Ex-cop Jake Jackson lives a pretty much idyllic life off grid at his inherited home, Little Sky. His relationship with vet Livia is pretty perfect too but Jake just can’t resist getting involved with investigating murders when they happen in his neighbourhood. This book, the third in a series has Jake becoming involved in an archaeological dig where treasure has been found and murder has followed. Sting Abel’s books all have well drawn, believable characters, a very fine sense of place and a plot that will keep the reader engaged until the final word. If a little of the action stretches credulity it can be forgiven in this very readable and engrossing book.

Having enjoyed the first two books in this series I was delighted to find a new story featuring Jake Jackson. I was not disappointed, as the relationship between Jake and Livia flourishes and the delights of Little Sky and its glorious location continue, and of course a murder mystery centred around an archaeologic dig has to be resolved.
The writing is atmospheric and the action slow burning and character lead. And indeed the weather could be a character in its own right as it leads so much of the action and storyline.
The Burial Place can be read as a standalone story, but why deny yourself the pleasure of getting to know Jake’s and Livia’s back story in books 1 and 2, before settling down with this most enjoyable gem.

I’ve been a big fan of this series ever since I heard the author talk about the first book a couple of years ago.
Jake is a retired police investigator, living a fairly off grid lifestyle in a small English village.
Since book 1 he has managed to develop a love interest with the local vet, Livia and helps her with her young daughter, Diana.
When letters start to arrive from someone called Wolfnoth, a long dead figure, addressed to those working at an archaeological dig, threatening murder if they continue with the excavation , Jake is called in to help the local police.
It soon becomes apparent that the culprit is not frightened of carrying out their wishes and it becomes a race against time to find out who it is amongst the many archaeologists taking part in the dig.
I found this instalment of the series much more slow moving than the previous two books as the author gradually built up the atmosphere and gave the reader clues. However it still held my interest as the novel progressed.
I liked the developing relationship between Jake and Livia and the extra background information about Jake’s first wife who appears in the novel.
This definitely could be read as a stand alone book but it would be much more meaningful to have read the first two in the series as they introduce most of the people featured in this one.
I liked Jake’s character, his fears for Livia and their future relationship as they try for a child is very touching.
His attempts to live off grid are obviously a bit half hearted now as he spends a lot of time at Livia’s home where there is internet and phone access as well as the availability of a car!
I definitely recommend “The Burial Place “ to all you mystery readers out there and any crime fans will love the references to golden age authors in Jake’s own reading and the naming of the landscape features around him- Agatha Wood being an example.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

This is the third book in the series of Jake Jackson and each one seems to be getting more intriguing. It can be read as a stand alone book but to understand Jake and some of the other characters it is beneficial to start at the first one in the series. It is a great mystery story that involves really descriptive and unusual characters as well as bringing in history in the format of the archeological dig that is at the base of the story. Litlle Sky is well described and it gave a warm feeling to the story as I knew that Jake would go swimming and walking to stay fit, shower outside and live as close as he can to nature. I now wonder what will happen when Livia eventually has the planned baby and how both their lives will change.
I loved this story and look forward to what I suspect will be another book in this series.

This is the third Jake Jackson outing, and I’m in a quandary.
The book is well plotted, has a great cast of recurring characters, and the story moves along at a great pace, with plenty of twists.
BUT
I can’t stand Jake Jackson.
He’s one of those annoying people who make a virtue of living off-grid, in a rural idyll, doesn’t have a phone or internet. Walks everywhere, or uses a bus (rural bus services, anyone). Has a magic house that gives him constant hot water for his (of course) outdoor shower, a fire that heats his substantial library as soon as it is lit. Out of season veg in his (heated?, how?) green house. A freezer powered by what??
And when he needs modern technology, has friends who are more than willing to allow him to use their phones, internet, car, etc.
He could a least get a bike, then he wouldn’t spend so much time walking!
So, great story, pity about the lead character.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read this book.

If you love mystery, history and archaeology then you'll love this book. It is part of a series but I hadn't read any of the proper books before I started this one and had no trouble picking up the characters.

Jake is a retired police officer who has moved to Big Sky to enjoy the peace and quiet of solitude and enjoy the natural surroundings. He is ecstatically happy with his partner Livia and he young daughter from a previous relationship and they have a close circle of friends.

Jake's investigative skills are called upon when a series of mysterious letters start circulating about a local archaeological dig on the site of Roman remains. The letters are allegedly from Wolfnoth an historical figure from the area and they become increasingly threatening in tone, culminating in an attack on one of the dog team and the death of another.

Who is the perpetrator of the letters and what are they hoping to gain from disrupting the dig!

An ex Met police officer now living in a rural idyll in Little Sky still feels the lure of policing, and handily gets drawn in to assist the new local police inspector Mcallister when the team working on an archaeological dig are targeted by a threatening letter writer.

An interesting read, with a slightly different slant set as it is mainly at the dig. There’s a nice assortment of characters, I particularly liked Martha, who has excellent contacts in all sorts of interesting places, and also the taciturn Rose, a man of few words but strong loyalties. I did find Jake’s running and swimming habit a bit repetitive at times, but that’s just a minor criticism. On the whole, a good storyline, a limited amount of suspects as it mainly relates to the members of the dig, and a satisfyingly unexpected solution. I’ll definitely look out for the next in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Jake Jackson returns in book 3 of this amiable and immersive series, and although it could be read as a standalone I feel it would work better for readers who know the characters coming in. Retired DI Jackson lives an ostensibly simple life in a rural part of England, with no phone or wi-fi, no car, and showering outside his old house on a big plot of land willed to him by an eccentric but much loved uncle. He has put down roots, made local connections as well as kept his old contacts.
The sister of one of his new friends is working on a nearby archaeological dig where there has been some difficulty - anonymous letters and strange goings on. Jackson is asked to look into it informally, and soon things escalate from minor to major at an alarming rate. Jackson ropes in old contacts with access to tools he doesn't possess, in order to trace a missing woman, land deeds and a motive for the whole mess, and danger to him and his loved ones ensues.
It's a beautiful mix of amateur sleuthing, with homage to many of the Golden Age novelists, and nature writing, which will be too meandering for some tastes, but I love the digressions into the rhythms of the countryside. As in all these novels, Jackson is only able to live the simple life because all those around him facilitate it (lending him cars or giving him lifts, doing research in databases so he doesn't have to) and it's all suspiciously well financed, but it's an engaging world and I look forward to Abell's next novel - seems clear he's not done with Jake and his friends and colleagues.

This was another great read in the Jake Jackson series. I love the setting of these murder mysteries and enjoy revisiting the characters each time I read a new instalment. I’m looking forward to the next instalment to see what happens next!

This is the third book in the Jake Jackson series ,though it is a good standalone .The story is centred on a nearby archaeological site who suddenly receive threatening letters .It is a bit of a slow burner but with all the old characters from previous books .As usual the writing is amazing and descriptions are beautiful, a lovely cosy murder story .Looking forward to no 4 in the series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

This is the third book of the series and it's fair to say I read it perfectly as a stand-alone. The plot centres around Jake Jackson, an ex-detective who together with his girlfriend and her daughter live in the wilds of Scotland. Unfortunately, his idyllic life away from the Met turns into a murder mystery when a local archaeological dig brings with it some unwanted attention. First in the form of threatening letters and then when the Reverend turns up dead. While rich pickings are promised for any of the finds, there is someone working overtime to close it down. Very soon Jake is called upon to help and becomes integral to unveiling the source of the threats and murderer. When Janet the leader of the dig goes missing and Rose’s house gets vandalised it looks as if they are fighting a losing battle. Can they solve the letter writer and bring the murderers to justice or will those behind it simply get away. Try as I could to spot the culprit I was still surprised at the end. Abell has a gift for creating atmosphere through vivid description. There was a real sense that you were walking through the site of the dig and peeping through the trees at the lake. Beautifully crafted I simply sank into it. This was an enjoyable read, and I recommend it. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.

An enjoyable book but I didn't enjoy it as much as the other two as it is a bit slower. So many times, Jake's routine of running and swimming was mentioned in more detail than necessary. Even though Jake is an ex-policeman, the police inspector, Macallister rather leaves Jake to solve the murder and assaults. Despite these negative comments I did enjoy the book and read it quite quickly. It must be difficult to maintain the same standard in a series and I expect the next one will be really good again.

Third in a series - I had read the first book so I had come across Jake and his detective work before. Quite similar to the Elly Griffiths 'Ruth Galloway' series - well this one is as it involves a dig. A perfectly fine detective story which suited me fine as I lay in the sun. There are a few bits which made me giggle - Jake arranging crocuses and tulips in a vase - crocuses are such short little things and tulips have long stems so I had an interesting mental image of his efforts.
All in all a satisfying hunt for a baddy.

The Burial Place is the third book in a murder mystery series featuring Jake Jackson, a former detective in the Met who has "escaped" to live an idyllic rural life. This book works as a standalone but now that I have read and enjoyed it, I will go back and read the first two in the series.
The mystery involves threatening messages connected to a local archaeological dig which escalate to a death at the site. Jake gets involved as an assistant to the local police force as they work to unravel the clues.
The murder mystery is only a part of the book's appeal and for me, the descriptions of life at Jake's home Little Sky were a standout part of the writing with the setting and the character's backgrounds beautifully written. I quite fancy spending a few weeks there myself, although without the murders!

4* The Burial Place - Stig Abell. Jake Jackson is back for his third outing and a fine addition to this fantastic series but written so that it would also be a superb standalone (although, as ever, a series is all the richer if you’ve got to know the characters).

An archaeological dig on local land has uncovered treasures and is part of an ongoing TV series. However the dangers of the past come to haunt the present when someone holding themselves out as yesteryear man of mystery starts to threaten the team. Jake Jackson, former Met detective now man of the countryside, gets slowly drawn into the mystery as the threats mount.

This is a stellar series. The novelty of Jake’s lifestyle is now merely the background to a well written series. It’s always fun to be back with these characters, who are getting increasingly quirky (probably as quirky as they need to get!). The prose is beautifully written and the climax has more than a hint of Agatha Christie. The plot drags a little in the middle, with perhaps too much of Jake and his girlfriend frolicking in the fields.

Thanks to Harper Collins, Hemlock Press and Netgalley for an ARC.

Thankyou NetGalley & harper Collins for this arc copy book, this is 3rd book in the series of Jake jackson and it just keeps getting better and better. I love the character development with all the characters as they grow in each book. Jake & livia will always have my heart but I’m kinda rooting for a new couple that may be on the horizon but I’m not giving spoilers. I love this cosy mystery book with some dark elements in the book. However I always feel satisfied & content when finishing. I just need more of Jake & Livia

A group of archaeologists are uncovering a Roman site close to Little Sky: it's idyllic and some of the excavations are being televised. There's even a hoard of Roman gold worth millions which will be split between the finders and the landowner. It's perfect until the group begin receiving threatening letters. Jake Jackson, a former police detective, is trying to lead a simpler life at Little Sky but he's inevitably drawn in to investigate. Reading the letters, it's difficult to avoid the conclusion that there will be violence and even the local police are keen that Jake should be involved.

I've got to begin with a warning. There's a massive spoiler for the ending of the second book in the series. In fairness, it would have been difficult, if not impossible to avoid. If you're interested in the series, it's one that you really should start at the beginning and that way you'll get the best from them all. You could read them individually but it's a fuller story if you know the background.

It's almost a closed-archaeological site mystery. Only a limited number of people could be responsible for the letters, the violence and the damage that's done and just about all of them are associated with the dig. Some are more vividly drawn than others - right to the end I wasn't entirely confident about who was who amongst the women, but that's me being very picky. I did work out who was responsible for the crimes but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the story.

For me, the star of the book was the natural world surrounding Little Sky.

Two barn swallows swoop in the field beyond, dipping close to the pools of water that are slowly seeping away into the earth, harvesting unseen insects with blithe efficiency. They twist and turn, as if shocked by invisible wires, their pale chests like flecks of cloud, forked C-shaped tails visible for an instant before they dip away once more. Agitated chirruping fills the air, like squeaks on an old trolley wheel.

That's just one paragraph I've picked, almost at random. This was a slow immersive read, simply because I kept rereading passages. They took me back to my childhood, to how the countryside was just after the end of the Second World War. It was a delight. Few people have such a talent for a simile which puts you in the moment. Yes, I did know who the wrong 'un was - but I would read the book again, just for the pleasure of the writing.

I'd like to thank the publishers for allowing Bookbag to have a review copy.

This is the third novel by Stig Abel that I have read and I enjoyed this as much as I have the others. In Jake we have a true hero yet he is not without his problems. Watching the development of his relationship with Livia gives a welcome relief from the dirty deeds of murder and mayhem. As usual I was convinced that I had discovered the murderer only to find myself proved wrong. I look forward to book number 4 and the continuation of the story.

There sure is a lot of murder in these tiny English hamlets.
I read the first book in the series but not the second one. But reading the third one felt like putting on a pair of old slippers. I immediately felt comfortable with all the characters and there were still quite a few cheesy comments that made me cringe a bit , but it all suits the sleepy nature of idealised isolated rural life.
Jake , the retired D.I. , is still living in Little Sky and his romance with the local vet is becoming more serious and a lot of the book deals with the possible future for them. But a nearby archaeological dig is upsetting someone and threatening letters start to appear then eventually physical violence occurs.
Jake semi officially helps out the police as they try to find out who the murderer is.
Towards the end of the book things did get a wee bit silly in the leading up to the capture of the murderer but that did not spoil my enjoyment of the book too much.
I will look out for the next book in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC

A decent story and the setting is very quirky. I find the descriptions of the physical a bit ... odd.
Series is developing well though.