Whiteout is an intense survival thriller that grabbed me from the very first page. Set mainly in an unforgiving landscape (Antarctica in winter), the sense of isolation and danger is palpable, and Burnett does a fantastic job of building tension throughout the book. No less than the fate of the planet is at stake when Rachael sets out on a research mission, where she ends up alone and cut off from the world, with no communication other than a repeated radio message telling her that the worst has happened.

The characters are well developed and relatable, especially Rachael, who is thrust into a dire situation where every move and every decision she takes is a matter of life or death. The harsh environment feels like a character in itself — ruthless, unpredictable, and relentless — and this constant threat heightens the stakes and makes for an adrenaline-filled experience. As the story unfolds, so the tension mounts.

What stands out the most is the pacing. Burnett blends moments of quiet reflection with bursts of intense action, keeping you on edge throughout the entire book. The twist towards the end took me by surprise but felt completely right.

If you’re a fan of survival thrillers with vivid landscapes, tough decisions and high stakes, Whiteout is a must-read. I hesitated to read it because it's compared to The Martian, which I found very boring, but Whiteout turned out to be much better! It’s an edge-of-your-seat read that I 100% recommend.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction and NetGalley for a copy of an e-arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I’d say 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Whiteout was a thrilling atmospheric read. It did a good job of portraying the characters’ desperation and hopelessness as they fight for science and survival in the dead of winter in Antartica.

The character motivations were complex with a compelling and believable backstory. The narrative is told in third person with flashbacks, which gives depth to the main character, Rachael. However, at times it was a bit difficult to tell whether it was a flashback or a delusion as she started to go a bit stir crazy.

I did not anticipate how the plot was going to progress, but it was tense and chilling! I felt like some parts at the start were a bit repetitive or longer than they needed to be - in particular some of the inner monologues. But I really liked the pace at the end and how the book closed.

There were times when I was reminded of reading Andy Weirs The Martian. If you’re looking for a fast paced thrilling read, add Whiteout to your tbr!

I really enjoyed this book! I read it in under a day. I will keep an eye on next books this author writes.

I felt like I was with her in Antarctica, the atmosphere was very well described. It was also very nice to learn more about surviving in such harsh conditions.

Feelings and consequences of isolation felt so real, I can't imagine if I would have coped that well.

It's a book full of suspense, and I was at times only comforted by the fact I knew there is more left of the book and that it will for now work out.

I wish the book had 10 or so pages more, just to learn exactly what happens next. It was a bit too open ended for me.

A breath of crisp, fresh Antarctic air.
I adored this story, quite honestly it was difficult to put down because the plot unrolled in such a steady and serious pace that i even forgot i was reading.
If people liked The Martian but wanted it cold and apocalyptic then you honestly couldn't get better than this. The characters were deeply flawed by engaging, their lives were messy and real and the back and forth between how she got there and what was keeping her going was just wonderful. The twists was particularly exciting because guessed only half a page before the actual scene and I had my heart in my mouth to see if I was right.
It ended tantalisingly close but in the right place and I have already earmarked it to be bought for my library and book groups.
Brilliant, I look forward to more from this author.

A gripping read that had me on the edge of my seat from start the finish. The pacing was very well done and I was always excited to pick it up and read.

The first half was, although a bit slow, very gripping. The loneliness and hopeless was palpable and believable. The political statement was strong. The behaviour of the main character wasn't exactly relatable but her reasons and motivations for it was. But then it felt like it wasn't sure what to do with itself. The story took a weird turn that it didn't need to take in my opinion. The last third was so unbelievable that it almost took me out of the whole story. But I'm very interested in reading another book by this author.

This was a book I expected to love but unfortunately I never gelled with the lead character and found the telling of the tale quite tedious.

What a tense, terrifying read! Using the real text from an actual nuclear war tape and a lot of information about Antarctica, Burnett has crafted a completely - forgive the pun, I can't help it - chilling read.

Rachael is on a mission to prove ice melt is happening in a certain part of Antarctica before a drilling operation can be approved. However, as revealed through flashbacks, bad luck plagues her team and she feels she has no choice but to take a dangerous mission alone. While there she loses contact with base camp and the only broadcast she can get is an announcement that nuclear war has broken out. Alone with limited supplies, the broadcast becomes her lifeline as she grapples with the thought that she might be the last person left alive - and the slow realisation that there are worse fates.

This is a tense, claustrophobic read - make sure to have blankets, tea and biscuits on hand as you read! Information about the Antarctic, survival in low temperatures, and even a missing flight from decades ago are scattered in at just the right pace, enough for the reader to follow along, not so much that we feel lectured to. Rachael's desperate struggles keep your attention - I didn't want to put this one down!

A fantastic read, really atmospheric and honestly interesting.


Book recommendation: The Deep by Alma Katsu. Although it’s set on the Titanic and later the Britannic, the confined setting, slow-building dread, and themes of survival and mystery make it a great match for Whiteout. The tension is palpable, and the historical details add depth to the chilling story.

Movie recommendation: Arctic (2018). This gripping survival tale follows a man stranded in the Arctic wilderness, battling the elements and his own limits to survive. Much like Rachael’s journey, it’s a testament to human endurance and determination in the face of the harshest conditions.

What an amazing thrill ride of a book! I read this book whilst listening to a Naturespace snowstorm track and it upped the atmosphere and isolation by 1000! What an incredibly clever ending, I never ever saw that coming.

I'll just be brief, I absolutely love stories about isolation and the struggle to survive in isolated remote locations so I was super excited for this. A d it did start off OK... but then it just felt like nothing happened. I couldn't get invested, it felt so slow and like it was dragging. I was wanting tension and an atmosphere and to be on the edge of my seat as I rooted for MC to find a way but this just didn't give me any of that. I ended up skimming most of it. Maybe it'll be up your street if you like more a slow burn?!

I'm sorry but this was so boring. I went into this ready for an action packed survival thriller about a woman stranded in Antarctica, and not only that but she thinks that the world has ended and she might be one of the last people left alive. Sounds like my kind of thing, so I swept it up. Unfortunately, I fell asleep. Over and over as I tried to read this book. It was like I was also battling the eternal darkness trying to power through this book. The female main character wasn't relatable or well written as she was just so bland. I don't think the author utilised the remote setting enough.

Whiteout by R.S. Burnett is a gripping and intense thriller set deep in the icy, unforgiving Arctic, where danger lurks at every turn. The main character Rachel, ends up there in an attempt to escape her real life. Once an experienced scientist and expedition leader, she is now a new mom struggling with the demands of everyday life. Her friend from past asks Rachel to help collect an important data in the Arctic that could save the ice shelf and prevent global flooding. Without much hesitation, Rachel agrees.
Now, she’s stranded with no connection to the main base, with only a single repeated message on the radio about nuclear war. How will she find her way out?
The beginning of this book seemed very strong and promising. But as the story went on, I found myself constantly thinking 'really??'. The novel has all the elements you'd expect from a good thriller - suspense and survival atmosphere, and a dynamic of twists and turns. However, I got the feeling that the author wasn’t sure how to properly conclude the story. And while I can overlook the fact that the FMC survived some of the extreme situations, it was still questionable.
Despite these issues, I’ve rated it 4 stars for this debut novel because there were definitely moments that took me by surprise and I didn't see it coming, and I appreciated the good parts of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Rachael is a researcher who is stranded in remote Antarctica with communication lost with her base. She then receives a radio message to say that nuclear war has broken out. Alone in the darkness with supplies running out will she survive and is there anything left?

I enjoy a survival thriller and although I have read a few in this setting, this sounded like it would be a creepy, dark read. The story starts strongly and continues to be intense and claustrophobic. The atmosphere is excellently portrayed, I felt the isolation and coldness while the whole premise felt scarily real.

Although this was an interesting story I found that there was something missing with the characters and they lacked a certain depth, this made it hard for me to connect with them. I also found it repetitive at times which made it feel slightly on the slow side. There is a good twist at the end, however I did see this coming, which maybe made it feel a little predictable. This was a decent story overall and I would pick up more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Rachael is a bit bored with her life. She's a SAHM to a precious baby girl and wife to a man that she is pretty sure that she still loves. She is just so tired of the day-to-day monotony that her life has become. She's an adventurer! She is used to making a difference. So, when a former colleague invites her on a winter Antarctic research mission to save the world, she decides to ask for forgiveness instead of permission. Rachael hates leaving behind her family, but she believes that the distance will revive her dying marriage and allow her to appreciate a quiet home life. Unfortunately, this trip is cursed in every conceivable way (and even in some inconceivable ways) and she may not make it back. And if she does, what is waiting at home?

This is a solid 4 ⭐ read. It was so much better than I anticipated and delivered on the suspense. I could barely put this down and will keep an eye on this author for sure. I won't say any more for the risk of adding in spoilers, but if you like a good thriller....this is it.

First time mum, Rachael, is persuaded to leave her husband & their infant daughter to winter in Antarctica. The ice shelf is breaking up & this is Rachael & her old boss Guy's only chance to get the data needed to persuade the government to stop drilling. Now weeks or months later, things did not go to plan & Rachael is alone on the Ross Ice Shelf in -70 degree cold, days from base camp.

None of the phones work & all Rachael receives is a repeating BBC World Broadcast message on a portable radio saying that there has been a nuclear strike on the UK - everyone she knew is probably dead & it seems to have knocked out all communication links everywhere. She is about to run out of food & fuel & help is not coming so Rachael will have to head out into the unknown to try & find her way home.

I love anything set in out in the wilderness or inhospitable climates so it looked right up my street. This started off strongly, alternating between the past & the present to what led up to Rachael's current predicament, but it did lose its way a little towards the end as it became more & more improbable that Rachael would keep surviving all these deadly occurrences. If you can suspend your disbelief a little though, it's a cracking read. 3.75 stars (rounded up) - liked this one a lot.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

This book was a bit disappointing, I loved the blurb but it didn't hold the attention it should / could have, the MC got out of same very strange and potentially life threatening situations with ease, this book was not for me not for me unfortunately, sorry.

This was such an intense read, I found myself not wanting to put it down as the pace kept me hooked, loved the twists too.

A thought provoking story with alot of tension. I enjoyed this one even though it gave me chills. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review

Rachael is persuaded to leave her home and 15 month old daughter to help save the world by measuring cracks in the Antarctic ice. No problem she is an experienced scientist with several trips to the Antarctic under her belt, but this is going to be in the winter when it is very cold and there is no daylight, and when they get there she discovers it is just a team of four, quickly reduced to three when Guy, the team leader takes ill and has to be evacuated on the last flight out.
Against all the rules Rachael continues the research, heading out alone to a research pod 90 miles from the station. Then all radio contact ceases and the only thing she can access is a BBC message telling people to stay calm and at home following the nuclear strikes.
This is where the book starts to get a bit far fetched for me, but it is a good read with a lot happening and then a good twist at the end.
On the whole I enjoyed the book and thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

Whiteout

I feel a great movie coming… if there’s a book that deserves to be made into a blockbuster, it’s this one. Seriously, this story would make an absolute chilling, thrilling movie, with just a handful of characters set against the background of Antarctica.
Rachael, left alone in more than one way on the most dangerous continent on Earth, fights to survive in body and mind. She has to gather all her strength, and more, to not only keep her body alive after she’s lost what little protection she had against the brutal weather, she also has to fight to keep sane. It’s pitch black 24 hours a day, a fierce gale is blowing all the time and the temperature hoovers around the -70 degrees Celsius. She’s also convinced that her home country, the UK, was attacked with nuclear bombs and therefore, she’s lost her husband and young daughter.
The author paints a very, very vivid portrait of Antarctica, almost as if the continent is a character in this story. It’s literally chilling to read how Rachael fights against the weather and everything else that’s thrown at her – or taken away. In between all the horrible things she has to endure, we read how she came to be there and then, in the most dangerous season, and why it is of such importance she returns back to a safe place where she can contact the authorities. Sometimes it’s a little over the top but still very believable because by the time you’re halfway into the book, you really got to know Rachael and what drives her.
More words fail me to describe how I felt reading this – and I’m already urgently waiting for the next book of this author.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this review copy.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7037579806