I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it mostly. This follow-up is not as good for a number of reasons. There are too many descriptions of the countryside, people's smells and classical music. The main character has moved to this country idyll where nothing happens so that he can avoid the rat race. He sorted out a local villain in the last book and in this one, a nefarious mogul moves in not too far away. The thread in this idyll has become implausible.

I enjoyed the writing style (apart from all of the descriptions) but, for me, it's a book too far.

Excellent book with enough going on to keep me turning the pages and a great twist with who couldn’t be trusted. I really liked the characters in this book and look forward to more from this author especially if there are more to come in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Jake Jackson is still living his rural dream, and enjoying a relationship with Livia the vet.
I still find the whole concept of his rural idyll very unlikely and impractical, but that’s fiction.
Not many villagers made it from the first book, and a whole raft of new characters have been introduced.
This book starts as a country house mystery complete with invitations, and descriptions of guests, before veering into a conspiracy theory mystery involving a cartel of very rich people, and the secret service.
It was a good read, as a one-off but the author needs to decide what he is writing, the first book was “cosy crime”, this one was definitely not, and one expects some sort of continuity if there are to be ongoing characters across each story.
I also found the playlist referring to the music in the book unnecessary and annoying.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

In the book "Little Sky" Stig Abell created a world that eschewed much of the manic modern world. So obviously "Death In A Lonely Place" is that most typical of modern things - a sequel! Yes, we're stepping ever closer to the world of a franchise. Of course that leads to a whole host of awkward thoughts about acceptable starting points, reading order, and of course, can a second album match the debut? We'll get to all that shortly, but first, is it a good book? Thankfully, yes. I admit I had a slight nervous excitement coming into this, I enjoyed "Little Sky" so much I couldn't wait to start this, but I also felt wary that it would be impossible to match the feelings that first book provoked. And... both expectations proved correct.

Here's the thing, in Death we're treated to another gloriously quirky caper of a former city policeman hiding away on his remote farm falling into the most rural of country lives possible. It is cliched in an enjoyably cosy way. We have, of course, a mystery for this hidden away investigator to solve. One with some thrilling twists and turns to keep you guessing and then deliver a rewarding conclusion as the pieces finally come into full focus at the last moment. It's a very good read. Jake remains a likeable protagonist. No deep character flaw needed to give him depth, no superhero adventures to bring excitement. In the best possible way, he's just a pretty normal chap. The setting remains bucolic and warm... at least in an emotional sense anyway, there's an awful lot of snow and ice in this story. Perfect for reading with a warm hot chocolate or whisky. The entire appeal of the book is very upfront, and it delivers on every count.

So, let's quickly do the sequel stuff! You don't need to have read the first book - the premise isn't exactly difficult to grasp so you don't actually need to know much of what happened before. If anything, 'd say it's slightly guilty of over-explaining what happened in the first book - it wasn't jarring or distracting, but I honestly think that the people who will enjoy these books most are more than capable of keeping up without the backstory. That said, I wholeheartedly recommend reading "Little Sky" first. If nothing else, this book will spoil the mystery in that slightly. And I'm going to say that the heavily teased third book will spoil the mystery in this even more so. This is going to be a series best enjoyed in order so jump in quickly and make sure you're staying current because it'll be a lot more fun.

Now, the elephant in the room. The biggest change in tone in this book. Without a doubt, my favourite aspect of "Little Sky" was the blossoming romance. We saw Jake fall in love and it was a joy. But a man can't keep falling in love every book. At some point that romance becomes a steady relationship. There can be moments still, but those waves of emotion are calmer and less consuming. That's definitely happened here. And I do miss those powerful, early emotions. But I can see the change in tone was needed. So while Little Sky may not be as prominent, it has enough presence to reinforce those feelings. Jake falling in love with his new life gave the first book a special dynamic, and thankfully the evolution of that storyline was a success.

Little Sky lives on. And based on this? It's still got a few more stories to tell.

Loved the sound of this book, and so when successfully given the opportunity to read it, I quickly obtained the first one to read in order. This book is perfectly readable without Death Under a Little Sky, however it makes the story complete by reading both. I did enjoy the escapism and almost calmness this series of books create; the main character Jake takes you away from the fast-paced world we live in, into his retirement in the countryside and quiet village life. Until crime finds him.
This is a crossover of genres perhaps, and so maybe trying too hard to appeal to more readers than it should, however not quite making it as it is just dabbling in some ways and gets caught up in description of countryside and Jake’s outdoor pursuits.
Enjoyable read and lovely characters you feel you know and would like to meet again in the future, but not gripping and felt something was missing.

Thanks to NG for the ARC in exchange for a review.

First book by this author, and I had not read the first book in this new series. Whilst it has encouraged me to go back and find that first book, it's not necessary to have read it to be thoroughly engrossed by this one.

It took a little while for me to warm up to Jake, the lead, mostly because I couldn't quite picture his age etc in my mind - but this came later thankfully which helped me enjoy the book more. Jake is supported by other strong characters and the plot is a good one. No spoilers here, but it develops at good pace and some really unexpected twists thrown in for good measure towards the end.

I enjoyed the fact that the author has compiled all the classical references for the reader to listen to and enjoy should they wish to - I have, and I did! I'll be keeping an eye out for the rest of this series.

"Death in a Lonely Place" is the second novel by Stig Abell to feature retired detective Jake Jackson. Time has moved on about 18 months from the first novel and Jake is still enjoying a quiet life at Little Sky. He sees as much as he can of girlfriend Livia and her daughter Diana, and also keeps fit and healthy.

Jake's peace is shattered when local detective Watson contacts him about a case of child abduction, which remind's Jake of an unsolved case of his own. In this current case the girl is rescued but a business card found where the girl has been held sets Jake off on a dangerous investigation.

There are plenty of twists and turns, some great characters and a wonderful ending. The writing is descriptive and evocative, and altogether these books are works of art.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

This is the follow-up to Death Under A Little Sky. It helped having read the first one but not essential. Despite Jake trying to leave his old life as a detective behind, he is dragged in to helping find a kidnapped girl. I really enjoyed the book but was a bit surprised by Livia's reaction towards the end. In some ways I hope this is the last of the series as to involve Jake in another caper risking their lives would stretch reality.

3.5 stars rounded up.
This is the second book in the Jake Jackson series.
Jake still lives a peaceful life, swimming in the lake, saunas, and feeding his chickens.
His relationship with Livia is much the same as they have Livia's daughter to consider.
An old case re-emerges, and Jake gets himself involved.
To be honest, I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first.
Towards the end, I found the violence too much. I also thought it was predictable at times.
Jake didn't seem to consider Livia's feelings about getting involved, especially as last time, it put her and her daughters' lives at risk.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK for the invitation to read this in return for an honest review.

This second book in the series felt much stronger than the first, and I really enjoyed it. I was tripped up twice - firstly by the ginger cat being female, which wasn't mentioned at all in the first book which is surprising to me since Livia is a vet and therefore would know that something like 80% of ginger cats are male (i.e this is notable and might get commented on!). The second was the veg harvesting where he seemed to pick veg which would never be in season at the same time (can I get one of his magical greenhouses please?!). Obviously both of these were incredibly minor points which had zero impact on the plot, but I think that's why they were so jarring to me. Everything else was so smooth and well constructed that these issues (which frankly could have been edited out with no repercussions!) pulled me right out of the story. Brilliant novel, looking forwards to the next one.

Loved the first book and this one didn’t disappoint either! Another classic. Loved that I already knew characters and their back story’s and could just pick right up where I left off without it focusing much at all on the first book

An excellent follow-up to Death Under a Little Sky, having accepted the premise of our hero Jake managing to live off-grid, subsisting only on his small inheritance, and without a "proper" job. Once again, Jake manages to make up for the lack of the latter by embroiling himself in uncovering a major criminal enterprise - albeit not without a considerable amount of help in the shape of a useful (though slightly bordering on criminal) neighbour, ex-colleagues in the police, slightly implausible tech wizards, and Jake's veterinarian girlfriend, Livia. [It could be argued that Livia and her daughter are more of a liability than a help but...].
The plot moves at a good pace and culminates in tense action scenes, with an unexpected twist of an ending. Once again, the descriptions of the English countryside are a delight to read, and provide a peaceful counterpoint to the sinister atmosphere and sense of anxiety which pervade the plot.
Jake, Livia, and her daughter, have now adopted a family lifestyle, but he has an unresolved dilemma as to how this can evolve since either they all have to live a woodman's existence - which is at odds with Livia's needs for her career and daughter - or Jake will have to turn his back on his life in the wilderness. Watch this space...

Having read Death under a Little Sky first then straight onto this book, I absolutely loved the continuing story. Thrilling, bit James Bondish inin parts and towards the end totally unputdownable. The atmosphere builds, the snowy landscape adds to the tension and there are enough characters of all sorts to remember without getting confused.
Thoroughly recommend with many thanks to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Sorry Stig. Whilst I enjoyed your first book introducing us to the retired and reclusive detective, Jake Jackson, this novel failed to draw me in. It was too wordy, somewhat repetitive and frankly lacked a believable plot. Furthermore some of the characters appeared to almost be picked from "villain" templates and, as such, lacked individuality. This second book of Jake trudging through bleak landscapes, following his rugged morning exercise routines and resisting 21st technology in his beloved "Big Sky" barn is a book too far. Best perhaps we leave him with the lonely landscape he so loves and allow him to settle down with Livia and Diana.

This was a great novel and one I’ve not read before from the author! With its high-stakes plot and unforgettable characters, this novel is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

Death in a Lonely Place by Stig Abell

Having read the first one in this series , honestly , I wasn't quite sure what to expect , but wow , I feel the author has pulled this one out of the bag !
So many twists to grab the readers attention and just when I'd thought I knew where it was going , off it went in a completely different tangent .
Great read.

Perhaps maybe a bit overwritten but I like main character and his handling of 'deep conspiracy' that maybe proves to be right. Very literate read, strong, engaging characters .. and allusions to first book which induced him to seek solitude of non-connected life is enticing .. really enjoyable read .. highly recommend

Retired Detective Jake Jackson is enjoying his almost reclusive life on his land without the intrusion of "tech" and life's comforts!

Not for long though, as once again he gets embroiled in a cold case which involves a society that can make "anything" happen for the right price; murder, mutilation, anything that your evil heart/mind desires.

Was this the clue to the cold case? Jake Jackson just can't not get involved, even with the danger to himself and the family he has grown to love!

A fantastic book 2 in the series, I do hope there will be more!

The second in what will hopefully be a long series of books featuring detective (retired) Jake and his country vet girlfriend Livia. Jake has inherited an isolated property somewhere in England, and Livia resides in the nearby village. Jake mostly wants to live his life away from modern life, but when a Police colleague asks for his help investigating a secret organisation which arranges anything and everything (no matter how gruesome), for the super rich, Jake doesn’t hesitate to become involved, although regret creeps in as the plot thickens. The story moves at a cracking pace, keeping the reader turning pages until its end. Yes, some of the action, especially towards the end, is somewhat implausible, but this is a well written, well characterised story, with a fine sense of place.

This was the second one in the series and it can be read alone, however the first book adds much better clarity to the situation of why Jake is there in the village, the village atmosphere and descriptions of the charcters. This was a good read but I do have to add that i personally preferred the first book. Jake is still trying to understand what he really wants his future to be, does he want the solitary , isolation life, a more permanent relationship wih Olivia, or to continue as a being an temporary detective.
This had lots of twists an an unexpected ending.