Not having read the first books in this series I was not familiar with the characters and their relationships- I felt some sections dragged out and hard to get into the story.
Set in archaeological site some members of the community feel the site should not be disturbed- threatening letters start appearing and eventually murder is on the cards.

The Burial Place by Stig Abell

The third in a series , could be read as a standalone but So much better when you have read the other two. Why waste brilliance !
Ex detective Jake is part of investigation of poison pen letters and murders .

Jake & Livia are still together and we meet Martha, Alethia, and local likewise Rose .
Great plot and characters , a few twists to keep you guessing until the,end.
Very good.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley, Killer Crime Club, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and Hemlock Press.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A group of archaologists are on a dig of a lifetime. Soon they find the remains of a Roman settlement n the English countryside. They start to receive threatening letters as the former local detective s called into investigate. There s a killer on the loose as the former detective must find him before he strikes again. What secrets lie n this burial grave? An engulfing read.

The Burial Place by Stig Abell is book three in the series but could easily be read as a standalone and is a cross between time team & midsomer murders, with ex detective Jake being part of investigation of poison pen letters and murders, in fact the police are barely involved, which considering the body count is strange.
Although I’ve read all three novels I’m still undecided on whether I like the series, parts of it are great but I find the writing can sometimes drag, seriously how many times do I have to read about Jake & Livia ripping each others clothes off, I get it they love each other but please it gets tedious, in fact I like the other characters better, the mysterious Martha, quiet Alethia and local rascal Rose bring much more to the stories.
I also like the list of music that Jake listens to added at the end of the book.

This series so far reminds me a bit like Midsomer Murders - just how many people can be killed off in a small English hamlet ?!?!? That being said, this one features an archaeological dig nearby who keep receiving threatening letters from someone trying to stop the excavations. Jake is once more pulled in to solve that mystery and then someone is murdered. Plenty of suspects along with adding to hie "team" to help them. This series just gets better and better.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

I really appreciated Stig Abell's descriptive style in the plot location. He manage to evoke many clear pictures of the culture and ambience that embodies the picturesque English countryside. A writing skill to be admired.

The plot was very much in the vein of Agatha Christie. I did manage to have an inkling of "whodunnit" from early on but there were several layers that made the plot most entertaining as it smoothly evolved.

I liked all of the characters and marvelled at the well-formed ego of the local plod. He was especially willing to seek help from outside and was very receptive to that assistance.

I might add that this is book 3 of a series but I can definitely say it is a stand-alone winner. You have no need to have read any earlier books. I really appreciated that.

In conclusion, I will certainly look to read more books by this author.

Third instalment in the Jake Jackson series. Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of the book.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱
- Another great addition to the Jake Jackson series! Entertaining and mysterious
- The investigative combo of Jake, Al, and Martha is one of my favourites. They all complement eachother so well, and bring a lot of different skills to the table. They are also quite fun and I love the banter between them
- The setting of these books is just amazing, and described so vividly it feels very real. I wish I could live in a place like that
- The mystery itself is full of tension and twists, and made me power through the pages

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗼 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱
- This may be a controversial opinion, but as much as I love the investigative trio together, I actually can't stand Jake as a character 😂 It feels like, from his privileged place where he can afford to live as a hermit, with no job, no car, no internet, no phone, growing his own food, eggs, and so on, he is quietly judging everyone else who needs to lead a normal life with jobs and people around, where they may not be able to run miles every morning and swim naked in a private lake afterwards
- Too much talk of lean bodies and long tanned, muscles legs. We get it everyone is super fit and healthy. There was also a bit of a disparaging comment on the only chubby character that I really didn't like

Despite my last two points, I really love the series and I recommend all books in it! They are great mysteries with a great cast of characters.

Another great read from Stig Abell about a archaeological dig a few miles from Ex-DI Jake who is now living in the idyll setting of Little Sky in Scotland and in a relationship with a local vet who has a daughter called Diana. When the team start to get threatening letters by someone calling themselves Wolfnoth and then people start to be killed Jake is asked to investigate.
Loved the story and the details and it was very engaging and draws you in.
Would highly recommend if you like a mystery murder.

This was another engaging read in this series. This is the third book and it feels like catching up with old friends, seeing how they have progressed with their lives. There is, of course, the murder mystery to solve and I had completely the wrong character in mind as the culprit. It kept me guessing until the end. What I particularly liked was the descriptions of the countryside, the calm and peacefulness and the variety of wildlife. I also enjoy the domestic side of Jake and Livia’s life together. I’m really looking forward to the next in the series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A slow paced thriller set within the idyllic English countryside where Jake Jackson is enjoying immersing himself in nature and only slightly missing this old job in the police as a detective. Locally, a group of archaeologists are undertaking work on excavating an ancient site and a murder occurs onsite. Jake is dragged into the investigation and is led by a trail of mysterious threatening letters. The personal tribulations of Jake and his partner Livia dominate the book and I found this a bit laborious. A suspenseful, deliberately paced thriller.

Strong third instalment in this series, it’s a bit of a slow burn to begin with allowing Abell to focus on the character development before the murders get going. That’s absolutely not a criticism, the depth given to the relationships is part of the charm, and the new Scottish chief inspector fits in neatly. Once the mystery proper is established it’s rather gripping, and whilst I had a good sense of who the killer was I was pleasantly surprised along the way.
Rich in characterisation, I’m sorry that having read the first three books in quick succession I’ve now got quite a wait until a fourth.

A bit of a slow starter and took me some time to get into, it`s the third of the series and I wished I`d read the previous books to get to know the characters.
Set around a archaeological site with Jake who is a retired cop wanting the quite life starts to investigate threatening letters followed by a murder on the site.
I love his relationship with the local vet Livia it is very amusing.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

a gripping and atmospheric thriller that delves into the darker aspects of human nature. Abell’s writing is sharp, with an engaging narrative that keeps the reader hooked from start to finish. The plot twists and intricate character development add layers of suspense, making it a compelling read. While the pacing can feel a bit uneven at times, the story’s eerie tone and suspenseful tension more than make up for it. Overall, it’s a strong debut for fans of psychological thrillers and crime fiction.

This is the third book in the Jake Jackson series and I loved it as much as the first two.

The story continues and yet each book has had a very different feel to it.

It’s incredibly well written and there’s a fullness to the story telling which totally immerses you in their world.

There are hints at the ending and whodunnit, but then you are redirected and so it keeps you guessing until the end.

I can’t say enough good stuff about how thoroughly enjoyable this series has been.

I’m getting withdrawal symptoms already and looking forward to another book coming out. Soon please!

Thank you for the opportunity to read these books. Netgalley is a great way to find new favourite authors.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins. I've not read a Stig Abell book before and although this is the third in the Jake Jackson series it didn't matter. I did think it started off slow but once it got going I did enjoy it..

This is the third Jake Jackson book, and I can only say that Abell is getting better and better at delivering a mysterious thriller that is both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

Jake is living a life that most can only dream of: owning acres of wonderful land, being loved by a beautiful vet and her daughter, and having some very good friends he knows he can risk his life on. One of those friends, Rose, has a younger sister who is working on an archaeological dig a few miles from Jake's house, and that dig site has been getting some threatening letters. They assumed it was just a local crank, to start with, but soon those threats became credible, and the worst happened. When bodies start showing up above ground, Jake is asked to help by the new police chief for the area, and we all know Jake can't resist a mystery.

One of the things I love about these books is how Abell describes the flora and fauna around Big Sky and the rural area. And we are in for a treat as this book is set in spring, coming into summer, and the descriptions blow my mind, and make me want to live off the grid in a small village somewhere. I also love the characters that Abell introduces us to, they are not perfect, far from it, and their intentions are not written on their sleeves. Once again, it is a brilliant book that any mystery fan will love.

The Burial place is book three in the Jake Jackson series by author Stig Abell. Ex-DI Jake is now living in the idyll setting of Little Sky in Scotland. He has been living of grid for a while and is now in a relationship with local vet Livia, who has a daughter called Diana.
When anonymous letters have been sent to a local archaeological dig site by some one long dead called Wolfnoth, threatening to murder them if they continue desecrating the ground. The Police are brought in. True to their word one of them at the site turns up dead. The Police are called in and as word has got around about Jake being ex-Met Police is asked to help with the investigation.
This is yet again another beautifully written episode in the series. The writer is a great storyteller. Although it is quite a slow burn of the story it is a riveting read. and it does speed up towards the end to a surprising conclusion. 4 stars from me.

Jake is trying to live a quiet life: he has no internet connection, no mobile phone, no car but lives in a well equipped house in the middle of nowhere with plenty of land and a lake. He has a cellar full of fine wine, a vast record collection and enough mystery/thriller books to last a lifetime - all left to him my his uncle, allowing him to retire early from the police force. He runs each morning around his land and swims in the lake. He has a relationship with Livia in the local village.
There’s an archeological dig happening locally, following the find of a horde of treasure - a tv crew is around to film. Then the first body turns up, the new detective calls on Jake to help out ‘unofficially’.
I find the writing so engaging, I’m drawn into the story and feel it happening around me. It’s evocative and involving.
I love Stig’s writing.

I absolutely love the Jake Jackson series based in a totally remote area of rural England. The wonderful descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells of ‘Little Sky’ bring a glorious image to the mind and transports the reader to a most idyllic place. Until someone is murdered of course. An archeological dig is taking place nearby and Jake shows an interest, not least because a horde of treasure was previously discovered there. A TV company are filming the site as it has great historical significance. The people on the dig are a mixture of people, some students, some more worldly wise and some local. All interesting characters and seem to work well together until one of their number is murdered. Jake immediately takes an interest and after meeting with the new local Chief Inspector he takes it upon himself to delve deeper and potentially putting himself into danger. His life with Livia and her daughter Diana features strongly as does his friendships with the previously encountered Rose, Lily, Aletheia and Martha. An excellent story that mixes greed, racism and murder with heartwarming moments of a love of nature and peace, and the joy of friendship and love. This book works perfectly well as a stand alone book but I thoroughly recommend reading the first two to get the full picture.

This is the third book featuring Jake Jackson and I think Stig has done remarkably well to conjure up another murder mystery linked to the unusual setting and characters that he chose for this series.
A good read and could stand up on its own even if the reader is not familiar with the characters.