Enjoyed this intriguing thriller. Great writing and a plot that pulled me in and kept me engaged. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

I have liked this authors other work but this was a disappointing read.
I liked the setting of this book but I felt the storyline was lacking.
I found it difficult to bond with the characters

‘Four friends. One night. Not everyone will come out alive’ - cover tagline.

My thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Outside’ by Ragnar Jónasson. It was originally published in Iceland in 2021 and translated from the Icelandic by Victoria Cribb. My apologies for the late feedback.

This standalone thriller finds four friends, Ármann, Daniel, Helena, and Gunnlaugur, meeting up to spend a weekend shooting ptarmigan on the Icelandic moors. They set out from a hunting lodge though when the weather drastically changes, they are too far away to return.

Soon they find themselves in the midst of a snowstorm, miles from any assistance. As they could die in the cold it’s vital to find shelter. Ármann knows the area well and says there is a small refuge hut ‘not too far away’. They locate it and break in hoping to wait out the storm until morning. Yet they are not prepared for what is waiting inside. .. As the night passes, old secrets come to light and tensions rise between the four friends. No further details to avoid spoilers.

The narrative perspective moves between the four characters so readers learn what is going on with each of them. Obviously given the cover teaser, we know there is likely to be a death. Ragnar Jónasson is skilled in letting this play out against the backdrop of the raging storm. Brrr.

I am not certain whether a cold winter day was the ideal time to read a novel about an Icelandic snowstorm or the perils of being trapped outdoors and possibly frozen to death.

I have read a number of Ragnar Jónasson’s novels and admire how he reveals the motivations of his characters in a subtle way.

Overall, while I didn’t find ‘Outside’ his best novel, it proved an engaging work of Nordic Noir.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

A chilly mystery set in Iceland. I like the author but the narrative of the novel lacked pace and tension plus there was no chemistry between the characters.

I absolutely loved this. Having visited Iceland recently I also feel it was quite relatable. Told from 4 people’s point of view and with a tense and at times breath taking story this is one of the best books I’ve read in some time. Even better this writer has written lots more books which I’ll be purchasing and recommending to everyone!

This for me was the first time I have read a Scandi set thriller having previously enjoyed many televised thrillers in the thriller genre.
I was not disappointed with this read and really enjoyed the atmospheric chilly vibe I got as I snuggled up in the warm to enjoy it.
Although it was rather a short read it was fast paced and I enjoyed the short chapters which seemed to build the tension and atmosphere.
A great ending and a well thought out plot. I would read more by this author

Chilling, in every sense of the word. Ragnar Jonasson has set this book (like most of his others) in the dark and cold country of Iceland. He is one of the most skilled writers of Scandi-Noir there is.

This is a simple story about a group of four friends who decide to go on a shooting holiday together. When a blizzard arrives they are forced to shelter in a hut, but they are shocked to discover something rather disturbing already inside. The short chapters are from the perspective of each of the friends in turn, how they view the situations differently, how they reflect on their own lives and ultimately how they interact with each other. Flicking from one character to another keeps up the traction and the reader on edge.

​A story about friendship, trust, fear and survival, this book is claustrophobic and bleak. A fast read, in part because it is a tad short with short chapters, but also because this strategy of each chapter directly following on from the last with a different viewpoint - draws the tale on. Something to read on cold dark winter nights. If you can, that is.

A quick read, Outside brings you to the harsh Icelandic winter, where the cold can be as lethal as some friends...

I really like the premise of the book, however the execution fell a bit short for me. A lot of repetition, the characters were not very likeable and relatable, I was expecting a bit more.

That said, if you are looking for a quick wintery thriller, look no further.

Thank you Netgallery for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Outside, a standalone mystery from Ragnar Jónasson, is an odd one. The king of the Icelandic locked door gives us a stand-off in a shelter in a storm, miles from anywhere. So far, so straightforward. (Though we’ll find that the door is most certainly unlocked.) Outside tells the tale of a hunting trip that’s gone wrong for four old friends. Let’s call it the worst reunion trip ever. There is loathing and irritation and that’s before we even set off. One of them makes a drunken pass at the other and the atmosphere is as icy as the weather.
The problem with reunions is that there may be a festering issue from the past that causes an undercurrent. There are so many undercurrents in this one that it’s a miracle the little hut they’re sheltering in hasn’t been swept away. And that’s before we meet the mystery man who has a gun but no words to explain his presence. Helena can’t forget the now deceased love of her life, Víkungur. We begin to suspect that he is an unseen character in all this. Daníel, the actor who left Iceland to make it big in the UK, is good at playing the entirely fictitious role of an actor who actually did make it big, unlike Daníel. What he cannot play is the role of hero. Gunnlaugur is a mess of a man. Ármann got into trouble as a young man but is now self-made and successful.
They’re all awful and they don’t like each other, but Jónasson gives each of them point-of-view chapters so they get a chance to make their case to us at least. (In terms of their likeability, it doesn’t help.)
In the hands of a less-skilled storyteller, the premise is somewhat slight to fill a novel - but the film rights have been sold so I obviously know nothing. There are only so many ways that you can fit the various permutations, given five characters plus Víkungur.
But there’s a magnetism to it all that stops us from pulling away. Jónasson gives us a sense of slow menace that drips through the pages, but with moments of high action to keep us hooked. We may not like the characters but boy do we want to know who survives and how. Maybe we assume it will end badly, and we want to be there wagging our fingers at the survivors, maybe it’s because Jónasson never really gives us permission to put the book down, but we readers are right there to the bitter end.

Outside is an unpredictable, atmospheric thriller with a gripping plot and claustrophobic setting. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out Outside today.

A fascinating thriller with a gripping plot, and with secrets that make you shiver as much as the dark and cold of the 'outside'. A great atmospheric read.

Having read almost all Ragnar’s books (I’m one book behind), I knew I’ll enjoy the Outside.

The author knows how to create the chilling, atmospheric and claustrophobic setting. I love Iceland in the winter and I’m going back there this November. I’m sure that the book will come to mind when walking in the snowy middle of nowhere.

The story is interesting, four friends meet for a shooting trip, get stuck in a hut with a stranger who’s acting weird. Lots of secrets are revealed and their relationship is definitely not what it seems at first…

Enjoyable and entertaining, I can definitely recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Am a fan of Ragnar and the Icelandic settings of these books which really add to the atmosphere. I really enjoyed this, with a claustrophobic setting adding to the tension and plenty of twists to hold my attention.

I thank NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for providing me an ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.
I read one of Ragnar Jónasson’s novels some time ago (The Darkness, the first in his Hidden Iceland series), and I really enjoyed the novel, although I hadn’t managed to catch up with any of his other books yet (although I am sure I have some others on my list).
When I came across this one, I decided it was time to try another one of his novels, although people seemed a bit more divided on their opinions about it. And it is not difficult to see why that should be the case. I also thought that a book set in Iceland in the middle of a snowstorm would be the perfect read to combat the current heatwave. One thing is for sure, the story and its protagonists are quite chilling.
As it clearly states in the description, this is a stand-alone novel and not a part of a series, so readers don’t need to be worried if they haven’t read anything by the author. Nordic thrillers have become almost a genre in their own right, and this novel fits into the category perfectly.
It also fits into a group of books that are reminiscent of the locked room or isolated location mysteries, but with some twists. Now, instead of an impossible mystery (or in addition to it), we have a house or some other location (a mountain refuge in this case) where a group of people ends up trapped, for one reason or another, and although things appear pretty harmless and even nice at first, the situation starts deteriorating soon enough, the relationship between the characters (when there is one) starts to unravel, and secrets and lies surface with dire consequences. Lucy Foley’s The Hunting Party is a popular example that I was reminded of when I read this novel, although not the only one.
We have four friends who’ve gone on a hunting trip in the Icelandic highlands, three men and one woman, and they are as different as you can imagine: one is an actor living in the UK, with a girlfriend 15 years his junior, his best friend is a lawyer and a recovering alcoholic who has been dry for a couple of years now, the woman is still grieving the loss of the love of her life in pretty tragic circumstances, and the man who organised the trip, who know owns a tour company, has a bit of a dark past, and got into a fair amount of trouble in Denmark.
As seems to be the norm, the characters are not particularly likeable, and because the story is told (in the third person) alternatively from the point of view of the four friends, we get to know how their minds work and some (not all) of their secrets. The author is good at plotting and at creating psychologically realistic characters, and he knows what to show and what to hide in order to keep the intrigue going, as there are things that are very important to the plot, and we don’t get to know until very close to the end. But well... It’s the nature of the beast.
Of course, there are hidden reasons behind the trip and the bizarre things that start happening, although not everything is part of the plan. There are some red herrings as well, that might rise the readers’ suspicions and they work well, especially considering there are very few characters and it is difficult to keep the tension going, but the author manages to do that pretty well.
What I most liked about the story is the setting and the way the author uses Iceland and the specific location and the weather conditions to add to the tense atmosphere. I also appreciated the way the story is told and the skill the author has in revealing and hiding some pieces of information to make the story work. It is a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. It is easy to put some pieces together, but the whole picture reveals new and unexpected things. The chapters are short and the story progresses at a good pace, even when there is not much actual movement. I also enjoyed the way we get to know how the characters think, and we can almost see their brains ticking while trying to save themselves and make the right decision, whatever the price. The situations are so extreme that it is impossible not to wonder what we would in those circumstances, but, on the other hand, the characters have such particular baggage that it is unlikely we would feel exactly the same as they and be compelled to do some of the things they do.
The characters have very few redeeming features, if any, although I won’t go into any detail to avoid possible spoilers. Readers who need to connect with the characters or have, at least, someone to root for, will find it a bit difficult here, but the plot and the reasons behind what happens are likely to keep most people sufficiently intrigued to keep going. I have said before that I don’t mind unlikeable characters as protagonists, and although I wouldn’t like to call any of the people in this book my friends, I was quite keen on reading about them and trying to guess what would happen next.
The ending worked for me. There is a not of disquiet that I feel suits the genre pretty well, but people who like neatly tied and wrapped stories where the world is put to rights, will not share my opinion.
I’d recommend this novel to people who enjoy Nordic thrillers, especially those with few protagonists and who prefer stand-alone stories. I enjoyed The Darkness much more, as it is a more complex book, not so driven by the plot, but I am sure this won’t be the last of Jónasson’s novels I’ll read.

Having read and enjoyed all of Ragnar’s previous books, I was definitely looking forward to this latest offering. Outside is a locked room thriller, except it’s in a hut in the middle of the Icelandic landscape with a snowstorm blowing. It was an interesting story, with divisive characters. Not my favourite off his, but an enjoyable crime read all the same. 3.5 rounded up.

I really loved the premise of this one from Ragnar Jonasson , and overall I enjoyed the slow intensity of the build up to this sinister night, which held more than one surprise. The suffocating tension between the four- I use the word friends advisedly- is slowly ramped up, leading to an air of suspicion and accusatory barbs, that threaten the albeit fragile harmony that had previously underscored the trip. The depiction of the extremely inhospitable weather, and the hold it has on the physical escape of the characters is well done, adding another layer of tension. Sadly, I experienced a distinct feeling of disappointment at the ending of the book, which had been so full of suspense and movie style fright night delights up until this point. Maybe it was just me, but a good read that did slightly let me down…

I’ve read a number of Ragnar Jónasson books and love the cold Iceland setting and the claustrophobic atmosphere that he creates.
Four friends (Armann, Daniel, Helena, and Gunnlauger) meet up for a weekends hunting trip but they get caught out by a blizzard and look for a hunting lodge to take shelter until the storm passes. When they enter the hunting lodge they’re not prepared for what’s inside.
The story moves along at a good pace with insights from each of the characters and there is much tension between the friends as we learn of past events.
I found the book a gripping read and would recommend, however I didn’t feel the ending was as satisfying as previous books by this author that I have read.

Outside piqued my interest for its devastating atmosphere. Iceland has always intrigued me, with its brutal and raw landscape and its beautiful but deadly mountainscapes it’s the perfect backdrop for a survival thriller. It’s a place I have longed to visit to photograph the Northern Lights in all their glory, so I enjoy reading about the country and its heart-breaking imagery. Ragnar Jónasson is a new author to me, and I look forward to discovering more of his stories.

Four friends head out to the Icelandic Highlands for a weekend’s hunting trip. It’s a reunion of sorts, with the friends not having been together as a foursome for quite some time. Some shooting, a little alcohol (for some), and good conversation are on the agenda. The hike is gruelling and when they finally reach the lodge there is a problem – it’s locked, and the keys are in a box, and they don’t know the code. The weather is closing in, and they must decide fast – break a window and most definitely spend the night exposed to the harsh conditions or wrestle the key safe open. There’s only one choice considering they have no sleeping bags to keep them warm.

Outside is a quick read and the pace ticks away like a bomb threatening to explode. I was instantly engrossed and found myself getting through the story rather quickly.

Four college friends – Armann, Daniel, Helena, and Gunnlauger now have a deadly snowstorm enclosing them in BUT, there is a far larger threat in the cabin with them. The story is told in multi-POV, and the reader is given insight into how each is feeling about the other. Armann is a highly successful tour operator, taking clients into the Icelandic Highlands and showing them the magnificent sights. He’s brash and arrogant with it, detailing his success with no amount of modesty. He has a chequered past though and no one has forgotten about it.

Daniel now permanently stays in London as a successful struggling actor. He has a girlfriend who he is determined to make a go of things with but if he was to admit the truth to himself, he was hesitant to come on this weekend. Things have moved on and he’d forgotten just how desolate the highlands are.

Helena has had her fair share of loss, her partner died recently, and she has struggled to come to terms with living life without him. Unfortunately, she just wasn’t a character I could relate to, and I found her mannerisms very brash and rude.

Gunnlauger is a practicing lawyer. I’m going, to be honest and describe him as a bit of a wet blanket. He’s also a dark horse that seems to struggle to contain his dark side. Past events are catching up to him…and why does that bottle of alcohol seem to be calling his name?

Outside was a quick and enjoyable read with the atmosphere meeting the tension in a battle to the death.

Four friends on a hunting trip in the wilds of Iceland are caught out in a snow storm and seek the only shelter that they can find. However when they get into the isolated hut they are confronted by a silent man pointing a gun at them. Scared and cold they have to decide what to do. However all hold secrets that will decide the outcome.
I have loved Jonasson's books in the past, there is nothing like a bleak Scandi-noir read at times. the problem is that this book is nothing like the previous ones. It starts with a great premise but swiftly peters into confusing farce. There are huge holes in the plot which make it scarcely believable at times.

Having never previously read Ragnar Jonasson's books, this one looked great. It has been translated from Icelandic to English. This is a highly unsettling and chilling mystery set in Iceland's eastern highlands.

Four university friends, Armann, Gunnlauger, Daniel and Helena, reunite for a hunting trip, looking for Ptarmigan. Unfortunately, the weather takes a turn for the worst, and they get caught in a deadly snow blizzard and have to find shelter in a remote hut. Inside they make a terrifying discovery. The story unfolds from here with secrets emerging, tensions escalating, and the four friends begin to unravel with their increasing anxiety and paranoia. While this only covers one night, it's a very long night indeed!

Janasson does a brilliant job of creating a feeling of claustrophobia, and a disconcerting atmosphere as the friends are cut off from the outside world and just have to deal with their situation until morning comes and the storm hopefully clears.

I found the pacing of this book quite varied; some parts flew by while others seemed to drag a little. However, there are elements of terror which are particularly well portrayed, especially when it comes to Gunnlauger.

The characters are reasonably well developed, and from the beginning, we see that they don't have a straightforward friendship; instead, there is a global dislike of Gunnlauger and plenty of secrets. However, aside from Armann, I am unsure if they really want to be there. None of them appears to even enjoy hunting if they have ever tried it before, so it is a bit of a mystery as to why they are even there. They are all flawed characters, and the bone-chilling cold alongside the terrifying situation brings out the worst in them all.

I didn't enjoy the ending too much. I found it too inconclusive for my liking; there was too much ambiguity with hints of future repercussions.

Overall, it was a gripping story full of a mixture of emotions that you imagine yourself in a similar situation feeling. The stress and feelings of terror are palpable, possibly better than I have read elsewhere before, but unfortunately, it wasn't a complete boom for me.