Breathless: A Thriller by Amy McCulloch (English) Paperback Book

Description: Breathless by Amy McCulloch "Originally published in hardcover in Great Britain by Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin Random House Ltd., London, in 2022"--Title page verso. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description A BOOK OF THE MONTH CLUB PICK • A high-altitude thriller that will take your breath away—Cecily Wong is on her most dangerous climb yet, miles above sea level. But the elements are nothing compared to one chilling truth: Theres a killer on the mountain. "A vertigo-inducing page-turner by an author who brings the high-stakes world of expert mountain-climbing to life on the page." —Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The MaidJournalist Cecily Wong is in over her head. Shes come to Manaslu, the eighth-highest peak in the world, to interview internationally famous mountaineer Charles McVeigh on the last leg of a record-breaking series of summits. Shes given up everything for this story—her boyfriend, her life savings, the peace shes made with her climbing failures in the past—but its a career-making opportunity. It could finally put her life back on track. But when one climber dies in what everyone else assumes is a freak accident, she fears their expedition is in danger. And by the time a second climber dies, its too late to turn back. Stranded on a mountain in one of the most remote regions of the world, shell have to battle more than the elements in a harrowing fight for survival against a killer who is picking them off one by one. Author Biography AMY McCULLOCH is the author of Breathless, as well as eight novels for children and young adults, including the internationally bestselling YA novel The Magpie Society: One for Sorrow. In 2019, she became the youngest Canadian woman to climb Manaslu in Nepal. She lives in London. Review A BOOK OF THE MONTH CLUB PICK • AS SEEN ON THE TODAY SHOW • NATIONAL OUTDOOR BOOK AWARD WINNER"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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Library"A vertigo-inducing page-turner by an author who brings the high-stakes world of expert mountain-climbing to life on the page."—Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid"The fact that McCulloch has actually climbed Manaslu allows her to ground her zippy thriller in first-hand experience. McCulloch knows what its like to be on a commercially guided ascent of an 8,000-meter peak. She knows what its like to be a relative novice in that context—surrounded by guides and Sherpas and other climbers whove got far more experience in the mountains. She knows what its like to be plopped down in a community of ambitious and sometimes disagreeable strangers in a setting that requires mutual trust. And she knows what its like to feel, as one of the few women on the mountain, like youre a target for misogyny and unwanted sexual advances. And so, in between the deaths and cliffhangers through which the plot hurtles, McCulloch puts her firsthand knowledge on display—in the process winning our trust as readers and shedding an uncomfortable amount of light on some of mountaineerings less admirable aspects."—Climbing.com"If youre 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, New York Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium"This thriller would be unsettling enough at sea level, but in the death zone, its suffocatingly tense. McCulloch combines extreme mountaineering with murder to create a novel thats chilling, vivid, and entirely unique." —Abigail Dean, New York Times bestselling author of Girl A "Nail-biting, chilling, totally exhilarating—a true triumph."—Stacey Halls, bestselling author of The Familiars "Tense, chilling and terrifying with unforgettable characters and an unpredictable and atmospheric plot. One of the most original thrillers Ive read. It deserves to be huge!—Claire Douglas, bestselling author of Last Seen Alive"An intense and sinister thriller, Breathless takes readers on a treacherous climb to one of the highest peaks in the world. Amy McCullochs chilling setting is remarkably evocative, and I was transfixed by her brave heroine grappling to reach the life-threatening summit, with a possible murderer on her trail. Mesmerizing and haunting, this enthralling suspense will make you shiver with dread and tear through the pages to the pulse-pounding end." —Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge"I climbed Manaslu with Amy – she is the real deal."—Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja, author of Beyond Possible and star of the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks Review Quote "The fact that McCulloch has actually climbed Manaslu allows her to ground her zippy thriller in first-hand experience. McCulloch knows what its like to be on a commercially guided ascent of an 8,000-meter peak. She knows what its like to be a relative novice in that context--surrounded by guides and Sherpas and other climbers whove got far more experience in the mountains. She knows what its like to be plopped down in a community of ambitious and sometimes disagreeable strangers in a setting that requires mutual trust. And she knows what its like to feel, as one of the few women on the mountain, like youre a target for misogyny and unwanted sexual advances. And so, in between the deaths and cliffhangers through which the plot hurtles, McCulloch puts her firsthand knowledge on display--in the process winning our trust as readers and shedding an uncomfortable amount of light on some of mountaineerings less admirable aspects." -- Climbing.com "A vertigo-inducing page-turner by an author who brings the high-stakes world of expert mountain-climbing to life on the page." --Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid "If youre 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, New York Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium " 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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Library "This thriller would be unsettling enough at sea level, but in the death zone, its suffocatingly tense. McCulloch combines extreme mountaineering with murder to create a novel thats chilling, vivid, and entirely unique." -- Abigail Dean, New York Times bestselling author of Girl A "Nail-biting, chilling, totally exhilarating--a true triumph." -- Stacey Halls, bestselling author of T he Familiars "Tense, chilling and terrifying with unforgettable characters and an unpredictable and atmospheric plot. One of the most original thrillers Ive read. It deserves to be huge! -- Claire Douglas, bestselling author of Last Seen Alive "An intense and sinister thriller, Breathless takes readers on a treacherous climb to one of the highest peaks in the world. Amy McCullochs chilling setting is remarkably evocative, and I was transfixed by her brave heroine grappling to reach the life-threatening summit, with a possible murderer on her trail. Mesmerizing and haunting, this enthralling suspense will make you shiver with dread and tear through the pages to the pulse-pounding end." --Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge "I climbed Manaslu with Amy - she is the real deal." --Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja, author of Beyond Possible and star of the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks Excerpt from Book Chapter 1 In a cramped hotel room high above the prayer flag-strewn streets of Thamel, the main tourist district of Kathmandu, Nepal, Cecily snapped her laptop shut. The opening to her article wasnt right, but getting something down early soothed her jangled nerves. Far easier to whip a weak lede into shape than face a blank page. She used to think a blank page was her greatest fear. Now, thanks to Charles McVeigh, she was about to face something far more terrifying. The death zone of the eighth-highest mountain in the world. Her head pounded after her excursion to Tom & Jerrys the night before. She hadnt intended to drink much, but one of her new teammates--Zak, the American--had been buying, and a hangover seemed like a small price to pay for the bonding shed done with him. She needed to be on her game for this expedition, yet already she was starting off-balance. A sharp knock on her hotel-room door brought her to her feet. She opened it, allowing her expedition leader, Doug Manners, and head guide, Mingma Lakpa Sherpa, to enter. Theyd met her at the airport the day before, Doug instantly recognizable by the shock of silver hair against his mountain-tanned skin. Yet today, his shoulders were hunched and he seemed tired . . . not like the bold pioneering mountain man, legend of the British alpinism world she had pictured. Shed read a lot about his accomplishments in the high peaks: five Everest summits, from both the south and north side, along with numerous first ascents on some of the lesser-known peaks in the Karakoram and in the Andes. Hed spent many years guiding for one the worlds premier high-altitude commercial expedition companies, Summit Extreme, before leaving to branch out on his own with Manners Mountaineering. He was known for his no-nonsense approach and his high regard for safety. Mingma next to him was a slip of a man, and yet she knew he was a fifteen-time Everest summiteer. Cecily could barely wrap her head around the steel and bravery it would take to accomplish such a feat. "All set?" Doug asked. "I think so." She flipped to the gear list printed and glued into the front of her notebook, and allowed them in to inspect the gear laid out neatly on the double bed. Shed already checked it a dozen times that morning, carefully marking off every item shed been asked to bring. Nothing forgotten. Nothing left behind. This time, on this mountain, she was determined to be prepared. "Feeling all right this morning?" asked Mingma, a twinkle in his eye. Hed helped her make her way back to the hotel last night, providing directions to the Nepali taxi driver. "Yes, fine!" She forced a grin, and he patted her on the arm, not pressing further. She watched as Doug cast a critical eye over her gear. He lifted a piece of footwear, inspecting the sole. It was one of her enormous triple-layer, eight-thousand-meter-ready boots, wrapped in wasp-yellow gaiters that came up to her knees. Hers were pristine, unworn. They would be critical in protecting her toes from frostbite in the extreme cold, but hers were so big, shed had to layer the inside with extra insoles. Almost all the high-altitude mountaineering gear--summit suits and boots--was made for male bodies. She had to adapt it all to fit. "Thank you both again for having me on this expedition," she said. "It must be strange having clients with you--I know youve been supporting Charles alone on his mission so far." "It is our pleasure," said Mingma, his sparse mustache tickling the underside of his nose as he smiled. His warmth was a stark contrast to Dougs grunts. Dougs frown deepened as he moved on from her boots to inspect her orange-handled ice ax and harness. "I hope that one is OK," she said. "I googled the best harnesses for mountaineering and it had good reviews." "Itll do. One that clips a round the legs would have been better." Her cheeks reddened. "Oh. I didnt know." "You should have asked--Googles not going to save you at eight thousand meters." Doug placed the harness back onto the bed, careful not to tangle the loops. "Normally when I run an expedition, I only take climbers with the right experience. You never know when a mountain will turn on you. Its not just your own life you put at risk up there." "My last summit attempt taught me that," she said, suppressing a shudder. "I actually wrote something about it online. I dont know if you saw . . ." Doug looked blank. "I dont really keep up with the internet." "Oh, of course you dont. I only thought you mightve seen it because Charles says its the reason he invited me on the expedition . . ." She was embarrassed to have brought it up, but pleased at the same time. At least one person on the trip hadnt read her now-infamous viral blog post "Failure to Rise"--all about her total inability to reach the summit of the mountains she attempted. Once Zak had realized who she was, hed insisted on buying another round of shots. "Looks like everything is in order here. I need to check on the others," said Doug. "When youve packed up, leave your duffels in the room and Mingma will bring them down. Meet in the lobby at eleven hundred sharp, then well head to the airport." Cecily straightened. "Got it." She surveyed the vast amount of gear to pack up. This was her life savings. Everything she owned was on this bed. She caught Mingmas eye. "Do you think Ive brought too much?" Mingma laughed. "You should see Mr. Zaks list. I think he is bringing a photo album of his children to the summit. What are you taking to the top?" She chewed on her bottom lip. "To be honest, I havent thought that far . . ." "You havent?" He blinked, taken aback. "They sell flags all over in Thamel. Why dont you see if you can get one? You have a bit of time." "Really? Great idea. Thanks, Mingma. Ill go once Ive finished here." He bowed his head, before following Doug out of the room. Cecily folded her clothes into packing cubes, stacked them inside the duffel bag, and checked each item off her list again. "Summit flag" wasnt on it. Of course she should have something to take to the top, to hold up in a photograph. Why hadnt she thought about it before? As she made her way out onto the bustling streets, the answer was obvious. Because you dont think youre going to make it. Chapter 2 Pocket-sized Union Jack secured, Cecily made her way back to the guesthouse. The moment the doors slid open, she found a phone thrust in her face. "And look, heres one of my teammates now!" exclaimed Zak. Shed googled him as soon as shed returned to the hotel after the bar and discovered that he was the CEO of TalkForward, some kind of high-tech communications firm based in Petaluma, California. "Say hi, Celia!" "Its Cecily," she said, raising a hand to wave at a gaggle of blond, beaming kids on the wide screen of his phone. Zak threw his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close so they were both visible in the frame. "Still suffering from jet-lag brain over here. Kids, this is Cecily! Shes a world-class journalist writing a story on Charles." She winced at the description of her job title--hardly accurate--but she didnt correct him, and Zak didnt seem to notice her discomfort. "The mountain man!" shouted the youngest boy. "Thats right, buddy, our hero of the Himalayas. OK, guys, love you so much, but I gotta run. The mountains are waiting for me!" He ended the call and exhaled loudly. "Strange to think that might be the last time I talk to them like that for a while. You called any family yet?" "I think they want to hear from me when Im back and safe, to be honest." "I hear ya. Oh, look whos just arrived!" Zak pointed over her shoulder at the lift doors. "Isnt that Charles?" Cecily turned to look and felt a fluttering deep in her belly. "Thats him." Of course it wasnt hard to spot Charles McVeigh in any room. But even here, in a hotel packed with climbers about to embark on their expeditions, he stood out. He was muscular and tall--unlike most mountaineers, who were rangy. He wore a sky-blue puffer jacket, with the TalkForward logo emblazoned on the arm, along with his initials--CM, with the M a stylized mountain range--embroidered over the breast and on his baseball cap. Beside her, Zak drew himself up to his full height--which wouldnt even bring him to Charless shoulder. Still, she understood the impulse to impress. In the world of mountaineering, Charles McVeigh was already famous. Soon he would be legendary. He was on the brink of becoming the first person to complete an unprecedented, near-impossible feat: climbing the only fourteen mountains in the world that stood taller than eight thousand meters without using supplementary oxygen, alpine style--and all within a single year. He called it Mission: Fourteen Clean. Most mountaineers--like Cecily, Zak and the rest of the team--climbed expedition, or "siege," style. Their way meant using every advantage possible--porters, fixed lines, ladders, dining tents, oxygen tanks, an intense acclimatization routine, one-on-one climbing Sherpa attention--to get up the mountain and down safely. His way shed all that support. Climbing in its purest form. Charles was the whole reason she was there, in Kathmandu. Hed promised her an exclusive interview once his mission was complete. The art Details ISBN0593315502 Author Amy McCulloch Short Title Breathless Language English Year 2023 ISBN-10 0593315502 ISBN-13 9780593315507 Format Paperback Publication Date 2023-03-07 Subtitle A Thriller Pages 352 Publisher Random House USA Inc Imprint Anchor Books Place of Publication New York Country of Publication United States AU Release Date 2023-03-07 NZ Release Date 2023-03-07 US Release Date 2023-03-07 UK Release Date 2023-03-07 DEWEY 823.92 Audience General We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:141345252;

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