving the Met. A nicely relaxed crime d... READ MORE
Atmospheric detective novel set in the English countryside - very good.
Jake Jackson, ex-policeman and in the throes of a marital breakdown, inherits a very isolated house in the countryside. He gets involved in the investigati... READ MORE
Death Under a Little Sky
Another great holiday read. At first I thought it was a little slow but realised that the plot of the book had to be set and then I really got into the st... READ MORE
Book 1 in what I hope will be a long-running series
I'm not surprised this won a Debut Crime Novel award earlier this year. The story introduces us to Jake Jackson, a high-flying detective who inherits a hou... READ MORE
A closed case is propelled back into the spotlight
Death under a little sky is a brilliant thriller/detective novel, filled with intrigue, suspense and the odd amorous encounter.
A retired detective move... READ MORE
Good book
Good strong characters, unusual story line
Loved this and look forward to reading more
Thank you netgalley
An Exciting Read
This book is so beautifully written ,the descriptions of the countryside are wonderful. Jake is a great character a Former Policeman who gives up everythin... READ MORE
Great Read
Jake Jackson, high-flying ex-city detective, inherits a rural retreat from his reclusive uncle. It’s the perfect chance to start anew. But then the local a... READ MORE
First in a series and quite good
Death Under a Little Sky is the first story that Abell wrote featuring Jake, Livia, Diana and the many others who live in a small, rather isolated communit... READ MORE
Countryside chills & tranquil thrills!
most wonderful book.
From an author steeped in crime fiction; Stig Abel is able to write with insight and literary skill, producing a fresh and origin... READ MORE
Shows promise
Jake Jackson is a former London police detective. His eccentric uncle has died and left him his palatial (but off-grid) rural retreat 'Little Sky' and suff... READ MORE
Gripping read
This was a great start to a new series - intriguing, complex characters, a beautiful but harsh location and a community packed with secrets. I’m looking fo... READ MORE
Little Sky
As someone who actually lives, and has lived most of my life in the countryside, the setting and attitude of the locals is not as implausible as other peop... READ MORE
Slow burn atmospheric read
Jake Jackson’s life is in free fall. Not only is his marriage to Faye over, but so is his career with the Metropolitan Police. Burned out and directionless... READ MORE
"Impressive"
I bought both Jake Jackson mysteries and Stig Abell's What to Read.
I read Death Under a Little Sky over the weekend and really enjoyed it. This new crime... READ MORE
Verified Purchase
Great new thriller series!
Death Under a Little Sky is the first in a series about Jake Johnson, a policeman who has retired early after the failure of his marriage and the death of ... READ MORE
Literary crime thriller
I really enjoyed reading this literary crime drama. Stig has a beautiful way with describing setting and place with vivid landscapes drawn of this rural co... READ MORE
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