One of the best debuts in recent years. Brilliant characterisation, and a story that we become involved in as events progress.

Talk about well developed characters! Holy cow, I haven't read a book in long time with such complex and interesting characters.

Speaking of characters, I just have to say, I absolutely adored Manny. He was the star of the show for me and by far my favorite.

I think Tall Oaks would really appeal to any type of reader. It's such a good mystery but it has the fixings to also be somewhat of a YA novel as well. I mean there was even a little romance in there that was so stinking sweet between Manny and Furat. This book really had it all!

A lot of books usually either have a super good beginning or an amazing end. It's pretty rare for me to find one that has both but Tall Oaks defiantly had such a great beginning and all the way through pace that kept me wanting to keep reading like crazy and it also had an unforgettable ending.

I truly enjoyed this whole story and I really want more!

I adored this book. Five stars for a whodunnit with a difference. Please give us more from Manny - I'd absolutely love to see him on screen. Five stars - had me totally captivated.

There’s nothing like a great opening line, one that immediately hooks us, draws us in – or, as the great Stephen King puts it, an opening line should scream: ‘Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.’ ‘[I]t is a little like trying to catch moonbeams in a jar.’ Well, Chris Whitaker in his first novel, Tall Oaks, certainly does all that and we’re gripped right from the start.

From the very first page, when we experience with Jim the utter horror of a mother watching her child being abducted, we’re drawn in and Whitaker builds on this, beautifully constructing his mad, mad world of small town America, a place seemingly normal at first glance, but more The Postman Only Rings Twice or Short Cuts on closer inspection.

Whitaker takes us on a roller coast ride, introducing us to a host of colourful, finely etched characters in quick succession, most initially defined by their physicality until we know more about them and the dark secrets that many hold. He moves effortlessly between extreme farce – which sometimes shouldn’t work as it is so obvious, but really does in a laugh-out loud, belly aching kind of way – and terror and despair. The dialogue is often fast and furious, full of wise cracks and jokes that flow naturally from the characters and it’s easy to forget that Whitaker’s a Brit and not a homegrown American.

Motherhood and the relationships between mother and child are explored through many different characters and avenues, not least through Jess, the mother of three-year-old Harry and this is something which the author explores further in the piece following this review.

While comparisons have been drawn between Whitaker’s novel and the work of David Lynch and the Coen Brothers, Tall Oaks, to me, really brings to mind the wonderful Screwball Comedies of the 1930s and the brilliant, brilliant novels of Jonathan Latimer and others of his ilk (many published by No Exit Press). That’s a true testament to Whitaker’s skill as a writer and he effortlessly holds our attention to the very, quite shocking end.

This is a brilliant first novel – entertaining, funny and also strangely charming, and I write that knowing how odd that sounds when the central thread is the abduction of a three-year child. It’s actually the best thing I’ve read in quite a while and I very much look forward to Chris Whitaker’s next novel – and the film of Tall Oaks, if that doesn’t happen first.

My first 5-star-read this year! Yay! First of all, huge thanks to Amy. Her wonderful review made me pick this up.
Tall Oaks started off with a bang, a really frightening scene involving a clown and the abduction of a small child. It then required some patience as numerous inhabitants of Tall Oaks were introduced. The frequently changing perspectives, sometimes just a small paragraph without any indication that the point of view had changed, were confusing initially, but once all the characters were introduced and I had the hang of their respective relationships I didn't notice it so much anymore. By then I was sucked into the weird and compelling lives of these people. I thought I knew a lot of what was going on. Turned out, I failed miserably. There were a couple of revelations that completely floored me. I would happily rate the last 40% of this a 10-star read if I could. I often moan that characters and/or plots didn't make me feel enough. Well, in this case, I experienced the full range. Laughter, sadness, anger, frustration, swooning over a teenage romance - yeah, really - this was such a well thought-out mix of tragedy, comedy and mystery. Just brilliant. Manny was the most wonderful teenage character I've met in a novel in a long, long time and I read quite a few young adult novels. Some of the language used may not be for everyone, but I was in stitches every time Manny talked. He was such a fantastic dichotomy between wanting to appear rough gangster-like and being so caring and having his heart in the right place.
The child abduction starts off the mystery element of this novel and the reader gains a deep insight into its effect on this small community, how it affects the mother and the policeman obsessed with the case. But this is far more than another missing child procedural, as the author allows us to glimpse into the obscure lives and relationships of some other townsfolk, too. Several fascinating plot strands with plenty of drama and secrets. The characters were truly memorable.
This is a really impressive debut novel written by a British author who succeeded in creating a vivid small-town-America setting. I will definitely be following Mr Whitaker to find out what he will come up with next. I'm also hoping there'll be an audiobook in the future so I can revisit this and hear these characters.
I received an ARC via NetGalley and am immensely thankful.

I cannot believe I waited so long to read this book! It had me literally laughing out loud. Great characters, great story, great book! Easily one of my favorites of the year!