My #BookReview of #DeathUnderALittleSky the #Debut #Novel by @StigAbell published by @HarperCollinsUK

A detective ready for a new life…
For years, Jake Jackson has been a high-flying detective in London. But then one day he receives a letter from his reclusive uncle – he has left Jake his property in the middle of the countryside. For Jake, it is the perfect opportunity for a fresh start.

A rural idyll the stuff of dreams…
At first, life in the middle of nowhere is everything Jake could wish for. His new home is beautiful, his surroundings are stunning, and he enjoys getting back to nature.

A death that disrupts everything…
But then, what starts as a fun village treasure hunt turns deadly, when a young woman’s bones are discovered. And Jake is thrust once again into the role of detective, as he tries to unearth a dangerous killer in this most unlikely of settings.

As you know I’m always on the lookout for debut Crime Novels and when I saw Death Under A Little Sky, I was immediately drawn in by the beautiful cover and the premise. And to be honest, the premise of being left a property in the middle of the countryside, sounded like a wish come true to me, but maybe not with these happenings!

Firstly, there’s a map, which I always rave about as there are never enough maps in books in my opinion! And secondly, you can tell that Stig Abell is a massive lover of crime fiction and thrillers, in the way he has woven many names into the storyline, a real homage to the greats! Plus our main protagonist Jake Jackson is also a fan, I just loved this.

So Jake has been left this gorgeous if the rustic property in the middle of the English Countryside, so he quits his job and failing relationship and heads off to “find himself”. The way that Stig has written the description of Little Sky and its surroundings, is absolutely magical and captivating, the surroundings and setting came alive from the page really well. This is also a fantastic view into one man’s psyche and how he learns to cope with the isolation after years of living in the City. As someone who would blooming love to be living in the middle of nowhere with nature all around, I really became friends with Jake and found him very lovable!

The plot is a creepy, twister of a ride and I didn’t guess the outcome until right before it showed itself on the pages, which is always good. The characters and cast are written with exceptional aplomb and I found there were several laugh-out-loud moments! For a debut crime fiction novel, this is really amazing and totally up there with the best… think Jane Harper but set in the undulating hills of the green and lush English countryside.

A magnificent read and a huge 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars from me. I hope there will be another crime fiction novel, and indeed another Jake Jackson novel would be superb. Well done Stig!

Stig Abell loves detective novels above any other literature, films, plays or television. This is the first one he has actually written. Away from books, he presents the breakfast show on Times Radio, a station he helped to launch in 2020. Before that he was a regular presenter on Radio 4’s Front Row and was the editor and publisher of the Times Literary Supplement. At one time or another he has written for almost every newspaper in Britain, and one or two in America as well. He lives in London with his wife, three children and two independent-minded cats called Boo and Ninja (his children named them, obviously).

You can buy Death Under A Little Sky HERE

You can follow Stig Abell on TWITTER INSTAGRAM

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