This was absolutely the thriller of the summer for me. Whitaker's writing style really drew me into the story and I loved the multiple perspectives and how the book took place over several years. It was a rather hefty long book (200+ chapters is no small feat) and I felt it could have been greatly condensed.

Overall I loved the red herrings and small clues that drew all the different plot points together. It was fascinating and heart breaking and had the best conclusion.

Absolutely a book I will read likely every year.

5 easy stars from me.

Content warnings: violence, domestic abuse, discussion of rape and abortions, language, missing persons

Review will be posted via goodreads and Instagram via @readingkelsey

keywords: thriller, fiction, small town, murder, serial killers, mystery

A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story - a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope.

𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 ♡

(Thanks so much to @prhaudio for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and to @netgalley for the eARC - I was able to binge this book before BOTM even shipped my box 🙈)

⟡ 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 :
-buzzy new releases that are worth the hype
-genre-bending books
-short chapters
-well written characters
-poetic prose
-multiple timelines & intricate plots
-already picked up for a tv series!

⟡ 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨
1970s historical fiction, coming of age, found family, missing person mystery, serial killer thriller + an epic love story that spans decades - this genre-bending masterpiece literally has something for everyone.

This may be the most intricate, unique book I have ever read. Hauntingly poetic & full of colorful imagery, I was captivated from the very first chapter.

Its 600 pages are daunting, but it’s broken down into short, easily bingeable chapters.
I just think the pacing was a tad off & the middle was sort of meandering, making me feel like it could have been edited down a bit. This is the only reason it wasn’t a full 5 stars for me.

Ultimately I think it was an achingly beautiful story about grief & hope - one that everyone should read once in their lifetime.

4.5*
Whitaker has once again brought us a book that is impossible to put down. His writing draws us in with his outstanding characters and his riveting plot. Set in 1975, the book follows Patch, a boy missing an eye and any hope of a promising future. He saves a girl and it leads to dire consequences for the boy. Similar to the main character in Demon Copperhead, Patch is on the bottom of society’s heap. Despite his circumstances, he has a sweet nature and is very sensitive. When his act of courage leads him into hell, our heart breaks.

It's hard to say too much without giving away the story. This is a mesmerizing book about yearning, about humanity and what touches us, especially in our darkest hours. Tears will be shed and hearts will be touched. Not to be missed!

(Rounded up from 2.75) This could have been a really great book, but for me, it was merely a decent book. I almost gave up on it at around 55%, but so many people loved it that I pushed on, skimming a bit, to get to the end. Whitaker had a great start, but then it really, really dragged in the middle. All The Colors of the Dark is overly long, at about 600 pages; a good editor could have done wonders for it by cutting it down to a more manageable length.

The two main characters, Patch and Saint, were well-drawn individuals. We don’t really get enough on the third main character, Misty, to say the same about her. There’s also a great side character, Sammy, who owns an art gallery in the small Missouri town where much of the action takes place. (I kept wondering how there could be a viable art gallery in a place that could barely sustain a movie theater, but oh well.) I’m glad I didn’t DNF midway because then I wouldn’t have met Charlotte, a feisty character I loved.

This is not a thriller, although there are a couple of “action scenes” here and there, and there’s definitely a mystery. It’s more of a literary character-driven drama.

Another thing a good editor should have caught was a glaring Britishism, even though the book takes place in the United States. (The author is British/English.) The phrase “fell pregnant” was used a few times; this phrase is not used in the US. We say “I/she got pregnant” or “I am/she is pregnant.” (I checked the published audiobook and these phrases were still there, just as in my review copy of the book).

There is a lot of talk of religion in this book, specifically certain Christian religious beliefs. That’s something I don’t care for in my reading, but other people may not have the same issue. It overlays a lot of the story.

The audiobook, which I thank my public library for, is narrated by the wonderful Eduardo Ballerini, but even he couldn’t save this one. It was just too long and meandering.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Whitaker is a storyteller through and through. This book is extremely well written and Whitaker’s characters are sheer perfection. There are so many elements in this story that you’ll be tempted to rush to the finish, but take your time and savor every word! Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

HANDS DOWN THE BEST BOOK OF 2024. This book is GOLD. The characters- RIVETING! The setting- UNFORGETTABLE! The short chapters taht kept you reading.. unreal!! 5 stars isn't enough!

This was a beautiful story. Although slow at times, everything was tied together in the end and I enjoyed that it spanned decades. What a rollercoaster of events!
I have already recommended this book to others.

This one gets you right in the gut. Repeatedly.

Part thriller, part family drama, part social commentary on being poor and living in a small town, it's a mix of all the best emotional and evocative things.

At first, I thought it would be too heavy for me (along the lines of "Demon Copperhead," which I did not love), but as the story went on, it took on such a beautiful tone of hope and love that I couldn't put it down.

The story starts by introducing us to Patch and Saint, two kids who are somewhat outcasts in their social network and who end up best friends.

Patch thwarts a kidnapping of the town darling, Misty, and ends up being captured himself.

This sets off a series of dark and dramatic events that unfold throughout the book.

It's a captivating tale of loyalty, defiance, determination, and all different kinds of love. It will touch your heart and is truly an unforgettable novel.

Thank you to #Netgalley for this ARC of #allthecolorsofthedark

Spanning multiple decades, All the Colors of the Dark is an epic story of tragedy, suspense, romance and friendship. Whitaker spends the time to develop the characters so well that you are personally invested in their successes and life choices.
The book hooked me on page one kept me entranced until the end. I did feel the middle was a bit slow but very much still worth the read.
This is definitely on my list of top books to suggest my friends read.
Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my opinion. Rating 4.5

I read this book as a part of a book club and it was a wonderful read. It was hard to put down or forget when I was done and I cannot wait to read more.

Thank you to NetGalley and crown publishing for the free arc copy of this book. I loved this book so much I don’t even know what to say. It was 600 pages but I was not ready for it to end. This book had me laughing and crying. Sammy and Charlotte are my favorite and somehow make such a heavy book funny and lovable. I really thought the ending was going to disappoint but I was SO wrong it was everything you could hope for in that kind of situation!

For the first half of this book, I felt very out of step with the many hugely positive reviews it's getting. But by the 65% mark, I understood. The last third of this novel is a masterful tapestry of woven characters and plotting. I can look back at the first two thirds with great appreciation now that I have finished.

All the Colors of the Dark is an epic story of complex, memorable characters mixed in with a grand overarching mystery. I was unfamiliar with Whitaker's writing prior to reading this book but WOW--he has a way with words. The story is long and at times meandering but it is so gripping that I didn't want to stop reading to do anything else.

If you like beautifully thought-out characters and epic story-telling, you're sure to enjoy All the Colors of the Dark.

Thank you for this ARC! I loved this book. Despite its length, it was a real page turner. So much happens, but it was not hard to keep track of the story or characters. It had excellent character development, excellent suspense and a satisfying ending. I fully recommend!

All the Colors of the Dark is a big, long compelling novel that is ideal for long days of reading. It is reminiscent of the novels of John Irving, following the lives of independent young characters in Missouri who grow into their complicated lives. The basics of the plot involve years of searching for a murderer who is targeting young girls, but the well-drawn characters bring in their own themes of loss, friendship, and love. Excellent novel.

A gripping, epic slow burn mystery. Not the typical formulaic mystery/thriller. Beautifully written with stories within stories and memorable characters. A captivating and entertaining read!

This book caught me off guard. All kinds of stories going on within the main story…beautifully written, might I even call it an epic novel. Such well developed characters, sweeping over a wide timeline.

This book deserves all the acclaim the writer is earning! Wondeful book that I devoured! You will fall in love with Patch, an aptly named moinker for the main character, and you will follow his life as he becomes a hereo, artist, and then finally a convict. Such a great story!

A sweeping epic that follows Patch and Saint over several decades with a wonderful cast of side characters. I came for the serial killer mystery and I stayed for the character development. The background is always weaving around solving a mystery, but the book is ultimately about so much more than that, and it's a book I know I will think of often.

This is a gripping, slow-burn mystery, filled with unforgettable characters. The story develops over several decades and will both break and mend your heart. After reading two books by Whitaker, I've come to the realization that whereas his books are rather long, they are beautifully written, and I really appreciate his short chapters.