Pros: a quick read and a suitably chilling book to read on a 100 degree day. Cons: I found all of the characters to be unlikeable and the tension felt drawn out and artificial.

I won't leave a long review.
This book to me was not good. I read it and stayed pretty much confused until the very end and that is not a good thing for me. Others may like that but I do like to have some idea as to what is happening and have a few guesses about things. I didn't like the characters or the plot. It was just a big letdown.

Thanks to #NetGalley for this ARC. This is my true thoughts about this book.

3/5 stars and believe me it's hard to say 3 stars but I don't like giving less as I know the author works so hard on books for us to read.

I want to start by thanking St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for the opportunity of reading this book before it came out. I was so excited to read this book. I've heard incredible things about the author and the premise of the book seemed to be right up my alley. To the point that I went ahead and pre-ordered a hardcover copy.

I am incredibly sad to say that this book did not meet my very high expectations and it disappointed me tremendously. Unlikable and unreliable characters. The unreliable part is never a problem for me, but up until the very end you actually find out what in the world is going on. Excellent plot idea and location, but I feel like the author did not squeeze it to its pulp. The ending was so anticlimactic that I was not even surprised when it ended. I have never been so bored reading a thriller. I somehow feel cheated.

This was a fairly entertaining but typical Scandinavian noir book. Four friends venture into the Icelandic wilderness to hunt ptarmigan and soon find themselves caught in a blizzard. Finding a hut, they take refuge from the storm but soon find themselves caught in a storm of a different kind.

The book is told from the four characters POV and switches from present to past frequently. Personally, I didn't like any of the characters, which is always a deal breaker for me as far as my rating for a book. There were plenty of twists to the story, but most of them were actually fairly predictable.

All in all, this was a quick read but I would only recommend it if you you truly love this genre.

Unfortunately, I really did not like this one.

** spoiler alert ** I can’t take anymore of this book. I am 43% in and literally all that has happened is a group of people have made it up a mountain in a blizzard to a hut, where a weird dude is sitting in a corner with a gun staring at them not speaking but clearly alive, and two of the people decide to go to another hut to call for help. Literally that’s almost half the book. Nothing is happening at all. It took 10% of the book for the group to walk from the door of the hut over to the man in the chair. 🙄😴

Thanks anyway to St. Martin’s Press for a free digital galley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked that each chapter was an alternate POV which really helped us learn who each character was and their thought process. As each chapter went on, I started to dislike each character more and more. I just overall didn’t really love this book, the story was eerie which I liked, but the characters were hard to connect with. I also felt like the ending ending way too fast, it felt so abrupt and I personally had to double check that I finished it.

I have a friend that obsesses over Ragnar Jonasson, so you know, my fear of missing out kicked in and I just had to see what this author was all about....

WHOA...

WHOA.....

Do I need to say it again?

WHOA!!!!!

I can not believe I had not come across a Ragnar Jonasson book before reading Outside but goodness gracious am I excited I did now!

This book is out of this world. I am completely at a loss for words and I am going to try my best to get my thoughts down on paper but all I know is my jaw is on the ground and it will remain there for quite some time.

Talk about a psychological thriller! Outside is jam packed with twists that will have you gasping ! This book just felt so real! I think that was what really had me going. I completely lost touch with reality and the fear that consumed me took over. I was lost within the pages and I did not want to be found.

With the very few words that I have, I will use them to just let you know this is a book you will regret missing out on if you do not take my advice and RUN to purchase this book.

Big thank you to Netgalley, Ragnar Jonasson and Minotaur Books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this insane book! Now, I must be on my way to read Jonasson's entire previously published collection.

I loved Jonasson's "The Girl Who Died," but this book was not my cup of tea. I found the pacing too slow. The tension was not palpable, but kind of random. And, we didn't know enough about the characters' back stories until the very end, so the reader couldn't actively engage in the "mystery" part of the book. Finally, the ending was confusing and abrupt. I will read Jonasson again, but

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I’ve been seeing so many negative reviews on this book, but I honestly didn’t think it was that terrible. I had a fun time reading it and it had a very spooky atmosphere. The “thrill” isn’t that well present, however, I still had a great time reading it.

I love a good story set in Iceland, the premise of this one had me intrigued right away. It’s strange because you can feel the coldness with the writing. I enjoyed having four perspectives and trying to piece everything together. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending, but I also didn’t dislike it. Overall, this was a very eerie story, I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to.

Let me first say that I have read and loved three novels by this author, the Hulda trilogy, which was brilliant. I was therefore quite excited to receive an early ARC copy of Outside to review. Unfortunately this fell somewhat flat for me.
The premise is that 4 friends go out into the Icelandic wild to do some outdoors activities, with the plan to stay in one of the little cabins (think rustic, no heat/electricity). They all have an agenda or secrets and have not been together for years following the tragic death of one of the friends boyfriend. He was found dead after being out in the cold and suffering hypothermia. His girlfriend cannot move on but this trip seems to be a new start. Clearly, things do not go according to plan and we aren’t sure who will survive.
I adore Jonasson’s development of the intense atmosphere depicting the cold, icy, snowy, and brutally unforgiving nature of Iceland in the winter. He is able to create a scene that feels realistic. He also uses a story from a past timeline that alternates with the current timeline. In this case allowing the back story as to how their friend died (commemorating the date of his death during this trip) and the present day events. He used a similar approach in the trilogy that I have already completed. I enjoyed the claustrophobic feeling of this story as well. I imagine a small and rustic cabin that is really tight for a group of friends who have been somewhat distant with each other.
So, my critiques. I didn’t like any of the characters. I may have approached this with a high expectation due to my love for his trilogy and the protagonist, Hulda. I felt like there were 4 friends who were all flawed and unlikeable, leaving me no one to root for. I can enjoy books that have this trope, but then the plot needs to carry the story. This plot was not as strong as I would have liked. I also felt like there was a lot of repetition in the description of the wilds of Iceland, literally scenes that could have been taken right out of his other books (if my memory is correct). If the story is going to recreate scenes and atmosphere exactly like a previous story, then the characters placed there need to have some redeeming qualities.
I thought that this was a standalone story but felt as though it could be taken further in future books. I would likely read anything following up this story but I would want a different approach.
If you want a nice cold story, then this one may be perfect for you. And if you like unlikeable characters, then this one is for you.

#Outside #NetGalley #StMartinsPress #Minotaur

Excellent atmosphere but short on connectivity.
Four friends agree to go on a reunion bird hunting trip in the Icelandic highland's only to be caught in a whiteout blizzard. When they finally reach a shelter there's an ominous surprise awaiting them. From here past secrets and accusations come to light that left me wondering why these four would ever go somewhere together.
The story is told from the pov's of the four characters and that gives insight into each of their thoughts and motivations but I felt there was something missing as did the way it ended. I guess I just couldn't connect with any of the characters and questioned their reasons for being there. The book is worth reading though for the atmosphere the author creates with his writing. You feel the bitter cold, isolation and claustrophobic setting. The tension is palpable. But all in all this one didn't meet the expectations I had for this author.

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.

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it !
The setting of book made it extra interesting and the story pulled me in quickly .
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

I loved the writing. The characters were described extremely well and the relationships made sense. Unfortunately the ending was underwhelming and left too much to the imagination. I would read another work by this author, but I wish this one had some more closure

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Outside by Ragnar Jonasson from Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.

…the author takes you on a clever psychological journey.…

A reunion of four old friends turns deadly in this entry from one of Nordic Noir’s most popular authors Ragnar Jónasson.

While on a ptarmigan hunting trip in Iceland’s Eastern Highlands organized by former bad boy turned successful wilderness guide Armann. When Armann, his friends Daniel, Gunnlauger and Helena are caught in a brutal whiteout their lives turn upside down. In order to survive they break into a shelter to ride out the storm but are met with a menacing surprise. Told from four points of view it becomes apparent that there is more to this trip than meets the eye, murder, mayhem, and betrayal keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The cold desolate setting also adds an interesting twist to the emotional state of the characters. The characters are dynamic, well-written and realistic, however in my opinion not really likeable. Although the author takes you on a clever psychological journey my major disappointment is the build to a very flat, unfinished, unsatisfying ending.

Although I enjoyed the book for the most part but felt dissatisfied, I probably will read more from Ragnar Jonasson.

Hi, I would like to start this review off by saying; I absolutely love Ragnar and his writing. Let me repeat that, I LOVE Ragnar... Ok, soooo how did I feel about the Outside? Well, not great.. I don't know what it was about this one but I just really couldn't get into the story at all. I think if anyone but Ragnar wrote this, I probably would have DNF'd it.

It was a slow burn, but perhaps this time just alittle too slow? I hated every single character and I just didn't care for the plot.. I know Ragnar isn't about the big twists and turns and usually his are more subtle but I really just didn't feel anything. So for me, this was a ★★.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of Outside by Ragnar Jonasson. Thrillers are my favorite genre and I have found a new author to keep up with. I read this in an afternoon because I couldn't stop. So much going on and so much anticipation from the start that you just have to know what happens next. I like that it wasn't predictable what was going to happen. I kept being surprised throughout with the events and especially how they panned out. This is a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is full of lies, unresolved hardships from the past, unspoken feelings, and vengeful plotting!

I’m so sorry. I just can’t finish this book. I chose it because I recently finished an excellent thriller set in Iceland. But I’m afraid this author has just not made me care about his characters. In fact, I’ve been finding them rather boorish, and wonder what keeps them together as friends. One character speaks about admiring his friend, and in the next sentence hopes his friend’s business goes belly up. Several keep saying they think it was a mistake to come on the trip this novel centers around. Why did they come?
Generally, I only pick books I think I have a reasonable chance of liking or at least finishing. I do hope this author finds his audience. Perhaps it will appeal to an Icelandic audience who understand more clearly the situation and the motivations of the characters. I remain grateful to the author for giving me a chance, and apologize that I cannot follow through.

I didn’t care for the story, but I did like how the author spooled out the plot, revealing details a little at a time.

DNF @ 48%

I love a good cold weather thriller so I really thought this would be right up my alley. Perhaps some things got lost in translation, but the characters fell flat for me. There was not a single one I cared about. Also the pacing was too slow for my taste.

Thank you for the eARC!