All the Colors of the DarkAll the Colors of the Dark
What it's about
In 1975, in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. When thirteen-year-old Patch, a one-eyed boy who dreams of being a pirate, saves a classmate from an abductor, he is taken himself. In the dark where he's held, he isn't alone; there is a girl named Grace. When Patch is found, Grace isn't, and he spends the next decades searching for her, with his loyal friend Saint at his side.
Why it's worth reading
It spent months on the New York Times lists and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a crime novel, a love story and a story about friendship, and readers find it hard to put down.
You'll love it if you liked
The Lovely Bones
The Secret History
The InstituteGood to know
It's nearly 600 pages and spans about thirty years. There is child abduction and violence, though not shown graphically.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller65 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz22 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #39 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #89 of the 481 new books we rank
- #502 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Moving
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Quick answers
Is All the Colors of the Dark worth reading?
Yes. It spent months on the New York Times lists and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #502 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is All the Colors of the Dark about?
In 1975, in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. When thirteen-year-old Patch, a one-eyed boy who dreams of being a pirate, saves a classmate from an abductor, he is taken himself. In the dark where he's held, he isn't alone; there is a girl named Grace. When Patch is found, Grace isn't, and he spends the next decades searching for her, with his loyal friend Saint at his side.
How long does it take to read All the Colors of the Dark?
About 15 hours (608 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after All the Colors of the Dark?
If you liked it, try The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, The Secret History by Donna Tartt or The Institute by Stephen King.