Where to Start Reading Amy McCulloch
Because Amy McCulloch writes across very different genres—split between high-stakes adult thrillers and imaginative young adult (YA) fantasy/sci-fi—your best starting point depends entirely on what kind of story you are looking for:
- For Thriller and Survival Fans: Start with Breathless (2022). This is her breakout adult thriller debut, drawing heavily on her real-life experience as the youngest Canadian woman to summit Mount Manaslu in Nepal. It is the perfect introduction to her trademark "extreme destination" suspense style.
- For Tech and Sci-Fi Lovers: Start with Jinxed (2018). It is a near-future YA duology featuring customizable robotic animal companions (baku) and a strong focus on girls in STEM, combining corporate intrigue with teenage resourcefulness.
- For Fantasy and Magic Fans: Start with The Potion Diaries (2015). Published under her pseudonym Amy Alward (and released as Madly in some territories), this whimsical YA trilogy follows a modern-day teenage alchemist on a wild quest to find a cure for a poisoned princess.
- For Gothic Mystery Lovers: Start with The Magpie Society: One for Sorrow (2020). Co-authored with digital creator Zoe Sugg (Zoella), this dark academia duology is told from dual perspectives and centers on a mysterious death at an elite boarding school.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving in, there are a few useful tips and regional quirks to keep in mind regarding Amy McCulloch's bibliography:
- The Pseudonym Twist: If you are searching for her popular potion-brewing fantasy series, you will need to look for books authored by Amy Alward. This is a pen name she used earlier in her career before publishing under her real name.
- Alternate Book Titles: Depending on where you buy your books, you might run into different titles for the same story. Her debut fantasy novel The Potion Diaries was published as Madly in the United States. Additionally, her second adult thriller, Midnight (2023), was re-released in paperback and in alternative markets under the title The Girl on the Ice. They are identical books, so be careful not to buy both!
- Real-Life Inspiration: McCulloch is an accomplished mountaineer and adventure runner. Her adult thrillers are deeply authentic because she has personally undertaken the extreme challenges her characters face—whether that is climbing one of the world's highest peaks in the Himalayas or running the grueling Marathon des Sables across the Sahara.
- New Fantasy Pen Name: McCulloch is expanding her pseudonym catalog. She is set to launch a new high-fantasy series starting with Heart of Vengeance in July 2027 under the pen name Mei Goodwin.
The Standalone Destination Thrillers
These adult thrillers are entirely standalone and can be read in any order. However, reading them in publication order lets you follow McCulloch's evolution in writing high-altitude and extreme-weather suspense.
- Breathless (2022) – Journalist Cecily Wong is invited to document an elite expedition climbing Mount Manaslu. As climbers begin dying in mysterious "accidents," Cecily realizes a killer is hiding in plain sight among the team, thousands of feet above sea level.
- Midnight (2023) – Also published as The Girl on the Ice. Set on an exclusive, private Antarctic cruise ship, a woman named Olivia must uncover the truth about a body found frozen in the ice while navigating a dangerous polar environment and suspicious fellow passengers.
- Runner 13 (2025) – A pulse-pounding thriller featuring Adrienne, an ultramarathon runner competing in a grueling 250-mile race across the Sahara Desert. The extreme heat is only half the danger when she discovers a killer is hunting the runners.
- Watch Her Fall (Expected Spring 2027) – An upcoming extreme destination thriller details of which are still under wrap but promised to deliver her signature heart-stopping suspense.
The Jinxed Duology (YA Sci-Fi)
Set in a world where smartphone technology has evolved into robotic pet companions called "baku," this sci-fi duology must be read in chronological order due to its ongoing storyline.
- Jinxed (2018) – Lacey Chu dreams of working for Moncha Corp, the tech giant behind the baku. When she finds and repairs a damaged, highly advanced robotic cat named Jinx, she gets swept into a high-stakes conspiracy.
- Unleashed (2021) – In this sequel, Lacey and Jinx must team up with friends to expose Moncha Corp's dark plans before their technology goes global and threatens everyone.
The Potion Diaries (YA Fantasy as Amy Alward)
Written under the name Amy Alward, this series blends modern technology with traditional fantasy potion-brewing. Read these books in order of publication to follow the adventures of Samantha Kemi.
- The Potion Diaries (2015) – Also published as Madly. When the Princess of Nova accidentally poisons herself with a love potion, a nationwide Hunt is declared to find a cure. Ordinary alchemist Sam Kemi enters the race to save her family's potion shop.
- Royal Tour (2016) – Fresh off her victory, Sam joins the Princess on a high-stakes royal tour to show stability to the kingdom, only to face new magical threats and political sabotage.
- Going Viral (2017) – A deadly magical pandemic sweeps through Nova. Sam must track down ancient ingredients to brew a cure before time runs out.
The Magpie Society Duology (YA Mystery with Zoe Sugg)
Co-authored with Zoe Sugg, this dark academic mystery is told through alternating perspectives. You must read these two books in order to resolve the central murder mystery.
- One for Sorrow (2020) – Set at the prestigious Illumen Hall boarding school, new girl Audrey and her roommate Ivy investigate the suspicious death of a fellow student, guided by a mysterious podcast.
- Two for Joy (2021) – The investigation deepens as Audrey and Ivy get closer to uncovering the dark secrets of the Magpie Society and the identity of the killer.
The Knots Sequence (YA Fantasy)
This is Amy McCulloch's debut fantasy series. It features a desert world where promises are physically bound by magical knots. Read these in order.
- The Oathbreaker’s Shadow (2013) – Fifteen-year-old Raim lives in a world where breaking a promise leaves a physical scar on your shadow. When Raim's shadow is suddenly scarred by an oath he doesn't remember making, he must flee into the desert to survive.
- The Shadow’s Curse (2014) – Raim continues his journey in exile, seeking a way to break his curse and find his true path while a massive conflict looms.
Anthologies & Short Stories
- A Taste of Darkness (2023) – A spooky YA horror anthology co-curated by Amy McCaw and Maria Kuzniar. Amy McCulloch contributes a standalone short horror story titled "The Chiming Hour".