Has a claustrophobic feel, a sense of unease prevails. While these characters are not particularly likable, they do serve to draw one into the story. The writing is stark and fits and adds to the feel of constant danger. While I didn't like this as much as this authors series novels, it was still an appealing read if one is a fan of Nordic noir.

I love this book takes place in Iceland! The idea of getting caught in a horrible snowstorm with friends looking for shelter is terrifying.

Outside tells a story of four old friends (really it appears only three of them are REALLY friends at this point) who are getting together in Iceland to hunt in winter off in an isolated area. One of the four is a tour guide and takes charge of the adventure. One is a woman. We learn early her boyfriend dies sometime ago and that she has never gotten over this. He was part of the group. One is a lawyer who is rather odd and unlikeable. And one is our narrator much of the time, but not all the time. While it is hard to discuss the story without spoilers, there are obvious tensions within the group. The lawyer had engaged in very improper behavior known to all and he has a crush on the woman. They are not a cohesive group. We see each one's perspective as the story evolves and have to question what we really know about any of them. This has tense moments, and gallops along to a surprise conclusion, but it was largely boring, morose and a disappointment, as I often read Jonasson and like his work.

Not as enjoyable as Johansson's Island trilogy but a creepy, atmospheric Islandoc Noir book. I liked the closed room setting and small cast of characters 👏🏼

I do not like giving poor reviews but there just isn’t much I can recommend about this book. It’s short and fast paced, so it has that in its favor. Four “friends” go on a hunting trip in a remote part of Iceland. The book shifts POVs constantly, and it quickly is clear that there is a lot of hatred between these people. And, they are all unsympathetic, icky characters. With no one to root for, the whole experience of reading the book just comes down to figuring out the mystery. I will say I did not figure it out, but that’s really just because it wasn’t very compelling or well done. The book just sort of ends after a few hasty reveals. I actually wondered if I got an unfinished ARC. I just did not like this. Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Entertaining and quick, this is a recommended purchase for collections where thrillers and Nordic noir are popular.

An interesting setup and a surprising ending make this a real page-turner. With four different voices, it was never clear who the real villain was. Though, truthfully, I didn’t like any of them. It wasn’t clear until the end what the real mystery was, and the book came together a little too quickly.

A master of claustrophobic reads!
No other author could keep me turning pages despite not knowing what was happening, a ton about the plot and going in cold - figurative and literary wise. The premise revolves around 4 friends who go on a hunting trip I a remote and isolated part of Iceland. But not all 4 come back. The nuances were subtle and readers had to find their bearings in the dark and cold much like the characters. Some might not find this book their cup of tea but I loved it.

@netgalley ⒶⓇⒸ ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ

Thank you @netgalley & for gifting me the E-ARC of “Outside” for an unbiased review.

𝑶𝒖𝒕𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆
𝙱𝚢: Ragnar Jónasson
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Mystery, Thriller
𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚛: @minotaurbooks
𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝙾𝚗: June 28th 2022
@𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚜 𝚂𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚎: 3.09
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚎: ❄️❄️ / 5 Snowflakes

ⓈⓎⓃⓄⓅⓈⒾⓈ

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.

𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 . . .

ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ

Sounds like a pretty good synopsis, right?

This book was my first by this author and sadly I was disappointed. There was a lot of build up at the beginning but as I kept reading, I realized that nothing dramatic was happening.

This book is showcased as a murder mystery but it also is about revenge. While reading along the only positive things were the short chapters, multiple POV’s and the translation was okay. I didn’t like any of the characters & couldn’t connect with them.

When the revealing of the plot of the story came to be I had one of those moments where I was like "That’s it?" The explanations given were a little mediocre, no real closure at the end either, it just sort of ended and that was that. All in all, it was very "meh" story.

@netgalley ⒶⓇⒸ ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ

Thank you @netgalley & for gifting me the E-ARC of “Outside” for an unbiased review.

𝑶𝒖𝒕𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆
𝙱𝚢: Ragnar Jónasson
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Mystery, Thriller
𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚛: @minotaurbooks
𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝙾𝚗: June 28th 2022
@𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚜 𝚂𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚎: 3.09
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚎: ❄️❄️ / 5 Snowflakes

ⓈⓎⓃⓄⓅⓈⒾⓈ

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.

𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 . . .

ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ

Sounds like a pretty good synopsis, right?

This book was my first by this author and sadly I was disappointed. There was a lot of build up at the beginning but as I kept reading, I realized that nothing dramatic was happening.

This book is showcased as a murder mystery but it also is about revenge. While reading along the only positive things were the short chapters, multiple POV’s and the translation was okay. I didn’t like any of the characters & couldn’t connect with them.

When the revealing of the plot of the story came to be I had one of those moments where I was like "That’s it?" The explanations given were a little mediocre, no real closure at the end either, it just sort of ended and that was that. All in all, it was very "meh" story.

A pretty good atmospheric thriller. 4 former college friends going on a hike in the cold Icelandic wilderness. When the weather turns, they escape to a hiking hut and discover they are not alone. The other person in the hut is not really the main mystery/thriller. Turns out the former friends have a lot of secrets and grudges they are harboring against each other. Only three stars because it ended so abruptly and without any satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to Netgalley, Minotaur books and Ragnar Jonasson for this ARC. This was such an interesting book, I have been to Iceland so I could picture these characters and scenes in my head… I thought this book was very realistic at first, 4 friends on an adventurous weekend, but I then realized later in the book, it was not an ordinary adventure.. loved it! The mystery involved throughout was one I never saw coming and so many mysteries really. I read Icelandic authors and this author is now by far my favorite.. a great book club discussion book as well…can’t wait to read more by this author. 5 stars
Reviews seen on Amazon, Twitter, Goodreads, on line book clubs ..

Outside by Ragnar Jonasson

When a deadly snowstorm strikes the. Islandic Islands, four friends seek shelter in a small,abandoned hunting lodge..

This wasn’t the best book I have read. It seemed to be more of a journal than a novel. Slow-moving, repetitive.

The quality of "Outside" is only apparent in retrospect. The story focuses on four college "friends" getting together for a reunion weekend and going ptarmigan hunting in the remote highlands of Iceland in the winter. They get caught in an unexpected blizzard and take shelter in a refuge hut, which is already occupied by a stranger with a gun who does not say anything and hardly moves, frightening the four friends. The trip itself is somewhat strange, as several of the group members are not hunters or really outdoors persons, and as one individual (Gunnlaugur) is not really liked by two of the members (Armann and Helena) and is tolerated by the final member (Daniel) mostly because they have known each other since they were little boys. The presence of the silent stranger is weird and makes no real sense until near the end of the story. The four friends have significant secrets and notable fears and insecurities, which will come to light during this tragic weekend; some of the secrets are not as secret as the subject individual believes. For most of the book, the story is average at best. It is not until the end, when the revenge plot and machinations involved in that plot are revealed, that the book becomes notable.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ragnar Jonassen and St Martin's Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn’t at all what I expected, but man was it action packed. I didn’t know which character I disliked more but I kept reading to see what kind of shit they would get up to next. I didn’t like the cliff hanger ending and I kind of hope for the revenge the comes. I love a locked in mystery and the snowy landscape.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. This was not a good or even have decent read for me. This was not even a me and not you situation. The book was just slow and not even worth the read. The characters were not flushed out or even a bit likeable. It may have been what they wanted but the book was. just very dry. The ending was not even worth the read. I think the focus was too much on the title of the book then the content.

This Icelandic mystery has a strong vein of horror running through it.

Four friends (whose back stories are slowly revealed to readers) embark on a reunion camping trip, hunting ptarmigan in the Icelandic highlands. Not all of them return.

As we wonder how this could possibly end, we start to realize that nothing is what it seems on the surface - and that it's all about ... the perfect murder.

Ragnar Jonasson is back with another suspense filled story set in the eastern expanse of Iceland. Four college friends are having a weekend of ptarmigan hunting in the remote eastern highlands of Iceland. As their first day is underway, an unexpected snowstorm begins and grows into a blizzard as they seek the shelter of a lodge that one of the group knows. As they trudge through the snow and blizzard winds, we hear from each person’s view about the decision to come on this trip, feelings about the others, worries about problems in their own lives. Each short chapter is from one character’s point of view.

When they finally reach the lodge, which turns out to be more of a hut, they are frozen and exhausted but at least it will save them from the wind. That is until they enter. And then wonder if outside would be better. From there, conditions, behaviors and relationships corrode and deteriorate. Secrets and lies are at the core.

Jonasson is expert at creating physical and emotional atmospheres and here he has oppressive, frightening, challenging, and potentially deadly conditions for his characters to deal with. The suspense builds up relentlessly for about 90% of the book when it suddenly seemed to evaporate like a leaking balloon in the end.

My rating is 3.5 rounded to 3. In spite of the very suspenseful story and build up, the totality was let down by the ending. All those who enjoy Jonasson’s novels will enjoy his usual atmospheric writing and suspense.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How far would you go for revenge?

Let me start by saying that it is a very interesting read, and I was really entertained by this suspenseful novel. It is a slow-paced, gripping story, with short chapters that shuffle through each of the characters points of view, and a chilling plot twist. However, it ended so abruptly for me, that I had not noticed the story had ended. To top it all off, it did not included an epilogue. So it left me with mixed emotions. (I did read an ARC of this novel so maybe the final published draft did include one)

Other than that, the concept of the story itself is good. The author really knows how to draw you in with the mystery.

Four old friends meet for a reunion. Ármann, a former guide who now owns and operates his own tour company, has organized the gathering, suggesting at the last minute that the group embark on a ptarmigan hunt in the remote Iceland highlands across the country from Reykjavik. The plan is to go to an isolated location and disconnect from everything -- except each other -- for a bit. Daniel grew up in Iceland, but has spent some years living in England, studying acting and then trying to establish himself in the theater. Unfortunately, although he believes his friends think he has hit "the big time," he survives by waiting tables. But he's definitely not fooling all of them. He does not know how to shoot, but agrees to participate in the hunt and let Ármann teach him. Helena is an engineer working for a start-up company and Gunnlaugur is a lawyer.

They set out in the morning with only provisions for the day, not even taking sleeping bags with them. The weather quickly grows ominous. Soon they find themselves attempting to navigate a full-fledged blizzard, walking single file through the "whirling whiteness" that leaves them in darkness. Because of his expertise as a guide, the others find themselves with no option but to trust Ármann to lead them to safety. They must keep moving to avoid freezing to death. Ármann claims he knows of an old hut, one of the emergency refuges that are scattered on the highlands, where they can take shelter and wait out the storm, so they trudge along single-file. Daniel brings up the rear, behind Helena, cold and struggling to keep up with the others. It does not help that he is severely hung over because whenever the friends meet up there seems to be an exorbitant amount of alcohol involved. And the prior night was no exception.

At last, they reach the hut, but the door is locked, they are miles from the nearest house, and their cell phones are useless because there is no signal. Ármann manages to break open the key box with his gun, extract the key, and gain access to the hut. Daniel senses "an indefinable smell of danger in the air, among the thickly falling flakes, but he can't work out where it had come from." As soon as they open the door, Daniel's fear is confirmed. There is a man sitting in the corner of the hut, holding a shotgun. He remains seated, staring at the group, his eyes wide open and unspeaking. He does not react or respond to the group's arrival. "Perhaps the eeriest aspect of it all was the stranger's stillness. He was almost like a living corpse, only his open eyes revealing that he was fully conscious and watching them." He is a terrifying presence.

As the storm continues to rage outside, the four friends begin quietly discussing how best to approach the situation. Who is the man in the hut? Why is he just sitting there staring at them? Is he in a state of shock as a result of some sort of trauma? Is he dangerous? Do they dare occupy the hut along with him? Do they really have a choice, considering the severity of the storm?

To tell the tale, author Ragnar Jónasson employs third-person narratives set forth in short, crisply drafted rotating chapters, each of which is focused on one of his four characters. He presents their backstories and explains the characters' relationships, revealing the ways in which their lives have been intertwined for years. Notably, Daniel was surprised to learn that Gunnlauger would be joining them for the reunion because in recent years, he, Helena, and Ármann have tacitly agreed not to invite him due to his "darker, more difficult side" that has been revealed with time.

Gunnlauger, however, considers the other three his best friends. He works for a medium-sized law firm in Reykjavik and has given up on the hope of keeping pace with his colleagues. He failed his medical exams twice so his father insisted that he attend law school, but he has no passion or flair for the law. He also has been unable to maintain a relationship with a woman for more than a few weeks, and has long "had a thing for" Helena. He is well aware that she does not feel the same way about him and, in fact, mercilessly teases him about his love life. The night before they head out on the hunt, he has his first drink in two years, which takes Helena aback because his troubles with alcohol are well-known. Gunnlauger has been receiving ominous letters from an anonymous sender and suspects they may be coming from one of his three friends.

The night before they head out, Helena has "a feeling of disquiet" and dreams of Vikingur, their friend who died "cold, exhausted, abandoned and alone" five years ago. She still misses him terribly, and is haunted by her belief that he suffered before he died of hypothermia under suspicious circumstances.

Ármann boasts about his success, which Daniel chalks up to an inferiority complex and Gunnlauger resents, secretly hoping that Ármann's business will fail and they will find themselves on more equal footing. Ármann was not a good student, and after graduation got involved in selling drugs but he got himself sorted out and now operates a thriving business. Helena has always looked out for and taken care of him. These days, he seems to be married to his job after a long relationship ended.

Eventually, they decide that Ármann and Gunnlauger will remain in the hut while Daniel and Helena head south to another hut that is equipped with a radio they can use to summon help. Ármann estimates that, given the weather conditions, they should be able to hike there and back in about an hour. Ármann tells them to leave their guns, and Daniel has "a horrible premonition that there is something out there in the darkness . . . more dangerous than anything his imagination could conjure up . . . " He is convinced he is "heading to his certain death." Nonetheless, he and Helena strike out on their own, leaving Ármann and Gunnlauger with the mysterious man.

Outside is an entertaining and imaginatively-conceived story about betrayal and retribution. He places his characters in an extremely dangerous geographic location and proceeds to reveal numerous reasons why they neither believe the stories they tell or trust each other. And with good reason. Over the course of their long friendship, they have learned a great deal about each other and various incidents have caused them to develop resentments and hold grudges. They still try to impress each other by appearing to be successful and popular when, in fact, each of them has experienced some form of failure and committed heinous, unforgivable acts. They are all harboring dark, explosive secrets and within the group there are concealed alliances that evolve and shift as the story proceeds. Eventually, Jónasson reveals that the invitation to get together for the weekend was issued with more ominous intent than some of the group realize. But they will figure it out.

While entertaining, there are two aspects of Outside that keep it from being a truly first-rate thriller. The characters' histories and relationships are interesting, but none of the characters are likable or have any immediately apparent redeeming qualities. They are all manipulative, phony, and self-involved, and they only interact with the others in service to their ulterior motives and need to feel better about themselves and their own lives. There is not a single character that readers can take into their hearts and cheer on. They are all pathetic and reprehensible. Perhaps that is the point Jónasson wanted to make.

And the book ends abruptly without bringing the story to a satisfying resolution. It may be that Jónasson plans a sequel, which would explain why the story suddenly falls right off a literary Icelandic cliff. Regardless, the conclusion is jarring and unsettling. Again, that may have been a deliberate choice made by Jónasson.

Despite those shortcomings, Outside is engrossing and fast-paced. It is also richly atmospheric which heightens the dramatic tension, and amplifies the paranoia and palpable fear his characters experience as they confront with their past mistakes and mortality on the Icelandic highland. And, as noted, the story is populated by interesting, if irredeemable, characters, some of whom meet fates they clearly deserve, providing some satisfaction to readers.