We Begin at the End

Critics Review

• 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 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

• The character of Duchess Day Radley is so beautifully written, she will remain with you for a long time

  Lynda La Plante

• 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

• 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

• Brutal, yet beautiful, this painfully human tale cements Whitaker’s status as one of the most talented authors writing today

  HEAT Magazine

• 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 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

• 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

• An intense, evocative, and quite brilliant crime novel that stays with you long after you’ve finished the last page

  Simon Kernick

• 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

• 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

• 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

  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

  Deborah O'Connor

• We Begin At The End is as perfect a novel as you’ll read all year. Devastating and hopeful in equal measure, with pitch-perfect characters you’ll root for at each jaw-dropping turn – Duchess, in particular, deserves a fast-track pass to the literary hall of fame. A sophisticated, utterly absorbing read

  Caz Frear

• A triumph. I couldn’t read it fast enough, while still appreciating the absolute beauty and depth to it. I don’t know where to begin – the total satisfaction of the plot, the absorbing story, the cast of unbelievably incredible characters, the sheer taste of America on the page. So, I’ll begin at the end, and the fact I cried straight through those last few chapters. Duchess, Robin, they killed me. It’s an absolute masterclass in crime writing and story-telling

  Jo Spain

• Wow . . . One of the most spellbinding crime novels I’ve read in a long time – and, best of all, it felt like nothing I’d read before. Masterful

  Catherine Ryan Howard

• Chris Whitaker excels in muscular small town American Noir. In We Begin at the End, we see that fascination with the gnarly American heartland reach new heights. Whitaker displays his mastery over style; his unique flair and eye for telling detail is comparable to a form of literary method acting. The story unwinds to a peak of tension and ends with a series of revelations that hit like a flurry of punches to the gut. It is a fabulous read. A sparse, muscular novel with a unique sense of style. A cross between crime and literary fiction in the Cormac McCarthy tradition. A sense of tragedy infuses the story and this, more than anything, makes it one of the year’s best crime reads

  Vaseem Khan

• Breathtaking, heart-wrenching, heart-warming and laugh-out-loud funny, We Begin At The End is simply astonishing. Easily the best book I’ve read this year

  M.W. Craven, CWA Gold Dagger winner

• An absolute belter of a book. Superb, heart-breaking, astounding and gripping. Chris Whitaker has totally nailed it

  Gytha Lodge

• Sometimes a book finds its way to you when you need it most, and teaches you a lesson you didn’t even know needed teaching. We Begin at the End is one of those books, and it truly is a masterpiece

  Isabelle Broom

• A sensational book. Addictive, beautifully-written and immersive. So many layers. So many fascinating characters. Chris Whitaker is an immensely talented writer

  Will Dean

• Emotionally wrung out after reading We Begin at the End. Chris Whitaker is one of the few authors who can genuinely make me cry. Rock on Duchess and Thomas Noble . . . this may be my book of the year

  C J Carver

• Astoundingly beautiful. No other writer can pull you in quite so well as Chris Whitaker. The writing is pure and sharp, the characters perfectly drawn, the story unforgettable

  Rebecca Tinnelly

• We Begin At The End is stunning – thrilling, moving, beautifully written

  Paul Burston

• Gasp-enduring drama and laugh-out-loud humour, Duchess Day Radley is now my favourite character in fiction by far

  Tom Wood

• Hands down, one of the best books I’ve ever read. In my life. There’s a bit at the end which is so overwhelmingly sad I can barely breathe just thinking about it. An absolutely astonishing novel and the writing is breathtaking

  Rebecca Thornton

• A heart-rending, gut-punching, nail-biting masterpiece. I’m sure I could hear echoes of Harper Lee coming through in the skilfully crafted prose. It’s surely rare that a British author should pen an American classic, but I think Chris has

  Marnie Riches

• Chris Whitaker has written a rare gem of a novel – by turns thrilling, moving and heartbreaking, it takes the reader on a gut-wrenching journey from hope to despair and back again. Chris’s previous novels demonstrated his gift for creating complex, fragile and all-too-believable characters, but somehow he has topped himself here, introducing us to a cast of heroes and villains so intimately-drawn, they could be your family and friends. The kind of book that makes you fall in love with reading again

  Rod Reynolds

• Crime may feature at the heart of We Begin at the End but it is the heart itself that dominates this stunning crime novel. Beautiful, evocative & heartbreaking from beginning to end

  Off-the-Shelf blog

• Beautiful writing, characters that live on in your memory long after you’ve turned the last page. Excellent

  Mason Cross

• A sublimely beautiful book that lingers long in the memory, from a writer with a rare gift

  Kevin Wignall

• A masterpiece of storytelling with clever twists and an ending to knock you sideways

  Candis Magazine

• This is an epic drama and a profound masterpiece. I’ll be amazed if I read a better novel this year

  Mirror

• So beautifully written you’ll want to savour every word; a book that stays with you long after the final page

  Victoria Selman

• A sprawling epic of betrayal, faith and misguided loyalty

  Irish Times