I loved Stacy’s last book so I knew I had to read this one too! It was also really well do e and the perfect kind of thriller for me. I definitely didn’t guess “who done it” and found myself engaged and intrigued the whole way through the book!

Read/Listen if you like:
🔍 Mysteries
📸 Cases in the Public Eye
😵‍💫 Unreliable Narrator
⏳Jumps in Timeline
💤 Not Knowing What Goes Bump in the Night

This one was… just wow! I absolutely devoured it and I’m so glad I did as one of my final books of 2022! Stacy is now my newest auto-read author and I can tell you now, I will be going back to read her debut and keeping an eye out for all of her future books!

She wrote this one in a way that truly had me going wtf the entire book and I loved the aspect of having an unreliable narrator that knew and revealed they were an unreliable narrator.

I loved the layered commentary on being a woman and the daily struggles we face in society and how those struggles shape how wr are viewed in society, and how we view ourselves.

Isabelle’s eighteen-month-old son, Mason, is kidnapped from his nursery in the false safety of his own home in the middle of the night. There is very little in the way of evidence or leads and many people believe Isabelle herself may know more about Mason’s disappearance than she leads on. One year later, separated from her husband now, and still nowhere closer to getting answers or her son back, Isabelle accepts a true crime podcaster’s offer to help uncover the truth following her speech at a true crime conference. But quite literally, everything is not what it seems. Told entirely from Isabelle’s point of view with dual timelines from present day and Isabelle’s troubled childhood in the 90’s, this one will have you on a rollercoaster HANGING ON FOR LIFE!

Andddd that’s about all I can say without spoiling the plot because holy plot twists 🤯🤯🤯 The story starts a lil slow so I stalled a bit in the first 20% and put it down a few times but it speeds up considerably after that and the plot twists kept coming and coming so I was physically unable to put this one down. The amount of times I verbally screamed “oh sh**” while reading is unparalleled to any other book I’ve ever read. There were a considerable amount of typos in the ARC I received, but I am sure those were fixed prior to publication. I snagged a Book of the Month copy of this as well. If you read this, make sure to also read the epilogue!

I also loved this author’s debut, A Flicker in the Dark, and I am soooo now a lifelong member of the Stacy Willingham fan club. She’s easily one of my new favorite authors and she is establishing a name for herself in the thriller community. Her plots are super twisty and very creative. Can’t wait for the next one, keep ‘em coming Stacy!!!

5/5 stars, rated in my top 3 read of 2022 at #3 with a Flicker in the Dark at #2!

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley, SMP/Minotaur (my fave book publisher!!), and Stacy for an ARC of this gem in exchange for an honest review!

At first I didn’t really want to read about a missing child. As a parent I can’t imagine what Isabelle went through. This book is full of secrets from the past and present. Lots of twists and turns. Certain to keep you up late to finish it.
Another good one by this author
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

“It is amazing, the kinds of tricks that the mind can play on you after two, three, four nights without sleep. The kind of things that it can make you believe.”

FIVE STAR READ!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One year ago Isabelle Drake’s life was changed drastically. Her toddler Mason was taken in the middle of the night while she and her husband, Ben, were asleep in the next room. Since then Isabelle hasn’t slept… at all. She’s had cat naps and micro sleeps where she loses track of time, but not a solid chunk of sleep since that night. Ben left her in that year as well.

This is not Isabelle’s first time having a sleep difficulty however. As a child she was a sleepwalker and worried her parents and sister with this problem. Are these issues connected?

Now, she’s out on the true crime circuit telling Mason’s story, hoping to get a lead since it’s pretty much a cold case at this point. At the latest true crime convention she’s approached by a podcaster who would like to tell her story. Waylon Spencer says he can possibly help to solve Mason’s case. Will it work?

🫠Told in first person with a MAJORLY unreliable narrator
⏰Dual timelines- now and then (my fave trope!)
🔥slowwwww burn thriller
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧Family drama/🤰motherhood
🔍Fans of True Crime will be hooked!
🐊 Southern setting- reminiscent of Southern gothic

Stacy Willingham has gained an instant auto buy fan here! I somehow missed FLICKER IN THE DARK but that will be remedied quickly (and it’s been picked up by HBO for a series!)

This was a twisty thrill ride. Isabelle was fleshed out beautifully. I felt her pain and emotion throughout. Isabelle was so unreliable it was hard to know who to trust, even whether to trust what she was saying. But that was what was so good. Every time you think you have it figured out, it twists again. As a southerner, I was also really into the whole marsh, southern, creepy vibes. Upped the ante so much. This was my last and MOST FAVORITE thriller of the year.

I also listened to the ALC and really enjoyed the narration by Karissa Vacker. She had amazing depth and emotion. Her voice was perfect for Isabelle.

The author’s note was exceptional as well. Must read!

Release date: January 10, 2023

🚨Warnings below may contain spoilers.

🚨TW: Suicide, Drugs, Child Abduction, Postpartum Psychosis

Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur, and Macmillan Audio for the early release copies!!

Isabelle hasn't had a solid night of sleep since her son Mason was taken from her home in the middle of the night. Now, a year later, Isabelle survives on micro naps and short blackouts and travels around to true crime conventions, sharing the story of Mason's disappearance. Her marriage is in tatters, and she devotes every waking moment (which is most moments, for Isabelle), to finding her son. When she meets a true crime podcaster who is interested in interviewing her, Isabelle jumps at the chance to share her story with a wider audience. But his uncomfortable, intensely personal questions are causing memories from Isabelle's childhood -- memories she's long buried -- to come to the surface. You see, when Isabelle was a child, she was afflicted with a different sleeping disorder: sleepwalking. And she's starting to realize that, when it comes to Mason's disappearance, she can't trust anyone...not even herself.

Unfolding on dual timelines, All the Dangerous Things is a smart, stylish psychological thriller that explores societal expectations surrounding motherhood, mental health, the nature of memory, and the lingering effects of childhood trauma. This is an atmospheric and carefully-plotted book and overall just a really well-written thriller that kept me riveted all the way through. The book's focus on sleep disorders gave Stacy Willingham the opportunity to write some truly creepy, disorienting scenes and kept me engaged with Isabelle, even when I found her actions aggravating. It was fascinating to be inside her head as her mental state deteriorated, as she began to question and doubt her own mind. Although I found Willingham's prose to be a bit too flowery for my tastes overall, there is a hypnotic, otherworldly quality to the way this story is told that worked so well with a first-person narrative by a character suffering from insomnia.

I did guess some parts of the ending, but a couple of reveals took me completely by surprise -- even though when I thought back on my reading experience it was clear that Willingham left breadcrumbs to guide the way from the very beginning of the book. Willingham's clever plotting and complex, textured characters elevated All the Dangerous Things to an above-average thriller for me. I think I'm the only person who hasn't read A Flicker in the Dark already, but I'm definitely adding it to the top of my TBR -- and I'll definitely be in line for whatever Willingham writes next.

This twisty mind f*%k of a book made it impossible to put down. The chapters alternate between past and present and with that, each chapter reveals something new and you find yourself questioning everything you've read so far.
And just like Stacy's first book, A Flicker in the Dark, I stayed up way too late to finish this book! I had to, I couldn't put it down! I had to know if what I thought to be true, was actually true. Was it? You'll have to read it to find out!!

This novel will be published on January 10, 2023.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Stacy Willingham is a great storyteller. I really enjoyed her debut novel A Flicker in the Dark so I had high hopes going into this one. And I’m happy to say, All the Dangerous Things was even better.

I love how effortlessly Stacy transitions from the present day to the past and back again. The twists and turns were truly unexpected. And as someone who is constantly consuming true crime content, it is not often that the ending catches me completely off guard.

Such good writing, such a good story, and an overall fantastic book.

Really fun and interesting thriller. The short chapters made it fly by. Even though I predicted some of the twists, I didn't find it impacted my read of it at all.

This is one of those books that keeps you guessing as to what is happening. Are the scenes being revealed what is actually happening? Or is it all in Isabelle's mind? While I realize there was time needed to lay out the various threads of the story, for me the pacing was slow for the majority of the story. That being said, there were plenty of surprises and shocks as to what has actually happened to Isabelle - not only with the disappearance of her son but also events from her childhood.

Giving true crime vibes! Can you really trust Isabelle? All the Dangerous Things leaves you thinking if you can really trust anyone. Finished this book in like 2 days! I couldn’t put it down. This was a mystery with a conclusion that I didn’t catch on to. Can you solve the mystery of what happened to Mason Drake?

Isabelle's live changed a year ago when her son, Mason, was taken from their home in the middle of the night. Still trying to figure out what happened, under the scrutiny of the public opinion, placing her at the top of the suspect's list, she is hesitant when a podcast approaches her to tell her story.
This domestic thriller is told in dual timelines. The pace was super slow, the book only picks up at about 80%, and the ending felt rushed and underwhelming. It had a lot of potential, but it fell a bit flat. It however gave a good introspection into the character's mental health and her past. The writing was so poetic and beautiful, but I wonder if it's appropriate for a thriller, it slowed down the pace with too many descriptions. I loved that the characters were flawed.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is getting a lot of hype and for good reason. It's a the story of a mother's loss and her quest to find her child again. A fast read and one in which I absolutely loved!

When Mason Drake was taken from his crib in the middle of the night, there were very few leads. Isabelle, his mother, is devastated and has spent the last year spending every waking moment (and those moments are numerous as Isabella can no longer sleep for any amount of time) trying to find him. Her marriage has fallen apart and she’s sure everyone thinks she did something to Mason. Isabelle has a questionable childhood and soon she’s even asking herself if there’s a possibility it’s true. At her wits end she meets a true crime podcaster and agrees to be interviewed in the hopes of reaching more people, but as he dives into her past, she’s left questioning that decision as well. Not knowing who to trust, she pushes forward for the truth regardless of where it leads. Isabelle must now figure out her past if she has any chance of a future. Once started, this book was almost impossible to put down. It was also a great listen as Karissa Vacker voices Isabelle perfectly! Thank you to Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

I have to be honest. This was sadly a let down for me, I loved A Flicker in the Dark and couldn’t wait to dig into this one. However, I found this one to be very slow paced. By the time I got to the reveal, I was just ready for it to be over, I will definitely give Stacy another shot though.

What is it about the true crime that turns a head?

At its most basic foundation, it is ugly, twisted, and disordered, yet when you turn a case over and analyze it from all sides, you start to see much more. Like the kaleidoscope of colors and shapes from a newly cut diamond still encased in thick, ugly rock, our intrigue over crime can actually teach us something deeper about humanity. It can even be a catalyst for change that brings about the good.

In my heart of hearts, I'd like to believe this is true...

that our collective culture is more concerned about how to help victims of crime, rather than just gawking at their calamity.

But, I don't know,

ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS by Stacy Willingham convinces me that the jury is still out on that one.

From complex relationships, to well-plotted intrigue, to deeply nuanced characters, ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS is a lesson on the deeply flawed cracks within humanity and our intense desire to understand every dark crevice. It's a riveting read you could read in a sitting or two -- yet one you could digest slowly with a book club.

A strong 4.5 stars from me!

All The Dangerous Things
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
•
One year ago Isabella Drake’s life was turned upside down and ripped apart. Her son Mason was taken from his crib one night while her and her husband were sleeping. A year later and Isabella can’t rest until she finds Mason. In hopes to find her son, she agrees to interview with a true-crime podcaster. This podcaster has an interest in her past and that worries Isabella, but will it help her find Mason?
•
This was my first from this author! I still have A Flicker in the Dark on my shelf I need to check out soon! This fast-paced thriller was hard to put down and when I did put it down it was hard not to think about it! It hooked me from the beginning and I needed to know what happened to Mason!! All the characters were so well written and made me really guess the entire time who could have done it! When the ending started to unfold with chaos, deception, and SO MANY secrets I was blown away by how it all pieced together. This was definitely one of the best thrillers I’ve read all year! Five stars ⭐️! So well done! This one hits bookstores January 10th! I’d be sure to get my hands on this one! Thank you so much @netgalley & @MinotaurBooks for my advanced reader copy of this one!

4.5 stars

What a ride!  This is a thoroughly gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller with plot twists I never saw coming.  The storytelling is excellent and thought-provoking.  At its heart, this is a story about family secrets and the stories we tell ourselves to make it all make sense. 
 
I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to see what this author does next.  Add it to your TBR!

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham has so many intricate details that by the end I could only marvel at all of the reveals.

✔️Stolen/missing child
✔️Sleepwalking/insomnia
✔️Dark family secrets
✔️Hidden agendas

Man this was a well laid out novel that kept me guessing. Isabelle has a missing son, an ex-husband moving on since their loss and a crumbling life as it becomes harder to tell sleeping from waking as insomnia takes a stronger hold.

The author strategically lays out the narrative placing red herrings and small revelations scattered throughout. I found this one atmospheric, emotionally riveting and wholly frustrating at times. Slow too build (in a good way), unexpected outcomes and characters I honestly can't say I liked but man I couldn't look away from. Call it the bookish version of an excellent plot car wreck. I utterly rubbernecked.

The audiobook is narrated by Karissa Vacker. The ebook took me a little to get into but when I started listening, it literally flew by. She carries the tumultuous cloud that hangs over the main character well in her narrative voice. Definitely a narrator I'll look forward to listening too in the future.

Thrillers have been a bit of a miss for me and I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the gifted advanced copies for review. All thoughts are my own.

Wow! What a way to end 2022 with this gem! This book had so many layers and multiple side storylines that kept me plowing through this suspenseful read. I generally have an idea on the whodunnit books I read but the ending caught me by surprise and I loved it! Again, so many layers built into this amazing story with so many thought provoking moments. This is the second book I’ve read by this author and she is now an auto buy!