Whiteout - by R S Burnett

Book Synopsis

A researcher stranded in Antarctica receives a radio message that a nuclear war has broken out in this claustrophobic survival thriller, perfect for fans of The Martian, The Last Murder at the End of the World and Breathless.

It's been four months since glaciologist Rachael Beckett left her husband and daughter to join an urgent research trip to a remote field station deep in the Antarctic. But after losing all communication with her crew at base camp, she's trapped and alone - and running out of supplies. The only information she has about what's gone so catastrophically wrong is an emergency radio broadcast playing on a loop: a nuclear war has broken out, and Rachael might be the last survivor on Earth.

Abandoned and starving, all she has left is a fierce determination to stay alive in the extreme cold and perpetual darkness of the polar winter. The research she's gathered about catastrophic climate damage means she holds the fate of the continent and the world in her grasp...if there's even a world left to save.

Struggling with loneliness and grief over the unknown fate of her family back home, Rachael knows both her life and her sanity balance on a knife edge. As she battles to stay alive in unimaginable conditions, she soon discovers she's not completely alone in the dark and cold-but she might wish she was...

Review Quotes

Praise for Whiteout

ONE OF GOODREAD'S 2025'S BIGGEST MYSTERIES & THRILLERS

"The opening chapters drop readers into a gripping, claustrophobic scenario . . . Burnett shows promise."
--Publishers Weekly

"Burnett is a genius with pace."
--First Clue

"An intense psychological thriller that hits all the right notes."
--Red Carpet Crash

"A fast-paced and gripping thriller you won't be able to put down."
--Clare Mackintosh, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Party

"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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Arkangel

"One of the most unique and skilled debuts I've read in a long time."
--Caroline Corcoran, Sunday Times bestselling author of What Happened on Floor 34?

"Tense, compelling and incredibly atmospheric--the ultimate fight for survival against all the odds. A very impressive debut."
--TM Logan, The Sunday Times bestselling author of Lies

"A superb survival thriller from a writer to watch."
--Steve Cavanagh, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Eddie Flynn series

"Burnett masterfully evokes a horrifying sense of claustrophobia, even within the vast, desolate reaches of an all but uninhabited continent. In this story, the hostile environment is not the only killer, and the fiercest battle is perhaps the one fought within. A riveting debut--I tore through it like a blizzard."
--Giles Kristian, Sunday Times bestselling author of Lancelot

"Whiteout is an accomplished debut thriller that depicts all the horrors of being lost and alone during Antarctic winter, while also showing what a terrifying prospect it would be to lose it. 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, internationally bestselling author of Breathless

"Gripping and tense throughout, this is a fabulous debut thriller. Incredibly atmospheric, I couldn't put it down."
--Simon McCleave, bestselling author of The Snowdonia Killings

"R. S. Burnett's Whiteout sits in the very top tier of action thrillers. As scientist Rachael contends with the apocalyptic scenario of a nuclear strike on the UK, and battles for survival in Antarctica, the most hostile environment on Earth, the chilling sense of dread is unrelenting. Highly recommended."
--M.W. Craven, award-winning author of the Washington Poe series

"A white-knuckle thrill ride that will leave you thinking long after that chilling final page."
--Sara Ochs, author of The Dive

"A chilling heart-in-your-mouth thriller . . . So gripping it's impossible to look away."
--Sarah Clarke, author of A Mother Never Lies

About the Author

R. S. Burnett grew up in the Falkland Islands and first wrote for the Islands' weekly newspaper Penguin News. After moving to London and spending over a decade working for the Daily Mirror newspaper and in Formula 1 motor racing, Burnett is now a freelance journalist and lives once again in the Falklands. Whiteout is his first novel.