The Burial Place by Stig Abell
| The Burial Place by Stig Abell | |
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| Category: Crime | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: The third book in the Jake Jackson series delivers a good story - and some brilliant descriptions of nature. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 368 | Date: March 2025 |
| Publisher: Hemlock Press | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0008643669 | |
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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.
For another book which delivers exceptional nature writing, try The Wolf by Joseph Smith.
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