Ever since I interviewed a man who had just summited his first 8,000 meter peak, I have been fascinated by people who climb the big mountains in the Himalayas. Because of that, Breathless sounded like a great book, and it did not disappoint. I could not put it down and read it in three days.

Cecily Wong had two failed climbing attempts--one on Kilimanjaro and one on Mt. Snowden in Wales. She turned those failures into a blog that went viral. Now famous mountaineer Charles McVeigh has tapped Cecily cover the last climb in a record-breaking series of summits in the Himalayas, and she agrees in order to jump start her career. But a climber dies before the group can even leave base camp and then another happens on the mountain. Cecily also believes she is being stalked by a mysterious mountaineer who prowls her camp at night. Is she suffering from altitude paranoia or is there a villain on the mountain?

McCulloch does a great job at creating the atmosphere of a big mountain climb. She took some license in describing the method in climbing those giant peaks by compressing the acclimatization process to move the plot along, so for that reason, climbers might throw the book at the wall. I am not a climber and was able to overlook some of the improbable parts of the book. Great setting with interesting details thrown in (particularly about the Sherpas). Fast-moving thriller that keeps the tension building.

Breathless will release May 3.

This is a thriller/mystery set on a mountain climbing expedition. The main character is a reporter named Cecily who is climbing along with a small group of other mountaineers. All the members of the group are climbing for very different reasons and it's interesting to get to know them throughout the book. When people begin to die on the mountain, the isolated setting means that the killer is one of the people in the group.

This book was so much fun (and a little scary)! It blends a murder mystery that's engaging enough on its on with a survival/adventure story that is rich in detail and horrifying in a different way. The author states in the acknowledgments that the first notes for this book were written while sitting on the mountain that this book is set on. You can tell from the small details that the author is extremely knowledgeable and familiar with mountain climbing.

I was so invested in finding out the solution to the mystery but I also wanted to know who (if anyone) would summit the mountain! It was also twisty without overdoing the amount of plot twists and reveals, which I appreciated. This was just an extremely entertaining read that I'd highly and easily recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC to review.

I’m a sucker for books set in unusual locales, so when I saw Amy McCulloch’s debut thriller on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it. It takes place during a climbing expedition in the Himalayas. I didn’t know anything about McCulloch, but from the very first page, I knew she’d Been There/Done That. And she transported *me* to Mt. Manaslu as well—from Kathmandu to the teahouses of Samagaun to the base camps . . . and on up the mountain.
Other reviewers have detailed the specifics of the plot, so I won’t repeat. Cicely Wong is a totally believable heroine. There’s a great mix of action/adventure and mysterious happenings. Talking off one star because she could have done so much more with the grand finale. Still, a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommend.
Thanks to @netgalley for the read!

An atmospheric adventure, Breathless is a tense thriller with strong characters and heaps of mystery, which all builds up to a nail-biting climax.

It took me a while to get into this one properly as it felt like more of an adventure/survival story at first as the thriller side slowly creeps in. But McCulloch shows a lot of skill in her writing, brilliantly describing the setting and techniques required to climb an 8k mountain. It's obvious that she is an avid traveller and mountaineer as she really makes you feel like you're with her on every step of this hike.

The thrills certainly build up towards the end as the story soon picks up pace and intensity. The final part is certainly full of suspense, and there's so much originality to enjoy beforehand that this is definitely the kind of thriller that will stick in your memory.

For a debut, McCulloch proves that she has a lot of talent as a writer and I'm definitely excited to see what she writes next!

A mountain climb is a super intense setting for a murder mystery. I have never climbed but you really get a sense for place in this book; Cecily is also a good narrator and her lack of confidence combined with her will to BE more made her both sometimes infuriating and inspiring. I didn't guess the central plot at all but I had some hints. In a world of cookie cutter thrillers this one really upped the stakes. 3.5 stars.

I really loved this book. I don't know anything about mountain climbing, but as I was reading it I found myself googling videos of summit pushes on Manaslu and "how to start mountaineering". The sign of an excellent book. There was so much information about mountain climbing here, from the technical to the historical, I truly enjoyed that aspect of the book. But there's a mystery/thriller too, so it was perfect.

Journalist Cecily Wong works for a outdoors lifestyle magazine and is picked by the one of the world's most famous, daring, and heroic mountaineers, Charles McVeigh for an interview as he completes his mission of climbing Mount Manaslu clean--without fixed ropes or supplemental oxygen, part of his 14 clean project, climbing all 8000+ meter peaks in the world, all without assistance However, she must summit Manaslu with him, and then only will he grant the interview. Cecily is an aspiring climber, but inexperienced, and has had some traumatic climbing experience in her past, but she decides to face her fears and join the climbing crew to Manaslu.

Everything goes well at first, with Cecily slowing gaining confidence, supported by an amazing team of sherpas and some newfound friends on the crew. However as they ascend further up the mountain people start to die and Cecily seems to be the only one seeing connections between these killings/deaths.

There were twists and turns, and the suspense was so taut that I gasped aloud multiple times. One tiny complaint that the twists at the ends were unnecessary and added some melodrama where we didn't need it. The natural suspense the physical challenge was enough!

I highly recommend.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. This book is amazing! The entire book takes place on a Himalayan mountain and the action never stops! The author is a mountaineer and takes advantage of her expertise to detail the climbs. The creep factor is unrelenting and the characters are flawed. I totally recommend this book to readers who enjoy action and never-ending drama. The twists and turns are so well-timed - it is difficult to predict the outcome.

Cecily Wong, needs one good break for her career as a journalist take off. Charles McVeigh (a world renowned mountain climber) is going to make his last climb. He invites Cecily and promises her an exclusive interview. There is only one small requirement... Cecily must make it to the top of Manaslu with Charles before he will give her the interview.. Now this being a suspense novel, you know there is more to his offer. Why would he choose Cecily - who is not an experienced climber?

Cecily takes Charles up on his offer of course. But then people start dying. Is this really because of the mountain or is more going on? Is there a killer in the group, or is the altitiude getting to Cecily?

I really enjoyed this book. But I love man versus nature. And this was man versus man versus nature.

I have never climbed, but I read a few books on it, and saw a few documentaries and these people always seemd a little crazy to me...lol But I was really engrossed in the details on climbing - just what is involved in each step. Why it can take weeks. Little details on what can go wrong. Then add in the mystery .. what mroe can you need?

Now all that being said, I do have to say there were a few times I was thrown out of the story thinking "come on". It almost felt like a little too much at times.

Overall, this was worth a read. Is it great literature? No. But is it a good solid mystery that will prpvide you with a few hours of mindless entertainment? Yes.

This is 3.5 stars - rounded to 4. due to the times I literally FELT cold while reading this.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and to #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

A harrowing, whiplashed paced novel which delivers wonderfully crafted characters, a superb sense of place and a mounting (no pun intended) arc of intense suspense, Amy McCulloch's BREATHLESS is one of those special reads which give you vertigo--even as you can't stop turning pages. Highly recommended--I look forward to reading this talented author's work in the future.

I really liked this book, even though parts of it seemed a little out there. I love thrillers and I love mountain climbing and I thought this book was a perfect combination of the two. I thought all the characters were interesting and it took me a few chapters longer than normal to predict the twist. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to people looking for a good thriller.

An engrossing thriller that combines woman-against-nature and woman-against-deranged killer premises, Breathless is a page-turner with authentic characters who pull the reader into the story quickly. Cecily is a struggling journalist who has one big chance to save her job at an outdoor adventure magazine and make her name--she's been chosen to climb an 8000-foot mountain in the Himalayas with a charismatic celebrity mountaineer and his team. Cecily is battling her shame and guilt over the death of a young woman killed while coming to her rescue on a previous climb. To make this climb, Cecily has staked everything: all her money, her relationship with her boyfriend (a fellow journalist), and her career hopes. She soon realizes that something isn't right with the team--there's a killer on the loose, but no one believes her. This novel has great pacing, a spectacular setting, and memorable characters, and satisfyingly builds suspense. The "whodunnit" part may not be hard to guess, but the tension surrounding Cecily's survival against incredible odds posed by man and nature, and some last-minute plot twists as the novel races to its conclusion, keep the reader engaged all the way. The realistic depiction of high-risk mountaineering and the amazing skill of the Sherpa guides is informed by the author's real-life climbing experience and makes for an authentic and fascinating story.

This was stunning. Absolutely loved it! I've never read anything about mountain climbing, let alone a mystery, so I was instantly interested when I read the blurb for this. It did not disappoint! Cecily is so relatable. Like anyone else, she doubts herself and questions things. I was cheering for her the whole book! Her struggle is palpable and realistic--her entire career depends on this climb that may be haunted by a killer. Very suspenseful, the plot development and twists had me second-guessing every character. A perfect balance between technical mountaineering and layman's terms. A truly excellent novel.

Breathless by Amy mcco Ulloch released may 2022
There is a killer on the mountain with a world renowned climber and the novices he has taken with him. This was to be a can’t be put down book. But I could never get into I just could not get interested in. Good luck if you decide to read

Cecily Wong is given the opportunity of a lifetime: to climb the 8th tallest mountain in the world and get an exclusive interview with world renowned alpinist, Charles McVeigh. However, Cecily must summit the mountain to get the interview and she has a history of failing to summit. Once she gets to the mountain, she soon discovers that Manaslu, the notorious “Killer Mountain”, has more dangers and obstacles than she could have anticipated and she learns just how well the mountain lives up to its nickname.

I absolutely loved this book. My favorite read of 2022 so far.
It has everything I look for in a thriller: so many twists and turns, a believable and likable protagonist (it’s refreshing to read a book where you don’t dislike the characters or read through an unreliable narrator), the killer’s identity is unknown until the very end —you’ll think you know but then things will keep coming up, making you doubt it or suspect someone else, and it was so atmospheric! I’m such a sucker for a good atmospheric read.
Plus all the information about mountaineering and alpinism was fascinating to me. I couldn’t get enough of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, and Amy McCulloch for this wonderful eARC.

Breathless was a good read with a strong protagonist in Cecily and will a great cast of characters. (I could certainly see it being a fun movie.) I know nothing about mountain climbing which added to the stories excitement. Honestly just a story about that would have been compelling but add a murder lose of the mountain and I was all in.

Breathless
by Amy McCulloch
Pub Date: 03 May 2022
4.5/5 Stars

Cecily Wong is an adventure travel journalist with some experience in mountaineering. Definitely not enough to tackle Manaslu in Nepal, over 8,000 meters high. Even so, she is invited to be a member of the team assembled by alpinist Charles McVeigh. McVeigh has promised her an exclusive interview if she reaches the summit of Manaslu, the last of 14 mountains over 8,000 meters that he aims to climb in a year.

This story fascinated me! I have never had a desire to climb anything or push myself in the way these climbers do. I hate the cold! Cecily’s anxiety over the climb and the mounting body toll created tension and suspense throughout the book. I found myself gasping for air at times. Great suspenseful story!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing and to Amy McCulloch.

While I am not a winter fan I LOVE winter storm thrillers! This book is sooo creepy and cold and so well written that I finished it in one night.!

Cecily Wong is a outdoor action journalist. She is has scored the hardest and most difficult interview in her field - an interview Alpinist Charles McVeigh, a famous climber who is scaling 7 peaks without ropes and assistance. Charles has hand picked Cecily to be a part of his team that is climbing Manaslu Peak, the eighth-highest peak in the world and the last of their planned "clean climbing " goal. The deal is, if Cecily makes it to the top she gets his time.

Except this climb might be a little too much for Cecily, and their might be people on themountainn sabotaging other climbers. There are quite a few rumors about Charles and the team leader. What should Cecily do?

If you love thrillers, want to learn more about mountain climbing (even more than Into Thin Air), appreciate a female voice in a male dominated sport than #Breathless is for you! #KNOPF #Doubleday #NetGalley

*Thank you to Knopf Doubleday, Amy McCulloch, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/breathless/

“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.”

–Edward Whymper (from Scrambles Amongst The Alps)

This roller coaster ride of a novel kept me breathless, with a full book hangover after reading the last page. The pacing, the details of climbing one of the tallest mountains in the world, and the addition of a serial killer tracking you on the mountain, had this reader begging for more.

Charles McVeigh has the extinction of being known as the world’s greatest alpinist. He is a legend because of his ability to climb 14 mountains without oxygen or using ropes. He is also a hero, having rescued climbers in danger. Charles will soon enter the record books as the first to climb 14 mountains over 8000 meters (approximately 5 miles up a mountain) without supplementary oxygen and the ropes attached to each mountain. He has accomplished this all within a year. Cecily Wong is a journalist writing for Wild Outdoors magazine. Charles has chosen her to accompany him on this last journey up Manaslu, the eighth tallest mountain in the world. If she makes it to the summit with him, she will get the interview of a lifetime. If she cannot make it to the summit, Charles will not grant her the interview. Cecily has seven climbers on her team, all of whom have climbed before. Breathless is told from Cecily‘s point of view and alternated with a blog she is writing for her editor.

While it seems like an impossibility for a new climber, Cecily believes she can make it to the summit. After the small team ascends the mountain, strange things start to happen. Their Wi-Fi is jammed everywhere on the mountain. She keeps hearing whistling outside her tent. There are also teams that have conflicts with each other. When Cecily does finally reach her editor, she finds her job is on the line, and her bitter ex-boyfriend has offered to take her place on the mountain.

There is obviously a lot of research about high level mountaineering gone into this book. In the Author’s note at the end, she talks about her preparation to climb Mount Toubkal in Morocco. In my opinion, the book would have been fantastic without the mysterious element. For someone who is severely acrophobic, the idea of walking up a mountain that is 5 miles high is unfathomable. The sheer grit of having to go on when you are struggling with breath, climbing ice walls on the edge of mountains, and the fear of falling into crevices, hidden by snow, is thrilling enough without the stalker element.

What I loved most about the book is the atmospheric descriptions of places we will never go. I was consistently putting down the book to google what these places looked like. Amy McCulloch did a fantastic job with her descriptions of the weather, the bitter cold, and the feeling of not being able to move another foot. It truly felt like we were climbing Mansalu with Cecily Wong. In Breathless, she combines creepiness, claustrophobia and the thrill of being on top of an 8,000 meter mountain. The characters surrounding her definitely feel secondary to her journey up the mountain. You can feel a sense of dread as they move farther up, and it is intense and horrifying. Without spoiling the ending, the journey to the summit eclipses the ending. Breathless is a gripping thriller.

This is a really great book. Imagine being on a mountain cut off from everyone except someone who wants to kill you. Incredibly creepy and scary. However the thing that makes this book the best is that it really has a good story.

I cannot even find the words to describe what a good book Breathless was. It had me hooked from the start and I read the book in one day over a 12 hour period.