This book earned five full stars from me and one of the top books of the year. The story begins with two teenage characters, Patch and Saint and their involvement with a serial killer. The novel spans the decades and shows the true power of trust, friendship, love, loss and hope. I loved Whitaker’s style of storytelling and the picture he painted with words in this novel. I will be thinking of this book for a long time.

A complementary copy was provided by publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc of this book. I chose it because I had heard positive reviews and I have never read Chris Whitaker before.

This book is about a serial killer, and I would never have chosen it for its premise. 😬 , but this book is also about so much more. I fell in love with Patch. I fell in love with Saint. I loved so many other characters throughout the book. At times it reminded me of “Peace like a River” by Leif Enger, one of my favorites (but add serial killers and some suspenseful mystery). The ending brought everything together so beautifully , but not in a slapped together thriller sort of way.

4 starts because holy cow, this book was so long- could’ve gotten rid of 200 pages.

Just to start this book is incredibly well written. It weaves together two unforgettable characters with a supporting cast that fit just right. It’s one of those books that will stay with you for a long time, that’s how good it is. It took me a little bit to get into but then once I figured out how all of the characters fit together I was hooked and finished over 600 pages in 2 days. This book was equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful. This is storytelling at its absolute best and I can’t recommend it enough!

This was my first book by this author and now I am very excited to read his backlist! This book might be my favorite of the year, I know it is my favorite I have read so far. This is the kind of book I wish we had a special rating for (5+ stars).

I love books that span lifetimes and really go deep into character development and this one did it so well! It spans 25 years and follows the friendship of Patch and Saint. It is a mix of genres with literary fiction intertwined with a mystery that keeps you reading.

This book written so beautifully. Although it was 600 pages it felt like a quick read- I would think about it when I wasn’t reading. The chapters were super short as well so I kept thinking I’d read one more but struggled to actually put it down.

The end was perfection and I almost cried (I am not a crier so if you are, get the tissues ready). Just read this book- you won’t regret it!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll never be able to fluently express how meaningful this book was for me. I don't have the words, and, actually, I’m not worthy to have read it. I’m unsure how I’m expected to read another book after reading this one and feel sorrow for the books that follow it! 

After I finished reading, I had to email the author because I knew it would be impossible to get on with my life if I didn’t discuss it with someone. I never did that before, but after living in this beautifully heartbreaking yet hopeful literary space for a while, I knew I had no choice.  

Chris Whitaker's All the Colors of the Dark is a literary masterpiece that defies genre classification. It blends elements of historical fiction, thriller, mystery, romance, and police procedural into an emotionally resonant and profoundly moving narrative. This book has left an indelible mark on me, and I can confidently say it is my favorite book of all time.

I think the only thing you should know about the book’s premise is it centers around trauma after a horrific crime, yet it is the themes of love, hope, and redemption that stand out. This message of healing and hope amidst tragedy and trauma resonated deeply with me, but I am lucky enough to not have triggers. Those who do should seek them out before reading, and those are the only people who should steer clear of this book! Everyone else has to read it. Do not be afraid of the length. This chunker is 600+ pages but is worth the time. The chapters are short (many are 1-2 pages), but this is a moot point as you won’t be able to stop reading! 

The story spans several decades beginning in the 1970s and follows characters to whom I feel loyally indebted. I think about these people as if I know them. I worry about them. Whitaker’s ability to craft such deeply human characters drew me in immediately. I found myself obsessively invested in their journeys, which wasn’t surprising because I felt the same way about Duchess from We Begin at the End, a character whose resilience and complexity stayed with me long after I finished that book. Saint and Patch from this book will do the same. There are also intergenerational relationships that are especially poignant. Having been raised by my grandparents, I always find these bonds heartwarming and relatable, adding another layer of emotional depth to the story.

Whitaker's prose is breathtakingly beautiful, with lines that I found myself wanting to highlight and revisit, so I took screenshots of my iPad. Another thing I’ve never done! Two quotes that particularly struck me are: “Saint wondered what it was like to lose the thing that defined you but figured she knew. It left you someone else. A stranger you had no choice but to tolerate,” and “At ten years old he realized that people were born whole and that the bad things peeled layers from the person you once were, thinning compassion and empathy and the ability to construct a future. At thirteen he knew those layers could sometimes be rebuilt when people loved you. When you loved.” How beautiful?! 

All the Colors of the Dark will definitely send readers on a rollercoaster of emotions. At times, I was on the edge of my seat, my heart racing. Other times, I was moved to tears by the profound insights into love and loss. The suspense was so gripping that my heart rate actually spiked while reading, a testament to Whitaker’s masterful storytelling. Despite the dark themes, the book is also infused with humor. It also made me feel anger. There were times I wanted to punch my iPad in the face, but thought better of it. 

All the Colors of the Dark is a must-read. It’s a book that will make readers laugh, cry, and reflect on the nature of love and hope. It’s about finding oneself amidst the chaos and learning to heal. It’s a book that includes incredible lines like “learning to love and be loved was more than could ever be expected, more than enough for a thousand ordinary lifetimes.” It’s a book about unconditional love, true friendship, beekeeping, honey, pirates, and art. It’s a book about everything. Chris Whitaker has created a literary space that is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking, and I am forever grateful for the experience of living in it. I eagerly await the audiobook release to relive this journey in a different medium and hold out hope for a televised adaptation that captures the essence of this extraordinary novel.  I just can’t wait for the people I love with all my heart to read this book so I can talk to them about it!

👏🏼 FIVE STARS 👏🏼
Thank you, Crown Publishing, for the gifted copy of All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker {partner}

Genre: Literary Fiction
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 6.25.2024
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

"You ever feel like you're living someone else's life? Paying for mistakes you don't even remember making?"

Chris Whitaker is a master storyteller. When I read his last book, We Begin at the End, I didn't think he could top the complex story, vivid images, and unique characters, but he unquestionably did. All the Colors of the Dark is one of those books you finish, set down, and then spend the next week thinking about.

I know I could never write a review that perfectly captured all the ways that make All the Colors of the Dark what it is, but just know that it's one of the most epic sagas I've read, and it is absolutely one of those books that I wish I could read again like it was the first time. I cried, laughed, sat on the edge of my seat, read quickly while holding my breath, thought about it when I wasn't reading it and longed for a happy outcome for all the characters whose lives were turned upside down in 1975. 

📝 Poetic writing
🥺 Coming-of-age
👏🏼 Short chapters that make an impact
📚 Mix of genres
💯 An absolute must-read

I highly recommend reading All the Colors of the Dark, but be prepared for it to be one of those books that stays with you long after you're finished reading.

This is my new favorite book of all time. It is absolutely heartbreaking but somehow also manages to feel like a hug at the same time. From beginning to end I was enthralled, and from first page to last page I had a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach; there was never reprieve.

This is a story about friendship and the genuine, unconditional love that comes with it. It’s about family, both blood and found. It’s about loss, grief, and growing up. And it’s also about missing children.

I knew nothing about this book other than I knew I wanted to read it after obsessing over We Begin at the End and pressing it on everyone I know, so I was thrilled when I was accepted to read an ARC of this 600 page masterpiece.

The way @chriswhitakerauthor is able to write such beautiful (and devastating) stories and to weave everything together so well? It’s flawless. You’ll fall hard for his characters and his writing.

It’s been a long time since a book has made me cry, and this one did just that. Don’t be intimidated by its size; it’s worth every page. These characters are some of my favorites now, and I already miss them so much.

P.S. @chriswhitakerauthor, am I supposed to love Sammy as much as I did?

This is easily one of the best books of the year. The author has such a way with words and getting his reader to be emotionally connected to his characters. I still think about the characters in We Begin at the End often, and I am sure Saint, Patch, Norma, Nix, Charlotte and Sammy will stay with me for a long, long time.

Catch me now pushing this book onto every single person I meet. I've already raved about it to my grandma and told her book club they need to pick it up for their July or August read.

Love, but not romance. Thriller, but not a bunch of unnecessary gore. Mystery and heartache. Hope and redemption.

Ugh, I just love this book SO much.

100 stars.

I loved Whitaker's "We Begin at the End," so I had high expectations for "All the Colors of the Dark." This book has equally engaging characters, but its plot is more complicated and fascinating. "All the Colors of the Dark" is a unique and suspenseful look at love's power.

Thirteen-year-old Patch Macauley is a survivor. It's 1975, and Patch and his best friend, Saint, are outcasts in the small town of Monta Claire, Missouri. Their lives are forever changed when Patch saves the daughter of a wealthy family from kidnapping, only for himself to be taken instead. Held hostage by a serial killer, he survives with the help of fellow hostage Grace. Saint eventually finds Patch, but Grace and the kidnapper disappear. Thus begins Patch's search for the girl he fell in love with, a journey that spans decades and thousands of miles.

This is a novel about love, hope, and obsession. It takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride where Patch and Saint, whose paths merge and diverge numerous times, seek an elusive love hauntingly out of reach. The writing is powerful, the characters adeptly drawn, and the storytelling at its finest. I was hooked from the first page as I was drawn into the world inhabited by Patch and Saint--I won't forget either any time soon. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Crown, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is June 25, 2024.

I loved this book. Chris Whitaker's powerful writing compelled me to keep turning the pages in this unrealistic story. and I am so glad that I did. This is a long literary novel about love and friendship with believable characters that I will not forget. It is also a thriller/mystery. This book is definitely one of my top five books of 2024.

Thank you, Crown Publishing and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book.

All the Colors of the Dark Patch and Saint are unforgettable characters, It's a beautiful, heart wrenching story. It's dark but ultimately it is a redemptive story that makes you stop and think about what we do for those we love. It will be in my top ten books for 2024.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for my review copy of this book.

I absolutely loved this book--every page of it. Chris Whitaker beautifully captures a time (beginning in the 1970s), while providing an engaging thriller/mystery plot. I am not sure what this should be classified as--I feel like it will make its way into the psychological thriller section, but I feel like it's lyrical, literary fiction. I do not want to spoil even a chapter of this for future readers. I can only say that you will love Saint, you will love Patch, and you will never want this book to end.

A boy who is rescued from captivity, spends his life chasing the ghost of the girl who kept him company. Everyone wonders if she is real or imaginary, alive, or dead. She was a tender companion during his toughest days who taught him to pray God’s word and sing Johnny Cash. And he made a promise to find her one day.

His actual best friend never gave up on him or gave up hope. She made a deal with God that she would be good if He would just return her friend home safely, so she spent the rest of her life trying to live up to that promise.
The story of the friendship between a pirate, Patch, and a beekeeper, Saint, spans decades as we connect with these characters who grow from quirky kids to troubled adults. Readers should pay close attention to the details early in the story because many of them are clues to reveal answers in the end.

Saint gets absorbed in books when she’s young and tells Patch of a magical place where they can hide from the world, but they don’t need to hide because they’ll be brand new there. They have a rainbow connection like Kermit the Frog sang about. Patch becomes an incredibly talented artist and brings to life images in his paintings that he’s never seen with his own eyes, only heard described to him.
This book is a marvel of endurance and love with moments of humor along with heartbreak. There are some deep social and moral conflicts along with carefully crafted colorful imagery. This will be a huge hit this summer so get it on pre-order or reserve your copy now before it is released in June.

A great book doesn't need a long review and let me tell you, All the Colors of the Dark is a great book. Chris Whitaker has done it again he's written one of my favourite books. We Begin at the End was my best read of 2020 and now his new release is my favourite read of 2024. Is it too early to pick my favourite book of the year? I don't think so because All the Colors of the Dark will be difficult to beat.

This book was epic. It takes place over 25+ years from 1976 to 2001. In it, we follow the lives of Saint and Patch as they navigate from their early teenage years to adulthood and the different trajectories their lives take. I loved reading about their small-town life and how the world treats the downtrodden. The writing is beautiful without being wordy and I felt myself there in the Ozarks tasting the honey, smelling the pine and hearing the buzz of the hive.

This is very much a literary novel because it isn't so much plot-driven and more of a character study. Still, there is a wonderful story between these pages and although it really isn't a thriller there is a whodunit and many surprises. I am purposely being vague because the less you know going in the better. I will say the book is a mix of genres including coming-of-age, romance, mystery and police procedural. If you've read lots of my reviews you'll know I don't usually like books with different genres intermingling, I find that they get watered down but Chris Whitaker has such a talent for storytelling I just got lost in the pages. If you enjoyed We Begin at the End and meeting Dutchess let me introduce you to Joseph "Patch" Macauley and Saint Brown. You won't be disappointed. If you're new to Whitaker you're in for a treat.

Reading this book felt like an incredible immersive experience. The characters, the setting, the description of the paintings….I felt like I was there. I felt the pain and turmoil and tragedy that the characters endured in this book. I literally felt every emotion while reading this story. I wanted it to end so badly, yet I didn’t want it to end at all. The trigger warnings are heavy in this book and it’s definitely one that you need to pay attention to the details, but the pay off is all worth it! As much as there was lots of darkness written in the words, there was also the reminder that amongst tragedy there is hope. I had this arc for a while and the total page number kept me from picking it up sooner. I’m now kicking myself for that because once I picked this book up I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters and the story and the entire journey involved. Although it is on the longer side, it doesn’t feel like it at all. The chapters are so short that the saying “just one more chapter” heavily applies to this book.

📚 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
🔎Mystery
🐾Crime fiction
💕Love story
📈Coming of age
☯️Complex characters
⏩Page turning
⌛️Spans decades
📖Short chapters
🥰All the feels

⚠️ 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: child death and abuse.

🎨𝕄𝕐 ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾🎨
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

💕Q U O T E S: "𝐼𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝑔𝑒𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓈𝓂𝒾𝓁𝑒, 𝑜𝓇 𝒷𝑒𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓎𝑒𝓉, 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓁𝒶𝓊𝑔𝒽, 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝒾𝓉. 𝐸𝒶𝒸𝒽 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒.”

“𝒯𝑜 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝒹 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒷𝑒 𝑒𝓍𝓅𝑒𝒸𝓉𝑒𝒹, 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝑒𝓃𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒶 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓈𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝓇𝒹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓇𝓎 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒𝓈.”

This book was breathtaking, perfection, and everything I hoped it would be.

This book was all the things I loved about We Begin at the End, while still feeling completely unique. I enjoyed it from the first page to the last, totally engrossed in the story. In a year where few books can hold my interest, I always wanted to pick this one up and read it in a couple days. It was so atmospheric it sucked me in, holding me captive.

I loved the characters- their depth, flaws, and convictions. There were strong elements of found family, right vs wrong, and complicated love. The short chapters were engaging, and always felt complete despite the brevity.

If you enjoyed We Begin at the End, I believe you will love this one too!

Thank you to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

THANK YOU to Crown Books for the gifted book!

No words could accurately summarize this reading experience. I'm still going to try because I love a challenge.

I don't recall a time I've felt such a wide array of emotions. I loved it. I hated it. But I never wanted to quit reading it. I'll recommend it to everyone I know, but also warn them not to read it.

I couldn't even begin to count the number of times my hand flew to my mouth at the dramatic ending of a chapter. I also wanted to scream "MR WHITAKER, JUST TELL US WHAT HAPPENED!" more times that I could count. Chris Whitaker knows what he's doing and what he's doing (besides making me crazy) is crafting one of the most epic, shocking, heartbreaking, heartwarming, haunting, terrifying, maddening, and beautiful stories I've ever read.

I truly have no idea how he did this. Thinking back over this LONG (608 pages) book and all the details that seemed miniscule and meaningless at the time but ended up being the missing pieces in puzzle that only makes sense as you finish the last page.

I read a lot of good and great books that stay with me for a while and then I forget them but for better or for worse I know I will never forget this book.

I really recommend going in blind, the synopsis won't begin to prepare you for what's coming. Just trust the process and you'll be glad that you did.

This is out June 25th!

CW: probably all of them

Patch and Saint are unforgettable characters that meet as children and in a small town in 1975 in Missouri, young girls are going missing. This story spans decades and tragedy changes their lives forever.

This book is part mystery, part crime fiction, part coming-of-age, and part love story. Know that it will grip you from the very first chapters. It was extraordinary. The writing was beautiful, heartbreaking, and haunting with characters you will fall in love with.

An epic story of love, friendship, grief, loyalty, and sacrifice. Chris brought this book together beautifully and I will never stop thinking about this incredible story full of hope and a search for truth. My favorite book of the year so far!

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
After reading and absolutely loving WE BEGIN AT THE END, I knew I had to get my hands on Whitaker’s up-coming book right when I saw it was available on Netgalley. An amazing, profoundly written and captivating book about love, friendship, trauma, loss…sprinkled throughout with some thriller elements. I am blown away at Whitaker’s writing and his character building and development. The characters in this book drew me in, and Whitaker’s beautiful writing had me in a chokehold throughout this book. I loved the short chapters, the characters, the plot, and the different elements sprinkled throughout this amazing (but lengthy) book. This story is told spanning over decades, and as the characters grow up I found myself adoring them even more. I loved the ending, and it definitely had me in all my feels. Whitaker knocked it out of the park (yet again) with this beautifully written book that is sure to grasp the heart of its readers. I am trying not to give too much away, because I think this is one that is best to go in without reading too much about it before hand, but trust me—IT IS A MUST READ!

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦A moving and engaging plot and storyline
✦Short chapters
✦Characters that you adore
✦A fantastic ending
✦Different elements sprinkled throughout
✦Beautiful & lyrical writing that grasps you from the beginning

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5

Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the copy of All The Colors Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker. When a book is 600 pages and spans decades, the characters and the story have to grab me from the start and for some reason this one didn’t. There were some amazing scenes and I read it until the end because of all the great reviews but I don’t think it was really for me. If you like an epic story that is at turns heartbreaking and haunting try this one!