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.

When a local boy saves a classmate from abduction, no one’s lives will ever be the same.

This is a slow burn saga of mystery, murder, love, and friendship with such beautiful writing. Ultimately it was too slow for my preference, but very high quality

"All the Colors of the Dark" by Chris Whitaker is a masterful exploration of the thin line between triumph and tragedy, set against the backdrop of 1975 America. In the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, as the Vietnam War winds down and Muhammad Ali faces Joe Frazier, young girls are disappearing, shattering the community's sense of safety.

At the heart of this poignant and gripping narrative is Patch Macauley, a local boy born with one eye who transforms his difference into a symbol of resilience. His act of bravery in saving a wealthy family's daughter from an abduction sets off a chain of events that intertwines his fate with those around him in deeply affecting ways.

Whitaker crafts a story that defies genre boundaries, blending a missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, and a tender love story. Patch’s journey is a testament to the human spirit’s endurance, as he navigates the shadows of obsession and the bright hope of connection. His relationship with Saint, his unwavering best friend, is beautifully rendered, showcasing the power of loyalty and persistence in the face of overwhelming odds.

The characters in "All the Colors of the Dark" are vividly drawn and unforgettable. From Saint, who never stops searching for her lost friend, to Misty, the girl Patch saves, who harbors her own secrets, each character adds depth and nuance to the story. The inclusion of Grace, a gentle soul who shares Patch's dark captivity, introduces an element of light and hope that is both heartbreaking and uplifting.

Whitaker's prose is eloquent and evocative, painting the American landscape with striking clarity and immersing readers in the time period. His use of short chapters and tight, compelling sentences propels the narrative forward, making it nearly impossible to put down. The novel’s pacing is akin to that of "Gone Girl," ensuring a thrilling, breathless read from start to finish.

The novel is also a profound commentary on the ripple effects of trauma and the various ways people cope with loss and fear. Patch’s evolution from a bullied boy to a celebrated artist underscores the theme of transformation, while Saint’s law enforcement career highlights the moral complexities of seeking justice.

"All the Colors of the Dark" is not just a thriller; it is a deeply emotional journey that will resonate with readers long after the final page. Whitaker has created a literary masterpiece that captures the essence of human vulnerability and strength, making it a standout read of 2024. This is a novel that demands to be read, shared, and remembered.

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

Let me say that I adored the beginning of the book, it’s so beautifully written. I loved the setting, the characters, the time period, the storyline, but somewhere in the middle I said “Huh? What is going on?” It’s almost like it’s another book in the middle!

All The Colors Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker reads like Historical Fiction at the start, then moves into an almost Fantasy/Magical story, then in the end a Mystery.

Overall this is a 3.5 story rounded up to a 4 for me, just because I loved the beginning so much. That being said there were MANY times I felt Whitaker’s writing was a riddle that I was unable to decipher, or that couldn’t keep my attention.

Throughout the middle of the book I was quite confused about what was going on and what the author was really trying to explain. The book seemed to have gone on such a tangent. Though most gave it 5 stars so far, at times, I was bored. Sometimes stories don’t have enough detail, this one had too many. Too many unnecessary, uninteresting facts. Too wordy, too long, too unbelievable at times.

In the end the compelling saga of life long friends Saint and Patch, and the tragedy that took place during their childhood, was tirelessly illustrated through over 600 pages. The storyline started strong, but overall was much too dramatic, unrealistic, heartbreaking and depressing for this to be a favorite for me.

Most readers will love this story, for the beginning and the neat and tidy ending, where all is set right in the world!

Thank you NetGalley, Crown Publishing, and Chris Whitaker for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review. I honestly was thrilled at the chance to read this book.

Set in the 1970's and the following few decades, two best friends' lives are forever changed when a boy named Patch intervenes when he sees a classmate being abducted. His best friend Saint is determined to save him. With themes of friendship, obsession, murder, art as therapy, childhood trauma, and possible serial killer, this epic saga is layered and rewarding.

However, it is also long and slow. The plotting is very meandering, and I think it could have been edited down by a third (it is 600 pages). It does have short chapters and excellent writing, but the pacing and length of this book at times made reading it a bit of a slog and I feel like it inhibited the momentum of what otherwise would have been a 5-star book for me. I am still giving it 4.25 stars for the excellent, intricate plot and deeply drawn characters, but I would have not been so frustrated with it if it had been edited down.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

In a Nutshell: A literary saga spanning multiple genres and decades. It's not just the story of a tragedy but also of what happens after a tragedy. Will work better if you know what to expect. It isn’t a traditional mystery-thriller, so better if read as a character-driven drama.

Plot Preview:
1975. Monta Clare, Missouri. Patch is a one-eyed teenager who considers himself a good pirate. His only friend is the whimsical thirteen-year-old Saint, who lives with her grandmother. In their small town where everyone knows everyone else, Patch and Saint think they have their future paths clear. All changes when a mysterious man attacks Misty, the only daughter of a wealthy family. Patch emerges as an unlikely hero in this situation, but the life trajectory of the people involved changes forever as a result.
Spanning many decades and genres, the story comes to us from the limited third-person perspectives of the key characters.


Imagine this. You are visiting a tourist place that you have heard some good feedback about. You hire a tourist guide who promises to take you to your destination, but instead of leading you there directly, the guide makes you roam around myriad other places, telling you detailed stories of each of them. Most of his tales are interesting, but after a point, you wonder why he is traversing a circuitous route when all you wanted to go to was the destination promised at the start. Finally, after a long and somewhat frustrating journey, you reach your destination, and it turns out to be everything you hoped for. But as much as the joy of discovery is, you can’t help having mixed feelings about the rest of the day: yes, you gained insight about many other spots, but you also feel a bit irked at the amount of time it took to visit what wasn’t even on the agenda. It’s not like you didn’t enjoy the unplanned circumambulatory route full of surprises, but you wish you had been better prepared for it beforehand.

That’s me with this book. I was prepared for a thriller, but I got a slow-paced literary fiction. While I can often recalibrate my reading sensor according to the writing approach, it failed this time.


Bookish Yays:
😍 The main characters: Saint & Patch. Well-sketched, complex, grey, human.
😍 Patch’s being one-eyed, and this trait being turned into an intricate part of his persona than making it a disability popping in at random intervals.
😍 An excellent start and an great ending.
😍 Evocative writing, with plenty of quotable quotes and lines to ponder upon.
😍 Superb use of the mountain setting of small-town Missouri, with great descriptions that don’t overshadow the plot.
😍 A unusual approach to a mystery, focussing on myriad obsessions of varied characters. This could also be called a love story sans romance.
😍 Enough of twists and turns to keep you going on. You will not be able to predict the direction of most of the plot.
😍 Though there are many crimes that occur in the book, the content never gets graphic. Love it when authors don’t let gore do the talking.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 As this is tagged as a mystery-thriller, I went in hoping for a steady-paced, thrill-inducing, mystery. But while there is a mystery in the book, it is not the prime focus of the plot, which is quite character-oriented, and stresses more on the lives of the people affected by the crime than on the crime itself. This definitely would have worked better for me had I been mentally prepared for a literary drama than for a crime thriller.
😐 The middle chunk of the book drags. A LOT! Had I been a willing DNFer, I might have even quit on the book at this point. But thankfully I didn’t as the ending was worth the wait. Either the middle section should have been tightened or this should have been marked as a character-driven literary work so that readers would know what to expect. (Especially those of us who haven’t read this author before and went in blind.)
😐 There are many side plots detracting from the core mystery. While these are intricately layered and well written, the fact is that I wanted to see the mystery resolved than to know more about other irrelevant things.

Bookish Nays:
😕 The story spans decades. Though there are years marked at the start of a few chapters, it is confusing at times to remember how old the characters are at that point. Patch’s age isn’t clarified at all (as far as I can remember; hope I didn’t miss any reference), so I just assumed him to be the same age as Misty. There are pop culture references to help out, but these would work only if you know the approximate period to which the references belonged.
😕 This book has 261 short chapters, with some of the chapters being hardly a couple of pages long. I know there are readers who like short chapters, but this was too many for my liking.
😕 The pacing is quite erratic, going from rushed at the start, to almost zero in between, to fast again at the end. In a 580+ page book, I’d have appreciated a more consistent tempo.


My reading experience of this novel reminded me of how I felt on reading Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch - yet another magnum opus that begins with a mystery but takes ages to be resolved. In both cases, I liked the journey, but I was more relieved than exhilarated to reach the end.

This is my first book by this acclaimed author, so I shall be better prepared for a literary approach the next time I pick up his work.

Mine is a slight outlier review. Most other reviews of this book are gushy 5 stars, so perhaps it was only my erroneous expectations courtesy that dratted “thriller” tag that caused my experience to go awry. I still recommend this strongly, but to literary fiction lovers who enjoy the artistic nuances of storytelling and character development. If you want a fast-paced mystery-thriller, pick something else.

3.5 stars.

My thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “All the Colors of the Dark”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Chris Whitaker first came on my radar when I read We Begin at the End and I was excited when I saw he had another book coming out! All the Colors of the Darkis a gripping book about friendship, trauma, love, obsession, and loss.

Saint and Patch meet and become friends in the mid 1970's in a small town where they are outsiders, far from being popular, but unique and loyal. Patch has only one eye, hence his nickname. Saint is smart, keeps bees, and is devoted to her friend Patch. When Patch saves a local girl, he finds himself in a horrible situation. Saint is despondent without her friend. This incident will shape their lives and their friendship for years to come. Both will see their lives and relationship with each other irrevocably changed. Patch will go on an unrelenting search for the truth while Saint will go on to forge a career.

This was a dark and gritty look at how trauma shapes lives, how hope endures, how friendship changes, how love remains present, and how the search for the truth often leads the seeker down dark paths. This is a BIG book and at times I felt it's length. But that did not affect my enjoyment of it. Chris Whitaker is a gifted writer and he set the stage for this gritty and gripping book. Speaking of this book, it has many things: a mystery, a coming of age, a thriller, and a literary tale. There is search for a serial killer, a story of love, a story of life, and a story of trauma.

The writing is impeccable, the plot is well thought out, and this book evokes emotion.

Atmospheric, mysterious, dark, and gripping.

“Though it’s dark, I’ll always find you. Though you’re stronger than me, I’ll always make sure that you’re safe. To me, you’ll always come first.”

Four years ago I read Whitaker’s We Begin at the End and wanted to scream from my Covid isolated rooftop, just how brilliant it was. Instead, I started this account, to amplify books worthy of your attention.

All the Colors of the Dark opens with a small town Missouri setting of the mid 1970s. Patch, a young boy born with one eye, embraces his uniqueness and takes on the role of a pirate, not exactly for fun, but more for survival. Girls in the town have started to go missing and Patch prevents one of these abduction attempts, setting the plot into motion. The result is a decades long journey of obsession, devotion, loss and love.

There are 4 female characters who pact the most powerful punch in the ways they try to save a beautiful and broken Patch. One, so reminiscent of a certain “outlaw” in his previous novel, that it brought tears to my eyes. The use of art as a vehicle for imagery and discovery was unexpected and masterful, and enhanced a brilliance to the police procedural elements of the story. From small town to big city America, Whitaker paints the U.S. landscape with such vivid clarity that it’s hard to believe he wrote it from the other side of the Atlantic. The plot, layered in multiple genres and mysteries, is impossible to summarize without spoilers and would risk diminishing the wonderfully immersive experience I had while reading.

This novel has the heart of the Edward/Shea relationship in Dear Edward and the eloquent prose of William Kent Krueger novels, making it my top contender for Best Book of 2024!

Sincere thanks to Net Galley and Crown Publishing for the early copy in exchange for my honest review. I have already ordered the first of many copies to grace my forever bookshelf!

You know those books that you race through to find out how it ends? Then you’re sad that it’s over? ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK by Chris Whitaker is the PERFECT example. Don’t let the length fool you as every page is a masterful weaving of mystery, suspense, murder , love and a decades long search for answers.

When Patch was thirteen, he saved a local girl from what surely would have been an assault, leaving behind a trail of blood and no trace as to what happened to him. His best friend, Saint never gave up hope of finding him, and did! But when Patch was being hidden away in the dark, there was another, kinder, gentler soul with him. Even after his rescue, he spent decades looking for Grace. His quest led him on an unbelievable journey traversing the country trying to find her. Along the way he meets with the families of missing girls and ‘gifts’ them with their daughters. He gets in quite a few scrapes along the way, even doing some time in prison. But also becomes a celebrated artist.

Meanwhile, Saint goes on to a law enforcement career but never gives up trying to help Patch find Grace. Faced with very difficult dilemmas and decisions, she must follow her heart or follow the law. Which will she choose?

Then we have Misty, the girl that Patch saved all those years ago who moves on with her own life but never forgot what Patch did for her, and harbours a very big secret of her own.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! ONE OF THE BEST I’VE READ IN QUITE A BIT! I even got up at 2am to finish it because I just had to see how it ended. If you plan to be by the pool or on the beach this summer, TAKE THIS WITH YOU. But make sure someone else is watching the kids. And don’t forget the sunscreen!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Oh my HEART! It HURTS! 😭 this book took me on a JOURNEY! and wowwweee😮‍💨

I loved WE BEGIN AT THE END so I was a bit afraid to start this one and play comparison…also because it’s ~600 pages (14+ hours on audio) but I loved it❤️‍🩹

✨spans nearly 30 years so you really GROW with these characters and fall deeply in love with them
✨a serial killer mystery but SO much more than that - coming of age, love, family, obsession, redemption, revenge, bravery, friendship!
✨slow burn + character heavy
✨SHORT chapters!! there’s over 250 of them🫣 but they flow seamlessly and end on lots of cliffhangers making it very binge-worthy despite its length

I could go on and on but I’ll stop! It’s epic, haunting, beautifully written, and Patch and Saint (and Nix, and Charlotte, etc.) captured my heart🥹 not necessarily perfectly crafted but deserving of 5⭐️s!

Another stunning story from Chris Whitaker. After reading We Begin At The End a few years ago, I knew any new books by Whitaker would be a must-read for me. Thank you to Crown Publishing for an early copy of All The Colors of the Dark!

This story draws on a lot of what I loved about We Begin At The End - strong characters that are younger and a deep mystery that you think you have figured out, but then realize you don't!

I fell in love with Chris Whitaker's writing when I read We Begin at the End and had been patiently waiting for him to release a new book ever since.

All the Colors of the Dark is similar to We Begin at the End in the since it is part mystery part drama and coming of age.

It is quite long but honestly, I didn't mind. You need the heft to understand the story that takes place over many years.

Heartbreaking, but uplifting at the same time. All the Colors of the Dark will be a favorite of the year for me.

(Thank you @netgalley, @crownpublishing for the #gifted copy)

Holy moly - I know the year is only halfway over, but I’m predicting All the Colors of the Dark as my top fiction read of 2024!

I am still unwell thinking about this book. It made me laugh. It made me sob. It made me question. It left me emotionally damaged. And I loved everything about it.

Saint and Patch are incredible main characters, and the cast of secondary characters is wonderful. I just love them all so much 🥹

This book is 600 pages, but please don’t let that deter you. Every word is important in telling this story that spans decades and connecting all the dots.

This one comes out on June 25 - please go grab a copy!!