The stunningly written, atmospheric new debut crime thriller you won’t want to miss!Winner of the 2024 CrimeFest Debut Crime Novel of the Year!
A detective ready for a new life
For years, Jake Jackson has been a high-flying detective in the city. One day he receives a letter from his reclusive uncle – he has left Jake his property in the middle of the countryside. It is the perfect opportunity for a fresh start.
A rural idyll the stuff of dreams
Life in the middle of nowhere is everything Jake could wish for. His home is beautiful and his surroundings are stunning. While the locals are eccentric, they are also friendly, and invite him to join their annual treasure hunt.
A death that disrupts everything
What starts as an innocent game turns sinister, 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.
Praise for Death Under a Little Sky‘Tense but patient, fast but thoughtful, and twisty but substantial – this is a truly excellent debut, and I want the next installment now’ Lee Child
‘I LOVED this. I found it totally immersive, and couldn’t wait to squeeze some time from my day to return to it. The writing is very classy and the conclusion came as a surprise, which is always a treat’ Ann Cleeves
‘Gloriously atmospheric and masterfully plotted with such a strong sense of place, this is a huge treat for crime fiction lovers. I can’t wait for the next instalment!’ Lucy Foley
‘Stylish…a more than promising debut’ The Times
‘Stylishly written by a skilled wordsmith, and an absorbing tale’ Sun
‘A vivid, atmospheric debut’ Daily Mail
‘A cosy crime read with an appealing protagonist’ Guardian
About the Author :
Stig Abell believes that discovering a crime fiction series to enjoy is one of the great pleasures in life. His first novel, Death Under A Little Sky, introduced Jake Jackson and his attempt to get away from his former life in the beautiful area around Little Sky, which was followed by his second and third novels, Death in a Lonely Place and The Burial Place. Away from books, he co-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. He lives in London with his wife, three children and two independent-minded cats called Boo and Ninja (his children named them, obviously).
Review :
‘Tense but patient, fast but thoughtful, and twisty but substantial – this is a truly excellent debut, and I want the next installment now’ Lee Child
‘I LOVED this. I found it totally immersive, and couldn’t wait to squeeze some time from my day to return to it. The writing is very classy and the conclusion came as a surprise, which is always a treat’ Ann Cleeves
‘Gloriously atmospheric and masterfully plotted with such a strong sense of place, this is a huge treat for crime fiction lovers. I can’t wait for the next instalment!’ Lucy Foley
‘Stylish…a more than promising debut’ The Times
‘Stylishly written by a skilled wordsmith, and an absorbing tale’ Sun
‘A vivid, atmospheric debut’ Daily Mail
‘A cosy crime read with an appealing protagonist’ Guardian
‘A pitch-perfect blend of psychological thriller and classic detective fiction, rich with smart plotting and characters so real we feel we know them’ Jeffery Deaver
‘Brilliant, gripping, fantastic … I can’t put it down’ Chris Evans
‘An atmospheric, often meditative, and beautifully written crime novel’ Vaseem Khan
‘An outstanding debut’ Jeffrey Archer
‘With his awkward but likeable hero, a compelling relationship between Jake and Livia, and the skillfully realized setting, Abell’s new career in crime fiction is off to a promising start’ Daily Mirror
‘A joyful dive into the detective genre…I was charmed and engrossed’ Observer
‘A tense and twisty crime thriller’ iPaper
‘A deep, searching novel, as preoccupied with human nature and ordinary evil as it is with detection’ A. J. Finn, author The Woman in the Window
‘A brilliant debut. Perfect to get lost with next to the fireside’ Dermot O’Leary
‘A truly clever, deeply unsettling and beautifully written mystery’ Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End
‘Mesmerizing prose…and a devilishly constructed plot’ PW starred review
