Oh my god I have no idea why anyone would be an ultra runner, let alone in the searing heat of the Sahara desert, but people do and it’s brilliant to read about.

In ‘Runner 13’, Adrienne is the best female ultra runner around for miles (no pun intended). She is warned off running after a mysterious incident, several years later is personally invited to take part in the latest most ambitious Ampersands race across the Sahara.

As soon as she’s there, things start going wrong and some of the other runners end up dead or seriously injured. Adrienne has been promised the answer to some long-standing questions if she gets to the end of the race.

It is exhilarating adrenaline packed reading, with death and danger at every turn. I could feel the desert heat rising from the page, the desperation for shadow or water, and the relentless drive that sees runners like this through to the end.

Can she catch a killer before time runs out?

Adri is about to embark on her toughest run yet. 250 miles through the desert, blistering heat, cruel conditions and literally ends up running for her life. Despite the training the has put in over the years nothing can prepare her for what she is about to face.

I have always thought runners were a little bit crazy, this just confirms it! Thanks @netgalley for the chance to read this book. The setting was very immersive and I felt anxious throughout.

Publication Date - 19/06/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#Runner13
#AmyMcCulloch

Adri was an elite ultra-marathon runner but gave up the sport after an incident which caused great outrage in racing circles. She has been invited to the Ampersand race in the Sahara dessert managed by the elusive Boones, who always has an ulterior motive in his races. When she arrives, there are complications from her past, issues with other runners, and the sheer exhaustion and pain of running 200 miles. The description of the dessert environment and the physicality and endurance required is excellent, I could really feel it.
The plot is great, everyone has secrets and there are lots of plot twists.
Highly recommended.

I absolutely love Amy's novels. I thought Breathless was phenomenal, and then she topped it with Midnight, which was so good. Part of me worried that she couldn't do it a third time but I know she can. And the fact that these seemingly impossible events, voyages etc. that Amy has actually done them herself is even more astounding.

This is going to sound a bit weird, but go with it, as I couldn't get this idea out of my head. For some reason, this one felt more accessible than the other. Not many 'average' people will climb mountains to visit the Arctic. But people do do marathons and ultramarathons. Now I know this isn't your average ultramarathon, it is more than that. And coming from me, someone who can barely walk to the end of the street without a walking stick, it seems a bit rich to say it's more doable. But it did feel like something you might know someone doing.

It is fast paced, edge-of-your-seat, thrilling stuff. She is the best at writing these kind of stories; thrilling adventures in inhospitable environments where mental and emotional capacity is just as important, or maybe more so, than the physical.

It is mainly set in the present time, but we do get flashback chapters set seven years prior, which helps explain what is happening to Adrienne now.

It did take me a little while to get into It's still very good, but I'd say the first 1/4 was a little slow to get going. But once the actual racing starts, it's full on and there's so may twists and turns and surprises.

It's not my favourite of her books, but it's still a marvellous piece of storytelling and she will continue to be a go-to author for tense and exciting thrillers.

**Spoilers**

Please note that the following paragraph may contain spoilers, so if you do not want to know, then please do not read any furhter.

**Spoilers**

**Spoilers**

**Spoilers**

What I did find though - and in hindsight it might be the case for all thrillers - is that it was obvious that our main character was going to survive. Whilst it is a thriller and there are surprises and you do hold your breath to see what's coming next, I didn't find a huge amount of jeopardy about it.

A gripping thriller, filled with twists and turns.

Set in the beautiful but deadly desert, which is so well described that you can picture being there as you read.
The characters are believably flawed and the story keeps you guessing.
A recommended read.

Wow! What a tense and thrilling read! I read an eARC of this book on Net Galley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This takes place in the highly competitive world of ultra running. We have a main character who gave it up seven years ago but an irresistible offer has brought her back to take part in a race across the Sahara Desert. However her reasons for leaving the sport will come back to haunt her and it’s not just the inhospitable terrain that will put her in peril, but the people around her too.

I’ve read this author’s two previous thrillers and thoroughly enjoyed them too and this continues that trend. The author likes to put her characters in extreme, dangerous terrains and then ramp the jeopardy up even more!

This is very much plot driven and is extremely fast paced. While we do see flashbacks to the past, most of the action in the present takes place over just a few days. The extreme environment and the tension of the competition leads to a fraught and stressful atmosphere as we see the competition overshadowed for our main character by the reasons she left the sport, and the behaviour of those who would prefer her not to return. The whole event is loomed over by the mysterious event organiser whose desire to push people makes his decisions questionable.

A thrilling and riveting read! Prepare to read it in one sitting!

I previously really enjoyed Breathless by Amy McCulloch, so I was excited to receive the ARC of her latest novel – Runner 13.

Adrienne has a lot to prove when she signs for a 250 mile race across the Sahara desert. However, it seems that secrets are being kept, and when a runner is seriously injured, the race is on to get to the truth and survive.

One of the reasons I love McCulloch’s writing is that her amazing, real-life experiences shape the books she writes. Breathless, for example - which is about a woman climbing the 8th highest mountain in the world, was inspired from her own experience being the youngest Canadian woman to climb Mt Manaslu in Nepal. She has also completed the 36th Marathon des Sables – a 250km stage marathon through the Sahara Desert which mirrors the backdrop for Runner 13 and helps to create a realistic feeling read that has you hooked from the outset.

I loved the setting of the book - the heat of the desert and the competitive nature of the other contestants makes for a great setting for a thriller. The stakes gradually build higher and higher, helped by segments from a running podcast which give vital backstory about some of the other runners. There’s also a previous scandal in Adri’s life, which we learn more about as the book progresses.

As someone who runs a little (although nowhere near that 250-mile mark!), I found the description of running to be accurate and inspiring. I also really enjoyed the female driven main characters which turn the tables on a sport which is very male dominated. In fact, I saw from McCulloch’s Instagram, her having to defend the fact that women do run these kind of races, and sharing accounts of other inspiring women that have done so recently.

Overall, Runner 13 is another fabulous book from super-woman Amy McCulloch and I’m very excited to see what’s next for her – in her real-life adventures, or the literary kind! Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House – Michael Joseph for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Adri, following on from a scandal, arrives in the Sahara for the ultimate ultra running test, a two hundred and fifty mile run across the brutal heat of the desert with only minimal supplies while fighting against nature. When a fellow runner is seriously injured she realises something isn’t quite right. Is there a killer in their midst?

I have really enjoyed the previous books by this author so was excited to read this one and all I can say is wow what a ride. This was another brilliant survival/destination thriller by this author that focuses on the world of ultra running. I have to admit I didn’t know anything about this sport before reading and found discovering this world absolutely fascinating. I love a story that teaches me new things and this did that while being highly original. The endurance needed and the brutality really comes across in this novel and makes for a shocking read. I felt exhausted just reading about it!

The characters are well portrayed and I really liked Ari as a main character as she seemed authentic and I found myself rooting for her. There is an interesting mystery running throughout all the action and drama, where I never really knew who I could completely trust. Much like the subject of running this was a fast paced and suspenseful read with plenty of atmosphere. I could really feel the heat, wind and sand; the tension never drops. This was an excellent thriller overall and has piqued my interest in running, only maybe, a good couple of hundred miles less. I will definitely recommend this one and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Runner 13 is a novel I raced through in one day. A 250 mile endurance race across the Sahara desert with lots of challenges and surprises.
Adrienne (Adri) left the ultramarathon scene many years before, after her son's accident and a threat to her family. But now she is back, to get some answers and finally move on with her life. But it is possible she is in more danger now than ever.

While I am not an ultramarathon runner, I quite enjoyed all of the running and running terms and there was also a lot of mystery and suspense. The characters were so interesting, particularly Adri's family and former running friends and the backdrop was perfect, in the isolated hostile desert environment. Another one I thoroughly enjoyed. 4.5*
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for this gifted review copy.

4.5⭐️

I really enjoyed this - thriller about ultramarathons - yes please!
Couldn’t put it down and read the whole thing in one sitting!
Good number of twists that I wasn’t expecting, but did make sense once they came out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 stars rounded up (would have been a solid 5 stars but deducted 1/4 for who was the hit and run driver!). This one is very much in the vein of Breathless, which sees a group of people in an extreme environment, as people get injured or killed… who is behind it all? This one is the opposite extreme to Breathless, being set primarily in the Sahara desert (barring the opening in cold and wet Yorkshire, and flashbacks to sunny Ibiza), and whereas before I found the scenery/temperature descriptions monotonous in Breathless, I didn’t find that as much with Runner 13… maybe it’s because as a runner myself, I was more interested in the ultramarathon race they ran? (Though god knows I couldn’t do that race, furthest I’ve managed is 10K! If I ever worked up to ultra distance, it wouldn’t be in the extreme hot or cold).

Overall I liked the characters and plot, which ticks along at a good pace. You suspect several of the people, and happily I did spot a few things ahead of their reveal which is always nice! My only tiny niggle was in who was revealed as the hit and run driver, and the real truth never being told… hence 1/4 star deduction - but otherwise a solid excellent read and I’d recommend it! You might even want to lace up your running shoes after…

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

What a read- I loved this.!
This is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish with a plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, making it impossible to predict what will happen next.
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
The setting is vividly described, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall reading experience. The running aspect was fascinating, i would never want to run an ultra race ever!
Highly recommended!

This book had a fantastic premise and it was wonderful to read a thriller set in a location other than specifically the domestic. The author brought us right into the heart of the (mad!) people who run ultras and I loved it for that. Plot wise I thought it sagged a little in the middle but definitely worth a read.

Runner 13 is a must-read for anyone who loves high-stakes survival stories packed with personal redemption and dark secrets, all set in the intense, unforgiving world of ultrarunning. As someone who’s fascinated by ultrarunners, I couldn’t wait to dive into this one — and it did *not* disappoint. I raced through the pages (pun absolutely intended!), torn between not wanting it to end and needing to know what happens next. This book is an absolute rollercoaster — fast-paced, gripping, and impossible to put down. Trust me, it’s a thriller you’ll want to talk about, and I’ll definitely be recommending it to everyone!

I wosh I had loved this more, it felt long in places but the storyline was really clever and I just had to know what was going to happen. Interesting for the moat part, and also a little creepy

Amy McCulloch is absolutely fantastic at writing this sort of novel. Breathless had me completely immersed in the mountain-climbing world, and this one had me fascinated by ultra running. The research that went into writing this book was so evident, and I am in awe of anyone who genuinely runs such insane distances!

The world-building was brilliant, I really felt the oppressive heat and sheer scale of the Sahara desert, and could easily picture the setting for the race. The characters were extremely vivid too, and I really enjoyed getting to know them and following their story.

I would 100% recommend this book. I really enjoy a book where I feel that I have learned something as well as just liking the story, and that was definitely the case here.

Seven years ago Adrienne withdrew from the ultra-running scene when her young sons life was threatened following a scandal she was involved in. Now she's back with an invitation she can't refuse, participating in the toughest of all challenges a 250 mile race across the Sahara desert.

I raced through it in one go. A stunning thriller set amidst the world of ultra runners. The scene setting is impeccable, the desert sands providing a backdrop as beautiful as it is deadly. Extreme conditions, faces from the past and Number 13 on her back, the desert and the sands are the least of Adri's worries.

I'm not a runner and this novel didn't make me want to be one but I loved reading about it. Totally unputdownable start to finish.

I haven't read anything by this author before and Amy McCulloch can certainly write, seems she can run too and got her inspiration for this novel whilst competing in the Marathon des Sables. Total respect.

Enjoyable thriller set in the desert at an extreme ultra marathon, this is a good pacey read with some knotty story and themes underlying it. I found the POV changes. a bit jarring sometimes and wasn't sure they were completely necessary for most of the book. But it's a great window into extreme sports and a tense and easy read.

I knew nothing about ultrarunning, and now I'm slightly in awe of the book characters, and also think they are slightly bonkers! This is a fast paced, engaging and tense narrative with plenty of suspense and an interesting premise. Very atmospheric, I loved the visceral heat of the desert setting and the details of the race. I could guess some but not all of the secret that was lurking in the background, but it's relevant to a lot of the coverage of the veil that's been drawn over some of the abuses that were hidden in the elite and also grassroots sporting world.

Runner 13 is one of those books you want to read in one sitting, it is addictive and unpredictable and opened my eyes to the world of the ultra runners, a triumph of athleticism I didn't know much about.

The feeling of authenticity to that layer of the plot is excellent, they do say write what you know and the mystery and thriller elements play really nicely into it, creating a narrative that fairly rocks along taking the reader with it. It actually made me out of breath just reading it sometimes.

Wildly entertaining, an intelligent thriller that is hugely readable. Loved it.