This is a book that will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it will break your heart. A triumph of a novel from the award-winning author of Tall Oaks.
This is a book that will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it will break your heart. A triumph of a novel from the award-winning author of Tall Oaks.
With the staggering intensity of James Lee Burke and the absorbing narrative of Jane Harper's The Dry, We Begin at the End is a powerful novel about absolute love and the lengths we will go to keep our family safe. This is a story about good and evil and how life is lived somewhere in between.
'You can't save someone that doesn't want to be saved . . .'
For some people, trouble just finds them.
Thirty years ago, Vincent King became a killer.
Now, he's been released from prison and is back in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Not everyone is pleased to see him. Like Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend, and sister of the girl he killed.
Duchess Radley, Star's thirteen-year-old daughter, is part-carer, part-protector to her younger brother, Robin - and to her deeply troubled mother. But in trying to protect Star, Duchess inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town.
Murder, revenge, retribution.
How far can we run from the past when the past seems doomed to repeat itself?
'A beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters. An intricately woven portrait of small town intrigue where old and new sins collide' - Jane Harper
'A very real, very rare talent' - Sarah Hilary
'The most beautifully written book I have read this year . . . Chris Whitaker is proving himself to be one of the most talented writers around' - Lisa Hall
A beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters. An intricately woven portrait of small town intrigue where old and new sins collide Jane Harper
A sprawling epic of betrayal, faith and misguided loyalty Irish Times
Chris Whitaker's third novel, We Begin at the End, is the kind of breakout book that publishers dream about. Rich with character and story, conflict and tension, humor, tragedy and raw, unadulterated guts, this one has it all. Throw in the most compelling young protagonist I've read in at least a decade, and you have a deep and meaningful story that is an absolute delight from first page to last. Nicely done, Mr. Whitaker! John Hart
An epic coming-of-age crime drama which deserves to become a classic . . . Whitaker carves out a tale reminiscent of a Coen brothers' film . . . Beautifully written and paced throughout, We Begin at the End is profound and heartbreaking . . . This masterpiece of a novel proves that Whitaker has a rare talent deserving of wider recognition. I will be amazed if I read a better novel this year Jon Coates, Daily Express
I love Duchess Day Radley so much I want to adopt her. She is every thirteen-year-old girl at risk, an outlaw both pure of heart and ill of intent, a fierce and melancholy girl, so memorable she will make camp in your brain and never leave. In We Begin at the End, Chris Whitaker has written a gorgeous, crystalline novel, a cautionary tale about the long shadows cast by our past selves, and one defiant girl with the bravery to hope for something better. I love this beautiful book Jeanine Cummins, author of American Dirt
I LOVED it. I mean, jeez, what a story. And so intricately, delicately written, with such care and affection for all the characters. I adored all the relationships and ALL the characters without exception - I mean Duchess!! I could seriously rave about every single character that people the world of this book . . . his descriptions are so vivid, so visual, so beautifully drawn.We Begin at the End is surely destined to conquer the world. This intensely captivating story and its uniquely intriguing characters holds you in its jaws till the very last word. Astonishingly good Ruth Jones
Beautifully written, We Begin at the End really reminds me of To Kill a Mockingbird. And the spirit of Scout is very much alive in Duchess. A crime novel, or maybe a novel about a crime, and yet so much more Sarah Pinborough
Stunning, intoxicating, heart-breaking - without a doubt one of my favourite books of the year. A compelling story, beautifully-drawn characters and writing that leaps off the page: We Begin at the Endis in a class of its own T M Logan
An intense, evocative, and quite brilliant crime novel that stays with you long after you've finished the last page Simon Kernick
I hate this man. I mean, I really hate him because this is the sort of book that makes you feel like you're not trying hard enough as an author. Just amazing C J Tudor
A stunning and heartbreaking book - will keep you gripped until the last moving page Claire McGowan, #1 bestselling author of What You Did
An exceptionally beautiful and accomplished crime novel. I fell head over heels into its big black heart and will carry the characters with me for a long time to come yet. Duchess and Thomas Noble forever Ali Land
If ever there is a book that deserves all the prizes, this is it. So layered and nuanced, and brimming with characters so full of depth they breathe on the page. So heartbreakingly evocative of small town life and the secrets buried under the weight of old friendships and tangled loyalties. Stunning writing, both poetic and compelling. A damn near perfect crime novel. Do yourself a favour and put this on your most wanted list Fiona Cummins
We Begin at the End is the most beautifully written book I have read this year . . . with characters that will tug at your heartstrings, an incredible sense of place and a cleverly plotted mystery, Chris Whitaker is proving himself to be one of the most talented writers around Lisa Hall
What a novel! Such a remarkable achievement. So wonderful in so many ways, with writing that is Booker Prize good. I kept having to stop and go back and re-read bits because I wanted to experience them again.
I enjoyed it so much and the characters now have a place in my heart, I'm sad not to be able to spend any more time with them (Duchess especially). Wow. There is no f*king justice if this book is not a smash hit
Chris Whitaker's debut novel, Tall Oaks, was published in 2016. It was a Guardian crime book of the month as well as featuring in Crime Time's top 100 books of 2016 and BuzzFeed's incredible summer reads. It won the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award, and was shortlisted for the CrimeFest Last Laugh Award. All the Wicked Girls, Chris's second novel, was described by Look magazine as 'the next Gone Girl'. Chris lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and two young sons.
This is a book that will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it will break your heart. A triumph of a novel from the award-winning author of Tall Oaks . With the staggering intensity of James Lee Burke and the absorbing narrative of Jane Harper's The Dry, We Begin at the End is a powerful novel about absolute love and the lengths we will go to keep our family safe. This is a story about good and evil and how life is lived somewhere in between. 'You can't save someone that doesn't want to be saved . . .' For some people, trouble just finds them. Thirty years ago, Vincent King became a killer. Now, he's been released from prison and is back in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Not everyone is pleased to see him. Like Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend, and sister of the girl he killed. Duchess Radley, Star's thirteen-year-old daughter, is part-carer, part-protector to her younger brother, Robin - and to her deeply troubled mother. But in trying to protect Star, Duchess inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town. Murder, revenge, retribution. How far can we run from the past when the past seems doomed to repeat itself? 'A beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters. An intricately woven portrait of small town intrigue where old and new sins collide' - Jane Harper 'A very real, very rare talent' - Sarah Hilary 'The most beautifully written book I have read this year . . . Chris Whitaker is proving himself to be one of the most talented writers around' - Lisa Hall
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