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Deception Island

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Deception Island

By: R.S. Burnett
Narrated by: Josie Charles
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Perfect for fans of locked-room mysteries on a massive scale, the high-stakes survival tension of Whiteout, and atmospheric thrillers like Shutter Island or the cinematic mystery of Lost.

When a rescue team arrives at Deception Island to evacuate scientists from an erupting volcano, they discover everyone has vanished without a trace. Cut off from the outside world and trapped on an island with deadly secrets, Abbie must uncover the truth before the volcano – or something far more sinister – claims her life.

Deception Island, a sunken volcano, is about to blow – and the scientists studying it need evacuating. It’s a race against time, and nature.

But when they land on the island they find it completely deserted.

As they search for signs of life other strange things start to happen: the radio is cut-off and then their boat disappears…

Deception Island holds many secrets, but Abbie is worried about just one question:

Will she make it off it alive?

Key Themes and Narrative Tropes:

  • The Ticking-Clock Survival Thriller: Combines the immediate environmental danger of an imminent volcanic eruption with a classic survivalist narrative.
  • Abandoned Station: Perfect for readers searching for eerie, atmospheric mysteries involving sudden, unexplained collective disappearances.
  • Locked-Room Sub-Genre Elements: A claustrophobic, high-stakes mystery where a small cast of characters is trapped in a hostile, inescapable environment with an unknown adversary.

'Great fun, filled with compelling twists and turns, and nigh on impossible to put down' Express

__________________________

Real readers love R.S. Burnett:

'A fantastic thriller with the best twists that I honestly did not see coming' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'The writing was phenomenal' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This book was so suspenseful and so shocking, that I am almost at a loss for words after finishing it!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This is an amazingly tense and thrilling story for all thriller lovers' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Impossible to put down … well written and totally unique' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A superb survival thriller from a writer to watch' – Steve Cavanagh

'Gripping and chilling' – Amy McCulloch

'Unique and skilled debut' – Caroline Corcoran

'A fabulous debut thriller' – Simon McCleave

'Chilling, awe-inspiring' – James Rollins

'A riveting debut―I tore through it like a blizzard’ – Giles Kristian

©2026 R.S. Burnett (P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers
Action & Adventure Genre Fiction Mystery Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Sea Adventures Suspense Thriller & Suspense Exciting
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Critic reviews

'Great fun, filled with compelling twists and turns, and nigh on impossible to put down' Express
Praise for R.S. Burnett:
'Gripping debut … Cracking' – The Times
'A gripping, claustrophobic scenario … Burnett shows promise' – Publishers Weekly
Immensely exciting and moving, this is adventure fiction of the best sort by a first-time writer who grew up on the Falkland Islands’ – Literary Review
‘Make sure you set aside enough time to read this intense survival thriller, because once you start you won’t want to put it down!’ – Prima
'Tense, compelling and incredibly atmospheric – the ultimate fight for survival against all the odds. A very impressive debut' – T M Logan
'A fast paced and gripping thriller you won't be able to put down' – Clare Mackintosh
'A superb survival thriller from a writer to watch' – Steve Cavanagh
'R.S. Burnett’s WHITEOUT sits in the very top tier of action thrillers …the chilling sense of dread is unrelenting. Highly recommended' – MW Craven
'WHITEOUT is an accomplished debut thriller … A fight to survive – not only for the protagonist Rachel, but also for our planet – a read that is gripping and chilling in equal measure' – Amy McCulloch
'Burnett’s WHITEOUT is a riveting survival tale that ratchets the tension with every turn of the pageChilling, awe-inspiring, and written with a scientific authenticity, here is a tale of heroism and determination that must not be missed' – James Rollins
'Whiteout is a chilling heart-in-your-mouth thriller. So intense you can barely read on, but so gripping it's impossible to look away’ – Sarah Clarke
'One of the most unique and skilled debuts I've read in a long time' – Caroline Corcoran
'Gripping and tense throughout, this is a fabulous debut thriller. Incredibly atmospheric' – Simon McCleave
'Whiteout is a white-knuckle thrill ride … can't wait to see what R.S. Burnett does next!' – Sara Ochs
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I was absorbed by the tension from start to end. a twenty first century Alistair McLaine!

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