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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
This wasn't anything crazy good, but it is one of the better thrillers I've ever read. The ending isn't a shitty twist, the characters are compelling and consistent, the setting is great and described really well. I think setting a thriller within an ultramarathon is great, it gives so much additional tension to everything. And you can tell the author has experience with running (as she reveals at the end, she has run the Marathon de Sables which I believe also routes through the Sahara) which makes the book sing with detail and fidelity. I felt like I understood why someone would do something this crazy for the first time while reading Adrianne's POV! At times I did feel like the prose was a little overwrought or maybe theatrical with it, but it was minor and infrequent enough that it didn't jar me out of the book. If you're looking for that thriller experience I recommend this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Exceptional writing, up until the end when it just became twists upon twists, almost for the sake of it.
mysterious
medium-paced
ARC Received: NetGalley - Doubleday Books
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
If the Barkley Marathons had a dark twin, it would be Runner 13. A brutal ultramarathon set deep in the wilderness where the real danger isn’t just the terrain—it’s what’s waiting out there in the dark.
I loved the endurance aspect and how the physical and mental unraveling mirrored each mile. But while the concept hooked me, the execution didn’t quite push it far enough for me to rate it higher. Still, if you like survival thrillers with creepy undertones, this is worth the run. Would make a great audiobook during a long walk or commute!
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
If the Barkley Marathons had a dark twin, it would be Runner 13. A brutal ultramarathon set deep in the wilderness where the real danger isn’t just the terrain—it’s what’s waiting out there in the dark.
I loved the endurance aspect and how the physical and mental unraveling mirrored each mile. But while the concept hooked me, the execution didn’t quite push it far enough for me to rate it higher. Still, if you like survival thrillers with creepy undertones, this is worth the run. Would make a great audiobook during a long walk or commute!
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Runner 13 intrigued me because as a long-time runner I was always fascinated by the ultra-marathon distances and even thought about training and trying one, although I would have started with a 50-mile, and not even thought about a 250-mile one. The author definitely understood runners and their determination to finish at all costs, the mental toughness running requires, as well as the pain and fatigue one experiences during a race. And to throw a murder into this mix was fascinating.
The author's knowledge about running and ultra-running is definitely one of the strengths of this book. She definitely managed to captured the mental tenacity of the athlete who runs these races, the raw pain as well as the obsession that goes along with running. Although I no long run, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about and wish I could just throw on my shoes and go out. And there were days when I hated running, something the author managed to capture as well. How you can love and hate something so much, yet it grips you until it's all you can think about, everywhere you go all you think about is running in the hills, the trails, the mountains, etc... Honestly, the author captures the spirit of the endurance athlete quite uncannily well. I felt like I was with Adrienne while she was running, feeling her pain, knowing what it feels like to hit that 'pain cave' and just push through it. However, even if you never ran a day in your life, the descriptions are so visceral that even non-runners would be able to capture the feelings in this book.
The runners are isolated in a very hostile environment, the Sahara desert, with a twist the elites expected but hoped wouldn't come. And while I enjoyed the chase through the desert, I did feel like this was the weakest part of the book even if I enjoyed how it was done, if that makes sense. The author was able to make you feel the physical pain and fear of the race as well the fear of having someone chase you while you are racing with the intent to do you harm, and this definitely upped the tension of the book. And while I suspected who the actual culprit was very early on in the book, I did enjoy the twists and turns that led to the discovery of who it was. So, were there sections where I rolled my eyes and just had to accept those coincidences? Yes, definitely, which is why I gave it the rating I did. There were many themes running through this book that are worthy of further discussion: murder, suicide, obsession, injuries, drug use, ultra-running, mental health, sexual assault, and increasing support for women runners.
Verdict
Runner 13 was fast, fun, and for a long-time runner, quite interesting. There were times when I was shaking my head, wondering what would entice even ultra-runners to want to run in that heat, but knowing how we are always looking for challenges, I can see how enticing it would be. I actually became quite invested in the race itself and the descriptions of the fortitude the athletes needed to get through such a grueling event. But while I loved the descriptions of the race and the grueling physical and mental aspects of it, I did find that the story was sometimes repetitive, perhaps due to the multiple POV, and it was easy to figure out the big 'twist'. Other than that, this was a fascinating look at ultra-running.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not the page turner I was seeking but I did find it unique- probably pretty appealing to long distance runners or athletes. Long buried secrets and people stretched to their limits. I liked the podcast element and this was heightened with the audiobook listening.
Overall it was fine. Some good twists and turns but a little bit of a slow go.
Overall it was fine. Some good twists and turns but a little bit of a slow go.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
I always enjoy it when an author really gets to show their expertise in their work, and when it comes to ultrarunning, Amy McCulloch has credentials in spades. Runner 13 really shines in the nitty gritty of the race through the Sahara that shapes most of the story, with enough character backstory to make you invested in how the thriller side of it shakes out. Genuinely I think if more of our most unhinged public figures (your Jeffs, your Elons) had gotten really into testing their individual human limits like this instead of seeing how much profit they could squeeze out of their employees we would probably all be better off.