“Walk had once climbed that tree with Vincent King, in a time so far from now it would barely count. He rested a shaking hand on his gun, the other on his belt. He caught sight of the girl, moving against the crowd, her brother’s hand in hers as he struggled to match her pace. Duchess and Robin, the Radley children. He met them at a half run because he knew all there was to know about them. The boy was five and cried silent tears, the girl had just turned thirteen and did not ever cry.”
I’m Betty Martin with "Martin’s Must Reads" and those are some lines from the the first chapter of Chris Whitaker’s mystery We Begin At the End. More than a mystery this is a story of hardship, heartache and sacrifice.
Most of the story takes place in Cape Haven, a small coastal California town. This is the town where Star, Duchess and Robin’s mother, grew up. Her high school friend, Walk, is the sole police officer. As the story begins Star’s high school sweetheart, Vincent King, is about to released from prison after serving thirty years for two murders, the first when he accidentally killed Star’s young sister with his car.
Duchess is the caregiver in the family: taking care of her brother and calling the medic every time her mother overdoses. Police officer Walk watches over the family, too. Eventually Star’s poor choices cause her murder and Vincent is blamed. What will happen to the children now? And who murdered Star? These questions along with who fathered Duchess and Robin are all answered at the end of the book.
If you’re looking for a mystery with well developed characters, then you must read We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker.
