All the stars for Stacy Willingham’s sophomore novel, All the Dangerous Things. I was a huge fan of A Flicker In the Dark so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of it. This book had me hooked from the very beginning and I found myself picking it up at every opportunity , The story was gripping, loved the alternating timelines and while I was dying to see how it would end, I hated for it to be over.

Highly recommend adding this one to your TBR. Thanks so much NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my copy.

All The Dangerous Things by Stacey Willingham is a fantastic psychological thriller from start to finish! I absolutely loved this book. I did not have an opportunity to read the author’s debut novel A Flicker In The Dark, but after reading her sophomore effort I am now a fan, and definitely will be going back to read it. A huge Thank You to St. Martin’s Press, the author and Net Galley for the advanced copy of the book. This twisty, enthralling tale grabbed my attention from the very first chapter, had me on the edge of my seat, up late reading and kept me guessing right up until the end. A book that should be at the top of every thriller fan’s reading list, certainly one not to be missed!

With an intense, gripping, deep and dark storyline that deals with subject matters of insomnia, motherhood, postpartum depression, kidnapping, separation and murder. The narrative is told through Isabelle's point-of-view from two time periods 1999 when she was a child, and the present day. Isabelle is an irresponsible, unsound narrator because of her lack of sleep.
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Book Synopsis: It has been 365 days since Isabelle Drake’s toddler son Mason was kidnapped right from his crib in the middle of night while she and her husband slept. There is no real evidence, any viable suspects, or leads into what happened that night. The police investigation has stalled and remains unsolved. Isabelle is suffering with severe insomnia, aside from the occasional catnap and small blackouts she hasn’t really slept the entire year. She cannot continue living this way forever, but rest is not an option when your child is missing.

Determined to find her son, and the truth she agrees to be interviewed by a true crime podcaster. With the objective of discovering clues or possibly a witness. However, the interview stirs up uncomfortable memories from her childhood and lots of uncertainty about what really happened that fateful night her son went missing. Now Isabelle is seriously doubting her own remembrance, and doesn’t know if she can trust herself or anyone else.

Ever since her son Mason was stolen from his crib one year ago, Isabelle Drake has been unable to sleep except for blackouts and small cat naps. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold, and since no body has been found, Isabelle has made it her life's mission to get her son back. In her attempt to leave no stone unturned she agrees to be interviewed for a true crime podcast, which then leads her to question everything she thought she knew.

Much like Stacy's first book, A Flicker in the Dark, this one had be intrigued from the jump. It was a quick and enjoyable read. While I am personally over the unreliable narrator trope, I am always here for the podcast trope in thrillers. Karissa Vacker nailed the narration and I'd recommend listening to the story if you enjoy audiobooks. I'm 2 for 2 in enjoying Stacy's books so I'll definitely check out what she writes next.

Special thanks to Libro.fm for the ALC copy and @netgalley, Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press for the ARC copy for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

After making an appearance at a True Crime conference Isabell Drake is annoyed to see she is sitting next to a man who introduces his self as a True Crime podcaster he even gave her his card after she made her irritation is his interruption obvious. He tells her his podcast is already solved one case and he would love to help her find her little boy who went missing a year ago. She hasn’t slept a good nights sleep since her baby went missing since then it’s been catnaps and caffeine but this isn’t her first bout with a sleeping disorder. As an adolescent she had problems with sleepwalking something that scared her six-year-old sister and worried her parents. It seems every time Isabell has problems with sleep disorders something tragic is associated and some people do blame her for her missing son but one strange thing start popping up she to start second-guessing herself. I am not doing this great book justice. this was a really awesome book I love this authors first book and I must say she has out done her self this time. If you love a good thriller with twist and no eye rolling and a narrative that completely makes sense then you should read All The Dangerous Things you will not be disappointed. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Izzy has experienced every mother’s worst fear- the kidnapping of her child. She hasn’t slept since the disappearance of her son and trying to speak publicly to raise awareness for his case while also navigating the dissolution of her marriage has not been easy. She begins to work with a podcaster to share her son’s story and to continue the search for him.. but what she’s discovering is leading her to think she might know what happened to her son already.

What I loved:
-fast paced
-twists and turns
-unreliable narrator
-complicated family relationships
-dual timelines

This was such an interesting read! I thought I knew where this was going and I was definitely wrong. I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend for thriller lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced reading copy!

Unfortunately I didn't love this book. I felt like not much happened for a significant portion of the story (almost 200 pages), and i wished the story had been teased out more slowly. I was just kind of bored for a while. In addition, I thought major climatic plot points of the book fell flat when they were revealed. I didn't see the ending coming which made for a good surprise, but it also felt a little bit out of the blue.

I much preferred Willingham's Flicker in the Dark to this latest novel. I know a ton of people loved this book and that's great! I think my lack of pizazz for it is definitely an unpopular opinion, but it just didn't wow me.

If you liked Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier, you’re going to want to read All The Dangerous Things. While the present-day plots are extremely similar, what stood out about All The Dangerous Things were the flashbacks to Isabelle’s past. I enjoyed the overlapping mysteries and how the author built suspense toward both reveals–does Isabelle’s past have anything to do with her son’s disappearance in the present? Could her insomnia have something to do with what happened to him?

I’d certainly consider this a bingeable thriller, as I finished it in just a day. Willingham’s writing makes it impossible to press pause or stop turning pages!

I was really looking forward to this book as I enjoyed the author’s first novel, A Flicker in the Dark. Stacy Willingham delivered another page-turner. This book is full of twists, a great psychological thriller. Not as gruesome as her first book. I enjoyed it just as much. Recommend.

I received an advance digital copy from the publisher via Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

I read A Flicker in the Dark last year and loved it. We all learned that Willingham can write a damn good thriller, so this read was a no-brainer for me. And I ended up loving this one even more than her last book!

As a mom to two toddler boys, I absolutely could sympathize with Isabelle. Having your child stolen from their bed in the middle of the night is probably the most horrific thing that could happen. I would absolutely be in the same state as Isabelle--not sleeping, obsessed with figuring out who did it, and enraged with the police who still have no leads.

Every chapter in this book propelled the story forward. I loved the dual timeline and how the past played into Isabelle's present-day experience. The writing is beautiful; it's full and detailed without feeling bogged down, and the story never felt slow or dull for me. I love an unreliable narrator, and as she is suffering from severe insomnia, Isabelle can't trust her own memories or her past actions, so I was looking for clues everywhere.

There were so many twists throughout the book, and I was shocked at the ending. And the author's note at the end was the cherry on top of this sundae. I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend it to all my thriller readers out there!

Happy book birthday to All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham!

Isabelle Drake’s son was kidnapped from his crib in the middle of the night. No one’s able to find him and the whole world thinks he’s dead, even the police and Isabelle’s husband. But Isabelle is certain that he’s still alive, so she spends every second of her life trying to find him.

A year has passed and Isabelle feels desperate and hopeless, so when a true-crime podcaster asks for an interview, she agrees to talk to him. But when he starts asking questions about her life and her past, she starts questioning everything that has happened, and she realizes that she can’t trust anyone, not even herself.

All the Dangerous Things is Stacy Willingham’s second novel and is even more compelling and suspenseful than her debut, A Flicker in the Dark. I just couldn’t put it down!

I was intrigued from the very first page and got pulled into the story right away. I love books with well-developed unreliable narrators and this one, with her history of sleepwalking and sleep deprivation, kept me guessing what was real and whom to trust until the end. The big twist really took me by surprise and the ending was very satisfying.

I also really liked the way the author explored motherhood, how it can be a lonely journey and the social expectations that come with it.

The audio was Narrated by Karissa Vacker and she did an amazing job. Now I cant wait to read Willingham’s next book! Thank you @librofm @netgalley @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the gifted copies of this great book.

Since her toddler son was kidnapped a year ago, Isabelle Drake has been unable to sleep. Truthfully she has always had issues with sleeping, issues that cause her to doubt everything anyone tells her about the night of the kidnapping and even her own possible role in it. This is a creepy and exciting thriller in which neither the protagonist nor the reader knows what to believe or whom to trust including the protagonist herself. Although some parts of the story may be predictable to regular readers of the genre, there are still plenty of shocking surprises and a fairly satisfying conclusion.

First book by Stacy Willingham for me her book drew me right in. turning the pages late into the night.Twists turns eerie tense.A story that kept me guessing till the last page.Will be reading more books by this author.#netgalley #st.Martinsbooks

This review is going to be short because well it doesn't need to be long. This is my first thriller of 2023 and IT DID NOT disappoint. It is told from the grieving mother's POV which I loved. Ben was piece of work (not in a good way) and I loved it! He wasn't supposed to be the good guy. I loved Stacey's writing. It gripped me from the beginning and didn't let me go. I didn't want it to end! I finished 3 DAYS AGO and it still living rent free in my brain.

On the scale of Buy, Bargain, Borrow, Bud or Bust this is the first one of 2023 I'm putting in the BUY category💥

Read this book if:
👶🏼 you want to read about a mother who will stop at nothing to find her son
👶🏼 you want to go on a wild ride
👶🏼 you like books living rent free in your brain 🧠

So I don't read many thrillers cause I get so angry when people usually women get gaslit by controlling people around them. But as this did have some of that, some rewriting truths and changing the narrative to fit the lives they wanted as possible pain to others. I was kind of feeling icky at the end even though it blew my mind.

But then I read the author's note and the reason behind this book and as I sit here with tears in my eyes I totally get it.

I think if my child went missing I would be this woman though how she got in this relationship and the aftermath and situations I hope to avoid but they happen. Women in all shapes, forms, status, etc have it rough in their own way. It has made the word "too" a trigger lol. Too this, too that. It's always too much or never enough.

Mental health issues need to be taken more seriously and if anyone ever tells you that you are just hysterical or emotional, move on to the next doctor. It's 2023 we have been through a lot and life in general is a lot without a pandemic, wars, floods, homelessness, starvation, the list is endless, there should be empathy and help for everyone.

Women's health isn't always taken seriously for some reason and it seems to depend on the doctor you talk to.

Btw I would for sure have a huge yarn wall of clues on some wall where I live. Also, pretty sure anyone would give my kids back cause they cry if out of my range. It's a mommy tracking feature.

Ok so that was just word vomit of my feelings after reading the book. I didn't know who it was though I had some ideas and some pre-existing conditions and personalities were making some look guilty so I didn't know which way to look. The pre story was so sad and is a reflection of issues in our society for sure.
Def recommend now I need to go read a romcom or fantasy book.
Love this cover too though after reading it's really eerie.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Thank you stmartinspress and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

This was my first by the author and what a thrilling ride this was. I found the timeline jumps worked really well here, especially as the story was progressing towards the conclusion. The storytelling and dual timelines came together seamlessly for some shocking revelations and twists that I did not see coming.

I have a hard time with child abduction tropes and while there were certainly several triggers here that I would caution readers to look up, I still found the story unputdownable. I also liked the inclusion of motherhood expectations, societal pressures, and postpartum health. I would encourage everyone to read the authors afterword post-reading as it does contain spoilers but gives great insight into the characters and inspiration behind them.

Fans of true crime podcasts will also enjoy this, as a large focus is on true crime. I also have to point out the fantastic narration done by Karissa Vacker! I listened to this book partially on audiobook while physically reading the rest, and her narration was incredible!

Overall, I highly recommend this one and will be picking up Flicker in the Dark next! Thank you so much to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for this gifted eARC!

4.5 stars

Isabelle Drake hasn’t slept since her son, Mason was taken from his crib in the middle of the night. One whole year without sleep, leads, or answers. Trying to leave no rock unturned Isabelle starts speaking at true crime conventions and when approached, agrees to be interviewed for a podcast.

As questions are repeated, details are rehashed, and the past is resurfaced Isabelle starts to question everything and everyone…even herself.

This was a very intriguing story told in short chapters and with an alternating timeline. It was atmospheric and drew me in but it was a slower burn. The first half especially seemed to drag on a bit, but the last 25% of the book totally made up for it.

Throughout the majority of the book I was under the impression I had this pinned down, until bam! The twists came flying and it all came together beautifully although not in the way I had expected. And while I did correctly guess some of the reveals, there were still a few that left me stunned.

The characters were messy and complicated, far from perfect and while they aren’t all that likable, they’re real. Having characters that aren’t easy to like doesn’t always work well but in this case I felt it did.

The book touches on some serious topics (miscarriage, depression, etc) but I feel it was handled delicately. The authors note at the end also really resonated with me, it was a great addition.

All the Dangerous Things was a twisted, dark and memorable journey!

Isabelle is a complicated character. I never knew whether I could completely trust her. I wanted to trust her, but with a “problem” that shadows not only her past but apparently her present now as well, I was apprehensive. As a matter of fact, there wasn’t a moment in this book that I wasn’t apprehensive about something or someone. I was on tenterhooks from the beginning.

I never knew what was going to happen, who was going to change the landscape of the story, or when a twist was coming. Villains lurked around every corner and I loved that I couldn’t figure out how it was all going to end.

•thank you so much Netgalley for this Arc*

4.5 This is the second book by this author i have really liked. Her writing style hits all the marks for me and i will definitely read her future work. I was hooked on this from the beginning and i would recommend to anyone looking for an eerie mystery/ thriller.

Happy pub day to ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS! I enjoyed Stacy Willingham's first book - A Flicker in the Dark - but have to say, this one is my clear favourite!

ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS is a deep-dive into the life of Izzy, who is trying - pretty unsuccessfully - to cope with the disappearance of her young son. A lot of what captivated me while reading was how powerfully Izzy's despair, guilt and obsession with finding out what happened came across. Not only does this make for a thriller that will pull on your heart-strings, but it also sets up an unreliable narrator with very clouded judgement.

This is a slow burn, but the pay off at the end is worth it. I was so hooked in the last quarter that I may have been giving death glares to anyone who tried to interrupt me before I finished. The twists and turns are carefully crafted and I loved that they had me flipping back to earlier parts of the book to see what I had missed.

I also enjoyed how Willingham wove in explorations of motherhood and commentary on the ethics of true crime in a way that felt very natural to the story.

My only real complaints are that the pacing was a bit slow near the middle and I found the first few past chapters a bit confusing, but it's worth powering those parts to get to the end.

The premise is easy to understand: Isabella’s infant son Mason was taken a year ago, and she hasn’t slept since. Secrets from her past and her sleep issues, plus interest from the host of a true crime podcast, have Isabella starting to doubt what really happened to her son.
The writing is easy to… skim. My goodness this author likes to type, and type, and type. You know that phrase ‘he loves the sound of his own voice’? Well Ms. Willingham loves the sound of her keyboard. I bet it’s extra thocky (yes I speak keyboard lol)
Told entirely from Isabella’s POV, the timeline of the book bounces back and forth between ‘now’ and when Izzy was a child.
Over the top writing and predictable twisties made this a very slow read.
Some stellar examples:
“Then I felt my eyeballs roll back, a redness dripping over my vision as I stared at the inside of my own skin, my veins”. Dafuq?
“Maybe I can blame it on the Sancerre, or the dim lights that made it hard to discern how much time had passed, or the knowledge that there was NOTHING waiting for me back home other than an empty house and another long, dark stretch of quiet”. MA’AM you have a dog named Roscoe who is certainly not nothing. He deserves better than the care, or lack of, that you show him.
Rating: 3 (a 2 or 2.5 would feel more honest but I’ll give it 3 because it’s set in Savannah which is where I got married)
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.