We Begin at the End, Chris Whitaker
We Begin at the End, Chris Whitaker
49 Rating(s)
List: $32.99 | Sale: $23.10
Club: $16.49

We Begin at the End

Bestseller

Author: Chris Whitaker

Narrator: George Newbern

Unabridged: 10 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/02/2021


Synopsis

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.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

"Heartbreaking, unexpected, and hopeful, this audiobook is a must-listen. Narrator George Newbern's nuanced delivery engages listeners and helps the layers of the story unfold." -- AudioFile Magazine

About Chris Whitaker

Chris Whitaker is the award-winning author of atmospheric, character-driven thrillers that explore the complexities of human emotion and the shadows lurking in the most unexpected places. With a knack for creating gripping, unpredictable plots, Chris's novels, including "All the Wicked Girls" and "We Begin at the End", have earned widespread acclaim for their poignant storytelling and deep psychological insight.

Chris's writing is often described as darkly beautiful, with an ability to blend hard-hitting suspense with moments of quiet introspection. He has been praised for his exploration of themes like redemption, grief, and the choices that define us. Fans of his work are drawn not just to the plots but to the way he masterfully humanizes the characters at the heart of each story.

When he's not writing, Chris enjoys traveling, seeking inspiration in the places he visits, and often finding time to indulge his love of music and film. With each new novel, Chris Whitaker continues to prove himself as a master storyteller capable of delivering both tension and tenderness in equal measure.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Lisa of Troy on December 15, 2023

Destined To Be A Classic We are dropped into the town of Cape Haven and introduced to a variety of characters. Duchess Radley is a teenage girl from a broken home. She takes care of her brother Robin while her mother Star is lost in her own world. We also meet Police Officer Walk who feels guilty bec......more

Goodreads review by Nilufer on April 04, 2025

Raising my glass to long live Duchess Day Radley, one of my all-time favorite outlaws! She truly reminds me of a younger version of Ozark’s Ruth Langmore: not taking sh*t from anyone, caring for her family even though she’s only 13—a stunning, badass character you never want to mess with! I’m not giv......more

Goodreads review by Lindsay L on April 02, 2021

3 stars. A small town story of loyalty, loss and revenge. It’s hard to keep secrets when everyone knows each other’s business. Local police chief, Walk, has lived in the same town his entire life. He makes it his mission to keep a close eye on those who he needs to protect the most. I love small town......more

Goodreads review by Angela M on March 06, 2021

This is NOT one of those past/present dual narratives that are so often found in novels these days. It is a present moment story, but the past is as present as the now. When we learn of things that happened in the past, the relevancy is stunning and sometimes surprising. I’m not going to discuss the......more

Goodreads review by Farrah on March 30, 2021

I spent the first 40% of this book questioning why it was getting so many stellar reviews. I mean, I thought it was 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 but I wasn't super impressed. Then at 44% there's a scene that was so beautifully written that I was 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘸𝘦 and the book quickly took off from there. -I 𝘼𝘿𝙊𝙍𝙀 Duchess. -All the ch......more


Awards

  • Hudson Booksellers Best of the Year