I loved We Begin at the End and was beyond excited to see Whitaker come out with another novel. This one was well worth the wait! Whitaker is a gifted storyteller that we are lucky to experience in our lifetime. ATCOTD is a murder mystery with a love story at its core that spans decades and draws you in and captivates you. Meant to be read slowly and savored as the writing is so beautiful and lyrical, you don’t want to miss a thing. It is a slow burn, with so much heart in the middle. At just over 600 pages, I have had many people ask me if it picks up, and I do think the ending was full of some shocking moments that thriller lovers will enjoy, but this book is a flawless story that doesn’t need to be fast paced to be powerful. It is one that I am already thinking about rereading, and will be in my top 5 this year. Saint is one of my favorite characters I’ve read in a while! She is a true badass! This book had me in my feelings, especially at the end. It was perfect for me. I couldn’t ask for a better novel.

All the Colors of the Dark is a testament to the humanity in all of us - the power, the fears, the strengths, the foibles.Never have I been so angry and frustrated at main characters while still loving and rooting for them. Whitaker’s depiction of the complexity of individuals and how they relate to themselves and one another is beyond moving. This is a book I wanted desperately to ignore all of my responsibilities and devour. Pacing and some final resolutions were minor issues for me, and I would have given 4.5 stars if allowed.

Thank you to Crown Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this beautifully written story.

Chris Whitaker has done a remarkably rare thing in the telling of this story. At its core, it is a murder mystery, but it is so much more than that. This is an exploration of the human condition, how the choices we make shape our lives, and the power of first love. In a matter of a few pages your heart will be broken, and your faith in humanity will be restored, over and over again. I will be thinking about Patch and Saint, and their story, for a very long time. Five big stars for this EPIC read. Many thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.!

I just love CW!
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker is a captivating, bleak and atmospheric novel.
This was an unbelievably phenomenal story.
His storytelling is something amazing and it shows.
His characters just jump off the pages and into her mind, where you can picture them so vividly.
Page-turning, compelling and thoughtful. I devoured another one written by Whitaker.
And it didn’t disappoint!

Thank You NetGalley and Crown for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

3.5 stars. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. Maybe I set the bar too high since I loved We Begin at the End so much? Almost every review and reel I see claims that this will be one of their top books for 2024, and even though I enjoyed the book overall, that is not quite the case for me.

The characters definitely make this book special, and they are characters you won't soon forget, especially Patch, Saint, Charlotte, and Sammy (although with a book of this length I would have appreciated a little more of his backstory). I thought the character arcs of Saint, Misty, and Charlotte were well done, and I loved their growth throughout the book. I loved how this male author wrote strong female characters.

The setting in small town Missouri definitely added to the overall feel of the story, and I loved getting glimpses of other locations big and small throughout the US. The descriptions of locations was well done and beautiful without being too much.

I think where the book was a bit weaker for me was in the overall pacing (and maybe part of it was the classifying of the book as a thriller which it is not). The beginning and the end had me fully engaged and racing through the very short chapters, but the middle did drag at many points for me. The mystery aspect kept me engaged throughout, and I was curious to find out what happened in so many ways by the end (and the ending is not predictable at all.....which I have some mixed thoughts on).

There is no doubt that Whitaker is a beautiful writer, and this book is no exception. I will absolutely continue to pick up whatever he writes without a doubt. I do recommend this read, but I caution people to go in expecting more of a character driven slow burn literary mystery than a thriller. This would make a great book club selection as there are many aspects that could be discussed.

Amidst the backdrop of the Vietnam War and much change in America a small town in Missouri is fighting a different battle: its girls are disappearing without a trace. When a young boy named Patch stops a kidnapping in progress a girl is saved but his life is changed irrevocably. As time progresses you begin to see the ripple effects of his actions that day throughout the lives of so many people.

All the Colors of the Dark is a beautifully written slow-burn suspense novel that will keep you at the edge of your seat with tears streaming down your face. While this is a serial killer thriller, the true highlight of this story are the beautiful characters at the center. You will fall in love with Patch & Saint and the community that rises up to support them over many years of difficulty. This epic story told over decades will take you on the winding and unpredictable journeys of the flawed characters as they attempt to move on from the trauma they experienced in their younger years. All the Colors of the Dark is a book I know I will return to again. I expect this book to be one of my top reads of 2024.

This book is very dark, so readers should be aware of the following content warnings: child abuse, death of a parent, incest, rape, abortion, murder, kidnapping, alcohol abuse, domestic violence.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Patch and Saint are the misfits in their school and best friends. Then one day in the woods Patch happens upon someone attacking the rich, prettiest girl in the school and instincts take over and he steps in, leading to his own attack and kidnapping - it turns out there is a serial killer taking young teen girls. I don’t want to give too much away because this book needs to be read but let’s just say the novel takes place over decades of searching, trauma and friendship. It’s a novel about how one moment can change many lives and even a town forever.

I knew everyone was loving this novel and I’ll be honest it was slow going for me for a bit, but then I got into it and I could not put it down. This is more than a serial killer book (which I happen to have a propensity for), in some ways this is a book about love (all different types) and how that drives you; which is why I would not call it a thriller but a character driven novel. But it is also just a great story. There are some slow parts which is why it’s not a 5 star for me, but it is a top read for the year nonetheless.

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC to review

I can’t imagine reading a book that tops this one. 606 pages wasn’t enough time to spend with these characters and with about 100 pages left, I kept finding chores to do around the house because I wasn’t ready to finish the book, knowing I’d be sad when it was over. Before I sat down to finish the last 20ish chapters, I thought about how I wanted it to end and what I hoped for each character. I didn’t want a neat & tidy happy-ever-after, but I also wanted closure, and wasn’t sure if it would be possible, but Whitaker nailed it. After reading it on my Kindle, I went back and listened to the last few chapters again because it was such a beautiful ending to an incredible story. I can’t recommend this one more highly! Thank you for sharing it with me!

I was super excited to receive this ARC through NetGalley! I had missed Whitaker’s We Begin at the End (admittedly, still on my TBR) and was psyched to check out his latest, All the Colors of the Dark, advertised as a missing person mystery, serial killer thriller, and love story.

What I ended up getting was a slow burn literary drama, while some parts of this 608 page book were fast about 60% felt quite slow as the plot ebbed and flowed.

The character development was thorough. The main cast was quite likable but had some infuriating flaws. While I wanted to poke my eye out due to some of the life choices I perceived as mistakes (I’m looking at you Patch 😆), overall, I really enjoyed my time with them.

The plot twists were numerous and I kept reading for the little pops of surprise as the mysteries unfolded. Chapters were short to keep the pages turning while POV was switched between the two main characters.

For me, the book was too long. I felt lost in the sauce sometimes and think i could have had the same experience with 200 pages less. I felt the writing felt too contrived when I started, like it was trying too hard — that said, once I settled in, I did not note that feeling anymore. I know I’m the minority but I’d give this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Don’t miss this one if you enjoy following flawed characters as they make their way through life after a traumatizing and pivotal event. Don’t miss this if you want to read a mystery/thriller that at its core is a literary drama. And if you read for vibes, pick this up if you like a book full of wistful yearning and the many faces of tragic unrequited love.

Publication date: June 25, 2024
Pages: 608

Thank you to @netgalley and @crownpublishing and for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I will spare you the suspense and start by saying…read this five star book! The novel opens in 1975 with  the final chapter taking place in 2001. Whitaker holds the readers attention by making each one vivid and believable through their strengths and flaws. It is the strength of the damaged characters, their resiliency and tenacity that Whitaker captures so thoroughly. It does not suffice to say they are likeable or unlikeable since they are given the depth to seem real and be both. Pick any character and the reader will see their good, as well as the darker parts of their personalities. Their devotion, obsession, love and hate are all eventually revealed.

Many of the characters grew from unhappy origins. Patch is traumatized by his experience, but that is not to say he was whole prior the abduction. Patch, because of his medically necessary eye patch, fancied himself a pirate as a child; a way of dealing with an unhappy home life. The further he runs from his past as an adult, the more the pirate moniker fits. His Quixotic quest overtakes Saint, who searches not because she is obsessed with finding the same answers as Patch, but because she hopes she will find the Patch she remembers at search’s end. The idea that their life trajectories are set course by one event is incredibly intriguing, although it is rarely a happy path. There are heartaches and sadness in the pages, but it is easy to be filled with optimism while reading as well.

Oh, and  I cannot forget to mention, there is a first class mystery going on in All the Colors of the Dark, too. This one will resonate with many readers.

“All the Colors of the Dark,” by Chris Whitaker, Crown, 608 pages, June 25, 2024.

In 1975 in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. So far, two high school girls and one college student have vanished.

Joseph McCauley, 13, goes by the nickname Patch. He dresses as a pirate because he was born with only one eye and his mother, Ivy, romanticizes pirates. Patch has a crush on Misty Meyer. His best friend is a girl named Saint Brown.

One morning, Patch sees a man assaulting Misty and runs to help her. He throws a rock at the attacker and tells Misty to run. Patch pulls a knife on the man, who turns it against him and stabs him. Then he kidnaps Patch.

Saint lives with her grandmother, Norma. While police are searching for Patch, Callie Montrose, the daughter of a police officer, disappears. Saint becomes obsessed with finding Patch. Ivy turns to alcohol and drugs. Patch meets a girl, Grace, in the basement where he is held. Or is she a figment of his imagination?

What follows is 30 years of investigating and searching. There’s mystery, heartache, love, surprises, humor and obsession. It’s a deeply moving character study of the effects of trauma on victims, their families and their friends. It is also a love story. The novel is complex, but all the elements come together at the end. “All the Colors of the Dark” will stay with you for a very long time. It is one of the best books of the year.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This book. It’s phenomenal. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.

By the time I started reading this, I was over 150 books into 2024 and confident that I had my favorite read of the year locked down. (I’m looking at you The Frozen River.) But then as I got further and finally into All the Colors of the Dark, I knew all bets were off.

A mystery. A love story. A coming-of-age tale. A sinister serial killer suspense thriller. All the Colors of the Dark is all of these and so much more. The characters, especially Patch and Saint, and this story will stick with me for a long time to come. I’m already looking forward to rereading this- and to gifting copies to my close friends as my favorite read of 2024.

Thank you Chris Whitaker, Crown Publishing, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is long, but you’ll be hooked right from the beginning. It is worth the read. It spans over decades, so it really takes you on a quite a journey. It is pretty dark.

I had high expectations for this book but overall was an average read for me. I think for the right person this one could be wonderful but unfortunately there were just too many characters and nicknames along with them that it felt hard to get through, along with it being an overall slow read.

Whatever I can say about All the Colors of the Dark won't do it justice. It's simply gorgeous. There's a quote By LR Knost about life being amazing, and then awful, but breathtaking beautiful, and that is this book, the story of the pirate and the beekeeper. If you only read one book this summer, I hope it's this one and that it lives as rent free inside you as it will me.

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker is a decades long tale of friendship and hope after unimaginable trauma. Patch, a scrawny and poor kid with one eye, interrupts an abduction by attacking a masked man and freeing the town's golden girl, only to be taken himself. Saint, Patch's best friend, will not stop her search for Patch. She pesters the local PD, sleuths on her own and is tirelessly persistent. What follows is a mystery of who took Patch, what happened to him and a new quest to find the person who saved him...

Truly a beautiful story of hope, friendship and love. Woven with snippets of historical news events, Whitaker's descriptions of things we can not see and hidden riddles thread to make a book you won't be able to put down until you know how it ends. Bad people are good and good people are bad.... and things are never what they seem.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt Publishing for a digital ARC of this book.

When I first read the premise of this novel, I thought no, this probably isn’t for me. A story about an attempted kidnapping, and there’s a serial killer, and it’s 1975? Nope nope nope.

But then, some of my most trusted reader friends started raving about it. Five stars everywhere. People saying it would definitely be one of their favorites of 2024. So I thought okay I’ll try it. And once I picked it up I could NOT put it down. My family will tell you that I read a lot, of course, but this one was over the top. I was reading it while brushing my teeth, on the way to dinner in the car, waiting for the movie to start (Inside Out 2, it’s pretty cute.) I stayed up way too late, of course, and then, on Saturday night, it was all I could think about.

At its heart, All The Colors of the Dark is so much more than a mystery or a thriller. It’s about the deep bonds we forge in teenage friendship, the impact even one caring adult can make on a young person, and how humans persevere, holding on to hope even when it seems all is lost.

I loved it, and I think you will too. All The Colors of the Dark is out today and will be July’s Read With Jenna pick. Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for my #ARC.

Top Books of 2024!

From the New York Times, bestselling author Chris Whitaker of We Begin at the End comes a hauntingly beautiful, captivating literary suspense mystery, coming-of-age crime thriller, serial killer whodunit, and emotional character study blended with the power of art, storytelling, and a heart-rending love story spanning decades.

This EPIC masterful saga, ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, explores the traumas and abuse of the past and how they affect and change the trajectory of lives forever, good and bad, for a lifetime.

A story of an innocent thirteen-year-old pirate and a beekeeper that will save his life. They cross paths with a serial killer that will change their lives forever.

About...

It is 1975 in Monta Clare, Missouri. We meet two best friends and classmates, Patch Macauley (miner), a one-eyed teen (who considers himself a pirate), and his best friend, Saint Brown, an orphan (beemaker), who lives with her grandmother. They both have plans and dreams, and they want to escape their current lives. However, some local girls mysteriously disappear from the town.

When a predator assaults Misty Meyer in the woods, the only daughter of a wealthy family, Patch turns into an unlikely hero and saves her; however, he is kidnapped instead. Was he the first boy kidnapped with the girls?

Saint is devastated and vows to find Patch. There is a monster. A predator. A serial killer on the loose.

Patch finds himself in the darkness of a cellar, where a mysterious girl, Grace, visits him (heard, not seen). There are also other girls in the cellar. Grace, however, paints vivid pictures of places and literary stories and whispers to Patch. He has no idea where he is. Is she real, or is he imagining her? He eventually escapes; however, he is haunted by this girl, Grace, and spends his entire life searching for her. Saint and Patch reunite, but they are both irrevocably changed.

Saint's life is also affected by the tragedy, and she is now in law enforcement with the FBI vowing to help Patch and find the killer. Her life is complex and complicated with her relationship with Jimmy, who is obsessive, jealous, and abusive.

The suspects are a doctor and a photographer. What is the motive, and why can't anyone find the killer, Grace, plus the others? Some think Patch dreamed of this girl. Is she real.?

Patch is obsessed with finding these missing girls and Grace and the horrors he had conjured. He turns to rob banks to give the money to organizations to fund the search for the missing girls and children and to help families from state to state and prison. He loses so much. He ultimately turns to painting to express his fears and trauma through art and to capture what he remembers. He became successful, and his work is in top galleries. Other complications in his life and people add to the intrigue.

However, Patch and Saint will never forget one another.

My thoughts...

ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK is spellbinding! Chilling, tender, brutal, and exquisite, it has emotional depth and evocative prose full of heart, humor, and soul. Many dark characters and monsters hide behind a facade with secrets that will destroy families and lives. This coming-of-age story portrays the innocence and guilt of children forced to make difficult adult decisions and grow up before their time. From boy to man, girl to woman, they had lost more than they could ever count. Can they move on?

Atmospheric and claustrophobic, the author brilliantly captures the small rural town setting and its characters from the first page to the last and never lets go with his stunning lyrical prose, which is elegant, haunting, and memorable.

ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK is much more than a thriller. If you love literary suspense as much as I do, you will devour Whitaker's latest. Patch and Saint are such powerful, compelling characters, as is the supporting cast. Gut-wrenching, it is a story of loss, trauma, loyalty, love, and hope.

"...You were my connection to something real, something pure and real. I could be someone different. That's the thing about the dark. You could look at me and not see the things I'd seen. I could teach you everything I learned from books, everything I saw when we traveled. I could lead you where I needed you to go to make right what I could not."

INTERVIEW: If you have not read the insightful and inspiring interview by Publisher's Weekly with the author, I highly recommend it. Whitaker has survived his share of trials, abuse, and tragedy and fell into darkness with drugs and alcohol; however, through his tragedies, he became a survivor and a successful writer to express his feelings, much like Patch with his art. I also love Whitaker's background working around books, his literary passion, the library, and his inspiration, Author John Hart (from attorney to author). I also like how he writes his books set in the US.

I am returning to read Whitaker's previous books, which I missed. He has been added to my favorite author list. I highly recommend ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK.

Recs...

For fans of the author and John Hart's (fav author) The Last Child and Dennis Lehane's Mystic River as well as authors Cormac McCarthy, William Falkner, Pat Conroy, Michael Robotham, David Baldacci, David Joy, Robert Dugoni, and Ron Rash.

Thank you...

Thanks to Crown Publishing for the honor of reading an early review copy via NetGalley. I also pre-ordered the audiobook, which is narrated by my favorite, Edoardo Ballerini.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 25, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars ++
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I loved We Begin at the End, it feels like such a long wait for the release of this book. Finally it’s here! It’s been well worth the wait.

The writing style is very literary fiction and poetic in its orientation.
The characters are superbly portrayed and developed, many of them had me firmly rooting for them. I absolutely adored Patch.

I don’t know how the author achieves it, but it manages to be both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, quite an achievement. The writing is so good the way it pulls you in and keeps you invested. The storytelling is ace. It’s amazing the way one person’s life can intersect with others leaving such a huge impact. It’s laden with heartfelt emotion.
If there’s a negative at all it’s the length.

I would highly recommend this wonderful story.

Where do I even start with this book?! It’s a sweeping tale of mystery, love and obsession that spans over 25 years. My heart broke for Patch, the MMC, multiple times throughout this book! 😭

Two childhood friends, Patch and Saint, experience an insanely traumatic event that dictates the trajectory of their lives forever. As the reader, we are brought along an intense ride from multiple perspectives throughout this story. It is deep, enthralling and left me thinking about how our childhood experiences shape our adulthood.

I just thought this book was written in a unique & beautiful way. At times, a new chapter would start and I would feel like I missed something or was a little lost, but I really think it is Chris Whitaker’s way of capturing the reader and then revealing more information. The characters were vivid, complex and well thought out. I could not put this book down. I also loved the short chapters. It kept me wanting more.

If you are wanting to dive into something on the heavier side, I highly recommend this one. It’s a long one. The beginning will suck you in; the middle will keep you wondering where it’s all going; and the end will give you a handful of jaw dropping moments that make it so good!