All the Colors of the Dark is a novel that’s part suspense, part contemporary literature, and wholly immersive. A unique plot and memorable characters make it a satisfying – but long – read.

This post may contain Amazon Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, from qualifying purchases. (This in no way affects the honesty of my reviews!) All commissions will be donated to the ALS Association.

Let’s begin with a summary of All the Colors of the Dark. Wish me luck because there is a lot to the story!

The novel begins in the 70s in a small town in the Missouri Ozarks. We first meet “Patch,” a 13-year-old boy who was born without one eye. He wears a patch over his empty eye socket and assumes the persona of a pirate. He quotes little known pirate facts, wears a homemade topcoat, and steals things when his single mom can’t make ends meet. He also steals because that’s his nature.

Patch’s best friend is a girl named Saint, who lives with her grandmother, plays the piano, and keeps bees. She’s also smart and tenacious, two qualities that save Patch’s life.

In one of the early scenes, Patch is walking through the woods when he encounters a classmate struggling with a man. Armed with only a small knife, Patch attacks the man and tells the girl to run. He’s easily overpowered, and when the authorities arrive on the scene, all they find is Patch’s blood. The pirate boy has mysteriously disappeared.

There are some spoilers in the rest of this All the Colors of the Dark summary.

It turns out that Patch saved his classmate from a serial killer, who took Patch captive. While in captivity, he is held in a locked room with a girl named Grace. The two become very close as a wounded Patch takes comfort from her many colorful memories and stories.

When Patch is eventually rescued, Grace is nowhere to be found. Some even speculate that she wasn’t real. Despite the skepticism, Patch spends the rest of his life searching for Grace with a persistence that borders on obsession. Okay, not “borders”; this was full-blown, single-minded obsession.

As he continues his cross-country search, Patch meets families of other missing girls and, in his own way, brings awareness to their tragedies. While he’s on the move, he’s also robbing banks. Oh, Patch.

Meanwhile, Patch’s childhood friend, Saint, becomes a police officer and then an FBI agent, jobs which allow her to continue searching for Grace and a serial killer, but also require her to hunt down her bank robbing pirate friend. It all comes to a head at the end with a dramatic climax.

Buy now on Amazon!

I was pleasantly surprised by All the Colors of the Dark. I was expecting a typical suspense novel (a genre I also enjoy), but instead was treated to a work of literature that spans decades. While the suspense is there, so are in depth character development, multiple interesting subplots, a nostalgic vibe, and 70s/80s social context. There’s a lot going on in this novel.

Patch is a quirky boy who grew into a damaged and obsessive man. Despite his rough edges and flawed character, there is a certain nobility in his mission. Saint grows from a serious young girl into a focused and competent woman who struggles with bringing her good friend to justice. Other interesting characters include a wise police chief, Saint’s bus driving grandmother, the privileged girl who Patch saved, and a cantankerous art dealer. It’s quite a cast of characters!

The storyline is diverse and includes a coming-of-age story, police procedural, a tragic love story, a tale of domestic abuse, the rise of a talented artist, the context of the political times, a cat and mouse game, and the devastation caused by missing family members. The story tackles some heavy topics, but there are also lighter moments. It’s a good mix.

Really, my biggest criticism is that All the Colors of the Dark could have been much shorter. The audio version is over 14 hours, and the paperback is 912 pages. Just when I thought the story was about to wrap up, I would see that there were hours left to listen to.

As for the narration, Edoardo Ballerini has a fine, clear voice. However, it always sounds off when a man reads women’s dialog and vice versa. With so many women characters, I wish the publisher had hired a woman to read their dialog. I wonder why they don’t do that. Probably money.

Anyway, I recommend All the Colors of the Dark to people who like great stories and aren’t intimidated by a 912 page book.

If you’ve read All the Colors of the Dark, I’d love to know your thoughts!

And if you liked this All the Colors of the Dark book review, how about pinning it.