Outside by Ragnar Jónasson
With three million copies of his books sold worldwide, "world-class crime writer" (The Sunday Times, UK) Ragnar Jónasson brings us a chilling new standalone thriller with Outside. Four friends. One night. Not everyone will come out alive. When a deadly snowstorm strikes the Icelandic highlands, four friends seek shelter in a small, abandoned hunting lodge. It is in the middle of nowhere and there's no way of communicating with the outside world. They are isolated, but they are not alone. As the night darkens, and fears intensify, an old tragedy gradually surfaces - one that forever changed the course of their friendship. Those dark memories could hold the key to the mystery the friends now find themselves in.
- Author - Ragnar Jónasson
- Publisher - St. Martin's Publishing Group
- Publication Date - 06-28-2022
- Page Count - 352
- Hardcover
- Adult
- Mystery and Thriller
- Product Dimensions - 6.2 W x 9.2 H x 1.4 D
- ISBN - 9781250833457
Web ID: 14601586
Chilling Winter Book
This was a suspenseful book where friends are trapped in a blizzard and nothing is what it seems. It's a great book to read while being stuck inside during the winter. It's a quick read, sort of like a snowy beach read.
Unreliable weather, unreliable friends
Hunting trips into Eastern Regions of Iceland can bring about calamities of all sorts. The rugged terrain, as one character puts it, is “…a reindeer-haunted wilderness of mountains and moors…with hardy farmers, fishermen and hunters”. Hidden and unexpected perils can thwart the best of plans of even the most seasoned outdoors-people. When the trek includes “friends” who carry secrets and grudges, tensions can rise as the temperature drops, making you wonder who—or what—is really being hunted. In Ragnar Jonasson’s latest book, the Icelandic winter is as cruel and unpredictable as ever. For our foursome, this means an unexpected winter storm brings high winds, low temperatures, and a blizzard. Only two of the expeditioners have any experience with the terrain. As Armann--the leader of the hunt--says, “I’m in my element here.” The others—Helena, Daniel, and Gunnlaugur—must trust him once they get lost in the whiteout. However, each one of them may have reasons to be dubious as they are finally led to a small shack in this unforgiving terrain. Claustrophobic situations can be found on almost every page of this thrilling novel. First, you have the type that comes from bodies in too close proximity exasperated by the storm. Even as they hike through the vast back country, they are insular. They must stay close in order to survive. Second, once they reach the hut, it is tiny and cold: a confining cell not meant for four adults. Third, there is the group dynamic that breeds a pervasive and oppressive tension that cannot be escaped. Fourth—and last—there are their thoughts that they cannot avoid or share. They wrap the characters in paranoia and fear. To say I liked this book is an understatement. I am a big fan of Nordic stories and writers. There is a sparseness to the prose that allows me to be swallowed up; to be immersed in the white areas between the words. I can experience what the author has not said, and become enmeshed with the characters. If you like your psychological books to simmer on low, twist, and turn the characters inside-out, this book is for you. I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to read and review this outstanding novel.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Horrifying situation in a remote cabin in Iceland
A happy reunion of old friends hiking in the highlands of Iceland in the winter….or NOT. They started out for a leisurely day of bird hunting, but ended up in a horrifying situation. What they discovered in that isolated cabin where they became stranded was shocking and terrifying. Not everyone would return, and those who did were never the same. Don’t start this book if you only have a short time. I read it all in one sitting, on the edge of my chair. I couldn’t put it down. It’s a fast and gripping read with an astonishing ending.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Atmospheric Chiller
First, let me state the obvious. Ragnar Jonasson is the modern master of the atmospheric chiller. Outside reaffirms that. The icy tendrils of shared secrets envelope the characters in the latest instant classic from Jonasson. If revenge is indeed a dish best served cold, what better setting than winter in Iceland? Yes, as with his other books, it is deftly paced. It is a riveting read that proves to be a truly terrific thriller. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the advance reading copy! #Outside #NetGalley
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Icelandic Story
Four friends set out for a hunting trip in Iceland, most of them didn’t really want to go, especially after a night of drinking. As they begin their trek and search for ptarmigan, a storm blows in quickly, forcing them to seek shelter at an emergency hut. They are forced to break in since the door is locked. What they find inside is chilling! We get the viewpoints from each of the characters as the story goes along but motivations are never explained. The setting is very atmospheric, but I just didn’t connect with the characters in this one. There are a few surprises in this one, but it wasn’t enough to save the book for me. The ending was quite abrupt, and I thought there would be some resolution. I usually quite enjoy books set in this part of the world, so I will still read future books by this author.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Stormy Reunion
A reunion of four old friends, Daniel, Armann, Helena and Gunnlaugur, brings them to the remote highlands of Iceland to hunt ptarmigan when a brutal and unexpected winter storm hits. 'It is mind-numbing cold,' Daniel thinks, as he plods along the moor in white-out conditions. They are lucky to find shelter in an old hut but somehow, it's even more menacing inside it than at the mercy of Mother Nature. This is a character-driven novel. The story is told by the four friends in alternating chapters. Through these we learn what secrets each person is trying to keep hidden and what makes them tick. 'All it took was a bit of pressure or a crisis of some sort to bring out the worst in people and expose them for what they were,' Helena thinks. Has someone planned more than just a friendly reunion this weekend? I could really see this as a screen play--four old friends peeling through the layers of secrecy that have been destroying them. For me, it was a quick read; I really wanted to find out what was going on. I received an arc of this new Icelander thriller from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own. Since it's 90F here today, I didn't mind reading a story set during a blizzard. :-)
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Revenge story with an abrupt ending
What do you get when you mix old friends with grudges and a winter trek in the wild Icelandic highlands? You get a rather convoluted revenge story with an abrupt ending. This thriller kept me entertained on a long flight. I had started reading it and then switched to the audiobook for the flight. There were four narrators, one for each of the four friends, which made listening quite enjoyable: Carla Harrison-Hodge, Gil Sullivan, Jamie Maclachlan, and Reice Weathers. This was a strange foursome, with one male apparently not really liked by the other three, so why was he invited? (You do find out eventually.) I really disliked all of them by the end of the book. This was my first book by Icelandic author Ragnar Jonasson and, based solely on this book, I’m not sure I’d run to read another book by this author. I must say that the descriptions of the locale and the weather were terrific. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Good Psychological Thriller
Review of Outside by Ragnar Jonasson My thanks to Minotaur Books for the Uncorrected Digital Galley of this book. I have a thing for Icelandic and Norwegian crime fiction novels, so I was happy to be offered Outside. I would classify this novel more a psychological thriller than murder mystery. There are certainly murders involved, but the background and emotions surrounding these murders are what held my interest throughout. Jonasson does a great job of the slow build. The story begins with a group of friends (Armann, Helena, Daniel, and Gunnlaugur) setting out on a ptarmigan-hunting expedition in the remote Iceland countryside in the wintertime. What were they thinking? Of course, the weather turns ugly, and the situation for everyone becomes dire. Slowly, Jonasson gives the reader small clues that there is something else going on with not only this hunt but with the entire setup of the expedition. The group makes their way to a small hunting cabin for protection from the storm. Inside is a stranger. The stranger is armed with a rifle and silently sitting in the corner of the cabin. The stranger never says a word. Spooky, indeed. Things go badly, but my lips are frozen shut. ;-) The story includes memories of another friend’s death (Vikingur…Helena’s partner and Daniel’s best friend). These memories become more and more important as the story unfolds.The memories are worked in nicely and unobtrusively. The reader finally realizes that this expedition is all about avenging Vikingur’s death. I enjoyed this book until the very end. Suddenly, it was over. After the slow build, the end was rushed. I am not sure what I expected at the end, but it seemed abrupt and lacking something. I wanted more. Maybe there will be a follow-up book from Jonasson. Jonasson has eight other novels. I am off to seek and find. Star rating: 3.5 - 4 stars (due to the abrupt ending)
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com