Jake Jackson Series: Book 3
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
Former London detective Jake Jackson finds his new life in the country threatened when an old case from the past buried deep within an archeological dig site resurfaces in this beautifully written and deeply immersive mystery that will challenge your deductive skills.
A beautiful landscape . . .
It began as the project of a lifetime—a group of archaeologists, uncovering the remains of a Roman settlement on a picturesque hill in the glorious English countryside.
A looming threat . . .
But, the idyll is shattered when they begin receiving threatening letters. Former city detective Jake Jackson, now enjoying a quieter life in the local village, is pulled in to investigate.
A killer closing in . . .
Soon, threatening letters are the least of their problems, when a murderer strikes. Now, the race is on for Jake to find the mysterious culprit, before they kill again . . .
An archaeological dig site plagued by threatening letters turns to murder in The Burial Place by Stig Abell.
Former Detective Jake Jackson is loving his life in the English countryside. Looking to start a family with his girlfriend, Livia, Jake is excited for this new chapter in his life. Hearing about an archaeological dig in the hills of the town, Jake and his family visit to see their progress. But when he arrives, the dig team shares some threatening letters they have been receiving. Promising to keep an eye on the place and see who could be sending these letters, Jake visits often to keep the peace. However, this peace is shattered when a member of the dig team meets an unfortunate “accident.” Jake must work with the new town Chief of Police to identify who is sending these letters and who is attacking the dig team before more bodies are found.
This was my first time reading “A Jake Jackson Mystery.” I enjoyed the quiet country life that Abell is able to paint very vividly. The characters were very inviting, and each one was unique. I thought the mystery was intriguing and kept me guessing pretty well throughout. I struggled at times with just how descriptive the writing could be, however. Often, descriptions of Jake’s nearly daily swims are noted in great detail, as well as scenery and descriptions of people. While it does add a layer to the story by helping to paint these pictures, it at times became overwhelming, leaving me to often skim the descriptive sections of the book for more meaty dialogue.
The Burial Place is a fun mystery that puts you directly in the idyllic English Countryside.
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, followed by Death in a Lonely Place and The Burial Place. Stig is absolutely delighted that there are more on the way. 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. He lives in London with his wife, three children and two independent-minded cats called Boo and Ninja (his children named them, obviously).
