I have been pretty burnt out from most mysteries and thrillers but whenever it’s a literary one, I end up loving them. I think I like the deeper exploration of the psyche and the surroundings etc. more than the heart pounds. This one had a lot of drama along with the mystery
Whitaker’s approach was very interesting to how and when he revealed things. A lot of the time chapters switched and moved forward in the middle of the action with what happened being mentioned later. While it might be frustrating to some, it gave me a huge sense of curiosity that paired well with wanting to avoid anxiety. I found the twists similarly interesting too, the story definitely went in a direction I wasn’t expecting and I loved it for that.
The story has alternating POVs and while we get a lot of information on the characters' moment to moment thoughts, the deeper thoughts are buried in the longer term actions. I found it really rewarding to get to know these characters and glean how they processed heartbreaks, grief and trauma through slice of life vignettes. Despite the 600 page count, it was definitely a page turner. Combined with the short chapters, I went through this really quickly. This one is probably making my top ten of 2024.

Thank you so much to Crown Publishing for the ARC.

Chris Whitaker has once again written a powerful story of love, friendship, personal struggles and choices. These rich characters and this story will stay with the reader for along time!

Told in short chapters and from alternating points of view, All the Colors of the Dark covers a lot - both in terms of time and subject matter. The opening grabbed me from the start, but I didn't know at any time in which direction the narrative was headed. This novel is original and has memorable characters giving the reader a view into characters' lives, their choices and relationships. I thought the pacing of the book was good and it kept my interest at all times. Finding out the answer to the mystery and what would happen to the main characters keep the reader engaged, and there are unexpected revelations as well. I would recommend this to anyone who likes mysteries and character driven plots.

It took a little bit for me to find the rhythm of this epic tale that ultimately is about two friends and the many impacts of tragedy and love and compassion. I was swept up in the tale and fell like I lived a lifetime with these characters. And would happily spend more.

3.5 stars
Main characters are Patch, a boy with one eye who adopts a pirate persona to go with his eyepatch and his only friend Saint who is being raised by her grandmother and who loves beekeeping. Patch is the only boy, only person really, who gets the beekeeping thing so they become friends almost by default.

A girl from a wealthy family is attacked and Patch comes to the rescue so she can escape, but then he is missing. Saint joins the hunt for him, refusing to believe that he was killed. Spoiler alert***** Patch is not dead, but comes away from this experience a very changed person.

As the years go by, they both grow up, but this experience has influenced everything about the future people they become. The story was interesting and yet way too long. I found myself skimming parts of it and only once did I feel that was a mistake. It could have been a lot shorter and didn't have to include as much as it did as it really didn't make the story any better.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

This book was good but way too long. Had the “and then and then and then” quality that feels an editor should’ve stepped in to help.

This is not my first Chris Whitaker novel... I read We Begin At The End and looooved it. That really set my bar high for what to expect from All The Colors Of The Dark.

Sadly, though, this book didn’t really resonate with me, if I’m being honest. The chapters were short, and normally I liked that in a novel but these chapters were basically no more than a page each, and it felt like we just started and stopped over and over again. It also felt incredibly easy to skim parts, like some of the chapters could simply have been omitted without it making a difference. Some parts of this novel were exciting and piqued my interest, and were then followed by some seemingly irrelevant 1 page chapters that took the wind right out of my sails. It was hard to find a rythym.

The story itself really is an epic; everything is well described and there is an emphasis on truly feeling the scene and the characters. Whitaker does a good job of painting you a thorough picture of each of the people in the book, the settings it’s taking place in, and makes you believe in it. For me, that was the highlight of this writing.

Overall, it’s a decent book but it may be long and drawn out for some. 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to review this ARC.

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker begins in 1975 in Mont Clare Missouri.The story is told through the dual narratives of childhood best friends Patch and Saint.Patch was born with only one eye and loves pirates and their stories.He got his name because he often covers his missing eye with an eyepatch.Saint is his female best friend.Patch saves a neighborhood girl from abduction in the woods and disappears.The story takes many twists and turns and even though it is long the reading goes quickly.The short chapters may end on a cliffhanger but the next chapter will resolve the issue. You will feel all the feels while reading this book!Thank you Crown Publishing and Net Galley for allowing me to read this ARC!

Amazing story! Wow! Loved this one so much. Is dark and difficult at times but so fulfilling and rewarding to read. Chris Whitaker crafted a treasure in All the Colors of the Dark.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Sometimes I read a book and I'm in complete awe. Complete awe because of the story. I absolutely loved this book.

This book gripped me from the begining and I loved the characters. They felt so real to me. A definite 5 star book.

Thank you publisher and netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and isn't influenced by anyone else

I am definitely in the minority with my rating on this one. I didn’t finish the book. I’m still trying to skim the back half. I rarely will read anything that has violence in it and as shared in the description of the book, this is about a serial killer. That caused me to pass over it for a long time. But the hype kept pulling me back. The good news for me was there are very few pages that describe violence; rather it is just part of the story. I’m not sure I get the hype. I did enjoy the writing, the characters were intriguing but the story didn’t kept me engaged. Perhaps it was just too long.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an early release in exchangefor fair and honest review.

Oh my word, this book. It's only May, but I see no way another book could bump this from my best book of 2024 slot.

I occasionally find a book where when I finish the final sentence, I immediately know that, without a doubt, the book has lasting power and will be moving readers for many, many years to come. This is how it's done. This is how you craft characters, stories, and atmosphere that'll break and rebuild the reader time and time again as they work their way thru the story.

I spent several days lost within the pages of this captivating tale of love, friendship, loyalty, sacrifice, suffering, and hope. Most importantly, hope. Nothing is rushed. The pacing is measured, even leisurely at times, the characters are vividly real, the multiple story threads skillfully and fully developed. I was a captive audience as I watched this story unfold, feeling like I was right there alongside Patch, Saint, and our other main characters. The final sentences are perfect, absolutely perfect. I didn't know whether to smile or cry. I decided to be okay with doing a little of both.

All the Colors of the Dark is an epic, unforgettable journey and an outstanding work of crime fiction with heart and soul. 5 stars doesn't feel like enough.

Thank you, Crown Publishing and Netgalley for providing me an early copy to read and review.

This was really long and you really have to work for it to get to the ending. In the end it does pay off to stick with it, but I think many will struggle with this one. Overall, this was a solid four star read for me and I look forward to reading more from this author.

This book comes pretty close to perfection. Just like his previous book, We Begin At the End, Chris Whitaker's writing takes chunks out of my heart. He creates fully formed, multi-dimensional characters that feel like real people to me. Anytime I had to put down the book I found myself itching to get back to it because I was so invested in the characters and worried about their struggles. Whitaker is brilliant at writing kids characters that make you want to hug them, protect them and marvel at them.

Whitaker excels at blending genres - this one is family drama, serial killer thriller and missing person mystery, and is filled with love stories: romantic, friendship, biological family and found family.

It is one of the rare books that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough but as the book was in its final chapters I had to slow down and savor every word because I didn't want it to end.

If this book doesn't sit on the top of my favourites of 2024 by the end of the year I will be surprised - this one will be hard to top.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Slow story and didn't fully capture me. Lots going on, tough to read.

2.75☆

I was not prepared for how invested I became in this story and these characters. I could not put it down and cried my way through the final parts. Thank you for sharing the advanced reader copy of this - I cannot wait to share this book!

Chris Whitaker's latest ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK is an immense tale of Patch and Saint spanning decades and publishes June 25, 2024.

At age 13, Patch (nicknamed for having only one eye and using an eyepatch) saves his love interest Misty Meyer from assault and abduction only to be abducted himself. While he is held captive, a girl named Grace becomes his solace. Patch's best friend Saint is out of her mind with worry and is obsessed with finding Patch, not believing that he could be dead. This engrossing novel follows these two main characters as they act with such purpose even as they encounter morally gray situations. I loved how the novel incorporated art, and Whitaker made use of the side characters and their own stories without taking away or distracting from the primary plotline.

The author sets out to accomplish a lot with this literary novel, and he nails it with unforgettable characters, elements from multiple genres, and lasting impact. The nature comes alive like it did in his prior novel WE BEGIN AT THE END. While I did have some moments where I had to put this novel down to have some space from it, it always drew me back and will definitely occupy my thoughts, much like THE HEART'S INVISIBLE FURIES did ... although I think DEMON COPPERHEAD is a more apt comparison title. All that said, I'm not sure this will be a hit with all readers. I think a reader with more literary leanings is more likely to appreciate this novel.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Crown Publishing for a complimentary copy of this novel!!!

This story begins in the 1970’s in Monta Clara, Missouri. There are two unlikely heroes in this story. Patch, a boy with only one eye; and Saint, a very determined girl who loves to chase clues and solve mysteries. Patch stumbles upon an attempted kidnapping of the daughter (Misty) of a wealthy family in the town. Instead, Patch gets stabbed and taken by the kidnapper. The second hero arises when after a period of time, Saint has her suspicions of who the kidnapper is and sets out to trap him and find Patch. When Patch was held captive, there was another girl also there called Grace. The rest of the story focuses on Patch and Saint over a period of decades. It follows their individual lives and how they intersect. Grace becomes the mysterious missing person Patch is intent on finding. Numerous other girls are found dead. So there is not only a kidnapper, but a serial killer. Is the same person doing the kidnapping and killing, or two different people?

This novel is a thrilling love story that encompasses decades. It is a story of heartbreak and tragedies, but also one of hope and a possibility of happy endings. It shows how one will stop at nothing to find the answer to his obsession. This novel is a romance mystery thriller that spans decades to reach its culmination. I can’t say enough about Chris Whitaker’s newest novel!!! It has all the emotions throughout and at the end I was left feeling like I had taken a huge breath of fresh air!!!! AVAILABLE June 25, 2024!

This was one of those books that will stay with you long after you have finished that last page. The story starts out with two friends, two misfits in a small town. They keep each other grounded and their friendship is surely forever. A horrible event separates them. Patch, the one eyed poor boy has been kidnapped and his friend, Saint, finds him after a very long absence, so long that they have both seriously changed.

The book follows their lives as Patch cannot stop searching for the girl he was held with, but never saw and Saint, lost to their close friendship becomes a cop and then an FBI agent trying to find the girl Patch cannot let go of.

That is such a short and weak attempt to describe this book. There are a handful of characters that the story revolves around and you become so caught up in their lives and dreams and failures, it is like you were there with them. I found myself not wanting to put it down to go to bed last night, but at 600+ pages, I had to.

This is a book about love and hate and good and grave evil and mistakes and second chances. A book about life. I loved every minute of it.

I thank Crown Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

One of the best books I’ve ever read.

Whitaker has such a talent for connecting a story in a surprising and unexpected way. He loves his outlaw style characters and always contrasts good versus evil in nuanced ways.

Character development is where he shines, I cared so deeply for Patch and Saint even our secondary characters had my heart. Then you mix in this darker mystery of hope, love, redemption and I couldn’t get enough of it until the very last page and I closed the book both genuinely surprised and sad to say goodbye.