Following on nicely from the first book, we are reintroduced to the main characters and how they are all gelling together. This time Jake and Livia are being enticed to "live it up " with the local millionaire however they are right to be wary. The local DI , once again conscripts Jake into looking into a group known as No taboo and gets him to find out as much as he can with his unauthorised help. But there is a traitor among them. Fast paced with lots going on and a great twist at the end that I did not see coming. This series is developing nicely.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ebook to review.

My find of his year. The second in a wonderful tranquil location where a threat hangs over Jake and the new life he is forging in splendid isolation.

As an ex-detective he has gained a connection with a local police officer, Chief Inspector Watson during the mystery they solved in the first book. Now Watson approaches Jake for help on another case which has links to his own former police work and a couple of unsolved cases he was involved with. This leads them into a confrontation with a criminal organisation, No Taboo, where money seems able to buy any desire. From sexual abuse to the thrill of murder, without the fear of discovery or repercussion in law.

A conspiracy seemingly infiltrating the higher levels of the establishment and with influence within the police and legal systems. A cancer Jake confronts, risking his independence, new relationships and placing his own life in danger.

As before, I really enjoyed the countryside location; the idealism of a life outside the elements of social media, fake news and societal demands for perceived success and normality. This place of isolation is both a benefit and a curse as his property is so off the grid, roads and Sat nav cannot take you there; it is almost too out of the way; like outer space, where someone once said, “no-one can hear you scream”.

This paradox of gaining independence but losing control plays out again in this novel but the stakes have been raised and the power and money behind No Taboo are not playing games.

Loved the repeat character appearances and the development of relationships and the path of Jake’s journey. The author clearly loves this genre and I love the constant reminders to crime fiction and the peaceful relaxation of the classical play list that is the background music in Jake’s life.

Book 3 is out shortly, If these standards are maintained I simply can’t wait and plunge into the next Stig Abell thriller, The Burial Place, due out 27th March 2025.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this ARC.

Whilst the story was good, it could have done with being a little more to the point as I find myself skim reading or zoning out at certain points.

Would recommend as a one off read

A full review has been left on Goodreads

So good! I was hooked on this crime story, with excellent characters and a detailed plot. Brilliant author, and thoroughly enjoyable read.

I loved book one in this series, Death Under a Little Sky and book two did not let me down. This was another well written, fast-paced enjoyable read with Jake this time helping in the search for local missing girl. I loved seeing Jake's relationship continue to grow with his new community, girlfriend Livia and her daughter, he is really continuing to grow as a character.
This was another very descriptive & atmospheric read with a great plotline, lots of twists; a real page-turner.
I look forward to what comes next.

This is book two in the series, it is both descriptive and eloquent.
The plot is twisting and unexpected.

Like the first, Death Under a Little Sky, Death in a Lonely Place is competently done, though having to find a way to get retired copper Jake involved in another case is going to require more and more contrivance. In this one, his local police chief friend Watson brings him in on the case of a missing girl. A clue found at the scene points towards an underground criminal enterprise. As you can see from the cover above, we again have crows flying around a (different) tree, and a lake, though both trees and lakes feature less in this than in the first volume.
The author says in an afterword that he was originally going to make this some kind of country house mystery. Clearly Abell loves the genre and he wanted to have a go. But his publishers steered him towards something more contemporary. So there is a country house, and a millionaire with horses, which means girlfriend Livia the local vet is offered some work. The billionaire* happens to be a former newspaper proprietor. But there’s other stuff too, involving surveillance and hacking and somehow getting access to private banks.
So the retired cop, who definitely wasn’t going to get involved in any more cases, gets involved in the case. And the man who swore off phones and the internet gets a phone of some sort. And his partner and her daughter are again at risk and again Livia begs him not to get involved. And he does. And so it goes.

Detective Jake Jackson moved to the countryside for a quieter life.
A shocking secret.
But the return of an old case shatters the calm, and pulls him into a shadowy group that caters to the darkest desires of the rich and famous.
An enemy closes in…
As the web around Jake tightens, he's about to learn just how far some people will go to protect their secrets.

This is the second book in the series, I read the first. It’s good to settle down with familiar characters and feel you are already privy to their back story. There are some brief explanations which bring a new reader up to date so it can be read as a standalone novel. It has a great pace about it and easy to read. I enjoyed all of it.

After reading and loving the first book in this series, I was excited to read the second one.

I wasn’t disappointed.

In fact, if anything, it was even better!

The story was very different and opened up at a different pace which kept it fresh and alive. Enough intrigue to keep you guessing. Some alarming and emotional scenes which got my heart racing.

There were moments where the story resolved certain aspects which were satisfying, but there were still questions left unanswered which led into another level of the unfolding story.

I love the writing style of this author and I’m about to read the third book in this series.

Highly recommended and the last part is literally unputdownable!

Death in a Lonely Place by Stig Abell

Another great story by This author featuring Jake Jackson , former police officer not quite being able to hang up his boots !

This time it is about a missing child from his rural area. It has plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading.
If you like fairly cosy crime then this book will be right up your street.

Having read the first book, which I also loved, this was more fast paced.
Loved the exciting story and once again good strong characters! The twist at the end had me totally shocked!

Death in a lonely place is the second novel featuring ex detective Jake Jackson, hes still happily living in his hideaway and all he wants is to keep the modern world at bay but his giirlfriend wants a bit more from him and his friend and policeman pal Watson wants him involved in a case involving a missing girl and before he knows it, he is embroiled in a deep and dark underground network with far reaching powers.
this is the first book I have read fron Stig Abell and would read something else by him but the story does expect you to suspend your beliefs, somewhat and the descrptions can be a little flowery but I did like the list of music at the back of the book so if you wished you can listen along to Jakes music choices if you wanted.

3.5 stars

Thankyou NetGalley & HarperCollins for this book, I really enjoyed this book as it shows Jake trying to combat his instincts of being a nomad whilst been offered unbeatable cases from his past. I did enjoy the follow on from the last book as you see Jake’s relationships grow with him, Livia and people in the community. This is a perfect cosy mystery book with mild dark entities to it

The second book with ex-cop Jake Jackson is fantastic. Jake is asked to help find a missing girl, one of the clues found at the scene is a business card with the words No Taboo, this links to one of the cold cases Jake was working on, one he could not solve.
Getting involved in delving deeper into No Taboo brings danger to Jake and to those helping him.
Well written and fast paced with an unexpected twist at the end.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

This is the second book in the Jake Jackson series .Stig Abel write so beautifully, describing the sights and sounds of the countryside so well I felt I was there .A very good story it was everything I wanted it to be ,gripping ,fast paced exciting with hold your breath moments .I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

When I saw that the first 3 books in this series were currently available to request, I was very excited as I love a good crime series. Unfortunately the writing style of this series is just not for me so I did not finish. I'm not leaving a rating or a review on any other site as to do so when not finishing them would be unfair to the author.

This is Stig Abell's second title; it follows on Death Under a Little Sky. While it is not necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this one, anyone who likes Death in a Lonely Place will want to read the origin story.

Here are many of the characters from the first book starting with Jake. He is a former detective who has chosen to live largely off the grid in a remote home that he was left by a relative (although he has many go arounds). Readers should take a look at the map of the estate that is in the front of the book. Jake has charmingly named the various spots for well-known detective fiction people and characters. There are other mysteries and authors mentioned in the text as well.

Jake is in a relationship with a local vet, Livia, who has a young daughter named Diana. He wants this relationship to succeed. He and Livia are in different spots as an old case surfaces and Jake becomes involved while Livia's main wish is to keep Diana safe.

No Taboo-it is a dark organization that offers people the unthinkable. In investigating it Jake has to think about a very dark place. Readers will wonder how the events unfold. Will Diana's newest and very wealthy client put her and/or Diana in danger?

This book offers an interesting mix between Jake's rather cozy domestic life and some very nasty business. Abell manages both of these story aspects well.

I recommend this title to those who enjoy crime stories. I look forward to whatever Abell writes next.

Many thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.

Number 2 in the series and we are back with Jake in his rural idyll. It’s some years since I read the first book and while I recall Jake and his cut off lifestyle I can’t remember the crime he was forced to investigate, but enough is covered here that it doesn’t matter. Another beautifully written book, wonderfully descriptive and with an unusual and clever plot which threatens everything that he holds dear.
It really was a joy to be back in Little Sky and I’m looking forward to returning again soon.

Great thriller, developing Jake and Livia’s story whilst setting a nice balance between the life of rural idyll and the murky world of elite crime. Rather preposterous… but all the more fun for it, and reassuring for my concerns that this wee hamlet was going to have to provide a lot of past crime to warrant a series. The interplay between the modern crime story and the callbacks to classic crime is particularly enjoyable. Very much looking forward to the third part.

Enjoyed the book. Easy read. Interesting characters and an engaging book. Look forward to more in the series.