“A sweeping coming-of-age tale, an epic love story and a searing thriller, all unfolding on a vast canvas.

There is a moment when childhood ends. For Joseph ‘Patch’ Macauley and Saint Brown, it comes late one summer as Patch is abducted from their hometown. Devastated, Saint devotes her days to finding her best friend.

Held in total darkness, Patch is hopeless and alone – until he feels a hand in his. Though he never sees the girl, they fall in love. When he escapes, he’s left with only her voice and name – and promises to spend the rest of his life searching for her.

As Saint’s heart breaks for the boy she lost – and the man he becomes – she will shadow his journey, to uncover the truth behind who took him.

Over a lifetime driven by obsession, Patch and Saint must sacrifice everything for redemption, justice, and, ultimately, love – even if that means losing each other forever …”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. All the Colours of the Dark is published by Orion Books today (that’s Thursday 27th March 2025) and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free ARC of All the Colours of the Dark but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to all of the wonderful people who went above and beyond to source me a proof copy of this book.

Chris Whitaker is a master storyteller. He’s the author behind my all-time favourite book, We Begin at the End. If you’re a regular here at damppebbles, you may be familiar with it. I mention WBatE every so often (read = all the time, as often as possible, sometimes when it’s not even relevant to the subject matter). It’s the book I would take to a desert island. It’s the book I recommend to everyone, whether they’ve asked for a recommendation or not. It’s the book I’ve got most of my library colleagues to read (and they all agree with me, it’s epic!). No pressure when a new book by Chris hits the shelves then! No pressure at all… I was desperately looking forward to reading All the Colours of the Dark. But strangely nervous too. There was, of course, no need whatsoever to be nervous because this is a Chris Whitaker book we’re talking about. The man is a legend. His books are literary perfection. I loved every single second I spent in the company of Patch and Saint. All the Colours of the Dark was, without a shadow of a doubt, my book of 2024.

All the Colours of the Dark is an unforgettable story featuring a cast of exquisite characters. The small town of Monta Clare, Missouri is shocked when thirteen-year-old Joseph ‘Patch’ Macauley is kidnapped whilst trying to save a fellow classmate from the same fate. Saint Brown, Patch’s best friend, is devastated. Her world is turned upside down and she vows to do whatever it takes to find Patch and return him home. No one is more driven than Saint. But Patch, trapped in a cellar in the pitch-dark, isn’t alone. Grace is with him, and she paints a world of adventure and opportunity, of literature and of travel. And Patch falls in love. The boy who escapes the cellar is not the same boy who was snatched. Patch is obsessed with Grace, the idea of her, the memory of their brief time together, and vows to spend his entire life searching for her, despite never actually seeing her face. It’s a love story, a serial killer thriller, a police procedural and so, so much more.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely, without a second’s hesitation (not even a nanosecond’s hesitation). All the Colours of the Dark is a beautifully told piece of fiction. Poetic, immersive, multifaceted, heartbreaking, it’s everything! I adored this book. The characters will stay with me forever. I am changed after reading this magnificent novel (I and many other people). You cannot go wrong with this author’s books. The characters are divine, the plot draws the reader in and doesn’t let you go. Not even when you’ve finished reading. I’m still thinking about this book months after finishing it! This is a book you live alongside the characters and, I’ll be honest, I am most definitely here for that. Just sublime from start to finish. All the Colours of the Dark is a masterpiece. Authors will read this book and wish they’d written it! Devastating but full of hope. Dark but with perfectly placed moments of light. An epic tale of two lives bound by friendship, love and ultimately, trauma. Incredible, well-plotted storytelling. Standout characterisation. No one writes characters like Whitaker does. Affecting, emotional and utterly haunting. A triumph! Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of All the Colours of the Dark. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker was published in the UK by Orion Books on 27th March 2025 and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Chris Whitaker is the award-winning author of Tall Oaks, All the Wicked Girls, We Begin at the End, and The Forevers (YA).

His debut Tall Oaks won the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award.

An instant New York Times and international bestseller, We Begin at the End was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month, a Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick and a Good Morning America Buzz Pick. The novel won the CWA Gold Dagger Award, the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, the Ned Kelly International Award, and numerous awards around the world.

We Begin At The End has been translated into twenty-nine languages, with screen rights going to Disney, where ‘Hamilton’ director Thomas Kail and producing partner Jennifer Todd will develop the book for television.

Chris lives in the UK.