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.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to be able to read and review this book!

5/5

𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓 🤝🏻 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒔

This book is everything. I’m fairly certain it will take me a few days to really digest and process all that I just read but wow. This book is it.

100% will be my top favorite of the year. Aka, you all need to read this book.

🏴‍☠️𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤🏴‍☠️
•Missing person mystery-but it’s SO much more than a mystery novel. This is a true work of literary fiction😭🥂
•Epic love story
•Coming of Age
•Moving through trauma and grief
•Power of dedication and obsession
•Triumph and tragedy
•and most importantly: HOPE

Quick synopsis:

‘1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Muhammad Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the smalltown of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.

When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.

Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another.

A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope.’

If there is one book I recommend everyone read this year, it is this one. Grandmas, teenagers, your local pirate🏴‍☠️ this is the book y’all.

All the Colors of the Dark hit me hard. . .I fell hard for Patch, the Monta Clare, Missouri community that circled round unevenly - from which girls were going missing, yet which closed in tight in certain areas and lost their grip on others.

Mysteries nested in the others' stories, too: Saint, Sammy, Chief Nix, the Beautiful Misty Meyer, purple honey?!?, bees, paint, brushes and portraits of the long lost, and now I keep singing of Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters. . . .(thank you, Elton J.), and thinking about life dreams that don't happen and make one wistful, and then life's unexpected twists that open doors to utter joy. Then there's the waiting, the terror, and the grief. It never goes the way it is planned. Can you handle that? Can any of us?

This read went fast, I stayed attentive and didn't wander. . .until it was completely and absolutely concluded. Feeling rather shorn, bereft, I tuned up Spotify with Elton and googled purple honey. It's out there. That felt better. All the stars.

*A sincere thank you to Chris Whitaker, Crown Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #AlltheColorsoftheDark #NetGalley

This was a beautiful book. I enjoyed the friendship between Patch and Saint, although sometimes it seemed a little melancholy or one sided. Ultimately, it wasn’t, but sometimes it came off that way. Anyway, my only qualm with this book is that it probably could have been 100 pages shorter and then it would have been five stars for me.

I think this was the book for summer 2024, but it unfortunately was not for me. I like the set up- a quirky young man saves the most popular girl in school's life, and in doing so, gets taken himself. What didn't work for me were the short chapters. Forget short- these chapters were micro! The book had over 200. The shift in perspective kept jarring me and unfortunately I never settled in. I'm glad it worked for so many other readers though.

Wow--just wow! This novel is so deserving of all the praise it is receiving this summer! It is a novel full of mysteries, coming of age, friendships, trauma, complex characters, wonderful descriptions, lyrical prose, and multiple stories of love spanning 30 years.

Highly recommend!

All the Colors of the Dark is making all the Best Of lists for 2024 but unfortunately, it wasn't for me. The pacing was too slow and I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, so it was a DNF.

Oh my goodness all the stars and more for this phenomenal book!!!

I loved it so much and Whitakers writing how can you not treasure it?!!

Beautiful novel of loss, grief, hope, and love.

Can’t wait for more from him!!!

Thanks to the publisher for my copy.

5 stars

Whoa. This is an arduous read! It's a good thing I LOVE Chris Whitaker's writing or I might have given up on it! To label it a thriller is a bit misleading. It is more of a literary mystery. The main themes are the effects of childhood trauma, abuse, grief, obsession, and healing. If that sounds like a lot, it is. This is a 600 page story that spans decades. It grabs you from the beginning and draws you into this haunting saga of a boy being kidnapped and held in a dark cellar with several little girls. However, the middle chunk of the book is very slow as he goes deep into the psyches of each of these characters to study how this traumatic situation effects them for the rest of their lives. If you can get through it, the ending really picks back up again and it is wrapped up in a satisfying way. While I liked this book, I would hesitate to recommend it. I don't have many reader friends who are into slow burn suspense. Instead, I would recommend We Begin at the End, which is one of my favorite books ever.

While this book deviates slightly from my typical thriller, I absolutely loved this one on audio with Edoardo Ballerini narrating (he also did JD Barker’s 4MK series). The story, the characters, the prose…..it was really special for me. The narration was perfection whereby I savored the book and didn’t want it to end.

I was guessing at the mystery throughout and I appreciate the complex simplicity of it. Everything was buttoned up by the end with a good mix of tricks and treats. This book will be a difficult one to top for 2024 and it’ll stick with me for a long time like others such as She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be (JD Barker) and Look Closer (D Ellis).

I liked his last release but loved this one so waiting for what he brings us next will be of high anticipation. This book took him four years to write so maybe a wait but hopefully another gem. Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity in exchange of an honest review.

One of my FAVORITE reads of 2024. A perfect novel, suspenseful and intriguing. I loved Patch and think of him often. It is a bit wordy/could be about 100 pages less, yes, but still a must read!

This was a well written and complex story. It took me way too long to read it though and I lost track of the characters and events. It never really pulled me in. Still, the writing is beautiful and I thought the last section brought it together for a satisfying ending.

Genre: Literary Mystery

Format: Physical/Audio

4.5🌟 - I really liked it!

No surprise here, this one was a hit for me! I loved We Begin at the End, and was so excited for his newest release. This was such a genre-bending novel leaning into historical fiction, romance, suspense, and literary! The book had a lot of heart, emotion, and the cliffhangers left me breathless!

Gorgeous writing, atmospheric, and a slow-burn character-driven story. A story spanning over 30 years this coming-of-age story had all the elements of what I love in a novel! I think the way everything came together was woven to perfection.

The pacing was a little slow for me overall, but this is one I would absolutely recommend.

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 @crownpublishung 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.

(better than a 3.5 but not a solid 4, I don’t know!!! I’m still processing)

My feelings after reading All the Colors of the Dark don’t match the five star must read best book of the year crowd. BUT that doesn’t mean I think it was bad. what I will say:

- Author Whitaker’s writing is beautiful (it could have been edited down and still have packed the punch)
- I selfishly wanted something different at the end (while it worked, I can admit selfishly my heart wanted something other)
- SO much went on in this book with twists and turns galore that I felt it had more plot points than a ten year arc of Grey's Anatomy
- I tore through 200 pages in one day because I needed to know how this was going to play out, I was invested in Patch and Saint (I left feeling they were real and I needed to protect them)

❓Can you not “love” a book and still feel it was one you invest in?

I’m so emotionally conflicted (still processing the read and my emotions, I may change my mind overtime)

It will certainly be a book club meeting I will not want to miss (its a September read for a club I’m in)