Set in small town Monterey Clare, Missouri, this story weaves together friendship, a serial killer, a love story and the mystery of a missing person. I know, right? It’s a lot! However @ChrisWhitakerauthor masterfully maneuvers each plot line. Thank you for granting me access @crownpublishing via @netgalley.

When Patch stumbles upon the almost-abduction of a wealthy family’s daughter, his life changes forever as does the life of his devoted friend Saint. SO many emotions!

These characters left a mark on my heart.

Chris Whitaker's books are epic, long sagas and totally worth the read. It's easy to see why this was THE book of 2024, a Read With Jenna Pick and on so many people's "best of" book lists.

I attempted to listen to it, but it's a lot of characters and details, so I switched to the written version and enjoyed it so much more.

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker was an unforgettable experience. Set in 1975 in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, the novel masterfully intertwines a gripping mystery with profound character development.

The story follows Patch, a one-eyed local boy who becomes an unexpected hero when he saves Misty, the daughter of a wealthy family, from a dangerous situation. This act sets off a chain of events that unearths hidden secrets and alters the lives of everyone involved. Whitaker’s portrayal of Patch is both compelling and heart-wrenching, making him a character I couldn’t help but root for.

What sets this novel apart is Whitaker’s exceptional storytelling. His prose is both lyrical and evocative, painting vivid pictures of the 1970s American landscape. The narrative seamlessly shifts between a suspenseful thriller and an epic love story, keeping me engaged and emotionally invested throughout. The exploration of themes like obsession, hope, and the fine line between triumph and tragedy adds depth to the plot, making it more than just a mystery.

The supporting characters are richly developed, each with their own intricate backstories that contribute to the overall tapestry of the narrative. The dual timelines are woven together expertly, revealing secrets at just the right moments to maintain suspense and intrigue.

All the Colors of the Dark is a must-read. It’s a beautifully crafted novel that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved his prior books. This one perhaps less so because parts are a challenge to read. The obsession and poor choices can be challenging to read but they also read as true . However the book will also stay with me for a long time. A tragedy in childhood changes everything for Scout and Patch and this story goes from 1976-2001. It is a character driven story so if you are looking for a mystery keep looking. While there is a mystery here it serves only to highlight how trauma reverberates throughout the years that follow the event.. Whittaker is a master of writing this character driven novels with protagonists that are children. And amazingly enough all of the characters felt deeply drawn even.

4.5 rounded up

I didn't know when I started this book that it would be my favorite of 2024!


What I loved:
1. The slow burn of the character driven book. I was expecting a traditional thriller set up, but this one is not traditional! The writing style is intense but so readable.
2. The gradual peeling away of the people and their pasts (and the present) was so well done.
3. It has short chapters so you think - I can read this quickly, but you can't because each chapter has so much in it! I compulsively kept reading because the momentum from each chapter pulled me forward into the next.

I had not read Chris Whitaker before but will read whatever he has written and will write forevermore!

(note is does have domestic and sexual abuse themes)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

Whew, this one was a doozy. So. many people loved this book, and I found myself 400 pages into it wondering why...I didn't find this particularly unique, or unpredictable in plot--even the twist didn't feel super twisty to me. I tend to stay away from dead girl novels as well so maybe it's just me but I slogged out the remaining two hundred pages only because it was our monthly book club pick. For fans of the genre this is clearly a favorite from 2024, but for me it was a miss.

This novel is an ambitious accomplishment by Chris Whitaker. Even though I knew that this is a long book, I was not prepared for the scope of it, the epic quality of the narrative, the journey the author would take me on, nor the arcs of the characters' journeys, We Begin At The End was one of my favorite books of the year in 2021. While this new novel's hero didn't charm me nearly as much as WBATE"s singular plucky heroine did (forever rooting for you, Duchess!), I felt very intrigued by the way that this book's characters' lives intertwined and unraveled and reassembled over the course of decades. It's not easy to pull off what Whitaker did here, with hundreds of tiny chapters propelling the dense story forward a way that doesn't feel rushed. The narrative felt mysterious and moody, while the underlying character motivations were serious and admirable. Patch and Duchess both share a passionate mission to bring justice to painful situations. I am already looking forward to seeing what Whitaker publishes next.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

There’s not much to say other than read this book. Chris Whitaker is so talented and this was yet another 5 star read of his.

This book had all the potential for being an amazing masterpiece. But to me, it was just too dang long. It could’ve easily been 200 pages less. And yes, I get the joy is in the journey, but this journey was just too winding and slow. I could see the brilliance but just not for me.

Really incredible read by an author I’ve come to enjoy. It’s hard to put this story into one category, it’s part mystery, part thriller, part romance, part tragedy. It's really well written, which was to be expected by this author.

One of my favorite reads of 2024! This book tugged at my heart strings and kept me turning the pages endlessly, despite the lengthy page count. I will always read whatever Chris Whitaker comes out with. He knows how to write believable characters and make you care deeply for them.

Chris Whitaker has done it again. He has taken a seemingly unlikeable character, who turns out to be one of the best fictional people you'd ever meet and made him a beloved, rogue hero. I have nothing negative to say about this book. I can't wait to read the next one. If this author isn't considered one of the best fiction writers of our time, I'm going to come back and haunt people.

Long live the Patches and Duchesses of the world.

Thank you, Chris Whitaker.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review a digital copy of this book. All opinions are mine and freely expressed.

All the Colors of the Dark is a mystery that spans across 30 years following multiple characters. Ultimately I felt that the theme of this novel is "How far would you go for the ones that you love?" Filled with loss, pain, friendship, love, perseverance - this novel kept me enthralled to the last page and will stick with me for a long time.

I received an ARC from Crown Publishing | Crown via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the best book I have ever read! Read it twice actually. The story and the details in this book are amazing. This is a book for those that read a lot. So much depth. The mystery was great and pulled you throughout the story. But the love that was embedded throughout really got me. I have recommended it too everyone I know.

I find this author to be insanely talented and both books I’ve read are very well written and gripping. However, I felt this book could’ve been cut way down. Many parts felt very repetitive and the reader can come to conclusions without having everything spelled out so clearly. On the other hand, important scenes with “big” action felt rushed.

Not my favorite from a beloved author but still a pretty good read for me. No one does gritty and bleak in a thriller better than the author and that was apparent again here. His writing is amazingly strong and his storytelling is fantastic!

This is, without a doubt, one of the best books I have ever read.

Whitaker paints a story that is so vivid in its depth. It starts out with a gut punch and never really stops landing punches until the very end. The way in which the story unravels is unique and brilliant and keeps this 600 page book moving along, at times at a breakneck pace.

The way the lives of the characters are changed by one simple act of bravery is shown with such care and understanding. One act leads to many others, the paths of every character involved changing and branching off with every discovery or every decision made. Whitaker takes the reader on a roller coaster of emotions, the story a ride he never lets up on. But that is what makes the story feel so real and personal, as though the reader is a character in the story as well, experiencing the events, not as a bystander, but as one who is involved with the story.

Any and all hype surrounding this book is beyond deserved.

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker is a mystery/thriller set in the 1970s about Patch, a boy with one eye who saves a girl from being kidnapped. This action sets Patch's life in motion, and this book tells the story of his life and his obsession with solving the attempted kidnapping. I really enjoyed this story, partly because it was so interesting, but also because it was full of solid life advice. "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." Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Be prepared for a long book but this one is worth it! This is a true bildungsroman, starting with 2 young kids, Patch (A boy who is missing an eye and dresses as a pirate) and Saint collects bees and makes honey. It would not do readers any favors to give away the plot, but Patch is kidnapped at the beginning of the story, setting the stage for many other events. The story spans many years, and connects beautifully throughout and in the end. It has some very Dickension elements, and if you enjoyed books like the Goldfinch and Demon Copperhead, you will like this one.

I would like to thank Crown Publishing for the ARC of this novel ! It was such a joy to read. I would describe it as an epic - the entire read was a roller coaster of emotions . I was sad to let the characters and the story go.