We Begin at the End

By Chris Whitaker

Winner of the Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel from the Crime Writers’ Association (UK)
Winner for Best International Crime Fiction from Australian Crime Writers Association
An Instant New York Times Bestseller

“A vibrant, engrossing, unputdownable thriller that packs a serious emotional punch. One of those rare books that surprise you along the way and then linger in your mind long after you have finished it.”
—Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds

Right. Wrong. Life is lived somewhere in between.

Duchess Day Radley is a thirteen-year-old self-proclaimed outlaw. Rules are for other people. She is the fierce protector of her five-year-old brother, Robin, and the parent to her mother, Star, a single mom incapable of taking care of herself, let alone her two kids.

Walk has never left the coastal California town where he and Star grew up. He may have become the chief of police, but he’s still trying to heal the old wound of having given the testimony that sent his best friend, Vincent King, to prison decades before. And he's in overdrive protecting Duchess and her brother.

Now, thirty years later, Vincent is being released. And Duchess and Walk must face the trouble that comes with his return. We Begin at the End is an extraordinary novel about two kinds of families—the ones we are born into and the ones we create.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Mar 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781250759672

Chris Whitaker

Chris Whitaker is the award-winning author of Tall Oaks, All the Wicked Girls, and the New York Times bestseller We Begin at the End. Chris lives in the UK.

Book preview

You see something and you raise your hand.

Doesn’t matter if it’s a cigarette paper or a soda can.

You see something and you raise your hand.

Don’t touch it, neither.

Just raise your hand.

The townspeople readied, their feet in the ford. Movement in line, twenty paces between, a hundred eyes down, but still, they held together, the choreography of the damned.

Behind, the town emptied, the echo of a long, pristine summer had been smothered by the news.

She was Sissy Radley. Seven years old. Blond hair. Known to most, Chief Dubois did not need to hand out photographs.

Walk held the farthest side. Fifteen and fearless, his knees shook with each step.

They marched the woodland like an army, cops led, flashlights swept, through the trees was the ocean, a long way down but the girl could not swim.

Beside Walk was Martha May. They had dated three months, confined to first base, her father was minister at Little Brook Episcopal.

She glanced over. Still want to be a cop?

Walk stared at Dubois, head down, last hope on his shoulders.

I saw Star, Martha said. At the front with her father. She was crying.

Star Radley, the missing girl’s sister. Martha’s best friend. They were a tight group. Only one was absent.

Where’s Vincent? she asked.

He might be on the other side.

Walk and Vincent were close like brothers. At nine they’d cut palms, pressed them together, and sworn oaths of classless loyalty.

They said nothing more, just watched the ground, past Sunset Road, past the wishing tree, Chuck Taylors parting leaves. Walk focused so hard but still, he almost missed it.

Ten steps from Cabrillo, State Route 1, six hundred miles of California coast. He stopped dead, then looked up and saw the line move on without him.

He crouched.

The shoe was small. Red and white leather. Gold-tone buckle.

A car on the highway slowed as it came, headlights traced the curve till they found him.

And then he saw her.

He took a breath and raised his hand.

PART ONE

The Outlaw

1

Walk stood at the edge of a feverish crowd, some he’d known since his birth, some since theirs.

Vacationers with cameras, sunburn and easy smiles, not knowing the water was stripping more than timber.

Local news set up, a reporter from KCNR. Can we get a word, Chief Walker?

He smiled, shoved his hands deep in his pockets, and looked to thread his way through when the people gasped.

Fragmented noise as the roof caved and crashed to the water below. Piece by piece, the foundation lay crude and skeletal, like the home was no more than a house. It had been the Fairlawn place since Walk could remember, a half acre from the ocean when he was a kid. Taped off a year back, the cliff was eroding, now and then the people from California Wild came and measured and estimated.

The stir of cameras and indecent excitement as slates rained and the front porch clung. Milton, the butcher, dropped to one knee and fired off a money shot as the flagpole leaned and the banner hung in the breeze.

The younger Tallow boy got too close. His mother pulled his collar so hard he tumbled back onto his ass.

Behind, the sun fell with the building, dissecting the water with cuts of orange and purple and shades without name. The reporter got her piece, seeing off a patch of history so slight it barely counted.

Walk glanced around and saw Dickie Darke, who looked on, impassive. He stood like a giant, close to seven feet tall. A man into real estate, he owned several houses in Cape Haven and a club on Cabrillo, the kind of den where iniquity cost ten bucks and a small chunk of virtue.

They stood another hour, Walk’s legs tired as the porch finally gave up. Onlookers resisted the urge to applaud, then turned and made their way back, to barbeque and beer and firepits that waved flame light on Walk’s evening patrol. They drifted across flagstone, a line of gray wall, dry laid but holding strong. Behind was the wishing tree, a major oak so wide splints held its limbs. The old Cape Haven did all it could to remain.

Walk had once climbed that tree with Vincent King, in a time so far from now it would barely count. He rested a shaking hand on his gun, the other on his belt. He wore a tie, his collar stiff, his shoes shined. His acceptance of place was admired by some, pitied by others. Walker, captain of a ship that did not ever leave port.

He caught sight of the girl, moving against the crowd, her brother’s hand in hers as he struggled to match her pace.

Duchess and Robin, the Radley children.

He met them at a half run because he knew all there was to know about them.

The boy was five and cried silent tears, the girl had just turned thirteen and did not ever cry.

Your mother, he said, not a question but a statement of such tragic fact the girl did not even nod, just turned and led.

They moved through dusk streets, the lull of picket fences and fairy lights. Above the moon rose, guided and mocked, as it had for thirty years. Past grand houses, glass and steel that fought nature, a vista of such terrible beauty.

Down Genesee, where Walk still lived in his parents’ old house. Onto Ivy Ranch Road, where the Radley home came into view. Peeling shutters, an upturned bike, the wheel lying beside. In Cape Haven a shade beneath perfect might as well have been black.

Walk broke from the children and ran up the path, no lights from inside but the flutter of television. Behind, he saw Robin still crying and Duchess still looking on, hard and unforgiving.

He found Star on the couch, a bottle beside, no pills this time, one shoe on and the other foot bare, small toes, painted nails.

Star. He knelt and patted her cheek. Star, wake up now. He spoke calmly because the children were at the door, Duchess, an arm on her brother as he leaned so heavy into her, like he no longer held bones in his small body.

He told the girl to dial 911.

I already have.

He thumbed open Star’s eyes and saw nothing but white.

Will she be alright? The boy’s voice.

Walk glanced over, hoping for sirens, squinting at fired sky.

Could you go look out for them?

Duchess read him and took Robin outside.

Star shook then, puked a little and shook, like God or Death had hold of her soul and was wrenching it free. Walk had given it time, three decades had passed since Sissy Radley and Vincent King but still Star slurred about eternalism, the past and the present colliding, the force spinning the future off, never to be righted.

---

Duchess would ride with her mother. Walk would bring Robin.

She looked on as the medic worked. He did not try a smile and for that she was grateful. He was balding and sweating and maybe tiring of saving those so determined to die.

For a while they stayed in front of the house, the door open to Walk, there like always, his hand on Robin’s shoulder. Robin needed that, the comfort of an adult, the perception of safety.

Across the street drapes moved as shadows passed silent judgment. And then, at the end of the road, she saw kids from her school, pedaling hard, faces red. News moved so fast in a town where zoning often made front pages.

The two boys stopped near the cruiser and let their bikes fall. The taller, breathless, a sweep of hair plastered down as he walked slow toward the ambulance.

Is she dead?

Duchess lifted her chin, met his eye and held it. Fuck off.

The engine rumbled as the door swung closed. Smoked glass made matte of the world.

Cars snaked the turns till they tipped from the hill, the Pacific behind, rocks broke the surface like heads of the drowning.

She watched her street till the end, till trees reached over and met on Pensacola, branches like hands, linked in prayer for the girl and her brother, and the unfurling tragedy that had begun long before either was born.

---

Night met others just like it, each swallowing Duchess so totally she knew she would not see day again, not the way other kids saw it. The hospital was Vancour Hill and Duchess knew it too well. When they took her mother, she stood on the polished floor, light mirrored up, her eye on the door as Walk brought Robin inside. She walked over and took her brother’s hand, then led him toward the elevator where she rode to the second floor. The family room, lights dimmed, she pushed two chairs together. Across was a supply room, and Duchess helped herself to soft blankets and then made the chairs into a cot. Robin stood awkward, the tired dragging him, haunting dark circled his eyes.

You need to pee?

A nod.

She led him into the bathroom, waited a few minutes then saw he washed his hands well. She found toothpaste, squeezed a little onto her finger and ran it around his teeth and gums. He spit, she dabbed his mouth.

She helped him out of his shoes and over the arms of the chairs, where he settled like a kind of small animal as she covered him over.

His eyes peered out. Don’t leave me.

Never.

Will Mom be okay?

Yes.

She cut the television, the room dark, emergency lighting left them in red, soft enough that he slept by the time she reached the door.

She stood in clinical light, her back to the door; she would not let anyone inside, there was another family room on three. An hour and Walk appeared again and yawned like there was cause. Duchess knew of his days, he drove Cabrillo Highway, those perfect miles from Cape Haven to beyond, each blink a still of such paradise people crossed the country to find them, buy their homes and leave them empty ten months of the year.

Is he asleep?

She nodded once.

I went to check on your mother, she’ll be alright.

She nodded again.

You can go and grab something, a soda, there’s a machine next to—

I know.

A look back into the room saw her brother sleeping soundly, he would not move until she stirred him.

Walk held out a dollar bill, she took it reluctantly.

She walked the corridors, bought the soda and didn’t drink it. She would keep it for Robin when he woke. She saw into cubicles, sounds of birth and tears and life. She saw shells of people, so empty she knew they would not recover. Cops led bad men with tattooed arms and bloodied faces. She smelled the drunks, the bleach, the vomit and shit.

She passed a nurse, a smile because most of them had seen her before, just one of those kids dealt a losing hand.

When she returned she found Walk had set two chairs by the door. She checked on her brother then sat.

Walk offered her gum and she shook her head.

She could tell that he wanted to talk, to bullshit about change, a slick on the long road, how it would all be different.

You didn’t call.

He watched her.

Social. You didn’t call.

I should. He said it sad, like he was letting down her or the badge, she did not know which.

But you won’t.

I won’t.

He had a stomach that strained his tan shirt. The chubby, reddened cheeks of a boy whose indulgent parents never told him no. And a face so open she could not imagine he carried a single secret. Star said he was all good, like that was a thing.

You should get some sleep.

They sat like that till stars leaned to first light, the moon forgot its place and held like a smear on new day, a reminder of what had gone. Opposite was a window. Duchess stood at the glass and pressed her head to the trees and the falling wild. Birdsong. A long way and she saw water, specks that were trawlers crawling the waves.

Walk cleared his throat. Your mother … was there a man—

There’s always a man. Whenever anything fucked up happens in the world, there’s always a man.

Darke?

She held straight.

You can’t tell me? he asked.

I’m an outlaw.

Right.

She wore a bow in her hair and fussed with it often. She was too thin, too pale, too beautiful like her mother.

There’s a baby just been born down there. Walk changed it up.

What did they call it?

I don’t know.

Fifty bucks says it’s not Duchess.

He laughed gently. Exotic by rarity. You know you were going to be Emily.

Sore must be the storm.

Right.

She still reads that one to Robin. Duchess sat, crossed her leg, rubbed the muscle, her sneaker loose and worn. Is this my storm, Walk?

He sipped coffee, like he was searching for an answer to an impossible question. I like Duchess.

You try it awhile. If I was a boy I might’ve been Sue. She lay her head back and watched the strips blink. She wants to die.

She doesn’t. You mustn’t think that.

I can’t decide if suicide is the most selfish or selfless act.

At six a nurse led her.

Star lay, a shadow of a person, even less of a mother.

The Duchess of Cape Haven. Star, her smile there but weak. It’s alright.

Duchess watched her, then Star cried and Duchess crossed the room, pressed her cheek to her mother’s chest and wondered how her heart still beat.

Together they lay in amid the dawn, a fresh day but no light of promise because Duchess knew promise was a falsity.

I love you. I’m sorry.

There was much Duchess could say, but for the moment she could find nothing more than I love you. I know.

2

At the crest of the hill the land fell away.

Sun climbed cerulean sky as Duchess, riding in the back with her brother beside, took his small hand in hers.

Walk eased the cruiser down their street, pulled up out front of the old house, then followed them in. He tried to fix breakfast but found the cupboards so bare he left them and ran to Rosie’s Diner, then returned with pancakes and smiled as Robin ate three.

After she’d washed Robin’s face and laid out his clothes, Duchess went out front and found Walk sitting on the step. She watched the Cape begin its modest wake, the mailman passed, Brandon Rock from the house beside came out and hosed down his lawn. That they did not give a second look to the cruiser parked outside the Radley home made Duchess sad and glad.

Can I give you a ride in?

No. She settled beside him and tied her lace.

I can collect your mom.

She said she’d call Darke.

Duchess did not know the true nature of her mother’s friendship with Chief Walker, though she guessed he wanted to fuck her, like the other men in town.

She looked out at their tired yard. The last summer she’d set about planting with her mother. Robin had brought a small watering can and softened the dirt, his cheeks colored as he made trip after trip. Blue-eyes, Indian mallow, and mountain lilac.

They died of neglect.

Did she say what it was? Walk said it gently. Last night, you know why?

It was the kind of cruel question she was not used to from him, because, mostly, there wasn’t any kind of reason. But this time she knew why he asked, she knew about Vincent King, about her aunt Sissy who was buried in the cemetery by the edge of the bluff. Everyone knew her grave, behind the sun-bleached picket, with the babies that hadn’t made it, the children cut down by the same god their parents prayed to.

She didn’t say nothing.

Behind they heard Robin. Duchess stood and fixed his hair, wiped toothpaste from his cheek with her spit, and then checked his schoolbag, that he had his reading book and journal, his water bottle.

She slid the straps over his shoulders, and he smiled and she smiled back.

They stood side by side and watched the cruiser pare the long street, and then Duchess slipped an arm around her brother and they began to walk.

The neighbor cut the hose and walked over to the edge of his yard, slight limp he tried hard to correct. Brandon Rock. Broad, tan. A stud in one ear, feathered hair, silk robe. Sometimes he benched with the garage door up and metal blaring out.

Your mother again? Someone should call social services. Voice like his nose had been broken but never fixed. He carried a dumbbell in one hand and curled it now and then. His right arm noticeably bigger than the left.

Duchess turned to him.

Breeze blew. His robe parted.

She wrinkled her nose. Flashing a kid. I should call the cops.

Brandon stared as Robin led her away.

Did you see Walk’s hands shaking? Robin said.

Always worse in the morning.

Why?

She shrugged but knew. Walk and her mother, their shared troubles and the way they dealt with them.

Did Mom say anything, last night, when I was in my room? She’d been doing her homework, her project on her family tree, when Robin hammered at the door and said Mom was sick again.

She had her photos out. The old ones, with Sissy and Grandpa. Robin had taken to the idea of having a grandpa the first time he’d seen the tall man in their mother’s photographs. That he’d never met him, that Star said next to nothing about him, did not seem to matter. Robin needed people, the cushion of barren names that would keep him from feeling so vulnerable. He longed for cousins and uncles and Sunday football and barbeque, like the other kids in his class.

Do you know about Vincent King?

Duchess took his hand as they crossed onto Fisher. Why, what do you know about him?

That he killed Aunt Sissy. Thirty years ago. In the seventies, when men had mustaches and Mom wore her hair funny.

Sissy wasn’t our aunt, not really.

She was, he said, simply. She looked like you and Mom. The same.

Duchess had got the bones of the story over the years, from Star when she slurred it, from the archives at the library in Salinas. The same library where she’d spent the past spring working on their family tree. She’d traced Radley roots back far, then dropped the book to the floor when she’d made the link to a wanted outlaw named Billy Blue Radley. It was the kind of find she’d been proud of, something more when she stood up front and presented to the class. There was still a whole load of nothing on her father’s side, just the kind of question mark that drew an angry exchange with her mother. Not once but twice Star had been with a stranger, got herself pregnant, left two children with a lifetime of wondering just whose blood pumped their veins. Slut, she’d whispered beneath her breath. It saw her grounded for a month.

You know he’s coming out of prison today? Robin kept his tone hushed like it was a grave secret.

Who told you that?

Ricky Tallow.

Ricky Tallow’s mother worked dispatch at Cape Haven PD.

What else did Ricky say?

Robin looked away.

Robin?

He folded quick. That he should’ve fried for it. But then Miss Dolores yelled at him.

Should’ve fried. You know what that means?

No.

Duchess took his hand crossing onto Virginia Avenue, the lots a little bigger. The town of Cape Haven tumbled its way toward the water, land value inverse to the hills; Duchess knew her place, their home on the farthest street from the ocean.

They fell in with a group of kids. Duchess heard talk about the Angels and the draft.

When they got to the gate she fussed with his hair once more and made sure his shirt was buttoned right.

Kindergarten stood beside Hilltop Middle. Duchess would spend her break at the fence, looking over at her brother. He’d wave and smile, and she’d eat her sandwich and watch him.

You be good.

Yeah.

Don’t say nothing about Mom.

She hugged him, kissed his cheek, and sent him in, watching till Miss Dolores took over. Then she moved on, the sidewalk thick with kids.

Duchess kept her head down as she passed the steps where a group gathered, Nate Dorman and his friends.

Nate, collar flicked up, sleeves rolled over skinny biceps. Heard your mom got fucked up again.

Laughter chorused.

She squared to him straight off.

He stared back. What?

She met his eye.

I am the outlaw, Duchess Day Radley, and you are the coward, Nate Dorman.

You’re crazy.

She took a step forward and watched him swallow.

Talk about my family again and I’ll behead you, motherfucker.

He tried a laugh but didn’t quite manage it. There were rumors about her; despite the pretty face and slight frame, she could turn, lose it so bad not even his friends would step in.

She pushed past, heard him exhale heavily as she walked on, into school, eyes burning from another tortured night.

3

The eroding cliffs ran a twisting mile before the road swept the bay and vanished into the tall oaks of Clearwater Cove. Walk followed the line, never edging past thirty.

He’d left Duchess and Robin then driven to the King house, bagged leaves from the path and picked litter from the yard. He’d tended it weekly for thirty years, part of his staid routine.

At the station he checked in with Leah Tallow on the front desk, just the two of them, Walk on call every day of his life. From the window he watched seasons change and vacationers come and go. Picnic baskets were left. Wine and cheese and chocolate that saw him punch another hole in his belt each year.

They had an auxiliary, Valeria, she came in when they needed her, parades, shows, or times when she was just plain bored of tending to her yard.

You all set for today, return of the King?

I’ve been ready thirty years. He tried to keep his smile in check. I’m heading out, I’ll pick up pastries on the way back.

He strolled up Main, same every morning, the practiced walk, the cop stride he’d seen on TV. He’d tried a mustache, like Magnum, made notes when watching Forensic Files, and once even bought a beige raincoat. If a real case ever came in, he’d be ready.

Flags hung from streetlamps, shiny SUVs parked nose to tail, and green awnings cast shade over a spotless sidewalk. He saw the Pattersons’ Mercedes double-parked, wouldn’t write it up, maybe just offer a friendly warning when he next saw Curtis. He quickened by the butcher’s, but Milton came out fast, then stood on the stoop, whites splashed red, a cloth in his hand like he could rid the stains from his palms.

Morning, Walk. Milton was hairy. Thick swirls sprouted from every inch of him, the kind of man who had to shave to his eyeline three times a day in case a passing zookeeper shot him with a tranquilizer dart.

Strung deer in the window, so fresh a day back it had been roaming the Mendocino. Milton hunted, during the season he’d close up and don his deerstalker, load the Comanche with rifles and sheets and a cooler of beer. Walk had gone with him one time, couldn’t find an excuse that lasted long enough.

Did you talk to Brandon Rock yet? Milton spit the name, every word labored, like he’d run clean out of breath during a decent conversation.

On my list.

Brandon Rock had a Mustang that misfired so bad half the street called it in the first time it happened. It was becoming a nuisance.

I heard about her. Star. Again. Milton dabbed sweat from his head with the bloody cloth. Rumor had it he ate nothing but meat, and it was taking a toll.

She’s alright. Sick, this time she was just sick.

I saw it all. Damn shame … with those children. Milton lived directly across from Star. He took the kind of interest in her and the kids that spoke more of a lonely life than the dwindling Neighborhood Watch group the man commanded.

You always see it all, Milton. Maybe you should’ve been a cop.

Milton waved a hand. I got enough on with the Watch. Ten fifty-one the other night.

Wrecker needed.

Milton used police codes liberally, and badly.

She’s lucky she’s got you looking out for her. Milton pulled a toothpick from his pocket and got to work on a piece of flesh lodged between his two front teeth. I was thinking of Vincent King. Is it today? People said it’s today.

It is. Walk bent, picked up a soda can and dropped it into the trash, the sun warm on his neck.

Milton whistled. Thirty years, Walk.

It would’ve been ten, worst case ten, but for a fight inside. Walk didn’t ever get the full report, just knew his childhood friend had two deaths on his hands. Ten years became thirty, manslaughter became murder, a boy became a man.

I still think about that day. Us walking the woodland. So, he is coming back to the Cape?

Far as I know.

You can send him here, if he needs anything. Actually, tell you what, Walk. How about I put a couple trotters aside for him. How does that sound?

Walk searched for the words.

So. Milton cleared his throat and looked down at the ground. The sky tonight … supermoon. It’ll be a sight, and I just got myself a new Celestron. I mean, I need to set things up, but if you wanted to stop by—

I’ve got something on. Another time?

Sure. But come here after your shift, I can give you the neck. Milton nodded toward the deer.

Please, God, no. Walk backed away, then patted his stomach. I need to lose—

Don’t worry, it’s lean. If you stew it right it’s a decent cut. I’d offer up the heart but once I get a sear on it that flavor just sings.

Walk closed his eyes, the nausea creeping up. His hands shook. Milton noticed, looked like he wanted to say something more so Walk moved on fast.

He saw no one around so he popped a couple of pills.

He was acutely and painfully aware of his dependency.

He moved past cafés and storefronts, said hello to a few, helped Mrs. Astor load grocery bags into her car, listened as Felix Coke bent his ear about the traffic on Fullerton.

He stopped by Brant’s Delicatessen, rows of pastries and cheeses filled the window.

Hey, Chief Walker.

Alice Owen, hair pulled back and a full face of makeup despite the workout clothes. She carried some kind of miniature cross so skinny Walk counted off its ribs as it trembled. He reached forward to pet it and watched the teeth bare.

Would you mind holding on to Lady while I pick something up? I’ll just be a second.

Sure. He reached for the leash.

Oh, you can’t put her down. She’s just been clipped and her nails are tender.

The claws?

Alice thrust the dog into his arms and headed inside.

He watched through the window as she placed an order then stopped and talked with another vacationer. Ten minutes passed, the dog panting into his face.

When Alice finally made it back she was laden with bags so he carried the dog over to her SUV and waited while she loaded it. She thanked him, then reached into a paper bag and handed him a cannoli. He made a fuss of trying not to take it, then waited till he was clear of Main before eating it down in two bites.

He walked along Cassidy then cut through onto Ivy Ranch Road. At Star’s place he stood on the porch awhile, listening to the music play inside.

Star opened the door before he could knock, met him with the kind of smile that kept him from giving up on her. Hollowed out but beautiful, beaten down but her eyes still shone. She wore a pink apron like she’d been baking. Walk knew the cupboards were bare.

Good afternoon, Chief Walker.

In spite of himself he couldn’t help the smile.

There was a fan moving slow, drywall bare in spots, drapes pulled from their rings like Star couldn’t close out the day quick enough. The radio played loud, Skynyrd sang about Alabama as Star danced her way through the kitchen, loading a garbage sack with empty beer bottles and packs of Lucky Strike. She grinned at him, looking like a kid as she did. She still had that way, vulnerable, troubled and trouble.

She spun once, then tossed a foil ashtray into the sack. Above the fireplace was a photo, the two of them, fourteen, ready and waiting for the future to come at them.

How’s your head?

Never better. I’m thinking clear now, Walk. Thanks and all … last night. But I think maybe I needed it, you know. One last time. Now I’m seeing right. She tapped her head, then moved on, still dancing. The kids, they didn’t see nothing, right?

Are we going to talk about it, today?

As the music faded out she finally stopped moving, wiped the sweat from her head, and tied her hair back. It’ll come and it’ll go. Does Duchess know?

Star asking him about her own daughter.

The whole town knows.

"You think he’s

Reviews for We Begin at the End

[carolfoisset · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Liked this authors writing, and loved the book until about 3/4 of the way through. Then, as a fellow book club member described, I got 'weary" of all the bad choices made by all the characters. It was like the whole town could not stop from making constant poor choices which had huge impacts on their lives. Bonded with some of the characters, and still think about them, wishing they had figured things out.

[almin-70827 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story was good, a little confusing with all the characters. What was with the names...trying to figure out if there was some sort of symbolism involved. 'Duchess' 'Radley' (Boo Radley?) 'Star' 'Walk'...ugh. The writing was clunky, too many metaphors, and bad ones at that, no flow. He tried too hard, there were issues with not knowing which character was speaking, had to reread some passages as I just didn't understand what he was trying to tell the reader. Duchess is a 13 year old mature beyond her years because of the life she lives with her mother and brother, but there is no way a 13 year old would speak or think that way. Just no way...sorry...but, I did like the relationship between her and Robin. Three stars is being generous, I understand all the accolades because it was a sad, melodramatic story, appeals to women's emotions. I did like the grandfather and his growing relationship with Duchess.

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This work has been highly praised by some writers of mysteries that I really respect like Louise Penny and Jane Harper so that was good enough for me. The story is heartbreaking at times but the ending is hopeful and descriptions of the land (more on that later) are so well done.Duchess Day Radley is an outlaw but since she is only thirteen years old she hasn't gotten into too much trouble. She has a younger brother, Robin, who is five years old. Duchess pretty much raises Robin because her mother, Star, is likely to be sleeping off a booze-up or pills or a combination of both. The sherriff of their town, Cape Haven, is called Walk. He grew up with Star and he always keeps an eye out for the kids. Walk dated Martha May and his best friend Vincent dated Star until their blissful life was destroyed when Vincent hit Star's little sister, Sissy, with his car and killed her. Vincent was tried as an adult and sent away to prison for ten years; while there he got into a fight with another inmate and killed him, adding another twenty years to his imprisonment. That is about to come to an end and Walk is hoping that when he comes back to Cape Haven he will be able to leave all that jail time behind. At first, Vincent just seems to want to work on his parents' house and not even see Walk or Star. Then one night an emergency call comes in calling Walk to Star Radley's house. There he finds Vincent sitting in the kitchen, covered in blood and Star's body in the living room. Walk doesn't belive Vincent killed Star but Vincent won't tell him what happened. Vincent also refuses to have a criminal lawyer defend him instead asking Walk to get Martha May, who is a family lawyer in a nearby town, to act for him. Duchess and Robin are taken to Montana to live with their maternal grandfather who they have never met. Duchess refuses to warm up to her grandfather but Robin seems to settle in although he has bad nightmares about the night his mother was killed because he was in the house when it happened. When it finally seems like the Radley kids might be settling in to some kind of normalcy their grandfather is killed and they have to go into foster care. Back in California Vincent's trial comes up and miraculously Martha May and Walk manage to get him acquitted. When Duchess hears the news in Montana she decides to head back to California and take care of Vincent herself. Quickly the story wraps up with all the unexplained details answered but these people like Duchess and Robin and Walk that we have come to care about are irrevocably changed.I've been in Montana several times and Whitaker's descriptions of the countryside seemed very accurate to me. Then I read the author bio on the inside back cover and see that he is English. None of the information I found on line said anything about him spending time in the USA so I'm not quite sure how he did that. I'm going to have to see more of this guy's writing.

[sbenne3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An engaging story about tragedy and how the key characters each deal with their own a bit differently. It was a fast paced read with several location and plot changes to keep it interesting.

[bookappeal · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Incredibly complex and well-crafted plot with distinctive and interesting characters. All of the story threads come to satisfying conclusions and yet still manage to be unexpected. The use of two points of view adds depth to this somber story, especially when the characters are so different in age and experience. The narrative style, however, is understated to the point of being thoroughly confusing and sometimes pretentious. A challenging, but ultimately rewarding, read.

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker is a 2021 Henry Holt & Co. Publication. I added this book to my list late in 2020, because of the overwhelmingly positive reviews for it. I bumped it back up to the top of the pile because I was afraid it would slide further down the list, and I’d probably regret losing track of it. I had to wait a while before I could write a review for this book. I read over so many beautiful reviews for this book, but once I finished reading it, I was so stunned I couldn’t begin to formulate what I wanted to say. The novel is gritty, and the storytelling is superb. Whitaker certainly does know how to weave a tale. His pacing is precise and the revelations that come hard and fast in the last quarter of the book, is nothing short of breathtaking. It is good stuff, to be sure.To prevent myself from over analyzing and spending more time on the review than I did on reading the book, I’ll just say, I had some gigantic issues with Duchess. Her characterization was inconsistent. She couldn’t string together an entire sentence without spewing an unnecessary number of expletives, and aimed at adults, no less, (with zero correction by anyone, ever), most of the time- yet, in her assessment of Hal’s shortcomings she is able to articulate in a most eloquent way, her disappointment in Hal, which was far too mature for her age and didn’t fit with the character’s usual vernacular and dialogue. That said, this is a very compelling drama. It’s an emotional story and one that will stick in my mind for a good while. Despite my misgivings about the acceptance of some actions and the lack of accountability, I did enjoy this story, was impressed by the powerful writing, and was as equally affected by it as many of those who wrote such stellar reviews for this book. Overall, I agree this is a great novel, though I still have some concerns, the book had an enormous impact, and had my mind racing days after I turned the last page. 4 stars

[techeditor_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

WE BEGIN AT THE END is the best kind of mystery. It involves many twists throughout, not just one. Plus, although there is one main question (who killed Star?), which isn't truly answered until practically the end, even though you may think you have it figured out several times before then, more questions emanate from that one.Simply put, Star and Vincent and Martha and Walk were a teenage foursome in their small California town until, when they were 15, Vincent accidentally killed Star's little sister Sissy. He was convicted of manslaughter as an adult and served time in an adult prison, where he murdered another prisoner. Now it's 30 years later, and he's out. When someone kills Star shortly thereafter, Vincent apparently did it, so he goes right back to jail, even to the same cell.But Walk, now chief of police in that town, is sure his old friend is innocent. So he sets out to prove it. He investigates while Martha, now practicing family law in another city, prepares a defense.Initially you'll agree with Walk, then you may not be so sure. Then maybe you will agree again when it looks like it's someone else. Then Walk, himself, isn't so sure. Then you may think you have it figured out. But maybe not.At the same time all this is going on, we follow 13-year-old Duchess and her little brother Robin. These are Star's children, now orphans sent to Montana to live with their grandfather. Duchess is tough and in trouble. Will she be found by the person who thinks she has what they are willing to kill for? Can she protect Robin? Will she make it back to California to take care of the person who she thinks killed her mother?From the first chapter of WE BEGIN AT THE END, this book reminded me of books written by one of my favorite authors, John Hart. So I was delighted when I watched a Zoom interview with Chris Whitaker, and he said that Hart influenced him. Whitaker also thanks Hart in the Acknowledgments.That said, I found some irritations and some mistakes that irritated me.*Constant irritation: Duchess talks like a 10-year-old. She calls herself "outlaw" to nearly everyone, often. But she contrasts that childishness with her use of the F word every other sentence.*WE BEGIN AT THE END contains many, many runon sentences, each using a comma where one sentence should have ended and another begun. Misuse of punctuation is more than irritating. It can ruin a reading experience.*I think I'm a smart reader, yet I didn't feel so smart while I was reading this book. I had to reread too many sentences; they seemed deliberately evasive.*Although Whitaker said during the Zoom interview that copyeditors fixed all what he called his "Englishisms," I found many. For instance, he called a doctor "Mr." In America, we call doctors "Dr."*I didn't like the end, what ultimately happened with Duchess and Robin.Finally, I wish I had been able to read WE BEGIN AT THE END before I saw the Zoom interview rather than after. I would have asked Whitaker why he chose the book's setting to be in California and Montana rather than the UK and why all the characters are Americans. Most writers write what they know. I purchased this book with a bookshop.org gift certificate I won from Page & Pairing.

[zmagic69 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

We Begin at the End- Chris Whitaker
If you are looking for a cheery, or light, or uplifting book this isn’t it!
The story 5
The writing 5
This book is definitely worth all of the hype. It is not like other stories you have read.
What happens in The past can seriously affect the future. And trying to live in the past is a dangerous decision.
This is quite honestly one of the few books I would read a second time!

[janismack · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I would have given this 5 stars but I found the beginning to be very slow. I think I would have given up but I had nothing else to read so I persevered. Story of a brother and sister orphaned by the death of their mother. The town sherrif loved them and looked out for them as much as he could but hardship followed them everywhere. The secrets surrounding their mothers death came to light when the town sherrif discovered who really killed their mother.

[kakadoo202 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Writing style is too choppy for me.

[dano35ie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An amazing book. Pardon the Pun but I can’t wait to Begin this book again. It’s definitely on my To Be Read Again List. Absolutely Top Class.

[auntieg0412 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

All. The. Feels. I mean, ALL of them. What an amazing novel, weighty and beautiful, sad yet uplifting. I’ll be pushing this book on anyone who will listen!

[dawnlovesbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book just tore me up. :( These characters, their past, their pain. I can't even formulate the words to describe it. It's a mystery, but so much more than that. Read it and weep.

[debs4jc · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I would describe it as dark. It turned out to be not much to my liking. It centers around a 11 year old girl named Dutchess who is trying to hold her family together. Her mom has issues with alcohol and men. Her younger brother, Robin, is only 5 and needs a lot of looking after. Long ago her sister was killed and the man who was convicted of the crime is just getting out of prison. This starts a series of events that end mostly unhappily for Dutchess, though some truths are revealed near the end that shed a lot of light on the whole situation. Finding out what really happened was what kept me reading, though I was still sad about all the unhappiness inflicted on the characters.

[janw_62 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Whitaker has written a complex family story/mystery with interesting characters. The end is gripping and complex. The problem with this book is the dialog is confusing and unclear. A careful reader will find themselves rereading to understand who said what. If you are picky about the authenticity of the geographic setting geography you will be irritated that the author from the UK sets much of the book in Montana and clearly has never been there. If he has he was asleep in a car much of his trip. If you have never been to MT or don't worry about that sort of detail it won't bother you. There is a touch of Dickensian in the character names that seems a little corny: Dick Darke, Thomas Noble, Vincent King, and Robin, the Prince. If you want to escape in a semi-sweet story, with a some time with sine very nice characters, and an engrossing but rather complex mystery which includes some unexpected twists and turns this is the right read for you.

[icolford · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A thirty-year-old crime and an angry, mistrustful teenage girl are at the core of Chris Whitaker’s stylish thriller. Walker (known by everyone as ‘Walk’) has spent his entire life in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Now in his forties, Walk is Chief of Police—though what does that actually mean when the force has only three staff, one of which is part-time?—with a reputation for reliability and fairness. But Walk is haunted: thirty years ago, he provided testimony that sent his best friend, Vincent King, to prison for killing Sissy Radley, also a friend and a teenage beauty. Vincent, still a teen when incarcerated in the adult prison—where he was forced to learn quickly—had his sentence extended when he killed another prisoner in an altercation. Thirty years on, Vincent is getting out, and his release back into the Cape Haven community sparks the events that drive the action of Whitaker’s sizzling novel. For years Walk has kept a protective watch over Sissy’s sister Star and her two children, 13-year-old Duchess, and Robin, who is just starting school. Walk is worried that Vincent’s return will trigger Star to indulge the worst of her self-destructive tendencies. For her part, Star—an object of almost universal lust among the men of Cape Haven—has been beaten down by so much bad luck and so many poor choices that her first instinct is to do whatever it takes to get by and to hell with the consequences. The anger Star should feel instead consumes her daughter, self-styled “outlaw” Duchess Day Radley, who protects her brother with the ferocity of a lioness, isn’t afraid to use her fists, and doesn’t trust anyone. In the aftermath of another tragic murder, Walk finds himself thrust into action, hunting for truths old and new and reluctantly exploring his own past and not much liking what he finds. In We Begin at the End Chris Whitaker, with clipped prose and bracing lyricism, has crafted a gripping modern morality tale in which happiness is a fantasy and good intentions get you nowhere. Many of the people we meet in these pages are doomed from the outset, guilty of something or harbouring shameful secrets. Those who survive do not emerge unscathed. The star of the show is the unforgettable Duchess, a courageous, profane, reckless and resourceful avenging angel who has learned everything the hard way and at a tender age is more than prepared for whatever life throws at her. The book is atmospheric, intricately plotted, and compelling from start to finish. For readers who enjoy their fiction dark, twisted and morally complex, We Begin at the End will more than satisfy.

[waldhaus1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A murderer mystery set in a small coastal California town. Many cookies but the best are locked in the characters of the characters. An almost believable story. A butcher, a car collector, a developer locked together on a freaky dance with childhood friend whose life was devastated by a bit and run accident with one of them as driver.

[norinrad10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I can't praise this book enough. Chris Whitaker has created a unique thriller peppered with some the most memorable characters ever created., As a result, the reader is taken on a wild ride, whose ending is never anticipated.Twenty years ago, a tragic event that ends in the death of a young child forever stains a town and 4 young friends. Unfortunately, despite the passing of time, those tragic events continue to reverberate and shape the present. Reiterating the William Faulkner line, "The past is never dead. It's not even past."Don't be surprised if you find this one at the top of many "best of" lists come the end of the year.

[amcheri-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's not often that I find myself sitting back and really appreciating the beauty of the words in a novel. I tend to read mysteries and thrillers and true crime books which aren't generally known for gorgeous prose. I mean, it happens but it's not what I expect. But sitting back and appreciating the narrator perform We Begin at the End is exactly what I did.

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Walker, the sheriff of a small California town, and Duchess Day Radley, the 13 year-old daughter of one of Walk's childhood friends. Duchess is a tough young person who has become primary caretaker of her 6 year-old brother, Robin, and, with Walk's help, keeps her mother, Star, together, too. Star is a mess and the whole town appears to be aware of it since they see the ambulances called out for accidental overdoses...

I loved everything about this book. The story, the characters, the setting, the twists and turns, and the narrator. I was emotionally gut-punched a few times and nearly dropped a tear towards the end. I can see myself listening again. I'm sure there are bits here and there that would have new meaning now that I have all the information. I love that. There's so much to this book and all is not what it appears.

I'd recommend We Begin at the End to everyone. I don't recall anything particularly graphic or violent or sexual so it would be appropriate for teens and up. Of course, my memory is shit so I could be wrong...

Huge thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for hooking me up with the audiobook. I loved it.

[nancyjcbs · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

We Begin at the End was an exceptional novel which looked at a variety of issues such as family loyalty and love, actions vs. consequences, friendship, secrets, responsibility and redemption, and serious illness. One thing different about this novel is that it is wrapped in a murder mystery. There are two protagonists: Walk, the local police chief and Duchess, an amazing 13 year old. Both have flaws and make some terrible choices for the right reasons. I absolutely loved the Outlaw Duchess May Radley!

[cathyskye · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

We Begin at the End is an extraordinary novel and one that's difficult to talk about without giving plot points away. Just when I thought I had things figured out, author Chris Whitaker would throw in another twist, another surprise, and have me racing to reconfigure everything in my mind. The opening scene grabbed me by the throat, and I hadn't read many more pages before I knew that I was reading something very special. The further I read, the more I knew I was right.We Begin at the End is a story about loyalty, a story about secrets, a story about redemption, and the one thing that powers this book into one of the best books I've ever read is its characters. These characters are going to live with me for a long time. Chief Walker, who seems to feel responsible for everyone and does his level best to protect them all. Dolly and Hal in Montana for their love and patience in dealing with difficult personalities. Martha May the lawyer who prefers defending battered women. Young Thomas Noble who sees Duchess Day Radley for the treasure she is and sticks to her like glue. And-- towering above them all-- Duchess Day Radley, herself. Readers will be hard-pressed to find another thirteen-year-old who can so easily make them wince, make them laugh, make them hold their breath, and make them cry. If you tell Duchess that, when life hands her lemons, she's supposed to make lemonade, you'd better duck because those lemons are going to be flying straight at your head. This young girl is so filled with rage and hurt and love that you want to wrap her in a bear hug and never ever let another thing hurt her. What does she want? It's simple. Just listen to what she tells her mother: "I just wish there was a middle, you know. Because that's where people live. It doesn't have to be all or nothing... sink or swim like that. Most people just tread water, and that's enough. Because when you're sinking, you're pulling us down with you."If you want to know if Duchess Day Radley and her brother Robin ever get to experience life in the middle, pick up a copy of We Begin at the End. It's a phenomenal book.

[stahl2ricco · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“He’d come so far, he would get to the finish, even if it cost him his soul.”Poor Walk. And poor everyone in this book, especially Duchess Day Radley, Outlaw, “A girl on her way to right a lifetime of wrongs.”Part Four of this story is titled “Heartbreaker” and let me tell you, that could be the title for this whole book. Heck, at the end of chapter 48, tears were rolling down my cheeks. Very well written, but it tore the heart right outta me. After reading this, I'm spent.

[grandpahobo_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a dark, disturbing and compelling book. As troubling as the story is, its almost impossible to put down. The characters are so real and flawed you can't help but feel both compassion and be depressed for them. There are several twists in the plot that surprise you and leave you thinking "I should have seen that coming". A book I will remember for a long time.

[bdartnall_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"This is like other books: small town life/families that get broken after a tragic event, and then deal with questions of revenge, justice, and the mournful seeking of redemption.Set in a small coastal town in California, the story begins as Walk, 15, discovers the body of seven-year-old Sissy Radley. It then moves forward thirty years, when Vincent King is about to be released from prison for Sissy's death. Walk, now Chief of Cape Haven Police, goes to pick Vincent up from prison. Walk still considers Vincent his best friend, and repeatedly tried to reach out to him when he was in prison. But Vincent is a broken man who doesn’t want help; doesn’t want “saving.” But Walk, he can’t help but try.Over the years, Walk has looked out for Star Radley, Sissy’s big sister and a friend of Walk’s from the days when they would double date - Walk and Martha May, and Vincent and Star. These days, Star is often out late at bars, drinking and picking up men, and Walk tries to do what he can for her illegitimate children, 13-year-old Duchess and 6-year-old Robin. It falls to Duchess to mother Robin, and she does so devotedly, in spite of her resentment over it.Duchess is hard, old before her time, and all but consumed by her anger. She copes by imagining herself to be an outlaw, as was apparently one of her distant ancestors, and that fantasy makes her brave as well as aggressive and confrontational. She acts out against anyone trying to help, but the people who know her can’t help but see her pain, and they are patient, absorbing her blows.Vincent’s return shakes everything up, and a new tragedy rips everyone apart again.Discussion: The story explores larger themes, such as when revenge is justified and when it is counter-productive; what would lead even the best of us compromise our values; and the fluid ways in which family can be defined. When is the path to forgiveness just too strewn with obstacles? What will it take, after the worst of circumstances, to start down the road to redemption?Evaluation: This gritty story is not only a murder mystery, but also very much a coming of age book highlighting the bonds of family and friendship. There is a great deal of sadness, injustice, and the tragedy of wretched circumstances, but there is also eventually a measure of redemption, at least for some of the characters. To get there, however, the reader must navigate an impressive labyrinth of plot twists and turns as the story resolves"Copied from fellow LibraryThing member: nbmars Mar 21 2021

[fredreeca · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Duchess Day Radley is only 13 years old. But she is in charge of so much. Her mother is unable to cope with Duchess and her little brother, Robin. So, Duchess has had to step up and be responsible for just about everything.Duchess and Robin tear your heart out through this whole book. Their life is just not the best. And when it turns worse and they end up at their grandfather’s farm you think it is finally going to get better. But as usual, life twists and they once again are in the wind.Walk, the local sheriff, is struggling with his own medical condition. But he is determined to help these children and hopefully mend a wrong.Oh wow! That is one heck of a good book! Especially the ending. Geez! This will have you all over the place. This is a multilayered story which is amazing from start to finish. Your heart will be broken, fixed and broken again.I listened to this one and the narrator, George Newbern, could not have been better. I am going to have to search this narrator out.Grab your copy today! You do not want to miss this one.I received this audiobook from The publishers for a honest review.

[tibobi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Short of It:If you are looking to be entertained by some unforgettable characters then you’ve found your book.The Rest of It:Duchess Day Radley is a thirteen year-old outlaw. You see, the Radleys have a history and Duchess knows it and has no problem reminding others of it every chance she gets. She is a pistol through and through and won’t allow anyone to bully her family in any way. This includes her young brother Robin and her wayward mother, Star.Duchess spends her days looking after her brother, mostly because her mother has a tendency to pass out drunk in the font yard. Everyone in town knows Star, and they knew her sister Sissy too, the one who was killed by a drunk driver years ago and the man who did it was just released from prison and lives right across the street.As reputations go, Star’s is not great although her heart is in the right place. She tries to do right by her kids, but seems to always fall short. That’s why there is an entire cast of characters looking out for her, one of which is Walk, short for Walker, who is Cape Haven’s Chief of Police. He and Star go way back. He does what he can to help her out, but one night, he’s not able to and the entire town is affected by the tragedy.Small town life. Tragedy. Unforgettable characters. The hope of new beginnings. When I picked up We Begin At The End, I just knew within the first few chapters that this was going to be a story that would stay with me for a very long time. First off, the writing is beautiful. There were some passages that I read out loud just to hear the words. What pushed this book over-the-top for me, in a wonderful way, are the characters. Duchess is all edges, hard and bristly but you can’t help but love her even when her “tell it like it is” demeanor puts a wedge between her and anyone trying to get close to her. Walk is kind-hearted, honest when he needs to be but also a realist and loyal to a fault. I’ve got to mention Thomas Noble. He’s a gentle young man who befriends the tough Duchess Day Radley and loves her regardless of all the pushback that she throws his way. What a lovable kid. He reminded me of Owen Meany in a lot of ways. I could go on and on about the characters.“You’re the toughest girl I ever met. And the prettiest. And I know you’ll probably hit me, but I think my world is infinitely better because you’re in it.” ~Thomas NobleThis is one of those reads that you savor. You turn the pages slowly because you don’t want your time with these people to end. You read a passage and then find yourself staring off into space pondering what you just read. This story broke my heart in so many ways but man, did I love it. It’s still early in the year but this will probably be my favorite read this year.For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.

[nbmars · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This writer reminded me a lot of John Hart, with his coming-of-age books about families that get broken after a tragic event, and then deal with questions of revenge, justice, and the mournful seeking of redemption. Set in a small coastal town in California, the story begins as Walk, 15, discovers the body of seven-year-old Sissy Radley. It then moves forward thirty years, when Vincent King is about to be released from prison for Sissy's death. Walk, now Chief of Cape Haven Police, goes to pick Vincent up from prison. Walk still considers Vincent his best friend, and repeatedly tried to reach out to him when he was in prison. But Vincent is a broken man who doesn’t want help; doesn’t want “saving.” But Walk, he can’t help but try.Over the years, Walk has looked out for Star Radley, Sissy’s big sister and a friend of Walk’s from the days when they would double date - Walk and Martha May, and Vincent and Star. These days, Star is often out late at bars, drinking and picking up men, and Walk tries to do what he can for her illegitimate children, 13-year-old Duchess and 6-year-old Robin. It falls to Duchess to mother Robin, and she does so devotedly, in spite of her resentment over it. Duchess is hard, old before her time, and all but consumed by her anger. She copes by imagining herself to be an outlaw, as was apparently one of her distant ancestors, and that fantasy makes her brave as well as aggressive and confrontational. She acts out against anyone trying to help, but the people who know her can’t help but see her pain, and they are patient, absorbing her blows.Vincent’s return shakes everything up, and a new tragedy rips everyone apart again. Discussion: The story explores larger themes, such as when revenge is justified and when it is counter-productive; what would lead even the best of us compromise our values; and the fluid ways in which family can be defined. When is the path to forgiveness just too strewn with obstacles? What will it take, after the worst of circumstances, to start down the road to redemption?Evaluation: This gritty story is not only a murder mystery, but also very much a coming of age book highlighting the bonds of family and friendship. There is a great deal of sadness, injustice, and the tragedy of wretched circumstances, but there is also eventually a measure of redemption, at least for some of the characters. To get there, however, the reader must navigate an impressive labyrinth of plot twists and turns as the story resolves.

[beamis12 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Duchess Day Radley, outlaw. At thirteen outlaw is the persona she takes, this young girl who has already seen and experienced so much. She takes care of her brother Robin, aged 6 and tries to keep her mother Star, alive. She has a world of hurt on her , but is determined to protect her little family against incredible odds. The only person she trusts is the Sheriff, a man who has known Star since they were kids and does his best to help Duchess. Soon though a man, Vincent King will be let out of jail and Duchess will committ an act that will be a point of no return.Duchess is a character I will long remember. This young girl with the tough attitude, wearing a bow in her hair. This girl filled with much hurt but also a fierce love. This is a story that I found consuming and heartbreaking. Lives and how they go astray. How one act can cause so much harm, change ones fate as well as the fate as others. It is a poignant story. A story of good people who can't seem to catch a break. People who will do anything for family and those they love, no matter what. An engrossing and memorable story that ends with an ultimate act of love. ARC from Edelweiss.

[hubblegal-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I must say that I started off having real doubts about liking this book. I had just finished an amazing book that I said would be a hard act to follow so maybe that's why. I had trouble with this author's style of writing, felt it was disjointed, re-read sentences that didn't seem to make any sense and they still didn't make any sense, couldn't connect with the characters, etc. I was struggling and wondering why there were so many good reviews. I was quite a way into the book when that all changed and I didn't care how the story was being told - I was hooked! Hook, line and sinker. I had originally thought I knew exactly where this story was headed but curves were thrown at several places, none of them anticipated. I was totally reduced to tears at the end. Such a wonderful story that will live long in my memory. Highly recommended.

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book will break your heart... it it's worth it! One if the best books of the year!