We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker

The small Californian coastal town has seen much pain beginning with the hit and run accident that left a young girl dead and a local teen in prison for years. Vincent is out of prison and his best friend, Walk is now the Chief of Police wanting to believe in the best of his friends and trying to keep the peace any way he can. The murder of another of their friends leaves Vincent looking at going right back into the cell they just let him out of and Walk trying to do right by the victim's kids, the self-proclaimed outlaw Duchess Day Radley, and her young brother. Suddenly, everyone's sins past and present are coming to light. The tension ramps up dramatically and it feels like every character is just one errant lit match away from flaming out. Raw, violent, and gut-wrenchingly beautiful, the kids steal the show. Your heart will melt and bleed for the tough- as- nails- on- the -outside Duchess, innocence personified Robin and the kind heart of Thomas Noble. I can't wait for another book by this author. For any reader of soulful character-based thrillers the likes of Tana French, Jane Harper, and of WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING. I also listened to the audiobook which had perfect narration but the language does not make this a kid-friendly listen.  5 stars