We Begin at the End

'A beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters' JANE HARPER

'Contender for thriller of the year' SUNDAY EXPRESS

'An accomplished and moving story of crime, punishment, love and redemption' GUARDIAN

For fans of Jane Harper's The Dry comes a powerful novel about 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.

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?

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT WE BEGIN AT THE END:

'Magnificent . . . an instant classic, a West Coast Where the Crawdads Sing . . . a special, vital novel. I'm grateful to have read it' A J FINN

'Surely destined to conquer the world' RUTH JONES

'So beautifully written' LYNDA LA PLANTE

'A stunning and heartbreaking book - will keep you gripped until the last moving page' CLAIRE MCGOWAN

'An exceptionally beautiful and accomplished crime novel' ALI LAND

'One of the best books I've ever read' FIONA CUMMINS

'An absolute masterclass in crime writing and story-telling' JO SPAIN

'One of the year's best crime reads' VASEEM KHAN

'One of my favourite books of all time' M. W. CRAVEN, winner of the CWA's Gold Dagger Award

'Breathtakingly beautiful. Another stunning story from the genius of Chris Whitaker' COMPULSIVE READERS

'A spellbinding masterclass in storytelling . . . one of the best books I have ever had the joy to read' ALEX J BOOKS BLOG

'A masterpiece . . . a contender for my top book of 2020' FOR WINTER NIGHTS BLOG

'I was totally seduced by this absolute masterpiece . . . took my breath away' SUIDI'S BOOK REVIEWS

'This book is bound to become a classic . . . Reader, Chris Whitaker's book made me cry . . . such is the power of this writing' LIVE AND DEADLY BLOG

'Utterly brilliant . . . This isn't just crime fiction, this is a masterclass' MELANIE READS BLOG

'A masterpiece of storytelling with clever twists and an ending to knock you sideways' CANDIS MAGAZINE

'This heart-rending story . . . is among the most powerful and moving I have read in years' DAILY MAIL

'Cements Whitaker's status as one of the most talented authors writing today' HEAT MAGAZINE

'Masterly novel' SUNDAY EXPRESS

'A dark yet painfully human tale that is impossible to forget' CRIME MONTHLY

'Beautifullywritten and deeply moving' SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB

'A gorgeous, crystalline novel' JEANINE CUMMINS, author of AMERICAN DIRT

Genre: Mystery

"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

"Chris Whitaker takes crime writing to new levels in this evocative and lyrical novel, which is not only beautifully written but cleverly plotted, with a climax you'll never guess." - Mark Edwards

"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

"I LOVED it . . . so intricately, delicately written, with such care and affection for all the characters. I adored all the relationships and ALL the characters without exception . . . 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

"An intense, evocative, and quite brilliant crime novel that stays with you long after you've finished the last page." - Simon Kernick

"The character of Duchess Day Radley is so beautifully written, she will remain with you for a long time." - Lynda La Plante

"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

"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 End is in a class of its own." - T M Logan

"A stunning and heartbreaking book - will keep you gripped until the last moving page." - Claire McGowan

"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