Oh my god. BREATHLESS kept me up far later than appropriate so I could learn what was going on.

Cecily, from page one, seems remarkably under qualified to be on Manaslu on a team set to reach the summit alongside a mountaineering legend, Charles. He promised her a spot on the team and an interview on his climbing without ropes or supplemental oxygen—but she won’t get the last one until she herself reaches the summit.

Strange things begin to happening very early on, including a death Cecily and her acquaintance Ben find suspicious. As they ascend, nobody bats an eye at poor connection, ruined camps, and more death because that’s what happens on that mountain.

BREATHLESS is twisty and exhilarating and kept me guessing until about 80% in, only to throw more shock in a little later. Highly recommend if you’re into thrillers or need inspiration to not summit an 8,000 meter mountain.

*I was provided an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The above are my personal thoughts

I'm already a big fan of thrillers and outdoor adventure books, so "Breathless" was a perfect fit for me. I LOVED this book. A high-altitude thriller, "Breathless" tells the story of freelance journalist Cecily Wong and her experience climbing Manaslu in the Himalayas. The book was fast-paced and compelling, and it was clear by reading that the author had climbing experience. GREAT book that I'd highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun thriller

Wow! I went into this book completely blind. I’ll be honest, I wanted to read it just because of how gorgeous the cover is. And it did not disappoint. Such a gripping, suspense/thriller with so much adventure that I just love to read about. I will definitely be suggesting this to patrons and get it in my library next month!

Breathless by Amy McCulloch releases in the US May 3rd

"There's a murderer on the mountain. RUN."

Blogger Cecily Wong just got the break of a lifetime, a chance to join mountain climber Charles McVeigh as he attempts a record breaking summit alpine style. This interview will make her career and she's sold everything to afford joining the team. Plagued by self doubt, Cecily presses on up the mountain with her group. Theft, vandalism, paranoia and mysterious deaths plague every stop in this harrowing adventure. Amy McCulloch has you guessing on every page who the killer is. I enjoyed the slow building suspense as well as the vivid setting, which put me right there on the mountain too. It's amazing to me that this author was able to write a main character, in such an extreme situation, and still keep her relatable for the average reader. Be aware if you're looking for a thriller, the majority of the book has more character development than action. The pace gets bogged down a bit in the middle but the ending is thrilling enough to make up for it. Overall, 'Breathless' is well written with short chapters and Cecily's blog posts. For those who enjoy character driven mysteries, add this to your tbr list.

"There, in front of her, was Manaslu. The peak stood out, its enormous bulk an ominous black mass against the sparkling night sky. It dominated the horizon, stretching up into the heavens, and the summit wore the stars like a crown."

Wow! This is an amazingly gripping thriller from start to finish!! I actually doubted that I would enjoy this book and man was I wrong. I never thought much about people interested in mountaineering (nor did I know that term before reading this book), but I so enjoyed reading about the various people on a team to summit an 8000m mountain in Nepal. Picturing the terrain which is terrifying enough then adding the element of murder makes for one heck of a story!

Want a fast-paced adventure survival thriller that is set eight-thousand (m) high in the cold Mt. Manaslu of the Himalayas. When mountaineering in the highest altitude takes a turn, leaving deaths in its trail that are more than just accidents related to climbing.

The suspense is chilling. The author did a phenomenal job in creating an atmosphere that made you feel as if you were there. Personally, I do not like heights. I know what altitude sickness, vertigo and fear are all wrapped in one. It leaves a suffocating feeling, as if you are drowning on oxygen or the lack of therefore. The author was able to make me feel as if I was up on that mountain, claustrophobic and sick…trying to survive.

Charles McVeigh is the world’s most commendable climber, to interview him would be a career-maker/changing opportunity for any journalist. So when Cecily Wong is personally invited by Charles McVeigh himself to report his next undertaking series of 14 mountains that stand taller than 8000 meters. Cecily can not believe her luck but she could only have the exclusive interview as promised. If she climbs the eighth highest peak in the world as with him and his team: Mt Manaslu.

Cecily is the least experienced member on the climbing team but will stop at nothing to prove herself and make a turn in her career. Until muddled questions are asked that begin to raise some concerns in Cecily. If the questions were concerning what would happen when people on the climbing team begin to go missing and dying. Trapped up high on a mountain with people she barely knows, Cecily finds herself fighting to stay alive. Not only by the elements of the mountains but by an unknown person who is picking the climbers off, one by one.

This thriller was gripping. I haven’t read a book like this in a long time and I can not thank the publisher and NetGalley enough for giving me a chance to read the ARC. I loved how Amy McCulloch knew exactly what she was talking about. Giving the story a more personal felt touch to the story showing versus a story telling. I say that because the author is able to help the reader experience the story instead of telling a story.
Highly recommend it!

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I had a hard time putting this fast-paced alpine thriller down, though things got a little chaotic toward the end. I enjoyed Cecily's journeys, both physical and emotional, and the interstitial blog posts and interviews were a nice touch.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Adventure travel journalist Cecily Wong is covering famous mountaineer Charles McVeigh and his climb up Manaslu Mountain without the use of supplementary oxygen. Getting this story will be the break of her career, but she is terrified of failure, of not being able to make it to the summit; one of the highest and most deadly summits in the world. Her fears are only compounded when she finds out there is a killer on the mountain.

I figured out who the killer was very early on, but McCulloch had me guessing my suspicions a lot. There were so many pieces/details to the events and murders happening, that I had to second guess my original suspicion many times. Not only was this book suspenseful because of the dangers of climbing a mountain of this nature, but add a murder to the mix and it made it even that more nerve-wracking. I do wish there were more details on what happens to Cecily in the end, but I did enjoy the book. By the end, I was flipping pages so quickly trying to see if my guess was right and I nailed down who the killer was or, if Cecily makes it off the mountain alive!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Anchor, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This is Amy McCulloch’s debut adult novel and what a treat it was! Seven complete strangers set out to hike the trip of a lifetime. They and other teams climb one of the biggest, most dangerous mountains in the world! Throw a murder into the mix and wow! This book I could not put down and I had no idea what all goes into climbing these long hikes. The author made me feel like I was right there climbing with them!! I really enjoyed it! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published May 3, 2022.

If you’re going to read a thriller that involves snow, isolation and people with an ax to grind, leave behind all those curated hotels and chalets with people stranded in a blizzard and grab your snow ax for a climb with Amy McCulloch’s Cecily up Manaslu, an 8,000 foot plus mountain. Cecily, after public acknowledgment of her past climbing failures, is invited by world famous climber Charles McVeigh to join his team for the final summit in his “Free Fourteen” campaign. Cecily isn’t sure she should be doing this; she’s still dealing with the trauma of watching a woman fall to her death on a previous climb, and her now ex-boyfriend has undermined her confidence. When suspicious things start happening right off the bat, Cecily is concerned. But her concerns are all brushed away by her teammates and others who are more skilled on the mountains and convinced that things happening are just accidents. Are they? Cecily is terrified, but becomes increasingly convinced that being the only one to suspect foul play, she has to continue the climb not only for herself but to uncover the truth. Cut off from the world with no reliable internet and at risk for hypoxia the further she gets up the mountain, Cecily’s safety and life are in danger. Major, major props to McCulloch for the intricate research into climbing that makes this story feel so realistic, and for picking a less famous mountain than Everest or K2 for her setting. I know nothing about mountain climbing so I have no way of knowing if all her details are correct, but in addition to enjoying a really great (and more unique thriller) I felt like I learned so much about the skill, knowledge and risks involved with the sport. This story is perfect for people that enjoy well plotted thrillers that slowly ratchet up the intensity as the story goes on. A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to preview Breathless
This novel had my feet tingling from my own fear of heights and the clever way the author takes the reader up the mountain.
This is my first read by this author and I was glad I requested it.
Fast read. 3.5 stars

Brrrrrr!

I did not expect to read this in one go but I could not put it down. The plotting and the pace were exceptionally written and the subject was one I learned so much more about than I expected to from a fiction novel.

Tight, taut, addictive and so well-written.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review.

PHEW!!!! The story of a celebrated mountain climber and the anxious journalist convinced to accompany him In Order to get “the” interview. The descriptions of the cold temperatures, wind and bitter conditions were excellent and made me feel cold! Conditions were treacherous and accidents began to happen under suspicious circumstances, internet and communication became unavailable but the desire to reach the summit and get the story pushed the journalist on until she was one of the last few survivors and no way to prove what she knew.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel

This book made me want to go outside and do outdoorsy adventures. That’s where since the protagonist of this story had to battle to stay alive on one of the tallest mountains with a killer stalking her expedition team. I was totally engrossed by the ordeal mountaineers put their bodies through but at the same time I was finding myself bored by all of the jargon. The thriller aspect of the stories was interesting and kept be intrigued but it was a bit predictable. The whodunit wasn’t totally obvious but I suspected them through my read regardless of the red herrings. The ending was good but also infuriating because I didn’t have adequate closure!

There are thrill seekers and there are writers. What if a thrill seeker is also a writer? Cecily is after the story. To get it she must ascend a mountain. But people keep dying. There is a killer in the camp, and there are very few places to hide.
McCullouch takes readers to the cold, to the dangers, and all the contingencies of mountain climbing. Reading this will numb you to your toes so dig in deep.
I’m glad I’m a flat lander.

This one was good the setting was exceptional and learned a lot about a subject I knew nothing about. It was a good book that had a tight plot and pacing.
Thanks for letting me review this book to Netgalley and the publisher

Oh my gosh! I didn’t plan to read this book in June sitting, but j could t he’ll myself. Outstanding!

Review of Uncorrected eBook File

Journalist/climber Cecil Wong comes to Manaslu, the eighth-highest peak in the world. Here she hopes to interview Charles McVeigh, an internationally famous mountaineer who is now on the last leg of a record-breaking series of summits.

Cecily is not the most accomplished of climbers . . . and she has two previous climbing failures to prove it. But an interview with McVeigh could make her career and help her put her life back on track.

The climb is tough; when one climber dies in a freak accident, Cecily worries that the expedition is in danger. But it’s too late for the group to turn back when a second climber dies. Now Cecily, miles above sea level and stranded on a mountain in one of the world’s remotest regions, must fight for her survival as, one by one, climbers succumb.

Are their deaths truly accidents? Or is there a killer lurking in their midst, hiding in plain sight?

=========

Strong, well-developed characters populate this thrilling-chilling tale of climbing. The well-defined, unique setting brings a separate fear; the plot twists keep the suspense building while terror creates a menacing undercurrent throughout the telling of the tale.

Action-packed, intense, relentless; this story pits the characters against nature [including the always-unpredictable weather], with the mountain perfectly capable of killing any one of the climbers. Secrets abound as the group sets out; rivalries rear their ugly heads and accidents occur, but camaraderie and the strength of individual characters keep the pages turning in this harrowing story.

Readers are sure to find some satisfaction in the story’s denouement, even if they can’t picture themselves joining Cecily on the climb.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Anchor and NetGalley
#Breathless #NetGalley

My thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, as well as to NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Breathless.

Journalist, Cecily Wong, is on her most dangerous climb yet, miles above sea level. But the elements are nothing compared to one chilling truth: There's a killer on the mountain...

Just reading about the climb was terrifying! Throw in a killer on the mountain and that takes the terror to a whole new level!! I very much enjoyed the educational aspect of the book, as I knew very little about mountain climbing. I liked Cecily Wong a lot. In fact, all of the characters were intriguing and well fleshed out. I wasn't surprised at all to read that the author climbs mountains, herself.

Breathless was quite the intense and action-packed read and I have to say I enjoyed reading it while snuggling under my electric blanket and sipping my hot chocolate!!

The first two thirds of the book "Breathless" by Amy McCulloch did in fact leave me breathless. The utter terror of being on a mountain helpless to nature and human deviousness at the same time struggling to move and to in a way triumphant over your own fears. I mean the isolation, the possibility of hypoxia, the bitter cold, all lends to a thrilling and brilliant story. However, the ending was a miss for me. But, the way the writing is paced is excellent and you can feel the ice giving way under your feet, you can feel the thirst Cecily feels and her exhaustion is your exhaustion. It is just the cause of the evil chaos we know is perpetuated by a human hand does not translate well to me when the whole story is finally unraveled. Overall, the book is definitely worth a read and I recommend to anyone -experienced mountain climbers or not.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review.