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.

(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)

Chris Whitaker is a master world builder. All the Colors of the Dark is a spectacular stand out. It is original and heart wrenching. Patch is an unforgettable character – unlike any I’ve ever read. Just wow, what a journey. Chris Whitaker is on my list of auto buys. I can’t wait for the next release.

This book was very emotional. I did like the structure of the short chapters because even though this was a long book it felt shorter with the chapter length. Overall I thought this was a very intense book and I had no idea what to expect going in. This definitely touches a lot on found family and also how trauma can shape us. There was a lot of trauma in this book and that shaped the people in the story a lot. Overall I did like this book but I don’t know if I would read it again because it did feel really heavy.

This one won't be for everyone as it's LONG and frankly a bit depressing, it's dark and definitely not a happy book. He reminds me a bit of a modern day Dickens. His prose is beautiful, he writes characters deeply. This one follows a few characters: patch a local boy who saves a well to do girl from being kidnapped but ends up taken himself instead, the girl herself, and patches friend Saint who missed him terribly once he is gone and how she deals with moving on.

A beautifully depressed dark book on trauma and the after effects. An epic tale of those who move on and those who get stuck in the past. I loved Whitaker's first book and loved the writing in this as well. This is a little bit mystery but at it's core a deep literary character driven book that was a bit too slow for me, otherwise would have gotten 5 stars. The middle was a bit of bleak trudge with characters continuing to make decisions that I was shouting at them to not make. Hence the 4 stars because even though beyond frustrating, I love when an author makes me feel so connected to their characters that their actions brings out all the feels. The ending makes the slog in the middle worthwhile.

meet one of my most anticipated reads this summer, ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK & it absolutely lived up to the hype! if you love books that span decades, delve into mysteries of missing persons/serial killers, + are set in small towns, this one is a must-read!

this genre-bending saga is a beautifully crafted tale that blends literary fiction, mystery, & even romance into a haunting + atmospheric narrative

set in the 1970s in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, this richly layered coming-of-age novel traces the lives of Saint and Patch from their early teens into adulthood, starting with the unforgettable summer of ‘75, which brings a wave of fear as girls begin to disappear. When Patch accidentally stumbles upon a kidnapping and intervenes, he unknowingly changes the course of his own life—and the lives of everyone around him…

💭 A FEW THOUGHTS 💭
- it’s LONG! At over 600 pages, it’s a slow burn that’s surprisingly easy to get through and well worth the wait
- I adored the short chapters – sometimes less than a page! They kept the narrative dynamic and engaging. However, this is a book that demands your full attention – I found myself rereading several chapters to catch details that I missed
- don’t let the genre fool you! This isn’t your typical mystery/thriller—it’s a literary thriller, meaning it’s more character-driven and less focused on plot twists. But even with its slow-burn, detailed narrative, it keeps you guessing, and somehow, each chapter left me wanting more. The tension of wondering who is responsible for the disappearances and what is real makes for an enthralling read
- character-driven > plot – Whitaker’s realistic portrayal of characters, especially of the unforgettable Saint, pulls you into a world of love, loss, hope, and friendship
- while I did have some pacing issues (the book might benefit from trimming 75-100 pages), the depth of world-building justifies the slower pace
- would be an excellent pick for book clubs (shoutout 👀 @readwithjenna)
- this will definitely end up on my top books of 2024 list & it’s inspired me to add Whitaker’s previous novel, WE BEGIN AT THE END to my tbr

Easily one of my favorite reads of 2024. Whitaker is one hell of a talent.

There is a lot of darkness here, both literally and figuratively, but so much light as well. The relationship between the two main characters is beautiful to behold and one I will think about for a very long time.

We get multiple perspectives and lots of character development. This is balanced out with some action and police procedural content. Overall this story is not about action, it is all about the characters.

Don’t miss this beautiful work of art!

I received this book as an ARC months ago and given Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End is one of my all time favorite reads, I was THRILLED. I dove right in and....it just didn't grab me. I was intimidated by the number of pages. I felt like I had to keep going back to re-read pages (thank you for the short chapters, btw) which is highly unusual for me so I gave up at about 15%. Something told me I needed to come back to this one when the time was right.

That time is now. I picked this back up a few days ago and couldn't put it down. Whatever magic Whitaker does worked, and worked incredibly well. This book took my hand, held me close, and whispered "let's go" into my ear. Boy did I love this. It gave me Shawshank Redemption vibes, Goldfinch vibes, Wally Lamb vibes, even a little Forest Gump vibes. Holy cow was this a masterpiece. I laughed out loud a lot (I see you Sammy and Charlotte), I cried a few times (gosh this was beautiful). I loved Patch, Saint, Norma. I felt like this book had me on a tight hug and I really didn't want it to end. I loved how so many of the characters came back around to play a part later. I loved the velvety prose, the banter dialogue, the way it played out like a stunning movie. You felt the heartache, the grief, hope, drive, obsession, the love. So so good.

Now, I read some reviews where folks bashed it for being wayyyyy too unbelievable in so many places but hey... it's fiction. There are some liberties I'm willing to give in the face of this gorgeous sprawling story. I'm beyond glad I have this another chance. If you haven't already....go pick this book up. Don't let the size intimidate you...I promise you won't want it to end. Damn that was amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Chris Whitaker. Thank you for creating such lovely characters and inviting us into their world through this remarkable story. I loved it, every page.

Huge thank you @prhaudio @berkleypub and @netgalley for an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review and I loved this audiobook!
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Once again another stellar book by Whitaker. It’s 1975 and times are changing quickly.
The old way of living is disappearing along with the girls in a small town. This is a different take on a missing girls story and beautifully done.

4.5 stars
Wow, what a story. The amount of characters and detail that went into this book is just astounding. This is definitely one of those books that when you finish you need a little bit before you can articulate your feelings and your thoughts.
Although this book is a beast page wise, the short chapters and the storyline will keep you turning the pages. Gruesome and so sad but also tender and heartfelt. Great book!

Well, this is just a beautiful, heart-wrenching story that solidifies Chris Whitaker as one of my favorite authors. I absolutely loved We Begin at the End and was cautiously optimistic about his latest, All the Colors of the Dark after reading early reviews. He knocked it out of the park again. This story has a little bit of everything and is told over decades. The characters are perfectly developed and Whitaker's unique writing style tells this story of heartache, redemption, love and trauma perfectly.

Thank you Netgalley and Crown for this exquisite book. I had no idea what to expect when I started this book and I loved everything about it. The story follows two young friends, Patch and Saint, who overcome obstacles in their own ways, and find the beauty in all the darkness. You will feel every emotion while reading this book, and I know without a doubt these characters will stay with me forever. Outstanding would be an understatement.

What a wonderful book! From the very beginning, I fell in love with the character, Patch.
The plot has so many layers and so many twists and turns that to try to explain the story would detract from the joy of reading the words.
Whitaker, once again, has woven together a tale of heartbreak, destruction and the harshness of living. Yet, he successfully managed to juxtapose those emotions with love, caring and devotion.
A Must Read!

All the Colors in the Dark is an epic tale of friendship, love, and the lengths we’ll go to to help the people we care about. The characters in the small town of Monta Clare are quirky, brave, determined and loyal. Patch and Saint are indelible characters along the lines of Demon and Angus from Demon Copperhead, and Sam and Sadie from Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. The plot was twisty, and I couldn’t predict where it was going, I was satisfied with the conclusion - all of the questions were answered.

My only critique is with the short chapters, which didn’t work for me in this book. The choppiness of the chapters took me out of the story. I think I would have liked a more traditional narrative structure. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and will think about Patch and Saint forever.