All The Colours Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker Book Review

Released: 27^th March 2025

Genre: Drama, Thriller, Romance Fiction

Number of Pages: 576

All The Colours Of The Dark from Chris Whitaker has received some hefty acclaim from multiple outlets. It’s a very effective novel with only a couple of stumbles.

In 1975 a small American town is rocked by some sinister kidnappings, beginning from the perspective of the young Patch. In his darkest hour, he finds hope in a young girl who was also taken. Patch manages to escape and reconnects with his close friends Saint and Misty. The search is on for both the kidnapper and Patch’s elusive companion, but for all three characters, life gets in the way. Across several defined periods, the reader is fully immersed in their individual journeys. The chapters are all very short, making for a book that is easy to absorb in short bursts.

What makes the book work so well is a seamless blend of genres; it’s a thriller that gives way to drama and romance, but the author never loses sight of the characters. Saint follows in the footsteps of Sheriff Nix and joins the law enforcement scene, Misty moves to Boston for studying and Patch drifts in and out of many people’s lives, desperately trying to find his lost love. Every time the main characters reunite with each other, the prose is heartfelt and you feel their connections. The middle act features many moments of loss and grief, a powerful presentation all around.

With a story that spans almost thirty years, there are some moments where the central mystery gets put on the backburner. The characters are richly detailed and have many engaging moments, but we also have many intervals in-between the major plot twists. For some readers this may reduce the overall tension. The wide range of locations and set pieces does make up for this, especially in the final act.

Recommended?

YES: The extended length does take away from the main plot thread, but All The Colours Of The Dark delivers a deeply emotional tale. Whitaker gets you invested in the characters as they grow and change, their close bonds forming a strong core.