Another brilliant thriller from Stig Abell, which is the second in this series. After immersing himself in retiring to a quite rural life, Jake is suddenly dragged back into the criminal world when he is contacted by an old colleague about a missing child. Old habits die hard and he can't resist becoming involved, but this time it's dangerous not only for himself but those he loves. Lots of twists, turns and surprised in this dark tale.

great return to Jake and his slightly less solo solitude!
Another mystery with links to some cold cases from Jake's past the game of cat and mouse plays out throughout the book, leading the characters into greater danger with every chapter.
Lots of intrigue, several twists, a couple of red herrings and a thoroughly satisfying ending...all wrapped up in the same fabulous writing style and descriptive genius.

Stig's second novel featuring Jake Johnson. Full of twists and turns. The writing is very good it transports you to the countryside and his relationship with Livia and her daughter seems more permanent. I really enjoyed this novel as much as the first. Thanks to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for this review copy.

Written partly as an homage to detective fiction, this second installment in the Jake Jackson series has cemented my vow to pursue this series avidly.

Former London police detective Jake Jackson is now firmly ensconced in his new rural home – he is a changed man. He is very fit and self-sufficient. Having no television, internet, or even phone service gives Jake the solitude and isolation he craves. He is one with nature. He swims in his own lake, runs on his own acreage, and reads from his new and extensive library of crime fiction that his uncle bequeathed to him.

Jake’s relationship with the lovely Livia, the local vet, has gained some permanence since the previous book. She regularly shares is bed. She and her eight year old daughter Diana have become precious members of Jake’s family.

Through his local policeman friend Watson (whom we met in the previous book) he is made aware of ‘No Taboo’. This seems to be a service for the ultra wealthy, ultra immoral, conscienceless elite few who desire to experience things that are illegal and depraved. Like feeling how it would be to murder someone, how it feels to have sex with a snatched child, etc. Despicable stuff. Jake suspects that some of his old cold cases from when he was working could be linked to this ‘No Taboo’. Now, he knows that if he pursues the investigation he will maybe jeopardize his relationship with Livia… Jake is torn…

This crime novel will be especially attractive to bibliophiles, as there are myriad references to classic detective fiction scattered throughout the novel. It did stray into territory that might make the reader uncomfortable AND there were parts of the book that felt almost like an action-thriller movie. Not what I was expecting from Jake’s idyllic country life.

Despite this, the stellar writing and excellent characterization kept me riveted throughout. I didn’t love it as much as I loved “Death Under A Little Sky“, but still I can confidently recommend it. A series to keep on your radar.

After loving the atmosphere of Death Under a Little Sky, I couldn't wait to get back to Jake with his books, lake and sauna, cut off from the rest of the world. And I immediately felt right back at home in Little Sky. It's such a comforting setting, and his relationship with Livia is so warming that this was the perfect book to get comfy with a fly through.

Death In A Lonely Place is another intriguing mystery with a great setting and likeable characters. The crime at the centre of this story is very dangerous and dark (although we don't experience much of it first-hand), and it seems like an impossible one to solve, but Jake meets a handful of skilful new people to help him get to the bottom of it which is what makes this instalment all the more exciting.

The ending has annoyed me slightly, but that's because I've become so invested in these characters that I'm just not ready to forgive Abell for that one yet. But there's a lot of great action to conclude the mysterious case, and it's certainly very effective.

Overall, I love the combination of a cosy mystery but with enough substance and grit to keep you on your toes. I'm definitely eager for a next instalment!

(I'm on the blog tour on 24th so my reviews will be live then!)

This is the second in the Little Sky series and once again the beautifully described world comes to life in front of you, thanks to Stig Abel.
Jake is loving his life in the countryside and is beginning to settle down in his inherited home. His life, love, and work all seem to be doing well.
He becomes involved with a local case that a friend (sheriff) has asked a colleague to help him with. She has been very careful to investigate off the books after being threatened. This is all very dangerous and they have to be careful at all times.
Mr Abell’s writing is poetic periodically, and you can see and feel like you are there in the countryside where Jake resides. The tension in some situations made me really keen to finish the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the next book.
Manny thanks to Harper Collins Uk for the chance to read this arc copy for review consideration via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #HarperCollinsUk, #TheStigAbell

This was another engrossing read in the second book of the series. I love the descriptions of the countryside and its inhabitants, it’s easy to visualise the scene. I like the main characters of Jake Jackson and Livia. Jake enjoys his laidback lifestyle but the outside world keeps pushing in. Jake and Livia are both strong people but are just so right for each other but some things need to be resolved. This was a complex mystery that had a few twists and turns, not the least being, who to trust. Gosh! it got vey tense at times, I had to take a deep breath before I read on, because I certainly couldn’t put it down! I’m hoping there’s another in the series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Excited to read the second Jake Jackson novel. It didn’t disappoint, just as thrilling as the first.
Jake lives in Litte Sky a remote old farmhouse with a new extension but no mod cons - no internet, phone signal, tv, not even an indoor shower! However, it does have a large library, an enormous wine cellar and enough land around it for the calm, isolated life.
As a former Met detective he has been previously called upon to assist in the investigation of a find of bones (book 1), this time his help is asked for the search for a missing girl. Darker mysteries are afoot, and the short winter snowy days don’t help.
Compelling read, gentle to start and then the pace ramps up.
Loved it.

I enjoyed this book. I loved the paired back simplicity of the life setting in the first book, which is continued here. Jack Jackson wants peace, to escape life’s raging pressures. But again danger to those he holds dear means he is unwillingly pulled into trouble that reaches far wider than he could ever imagine. Some things in the plot seemed to me to be very obvious, but I was equally surprised as the author uses the characters in unexpected ways. Thank you to Harper Collins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Ex-cop turned eremite

It‘is a snowy desert that Stig Abell created as habitat for his hero, ex-policeman turned hirsute eremite Jake who took early retirement in his mid-thirties and deliberately shuns all mod cons and means of communication with the modern world. Each day of his chosen solitude in his ancient house in the middle of nowhere is described in painstaking detail, from the weather to his endless multiple daily walks, the birds he encounters, his open air shower, the meals he prepares, each and every record he listens to all day long, the interiors of whichever building he enters, not forgetting the varied landscape of his vast surroundings, the very loose and complicated relationship with his mixed heritage girlfriend, country vet Livia. Almost as an aside to this poetic epos, he eventually is ‚being volunteered‘ by his former police boss into helping in the search for a missing little girl…Nice book that will probably not rise your blood pressure

I enjoyed the first book, Death Under a Little Sky so was looking forward to Death in a Lonely Place. I really enjoyed this. I hope there are more books to follow. Jake is hoping for a quieter life in a peaceful retreat. For a while it seems all his dreams have come true until a kidnapping echoes his two of his cold cases that he’s never really let go. This is well-written and engaging, a pleasure to read. Like the first book I liked the setting. The book has a great sense of place. This is a bit more sedate than the thrillers I usually read but not less compelling. I’d recommend it.

4.5 Stars
Detective Jake Jackson moved to the countryside for a quieter life. And he finally seems to have his wish – spending his days immersed in nature, and his evenings lazing by the fire. But the return of an old case shatters the calm, and pulls him into the shadowy world of a secretive group ‘No Taboo’ serving the extravagant whims of the elite. As the web around Jake tightens, he must determine who he can really trust in his small community.
The second outing for Jake & another well written thriller. The pace begins slowly & gradually increases as the plot thickens. The characters have lovely depth, the descriptions are vivid & the tension builds. There are twists, turns & surprises & the more I read the more I was engrossed. I highly recommend it
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

It is now winter at Little Sky and Jake is still living there. He is not so isolated now, having been in a relationship with Livia since the events of two years before.
When the abduction of a young girl is brought to his attention by Watson, he is reluctantly brought into the case. A card that has been found close the to place where the girl was last seen says "No Taboo" and Watson asks if he knows anyone who would be able to investigate it as he can't find anything in his usual sources.
What follows is a twisted investigation to the rich and famous and wanting to do things that are without consequence to them. Jake realises that this is linked to two of his old cold cases.
A fast paced detective novel with many twists and turns. I loved it.

Former Detective Jake Jackson moved to the idyllic countryside for some peace and relaxation after working cold cases in London. But as the first book in the series taught us, crime finds Jake, wherever he is hiding.

Death in a Lonely Place is another beautifully written novel that draws you in to both the characters and their surroundings. Jake is thrown in at the deep end with a child kidnapping bringing back memories of two cold cases that he was never able to close. Can he move forwards and close the cases in the past and the present?

This series is a refreshing twist on the crime genre, where you as the reader are swept along by the words and the story.

When Laura (5) disappears the assumption is that she has been kidnapped. The only clue is a link to a rumoured organisation called “No Taboo”. Chief Inspector George Watson is stymied, and turns to his ex-colleague, Jake Jackson, for help. Jake, a former star detective with the Met, had been left a large property and lots of money by his late uncle, and had seized the opportunity to live off grid in “Little Sky” his new estate. The previous year he and Watson had solved a case involving a serial rapist. Despite his desire to avoid any further involvement, Jake is lured into finding evidence that “No Taboo” does actually exist. One of the factors influencing his decision is his likening of Laura to Diana, the eight-year-old daughter of Livia, the local vet and his lover. Inevitably he gets more deeply entangled, but there is a positive outcome when Laura is released, unharmed. At around the same time, Livia gets invited to look after the horses stabled at “Purple Prose”, a local mansion owned by Sam Martinson, business man and former owner of a Tabloid (think Robert Maxwell crossed with Geoffrey Epstein). Is this a coincidence or is there an ulterior motive?
This is the second book in a series, but works as a standalone. The characters are all well drawn, especially Jake and Livia, and fit with their roles in the story; although some of their actions seem at odds with their avowed intention to keep a low profile. The plot is not complicated, in the sense that it is broadly predictable from early on. There are one or two twists, but no real surprises. Set piece confrontations provide occasions of jeopardy, but are a bit too neat. When I reviewed the previous book I noted that there were descriptions of the countryside which were a bit too bucolic. I happen to not be a fan of this style, but I’m sure I’m in a minority here. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, undemanding, tale.
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.

I absolutely loved this book. A beautifully written crime thriller I couldn’t put it down. It’s full of red herrings and so many twists which had me engrossed right from the start. Just brilliant.
Jake is enjoying the quiet life, his growing relationship with his girlfriend Livia, the local vet and her daughter Diana. He’s keeping a low profile until he is drawn into the investigation of a missing child by his old friend DCI Watson. This also links to a cold case. Though things are not as they seem as Jake digs deeper into ‘No Taboo’.
It’s beautifully descriptive with a brilliant storyline full of intrigue. The characters are all well written, engaging and just jump off the page. Martha is my favourite character, a brilliant addition and I love her interactions with Jake. Jake’s character is really likeable. I like Jake and Livia’s relationship as it adds another layer to the storyline. I also enjoyed the music references as Jake was listening.
Overall, a brilliant atmospheric crime mystery. I highly recommend if you like this genre, you’ll love this book. It’s well worth reading.
I look forward to reading the next book in this series @TheStigAbell
With thanks to #NetGallery #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction for an arc of #DeathInALonelyPlace in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 11 April 2024.
I’ll post my review on instagram @allthingsbookswithclaire

Story aside, the use of descriptive language is a delight. The story too, is well worth your time as it will mostly keep you guessing as to who does what to whom and the how and the why of it all. I rather like this series because of the contrasts between country life and everything else and so I empathise with Jakey.

Definitely worth your time if you are "into mysteries". If, like me, you enjoyed Death Under a Little Sky you are in for a treat with Death in a Lonely Place.

Jake Jackson is like an English version of Tana French’s Cal Cooper. An ex Met cop who has inherited a large but very basic farmhouse and accompanying land from his uncle Albert. The house has no internet, no landline, no washing machine and no hot water. It’s literally in the middle of nowhere. No real neighbours, no roads to speak of near the property. This is a hamlet with one shop that has a cellar which serves as a place to drink alcohol on occasion.

Jake was a policeman, but has burnt-out. He was a husband, but his marriage has foundered amid the heartbreak of failure to conceive a child. So this bequest has allowed him to find his sense of self again and to literally rebuild a life for himself.

Jake’s new home is rural, beautiful and unspoiled. He spends his days running and wild water swimming in a lake while working developing the land he has inherited. His evenings are spent in the one room in the house that is well stocked – the library which houses his uncle’s impressive collection of detective fiction.

He has a relationship with Livia, the local vet and her daughter, Diana. It’s a good relationship but Jake can’t really quite work out where it is going. He now loves being without the trappings of life that make other people’s work lives run smoothly. How can he manage a life with Livia who needs internet and phone to do her work?

He’s made a couple of friends too. The nearest town has a detective – Watson – who Jake got to know on his first case in the area. Watson looks in from time to time, though the walk is always a challenging one for him. (There are some lovely detective fiction references threaded through this book which made me smile a lot). The other friend is Rose – a local reprobate with dodgy connections. A friend of Livia’s Rose at least has a good heart.

This time, when Watson visits, he is really troubled. A local child has gone missing. The circumstances remind Jake of a cold case he never solved where a young boy went missing. He agrees to help Watson but has his doubts as to whether he can add anything to his investigation.

Meanwhile in this quiet countryside, Sam Martinson, a newspaper magnate about whom no-one has anything good to say, has bought and restored an old stately home. He has named it ‘Purple Prose’. He keeps horses and has invited Livia to take the contract to look after his horses. The contract comes with an NDA which is always concerning. But Livia wants to expand her business and this is a great opportunity for her to do so.

When Livia and Jake are invited (more of a command) to spend the weekend at Purple Prose with selected gusts, they accept. But from the outset the vibes are not good. A murder mystery game is set to take place and Livia doesn’t fancy it. It’s all a bit ‘Agatha Christie locked room’ with deeply sinister vibes. So Jake and Livia decide to make an early exit, which turns out to be just as well.

You don’t need to have read Death Under a Little Sky to read this one; all the information you need is in this book. But if you have read it, be aware that Death in A Lonely Place has a much darker tone. This is conspiracy theory territory, with disappearing bodies, high level shut down of enquiries and a veil of secrecy over deaths and disappearances. It is the stuff of spy thrillers mixed with heinous criminal conspiracies.

Verdict: While you may have to suspend your disbelief, this is one you can run with. The pace hots up; the action is surprising and the plot twists and turns like a country road. I get the sense that Stig Abell had fun writing this one. I just hope it was as much fun as I got from reading it.

The story:
Former police detective Jake Jackson has a life of peace and simplicity at Little Sky, his property outside the small village of Caelum Parvum. He also has a blossoming family, with his relationship with local vet Livia and her young daughter Diana.

But when friend and local policeman Watson comes to Jake with a missing child case, one that might have ties to the cold cases Jake worked on in the past, his conscience won’t allow him to turn away. The trail leads in some dark directions, to a sinister conspiracy known only as No Taboo. Will Jake and a few trusted colleagues have the power to bring down an organisation that may reach to the very top of the UK establishment? And will he be able to protect those closest to him, and the life he’s built for himself at Little Sky?

My thoughts:
“Death in a Lonely Place”, by Stig Abell is the second book in the Little Sky series (following “Death Under a Little Sky”), and we pick up the story around 18 months on from the events of that novel.

Jake is now well established in his life at his amazing property of Little Sky — complete with his own woods, lake and even a sauna! As with the first book, I really enjoyed the descriptions of Jake’s simple life, from his music collection, to his daily exercise routine, to the simple but delicious sounding food. But most especially I envied his wonderful library, stocked with hundreds of crime and thriller classics from the golden age onwards (and I particularly enjoyed the mention of “The Daughter of Time” by Josephine Tey, one of my favourite golden age mysteries!).

But with Jake it’s very much ‘once a detective, always a detective’; he feels the weight of his responsibility to help when he can, and also craves the sense of being needed and the validation he feels when solving a case. So when his friend Watson comes to him about a child kidnapping, which he thinks might connect to a similar cold case Jake worked on while still on the force, he can’t say no to getting involved, despite exposing himself and his partner and her child to possible danger.

As well as some returning characters from book one, this story had some new additions, and I particularly enjoyed meeting Martha (another crime novel fan), an expert in security and all things IT (a good addition, as technology is definitely not Jake’s strong point!).

While this book is a continuation of the characters’ stories from book one, I think this book could be read as a standalone, as the mystery is self-contained (and as long as you’re happy to accept Jake’s unusual living arrangements!). But I enjoyed seeing how things had moved on, particularly for Jake and Livia’s relationship. The mystery itself is an intriguing one, and I changed my mind about who to trust the more I read! Overall, this is a great addition to the series and a must for all crime fiction fans!

My second adventure with Detective Jake Jackson read the day after it predecessor. I could not put the book down and read it in a day. Brilliantly told story full of twists and turns. Looking forward to the next book in the series from the multi talented author, broadcaster and journalist Stig Abell. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to be an ARC.