Outside The Room

Isla Rivers #1

by Blake Pierce

“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery.”
—Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

FBI Agent Isla Rivers, transferred to the icy shores of Lake Superior in Minnesota, must hunt down a killer more diabolical than any she's known, and outsmart his mind games—if she is to free the next victim in time….

When a series of victims are discovered encased in ice-packed crates, a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues for Isla Rivers. As she delves deeper, she finds a sinister link to past drownings that defies the pattern—unraveling a dark history that threatens to swallow her whole….

OUTSIDE THE ROOM is the first book in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller Once Gone (a free download) has received over 7,000 five star ratings and reviews.

The Isla Rivers series is a riveting mystery series brimming with suspenseful cat-and-mouse dynamics and unexpected turns that will send shivers down your spine. Its enthralling female lead will capture your affections and keep you engrossed in the pages long after you turn out the lights. Fans of Lisa Regan, Lee Child, and Mary Burton are sure to fall in love.

Future books in the series are also available!

“An edge of your seat thriller in a new series that keeps you turning pages! ...So many twists, turns and red herrings… I can't wait to see what happens next.”
—Reader review (Her Last Wish)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A strong, complex story about two FBI agents trying to stop a serial killer. If you want an author to capture your attention and have you guessing, yet trying to put the pieces together, Pierce is your author!”
—Reader review (Her Last Wish)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A typical Blake Pierce twisting, turning, roller coaster ride suspense thriller. Will have you turning the pages to the last sentence of the last chapter!!!”
—Reader review (City of Prey)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Right from the start we have an unusual protagonist that I haven't seen done in this genre before. The action is nonstop… A very atmospheric novel that will keep you turning pages well into the wee hours.”
—Reader review (City of Prey)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Everything that I look for in a book… a great plot, interesting characters, and grabs your interest right away. The book moves along at a breakneck pace and stays that way until the end. Now on go I to book two!”
—Reader review (Girl, Alone)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Exciting, heart pounding, edge of your seat book… a must read for mystery and suspense readers!”
—Reader review (Girl, Alone)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Audiobook, Crime, Suspense

172 pages, Paperback

First published July 26, 2025

About the author

Blake Pierce is author of the bestselling RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes seven books (and counting). Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising four books (and counting); of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising four books (and counting); and of the new KERI LOCKE mystery series.

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

Reviews

[Sandra Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book kept my attention overall. Blake Pierce use of description keeps the reader invested during the action scenes, but all other scenes the narrative brought on boredom, plus seemed to repeat itself on several occasions.

The ending was different and offers a lead way into Blake Pierce next book.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outside The Room - a review by Rosemary Kenny.

A new FBI leading lady for Blake Pierce, Agent Isla Rivers is reassigned to the Great Lakes office and works with Bureau veteran Agent Sullivan on the strange death of a port inspector.

As the body-count rises Isla risks her life to uncover the truth, as danger comes ever closer.
Will Sullivan be in time to save her from a ruthless killer?

Get Blake Pierce's Outside The Room for the answers to a murder-mystery that's far from over!

[Avid · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars ... 3 stars is pushing it.

It was one of those books I kept waiting and wanting to feel excited, but it just never happened. The timing was off. The story didn't was poorly developed and went from not knowing what was happening to being solved.

The last few books by Blake are a hit or miss. This was not one of the better ones. I'd suggest picking a different one.

[Cidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isla Rivers is an FBI agent working in Miami who loses the plot a bit on a case she is working and the young woman she is protecting ends up dead. She is then transferred to the other end of the country to work for the FBI in Duluth, Minnesotta, and immediately finds herself with a new partner James Sullivan, and they are called out to look for a missing company employee who worked for the shipping company and had been helping them on an investigation to the differing payloads of container ships leaving the port who had been thought to be drug trafficking or girl trafficking.

They find a shipping container with a non-standard lock and in there lies the body of the man helping the authorities, frozen in ice on the floor of the container. From here they discover the movements of many ships but most of them belong to a guy called Nash, and even more bodies and Isla risks her life by taking a ridiculous leap from the coastguard ship onto the deck of the ship they are chasing. I did like the pairing of these two agents and am looking forward to seeking out some more books about them.

[Denise Zendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

FBI Agent Isla Rivers gets transferred to the icy shores of Lake Superior in Minnesota, from Miami, Florida as punishment for a case gone horribly wrong. “Duluth might be a frozen wasteland compared to Miami’s tropical heat, but it offered something Miami no longer could – a chance at redemption.” A series of victims are discovered in ice-packed shipping crates and Rivers must play cat and mouse with a killer who may be out of her league.

This is the first in a series by a prolific author who writes a lot of strong female characters. I’m impressed with how the author makes these characters all distinct individuals with flaws and strengths, and at the diversity of the plots. Rivers is a likeable character, one with flaws and an amazing drive to find the truth and bring justice to the victims. This book did exactly what I hoped, which was to keep me engaged while I was on the treadmill or the elliptical. It made exercise time fly by and kept me entertained as well. I will read more in this series

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isla has been reasigned to the Duluth FBI office after a case gone wrong in Miami and where her life fell into pieces. In her first day at work she is assigned a partner and a case, a man was found dead inside a container in the port. The victim was a customs inspector and was killed because he found something that he shouldn't have. Isla will surpass her insecurities and devote all her time to the case and to reading the scene and believing her instincts, what she'll uncover together with Sullivan (her partner) is an extensive network to allow merchandise to go through customs without paying dues and without proper documentation that goes high on the hierarchy of the port. Outside the Room is entertaining and easy-to-read.
I thank Ms. Pierce for this ARC.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the Spotify audiobook and it was simple to follow the story so I enjoyed that. I’ve finished it and I’m not 100% what happened and apparently there aren’t any spoilers on line.

I get someone tried framing the wrong guy, but then I think our protagonist was attacked by the real guy and was able to arrest him with the help of her partner. Then he admitted that the main ceo guy they interviewed was behind it all? I’m just not even totally sure. They kept focusing on the shipments having different weight, but I really don’t know why that wad important.

Was a quick listen though.

Someone please help me with answers lol

[Shelda Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

COULD NOT STOP READING!

Absolutely wonderful book, scary, and exciting edge of your seat thriller. you’ll never get the ending and now I want to read the second book. Just a good book with good characters and not full of horrible language and immoral activities. Just a good mystery book with wonderful characters and an ending that will make you so mad you’ll buy the next one. Loved it absolutely recommend you start this series as I have with lots of his books. They are all very good.

[Ornella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casualmente incappata in questo romanzo.... dopo un anno circa senza leggere thriller/gialli mi sembra il momento di tornare alle origini. Ma diciamo che, se sa un lato l'ho trovato piacevole e scorrevole (letto in 24h), dall'altro scontato.....niente suspance che mi permettesse di indovinare chi era il colpevole. però il libro finisce con finale aperto ...quindi mi devo aspettare sorprese nel prossimo volume?

[Neera Kapahi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a gripping page turner and first of the series. The protagonist, Isla Rivers gets transferred to Duluth from Miami in the middle of winter and the first case is more than she bargained for.

The story is complex and the book well written and more descriptive than many of Blake Pierce’s other books.

[Angelo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the story a bit less interesting than I had hoped, although I did enjoy it. My only real problem with the audiobook is the FBI agent in northern USA has a strong British accent which I found bothering.

[Laura Poppenwimer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ran hot and cold on this one, but will try the next book in the series since it had potential. The main character is interesting but the plot seemed a little thin. It did leave with a cliff hanger, so almost have to read the next book to see who the 2nd killer is.

[Janetk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad story. Could do without all the references about how much a failure she was. One bad case and she is now the worst agent???? Mistake happen.

The book ended without finding one of the killers. No reason to not finish a story.

Will not read any more in this series.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

left hanging

I hate it when stories are left unfinished. This is one of them, a really good book until the reader is left hanging at the end. That’s the hook to lead to the next purchase, of course. I’ll give it to Pierce, though. He knows how to reel in his reader.

[Shirley Baerken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept me turning the pages until late in the night and early morning. A great read where you point the finger at lots of characters only to find that you were completely wrong. A great read !!! AAA+++

[Liza · Rating 2 out of 5]

The solution was very abrupt and not really deduced. The main characters did their normal "investigate, get it wrong, start again" but the end was out of nowhere from someone else.

I did enjoy her attitude to the weather.

[Bette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery, however too much extraneous description
and telling of the weather, scenery, etc. that I found
repetitious and boring. Would have been better to
develop the story more rather than add a lot of unnecessary filler.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a bit of a different setting to many books I read, a cold icy landscape and all that, which made it a bit hard for me to get into and relate to in any way.
It was written well but the tone of Isla just didn't feel quite right to me.
I enjoyed it but there was something missing

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a struggle

I has high hopes for this one. The plot was promising and engaging... And then it totally went off the rails. Irrational and illogical.

[Ian Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging but never riveting. And an anticlimactic resolution that seemed to underdeliver on an intriguing story

[Kay Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. And why a British accented reader on the audio book…very distracting.

[Jean L. Pavone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, FBI agent Isla Rivers solves this mystery

Isla Rivers FBI agent is sent to a very cold, snowy area!She has to solve who is behind smuggling contraband!

[diannscollins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manifests

I usually like the books by this author. But there was too much content about the manifests, Duluth's weather and Isla's brooding. Didn't like the ending either.

[Garry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

A very good book.good story location.good characters .a surprise or two on the way,and a lead into the next book well worth a read .

[Sarah Reynolds · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s an okay book glad it was free I wouldn’t pay for it
Quite repetitive and although there was 3 murders I didn’t feel any suspense.

[kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

slow read.

[Klare · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok start to a new series.

[Jennifer Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neat setting on the Great Lakes. Liked the characters, details, storyline. Good narration. I’d listen to another of this series. It was also clean.

[kenz flannery! · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️
0.5 🩸

Listened on Spotify audiobook 🎧

I actually found this book pretty interesting. If the rest of the series was free, I might listen to it. Kind of predictable, but still fun.