In the Spring of 2021, I started hearing a lot of buzz about WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker. I was unfamiliar with the author but was impressed by the fact that the crime novel had garnered two starred reviews in the library journals. I got ahold of a copy and for some reason got quickly mired down in my initial attempt to read the book. Larry Gandle came to the rescue and read it instead and gave it an A- rating, which is a very high grade for Larry. I dismissed WE BEGIN AT THE END as most probably a very good book – just not my kind of book.
Then as the year progressed and the CWA Awards came out, lo and behold, WE BEGIN AT THE END won the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel of the Year. A short time later, what I consider the second most prestigious crime fiction award in the U.K, the Theakston Old Peculier Awards gave WE BEGIN AT THE END the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. Again, that caused me to sit up and take notice.
The past couple of years I’ve been trying to read more and more of the novels that by year’s end will most likely show up on lists of the year’s best mysteries, crime novels and thrillers. One reason for this is to more align my reading with our Barry Award nominating process. Another is the compilation of the DP List (of the best books) for each issue of Deadly Pleasures.
Even though I had given WE BEGIN AT THE END a shot, I wasn’t sure I had given it a fair shot, so I resolved to read the book no matter what. With renewed determination, I started again and found it slow going, but I persevered, reading 5-10 pages a day, putting it down and going on to other books that I was more enthusiastic about reading. Then an amazing thing (to me) happened long about page 110 or so. It was like looking at one of those Magic Eye pictures that don’t make a lot of sense until to make your eyes go in and out of focus. Suddenly you see a three dimensional picture that wasn’t apparent when you first look at it.
From that point I finished the 367-page novel in a couple of days. It is definitely a WOW book for me. There were so many startling surprises in the last 50 pages or so, that my emotions were sent on a roller-coaster. I came very close to tears (something I never do) by the book’s end.
WE BEGIN AT THE END turned out to be not only an outstanding example of crime fiction, but also a remarkable piece of fine literature. While other books will fade from my memory, this one will stay fixed. It is that memorable. Rating: A
Here is Larry Gandle’s Review
WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker (Henry Holt, $27.99). Rating: A-
Duchess Day Radley is a very precocious thirteen-year-old living in a small California coastal community. She is fiercely protective of her five-year-old brother, Robin, while their mother, Star, is unable to take care of them due to her drinking and self-absorption. Walk is the local Police Chief who grew up with Star and his best friend, Vincent King, who he helped convict for causing the death of Star’s sister thirty years ago. Well, Vincent is getting out of prison and Walk will pick him up while, hopefully, helping Vincent transistion back to normal life. Another death soon occurs which may put Vincent back behind bars but Walk is convinced of his innocence and must now try to prove it.
This is, overall, a well written, character-driven regional mystery with some thoughtfully created characters. However, I could not completely buy into Duchess as a thirteen-year-old. She knows too much, is way too precocious and in no way thinks like a child. I am not convinced she is realistic. Yet, she, along with Walk, are the central characters of this very long novel. Minor characters are somewhat superficial and stereotypic.
On the plus side, the plot is quite compelling and there are plenty of twists and turns throughout. The story just seems to go on and on with some pointless episodes that serve no purpose other than to bulk up the book. There is enough emotional devastation, as well as, surprises along the way to raise this book above the ordinary. It is still highly recommended and one of the year’s best.