A book this good is such a rarity. I’ll be recommending it to my library patrons in hopes that I can get them away from formulaic tripe and show them what gifted writers can do. The story line continually surprises, the characters are genuine. Such a delight in today’s world of cheap fast thrills..

My god, this book was so great. The writing was amazing the characters so fleshed out. Whitaker writes children/young adults like Stephen King, and that is the highest of compliments coming from me! By a lesser auther this could have come across as hokey but even with some strands of the story I would usually role my eyes at I just bought in whole heartedly. I swear, I am not a crier but my son was giving me shit for crying through the last 25% of the book. I have a hard time thinking of someone I wouldn't recomend this to. I am worried nothing else I read this year will captivae me as this has

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for providing an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

Loved the two main characters, Saint and Patch. If this wasn’t such a long book I think I would have enjoyed it more. This story had a little bit of an everything which I did enjoy. Loved the short chapters but there were so many of them!!!

Thanks to netgalley and Crown Publishing for my advanced ecopy in exchange for my honest review.

Publish date: June 25, 2024

Beautifully written, well-plotted, emotional read that pulled me into the story of Patch and Saint. This tale of a mystery, friendship, love, resilience, loss, sacrifice and healing from trauma was told through beautiful storytelling.

The story unfolded over a number of decades and included twists and revelations, leading to a very satisfying conclusion. The character development of Patch and Saint was superb - they felt so real and it was easy to care about them - and the secondary characters gave added depth to the plot and the world the author built in this novel.

It is a long story (600 pages) but it was told in easily digestible short chapters that kept my attention. This was a very emotional, satisfying novel.

Chris Whitaker has written a wonderful novel that is on par with his previous novel, We Begin at the End. Highly recommend both!

One of the best reads of the year for me to date.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley & Crown Publishing for an eARC ♥️🥹

I am utterly enchanted by this captivating novel! Chris Whitaker's masterpiece has left me spellbound and yearning for more. The tender tale of Patch and Saint's friendship 🥹 is a poignant reminder of the transformative power of human connection♥️

With each turn of the page, I was transported to a world of beauty and wonder, where the intricacies of the human heart are laid bare. Whitaker's writing is nothing short of magic, weaving a narrative that is both poignant and uplifting.

The characters are crafted with such precision and love that they leap off the page, their struggles and triumphs resonating deep within my soul. I laughed and cried alongside them, my heart swelling with joy and sorrow.

This book is a triumph, a testament to the boundless potential of the human spirit. It reminds us that our relationships are the very fabric of our existence, and that love and loyalty can conquer even the darkest of challenges.

In short, I am in awe of this magnificent novel♥️♥️♥️♥️
It has left an indelible mark on my heart, and I shall cherish it forever. If you're looking for a book that will touch your soul and leave you breathless, look no further. This is a must-read for anyone who believes in the power of love and friendship.

Finishing All the Colors of the Dark left me with a deep book hangover. It combined styles and genres to create what was a perfect story for me. I took my time getting into the novel, but by 50%, I wanted to stop my life and read straight through - which I mostly did. The conclusion had many surprises, and the resolution was highly satisfying. At 600+ pages, choosing this book is a commitment. If you are wondering if it's for you, consider the following:
The story is primarily set in rural Missouri, and the sense of place is superb. Regions and locations across the country are also mentioned, which I found fascinating because I've road-tripped all over the continental US and been to almost every place described in the book, many of which are pretty obscure. The author nailed the descriptions.
The main characters experience chronic childhood trauma not only because of the serial killer but also because of pervasive family dysfunction. The serial killer abducts and kills young women. There aren't a lot of graphic descriptions, but there is plenty of trauma, so readers who can't do child abuse or endangerment should not read this book.
All the Colors of the Dark covers decades, jumping several years between sections. There are also many, many characters, and I often used my ebook search function to remind me of characters I had forgotten about. Whitaker has a rich vocabulary, and I also looked up many words. I think an audiobook version would be harder to follow.
The novel isn't fast-paced like most thrillers. While the chapters are short and often have hooks to keep you interested, the story unfolds atmospherically. There is a lot of attention to fleshing out the characters' backstories. I loved the character focus. This book will likely appeal to readers who love thrillers/mysteries but also appreciate deep character development and descriptive writing.
This would be an excellent book club pick because there is a lot to discuss between the characters, their plight, and the writer's style.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for a review.

Fantastic! Fantastic! I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of Chris Whitaker’s newest book set to be released on June 25th, 2024.
The is one of those books that I will not forget anytime soon, and it will definitely be one of my top reads of the year. It is a lengthy novel, but it needs to be to tell a story like this.
The story begins in 1975 in a small town in Missouri, when you meet Patch, Saint and Misty. Girls in the town are turning up missing, and on a chance encounter in the woods one day, Misty is almost abducted. Patch happens to come across the attempted abduction, he helps Misty get away, and is now taken by the abductor.
The repercussions from that day on, carries us on an unforgettable journey to 2001. This story is about friendships, heartache, redemption, love, sadness, and how most of us all have something to bear in our life journey. There are times I was angry, times I was shocked and most of all times I was hoping for a happy ending.
This book will stay with me for a long time to come. I had no clue how this was going to end for these much loved characters. The author’s writing makes you engrossed in these families, and especially Patch.
I loved this book and highly recommend you pick it up and move it to the top of your reading list.
Thank you to #netgalley and #Crown publishing for the opportunity to read an early copy.

Ugh this book!! It's one of those books that puts you into a book/brain fog and you have to sit, let it settle and struggle to live life again! All the Colors of the Dark wraps you up and won't let you go when you put it down until you pick it back up and read furiously until the end for answers and it's not a thriller! There are thrilling and exciting parts but this book is about more than that. It's about people, the secrets they keep, decisions they make and dealing with the consequences of life. You'll never look at purple honey the same ever again!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let's be honest here. I saw the page count and thought "Oh dear what did I get myself in to?" About 350 pages is my reading sweet spot. Anything longer than that and it really needs to be a good story! And the summary makes it sound more like a sweeping epic than a detailed thorough look at a small town, its inhabitants, and missing kids. Was that worth 600 pages? Well, yes, yes it was! I don't know how this book could have been done with fewer. Every little thing was needed! Some of the plot points seemed like a bit of a stretch, but the characters are so defined and developed that the reader can believe that the things they did were within the realm of possibility. The allowance of the story to not solve all the problems with one explanation also made it feel plausible and closer to reality. By the end of the book, I had come to know and love many of the characters. No matter what you are thinking about this book when you start to read it, you will find something unexpected to hold dear.

Chris Whitaker is such a stunning writer. This was a long story but worth it. The story spans many years and many plot lines. I loved every single character. It was funny at times, beautiful, deep. A mystery mixed with everyday relationships and emotions and hardships.

Another high praise for Chris Whitaker. He is a master at creating a beautifully written book. The details that he puts into his characters is unlike any book I have ever read. They are so realistic, so multifaceted, so incredible. Whether you like them or not, you get sucked into their story and can't look away. Despite this book being 600+ pages - and a long read! It moved so quickly. The chapters are short, the pages are too the point. I never felt like the book was too wordy or unnecessary. This is a mystery/thriller, this is a story about love, about friendship and about growth. Trusting your gut. Tragedy and celebration. From page one, I was hooked and could not put this book down. My second book by Whitaker, who is now an autobuy author for me! A must read!

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

A really good story- suspenseful & a good read. The fact that the story spans decades and has over 200
short chapters kind of made me feel like it was overly drawn out but I did enjoy the story.

As I said above - a really good read but won’t be for everyone. Glad I took the time to read and appreciate the arc copy from NetGalley!

Wow. This book is breathtaking. At 600+ pages, I was intimidated, but it reads so fast and I simply couldn’t put it down. I finished it in two days.

The story begins in 1975 when Patch, a poor, troublemaker, saves the life of beautiful and rich Misty. With Patch now missing, his best friend Saint won’t rest until she finds him and unravels the truth behind what happened. The story ripples out from there, across decades as the consequences of this event continue to impact everyone involved. It’s brutal, yet beautiful. It’s about grief and friendship; obsession and loss; and most of all love. It has the pacing of a thriller, but on a sentence level is absolutely stunning.
In short, one of the best of the year.

I finished this book at 5 AM (thank you insomnia), tears in my eyes, certain that I had just read my favorite book of the year (again, by Chris Whitaker, whose book We Begin at the End was also my favorite of 2020). To this day, I’ve read all his novels, and he continues to amaze me every time.

I admit I don’t usually read long books, preferring ones that are 300-400 pages (the usual for crime fiction, I guess), so I was a bit stunned when I realized his new book was over 600 pages. I thought I would struggle, and indeed, this is not a fast-paced novel by any means, but the chapters are quite short, and I was so hopelessly devoted engrossed by it that I enjoyed diving into every page.

It’s hard to describe the book without giving too much away. What you need to know is that it’s a magical blend of crime and literary fiction, telling the tragic story of a young man, Patch, the pirate, who makes a fateful decision to save a girl, Misty, from being kidnapped and ends up being taken instead. Following this event, Patch’s life and those around him, especially his best friend, Saint, the beekeeper, are forever linked to what happened that day. The themes of friendship, love, obsession, and one man’s quest to right the wrongs he feels responsible for permeate this novel, which spans more than thirty years. We witness the characters grow, mature, and make decisions we might not always agree with, but we come to adore them deeply nonetheless.

I loved how obvious it is that the author cares deeply about these characters. They are so well-fleshed out and real that I would know who they were just by the way they talked. Patch is our reluctant and improbable hero; his personality shines through the pages, and despite his mistakes, it’s impossible not to feel what Misty felt. His life and purpose are so tragic and noble that I didn’t want to say goodbye. The same goes for Saint, a woman so brave and determined, capable of doing the unthinkable to save his best friend and staying by his side no matter what. There are other secondary characters, like Sammy, Misty, Charlotte, Nix, Norma, and Grace, all of whom are unforgettable.

Reading a book that spans so many years, it’s hard not to feel the epic nature of the story. I have a particular fondness for crime stories that depict cases tormenting the characters for many years, relentlessly changing the course of their lives. I also enjoy books that show how small decisions can have significant impacts that we can never foresee, and sometimes random encounters bring us closer to our objectives or tragically lead us in a completely different direction.

One of my favorite aspects of this incredible novel —and believe me, there were too many to mention— was when Saint realizes that it wasn’t bribery or threats that helped Patch achieve a particular objective, but the power of empathy, and a shared goal among kindred souls.

“Nothing about them fit. Nothing about them worked. She loved him entirely and absolutely.“

This is a really hard review for me to write because I loved this book so deeply that it's hard to articulate why without a lot of spoilers. Read this book, please, it's one of the best I've ever read. I loved Chris Whitaker's last novel, We Begin at The End, so I had high expectations for this one. I loved this one so much more -- due in part to the time span and the complexity of the plot.

I think the less you know going in to this one, the better. The characters are all so rich, I grew to love the main characters so deeply and never wanted this book to end.

I loved the jumps in time, loved seeing the town and the people in it as they change through the generations.

Chris Whitaker not only writes characters so beautifully but also settings -- I could vividly imagine all of it (for better and for worse) and loved all the descriptions of the houses and the travels around the country.

The reveals in this book left me speechless and I loved the artful way they were done. The complexity of the plot and how it's all woven together was something not many authors can pull off.

I would recommend this to everyone -- it is a long novel, and it deals with some pretty gruesome topics, but for me it was so, so worth it. I am so excited to see what Chris Whitaker writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

4.5
I fell for this one hard in the first 25% and then have to say the rest large chunk of this very long book was a little bit tougher for me. The last 25% then wrapped up with a bang with everything coming together. I love a slow burn yet this one was generations of time type of slow. Due to my busy schedule it almost took me generations to get through it and while that is my own issue, it made it harder to come back to and sink in again. I get the feeling that if I had had 2 - 3 solid days to immerse myself in Whitaker's world, this may have wound up a 5 for me. Here's what you will be reading about - a pirate, a beekeeper, missing girls, small towns, family trauma, heroes, a painter, a detective - ooh and so much more. Whitaker is a wordsmith to the Nth degree and does so with ease as he weaves a character driven tale of both suspense and drama throughout time.

This is a very different story from ones I usually read. The book started off at a rapid pace that made me not want to put it down. However, the last 1/3 of the book was very slow developing. Overall, I loved the story and the questions of “Who? What? and Why?” kept me eagerly searching for answers. I look forward to reading more from the author.

5 character study stars

Chris Whitaker’s writing really works for me. I loved his earlier book, “We Begin at the End,” and I eagerly read his latest one.

This one has a bit of everything: a coming-of-age story, a mystery, compelling characters, and a book long enough to span decades and get engaged with all the characters.

We start in the mid-1970s and in small-town Missouri. There have been several girls that have disappeared, and the town is on edge.

Patch is so named because he covers one eye with a patch, and he and his best friend, Saint, tell the story. Patch is able to save one local girl, but not himself, as he’s abducted. Saint grieves for her best friend but feels he’s still alive, and she never gives up looking for him.

The story grabbed me, and I knew the author would take time to tell it just the right way. I really got emotionally invested with Saint and her quest. And I wondered if Patch really was alive out there. The author explores what happens when our obsession takes on unhealthy aspects.

As we get to know others in the town, it feels like it is really coming to life. There are deeply flawed characters who are still good at heart, people who struggle with addiction and loneliness, all in the hands of a master storyteller.

I wondered if this one would have a big conclusion with loose ends tied up or if it would just meander and tell an interesting story. I was not disappointed with how it all wrapped up!

If you enjoy richly written character-driven books, I highly recommend this one!

DNF @ 33%. I loved Whitaker's previous book, but this was a huge miss for me. The time jumps were incredibly confusing, likely because the pacing was SO off. I usually love longer, character-driven books but this should have been cut by at least 50%. Also, the writing was a bit cringey at times - for example, "She was constellations he could not map".

Thank you @prhaudio @crownpublishing for a copy of this book.

I had high expectations of this book with loving We Begin at THe End and all the early rave reviews but this one was not for me.

The pacing of the story is really slow and there are a lot of characters. I hate when writers use nicknames and the character name interchangeably because I get confused especially with so many characters.

I did enjoy seeing how Saint and Patch was connected and how they grew up in the span of 20+ years.

Edoardo Ballerini did a good job with the narration but this one was just too slow for me.