We Begin at the End

By: Chris Whitaker

Narrated by: George Newbern

Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

2021 Hudson Booksellers Best of the Year

An Instant New York Times Best Seller

"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, number one New York Times best-selling author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds)

Right. Wrong. Life is lived somewhere in between.

Duchess Day Radley is a 13-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, 30 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)

©2021 Christopher Whitaker (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Great Story

I loved the book
In the reading of it the narrator did not pause from one character to the next, so I often had to rewind and figure out that there was a transition to another character
Loved the narrators voice though

would read again

Narrator was decent, not the best. I do love the story, beautifully tragic. Well written.

Hal was probably my favorite character.

"We're just a collection of the best and worst things we've done " favorite line.

heart wrenching story

loved this book. I was smitten with the small town and the characters relationships- pure and true but troubled all the same. I kept wanting a good resolution and appreciated the authors completion of the story even though it may not have been as good as desired. I couldn't stop listening to it. didn't want it to end. my only complaint in narration was that the transitions within the chapters were too quick. in less than a breath he jumped from one scene to another with different characters. I wanted a greater pause, just to absorb what had transpired but had to push forward.

So much depth!

I'm so sick of books that have obvious and shallow endings...I really enjoyed this story....Thanks!!!

Great story with great characters!

You will come to love the outlaw, Duchess Day Radley;her brother, Robin; and Walk, the Chief of Police. Their story is heartbreaking but also about resilience, enduring friendship and how much you will sacrifice for those you love.

An Emotional Rollercoaster!

Fasten your seatbelt and be prepared for a great emotional ride with twists and turns until the very end.
Character development was so well done and you were given ones to love, admire and dislike as well.
I highly recommend this book! George Newbern, the Audible reader, made it come alive.

When it ended I said (outloud) "Hell of a book!"

A book needs the following; plot, setting, characterization, and mood. This book has all of it to the max!

Excellent!

An incredibly moving novel with so many unexpected twists & turns. I could hardly put it down. Best book I’ve read in a really long time! Perfect narrator for the story, too.

Exceptional Read

Chris Whitaker weaves together a beautiful and brutal story of survival through broken familial relationships so well he had me in tears many times. One of my favorite books of the year.

A beautiful tragedy

Very well written and performed. The story is heartbreaking and raw in its telling. However, the author weaves hope and the beauty of perseverance throughout.