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Breathless

By: Amy McCulloch
Narrated by: Katie Leung
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

It's ice cold. You're miles from help. And one of you will be next....

Get the year's most gripping thriller now and listen to the book that everyone will be talking about....

When struggling journalist Cecily Wong is invited to join an expedition to climb one of the world's tallest mountains, it seems like the chance of a lifetime.

She doesn't realise how deadly the climb will be.

As their small team starts to climb, things start to go wrong. There's a theft. Then an accident. Then a mysterious note, pinned to her tent: there's a murderer on the mountain.

The higher they get, the more dangerous the climb becomes, and the more they need to trust one another.

And that's when Cecily finds the first body....

©2022 Amy McCulloch (P)2022 Penguin Audio
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Critic reviews

Breathless is a high-altitude, high-stakes thriller that combines fascinating, authentic mountaineering experience with pure thriller entertainment. The suspense rises like the Nepalese mountain it is set on. Reminded me of the best of Michael Crichton, where in-depth knowledge and a masterful plot work together to create a tense adrenaline-fuelled ride. I loved it (Matt Haig)
If you're looking for a book to thrill and transport you, then Breathless is the read for you! Set high in the chilling Death Zone, this thriller had me on the edge of my seat. I loved being immersed in the competitive, high-stakes world of alpine climbing and Amy brilliantly evokes how risky this setting is, a setting that can only get deadlier with a murderer on the mountain... A must read for 2022 (Sarah Pearse, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium)

Tense, chilling and terrifying with unforgettable characters and an unpredictable and atmospheric plot. One of the most original thrillers I've read. It deserves to be huge! (Claire Douglas, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Couple at No. 9)

What listeners say about Breathless

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  • Overall
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An enjoyable informed story

It reads as if the author knows her stuff on the mountains and at times I forgot I was listening to fiction. Looking forward to more adventures with our heroine.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Unbelievably boring

I have no idea how this book has been classed as nail biting. 5 hours in and it’s a massive snooze fest. I can’t make myself listen until the end it’s so sloooow going. The characters are uninteresting the main character is just again.., boring.
The narrator tries but fails to distinguish between different voices and she’s also monotone. Maybe good if you’re struggling to fall asleep…

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  • Overall
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A chilling, immersive and incredible book

This is the best book I've listened to for a long set. Set in the epic Himalayan Mountains, this is a story of alpine heroism and murder. The scenes and settings make you feel like you are there on this epic climb with a murderer on the loose. Shiveringly amazing and I totally recommend this.

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Breathtaking not Breathless

Totally enthralling from beginning to end. Fabulous storyline and descriptions of the environment so clear they immersed your senses as if you were watching a film.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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An epic read!

A fast paced heart thumping read filled with twists & turns with a backdrop of exhilarating mountain knowledge…. Loved it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Breathless I thought it was a weird Title!

I brought this book with my credit, but it was not the book I wanted. I picked the wrong book!
But it is so good I couldn’t put it down. The narrator, was fantastic,the story was brilliant. Overall, I was very happy with picking wrong book.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating, Atmospheric, Chilly Thriller

After simply adoring Shiver by Allie Reynolds, I saw her recommending Breathless on Twitter and that was good enough for me to immediately put it on pre-order ... and I was not disappointed!

Rather like Shiver, part of Breathless' allure is the way it gives a wonderful expert entre to a sport I was hitherto very unfamiliar with - a sport I have no wish to do but in both books, made for compulsive reading and ideal settings for chilly thrillers!

I now know the difference between an Alpenist and a Mountaineer - understand summiting as a verb, a Sherpa's role, the protocol of climbing a mountain and all the potential thrills, spills and danger - I am possibly less tempted than I was before to actually take part in this sport, but thanks to the great writing, I almost feel like I too have summited.

Katie Leung did a fabulous job of possibly the most challenging narration job ever with so many characters from so many countries. Yes, perhaps her French and Russian accents were not so recognisable but she brought each and every character to vibrant life and it really gave the story and extra dimension and so easy to follow. So a five star read for me.

Plot wise I did have an inkling of what was going on but certainly not the whole enchilada - so there were plenty of twists that had me gasping ..... and the suspense and the creepy feeling of being stalked was excellent.

I can always tell when a book has me hooked as I find excuses to listen to it during the day and do jobs around the house I am usually dodging just to keep finding out what happens next and Breathless was responsible for a huge wardrobe reorganisation and declutter for which I am so very grateful.

Of course with the storms blowing and hail battering the windows as I listened, it made for the perfect immersive experience and I really do feel like I have just got back from a real life expedition.

I will definitely be looking out for Amy McCulloch's next thriller!

Excellent.





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The Death Zone….

A gripping and tense drama with the back drop of one of the highest mountains, Manaslu.
Well written and narrated. Thoroughly enjoyable.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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What a book!

The only word I can say is, wow. This was an absolutely fantastic read. It compelled me to do my own research into the dangers of mountain climbing and the mountains are really not to be messed with. It’s clear Amy has done a lot of research into writing this.
Onto the story itself, I couldn’t put it down. I loved the atmosphere of slowly building tension right from the word go. From Cecily’s sexist immature and jealous ex to paranoia and death. I was rooting for most of the team. There were times I laughed, scenes which made me cry and the tension towards the end was almost unbearable. The only thing I was a little sad about was I was left with a few unanswered questions, but then that does leave us with a mountain of our own, our imagination. Well done Amy, a truly brilliant read and it was also fascinating to learn about mountain climbing while reading a really good crime thriller along the way! I think Aly’s was my favourite character, with Zach not far behind. Would highly recommend this book to any thriller fans, although if you’re planning on climbing a mountain soon and considering a book to take with you, I don’t think this is the one you’ll want to pack! Perhaps you should read this when you’re back on firm ground again after you’ve reached the summit and made it safely back down!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Breathless

As if climbing mountains isn’t dangerous enough, it looks as if there might be a killer on the loose.
An interesting and different thriller.

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