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Deception Island
- Author
- R.S. Burnett
- Narrator
- Josie Charles
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 12 February 2026
- Run Time
- 11 hours 3 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
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
Critics Review
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'Great fun, filled with compelling twists and turns, and nigh on impossible to put down' Express
-
Praise for R.S. Burnett:
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'Gripping debut … Cracking' – The Times
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'A gripping, claustrophobic scenario … Burnett shows promise' – Publishers Weekly
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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‘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
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‘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
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'Tense, compelling and incredibly atmospheric – the ultimate fight for survival against all the odds. A very impressive debut' – T M Logan
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'A fast paced and gripping thriller you won't be able to put down' – Clare Mackintosh
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'A superb survival thriller from a writer to watch' – Steve Cavanagh
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'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
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'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
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'Burnett’s WHITEOUT is a riveting survival tale that ratchets the tension with every turn of the page … Chilling, awe-inspiring, and written with a scientific authenticity, here is a tale of heroism and determination that must not be missed' – James Rollins
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'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
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'One of the most unique and skilled debuts I've read in a long time' – Caroline Corcoran
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'Gripping and tense throughout, this is a fabulous debut thriller. Incredibly atmospheric' – Simon McCleave
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'Whiteout is a white-knuckle thrill ride … can't wait to see what R.S. Burnett does next!' – Sara Ochs
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- R.S. Burnett
- Narrator
- Josie Charles
- Duration
- 11 hours 3 minutes
- Release Date
- 12 February 2026
- ISBN
- 9780008696504
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Thriller: terrorism, Technothriller, Espionage and spy thriller, War, combat and military adventure fiction, Narrative theme: journeys and voyages, Narrative theme: environmental issues / the natural world, Sea stories
Synopsis
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
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