I had to hold my baby close for this book. Wow.

What Stacy Willingham can do with words is otherworldly. It has been such a long time since I’ve seen so many beautiful and rich words strung together to seamlessly tell a hauntingly tragic story. There were so many phrases she used to describe such simple things. Her words romanticize normality. It made this book more impactful. I could feel my own babies pressed to my chest as she described Isabelle cradling Mason to her own heart. This is easily one of *the* best thrillers I’ve read this year. Get your hands on it as soon as it’s out on January 10th.

This is the 2nd book by author Stacy Willingham. She is definitely one you want to add to your "can't wait to read" list of authors. Well-thought out story, with complex characters that keeps you invested through the whole book. Well done! I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. This is a must read for 2023!

Thank you #netgalley and #stp #minotaur for the eARC.

Let me just start off first by what everyone is probably wondering- and the the answer is No! There is no sophomore slump in the cards for this brilliant, thriller author. Stacy Willingham has delivered another novel that left me up all night because I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. If you were a fan of Willingham’s debut novel, A Flicker in the Dark, you will probably enjoy this newest release as well.

All the Dangerous Things focuses on the main character of Isabelle Drake. It starts off with the tragedy of her missing son Mason, which in turn leads to Isabelle’s insomnia (and who can blame her). During this time we have flashbacks to 1999, during Isabelle’s childhood, in which she also had a sleep disorder. The flashbacks, the memories, the nightmares, make Isabelle start to question her own self and sanity.

During this horrible time of Isabelle’s son going missing, she also has to deal with a failing marriage and some shady neighbors. Isabelle also hopes to find friendship and her son, with the help of a podcast director. There were so many twists and turns in this story, I had a hard time keeping up! Every time I thought I had one thing figured out, turned out I was wrong again!

I would also like to add that as much as I enjoyed this story, I really loved the Author’s Note at the end. I hope that everyone takes the time to really read her note and understand what she is saying and to reach out for help if you ever need it! This book gives you so much to think about long after you finish reading it.

I definitely recommend reading this book, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book. Publication date: January 10, 2023.

I LOVE Stacy Willingham and her style of writing, her book 'A Flicker In The Dark' is one of my favorite books of 2022!!! While I did enjoy this book something was missing for me. Isabella Drakes toddler, Mason, disappears without a trace one evening and one year later Isabella is still haunted but that night and what happened. She's not able to sleep or focus on anything but finding out what happened to Mason. The book weaves in a period where Isabella is a young girl and her relationship with her sister. While I thought the story line about Isabella as a child was interesting I didn't really feel like it was needed. It became slightly confusing at times. I figured out one or two twists pretty early on in the book but overall it was a good read. A special thank you to Stacy Willingham, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Everyone grieves in different ways."
I agree, but this is craziness!
When Isabelle's little boy is kidnapped, she will stop at NOTHING to find him!
Who has him or had him? Who did this?
There is no rest for this Mom who is sure she will figure out what is going on? Isabelle has not slept in a year and is on the verge of collapse!

I absolutely loved this psychological thriller! I had no idea of this ending!

Take some time to truly absorb and try to solve the mystery yourself. You will be caught up in this mystery as I was!
Thank you to @NetGalley and @St Martin's Press/ MInotaur Books for this ARC and allowing me to provide my own review. AMAZING!!

I so enjoyed Stacy's first book, A Flicker in the Dark, and I've got to be honest. Sometimes the second book that comes from an author isn't all that fantastic. How wonderful, then, when the second book turns out even better than the first!!!

All the Dangerous Things is perfect for fans of her debut novel as well as those readers who are yet to discover this author. The story begins with the fact that Isabelle's son, Mason, went missing a year ago. Since then, she has been unable to sleep and her marriage has disintegrated. Enter a podcaster who happens to hear Isabelle speak at a conference and wants to tell her story.

The story is told primarily between two timelines- Isabelle as a younger child growing up with her sister, Maggie, and current day. This author has a way of slowly building suspense that, as a reader, you don't realize how tense your body is until that tension gets released. My only criticism of the book is that I didn't buy the police view at the end of the story, but that small piece is not enough to keep me from rating this book 5 stars.

This story was SO good! I've read other titles by this author so I knew to expect greatness. I just loved the premise and how creepy it felt. It also was a book that I thought I knew where it was headed and then it would surprise me. I don't have children so didn't feel triggered by the nightmare this plot would create, but maybe something to consider!

📕 New Review 📕

This was my 100th book of 2022 and my first 2023 title! I had to dip into the 2023 releases a little early, because I knew @stacyvwillingham would deliver another banger! No sophomore slump here! After loving her debut, I knew I had to read more from her!

Stacy does such an amazing job dealing with many delicate topics in this book! Centered around a mother’s worst nightmare, a child gone missing, and hitting on some mental health topics it can seem heavy at times. But there is a lot of drama and mystery to keep a thriller lover’s interest! I really enjoyed the dual timelines to give some background on Isabelle, while also creating even more questions for the reader. This one is a true psychological thriller and has me so excited for what this author will come out with next!

Thank you @netgalley and @minotaur_books for this ARC! Out January 10th!

I requested this because Willingham's previous novel, A Flicker in the Dark, kept me on my toes. All the Dangerous Things may be even better than that!

All the Dangerous Things centers around Isabelle Drake, whose son disappeared from her home one year ago. Isabelle has a problem with sleep. Growing up, she slept too soundly and sleepwalked. Now, since her son has been missing, she doesn't sleep.

Isabelle partners with a podcaster to continue her own investigation of her son's case. Her sleeplessness drives her to drastic measures and the police distance themselves from her.

I devoured this novel. The story of a mother's desperation, all the while new layers of trust and mistrust are being revealed, it's what makes a great mystery. I highly recommend this to any fan of mystery/suspense who seek out strong female leads.

Wow! Another great read by Stacy Willingham! I just love her writing style. Alway a pleasure to read.
Awesome characters and expert storytelling kept me 100% invested! Really enjoyed this one!
Highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Overall, this was a solid read and I didn’t want to put it down. The first 10-15% of the book felt oddly familiar to another book I read, but once it took a differentiating turn, the pace accelerated. There were several plot points that I didn’t see coming and kept me intrigued, however I would strongly encourage checking content warnings. One caught me off guard and I felt so sad that I had to take a break and clear my mind.

I am usually hesitant with novels that are rooted in sleep disorders to create unreliable narrators, but this one didn’t rely on it exclusively for the mystery. I have one minor plot gripe with the ending that kept it from being 5 stars for me (see below - it's a spoiler), but I recommend this to thriller lovers who don’t have sensitivities to the CW topics.

Content warnings: Postpartum psychosis, Postpartum depression, Child death, Infidelity, Death, Mental illness

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my review – I appreciate it!

***SPOILER BELOW ***

In the end, the murder felt rushed and not needed for closure to the story. It wasn't clear if Ben was involved in Allison's death or Mason's disappearance, so his arrest was rushed too. The revenge part wasn't needed to wrap it up and it detracted from the ending for me. Still a sold 4-4.5 read!

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the book. Mystery and intrigue…characters who are likable and some not so much. Missing child…secrets…family and friends…love and romance…murder and intrigue…a cannot put down mystery…a whodunit…a talented author…dysfunctional families..parents who hide things…illness…sleep deprivation…vigils…looking for that child…begging to have him returned…this book has all of this and more…the book is fiction but reads like nonfiction. This would make a great movie. My sympathy was with the main character. She had no idea what kind of man she married…she had no clue which person she should trust. Enjoy…

hello hello hello it’s me again! praising my absolute auto-buy author stacy willingham!!!!

after reading her debut novel A FLICKER IN THE DARK last year, I knew she was going to be a new favorite author of mine! that book totally shocked me and kept me 200% invested the entire time - if you know me in person or on social media, you’ll know that it’s become my most recommended book this year 🤪

so, when I tell you I SCREAMED when I got an ARC for her second novel, I’m not lying …

and while A FLICKER IN THE DARK remains my favorite, this one was so unique and different!!! it’s every mother’s worst nightmare, and every person’s biggest true crime obsession!

told from the POV of sleep deprived mother isabelle, she’s determined to get to the bottom of what happened to her son a year ago. I found my brain leaping forward to make my thriller plot twist predictions, and similar to her other novel, I … didn’t guess it 🤯😨

the suspense and blending of past and present storylines kept this story progressing at a beautiful pace - and kept me guessing (and re-guessing and re-guessing) until the very last page!!!

this is definitely going to be one of my favorite thrillers this year (especially after the slump I’ve been in), and I can’t wait for you all to read this one!!!!

a HUGE thank you to minotaur books and netgalley for sending me the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: williamette valley pinot noir

Isabelle Drake wakes up one morning to discover her son Mason has been taken from his crib. This is every mothers worst night mare. It has been over a year and the police have no leads.

This story had a lot of potential but fell flat as a psychological thriller. The ending was good and nice twist but the rest was slow and uneventful.

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham was good but It was quite
introspective which is a tougher read for me to love. The plot was pretty darn good from start to finish but a very small cast of characters with the majority of the story involving only a few. of them. Excellent writing which always helps to complement the story.

Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

Book: All The Dangerous Things
Author: Stacy Willingham
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: January 10, 2023

I love this author! Flicker In The Dark was a great book and she has done it again. There are lots of twists and turns and it leads you down a path where you think you know what happened and then….bam no you don’t. Absolutely superb writing and I can’t wait for books by Stacy Willingham.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is January 10, 2023

Yes! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 for this one! I enjoyed Stacy’s first book, and this one did not disappoint. I was so involved with the characters, especially Isabelle. I am so glad it turned out the way it did. Great resolution! Stacy Willingham will always be one of my go-to authors to read! 🤩

I loved A Flicker in the Dark, and I was very excited when I learned about her new book. Everything I loved about her first book was here. I love how twisty this book is. And how Willingham can make everything seem so obvious but then flip it on its head. This was very well done.

This book has a lot of triggers, especially for me as a mother, but I feel like they were handled well. To give away some of these triggers would be a spoiler, so please use discretion. I really appreciated her thoughts in the author's note at the end.

Read this if you like unreliable narrators, dual timelines, and psychological thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS
BY: STACY WILLINGHAM

"All the Dangerous Things," by a new to me Author, named Stacy Willingham, has written what I would hazard a guess--to be marketed as a psychological thriller. It is a deeply, atmospheric Southern Gothic tale about a mother who is literally hanging on to her sanity by a thread. Sleep deprivation for as long as the main character, named Isabelle is experiencing can do that to you. As this sometimes eerily tale of a mother deeply suffering the disappearance of her toddler Mason. He is her only child whose abduction from his crib is taking a serious toll, on Isabelle his mother, who has not slept for a year. From the morning Isabelle discovers her son is not in his crib, she has reached the one year mark. She hasn't slept for one year, since he had gone mysteriously missing.

Abandoned by her husband Ben, Isabelle travels and talks to live audiences trying to get help from those who attend, in gleaning clues into what happened to Mason. Who could have taken her son during the night and why? As most crime buffs know when a murder or an abduction takes place, unless other evidence points towards a specific suspect, usually the detectives think it is somebody within the family who seems guilty. Both Isabelle and her husband Ben have both been interrogated by the specific detective in charge. They have been brought in to police headquarters and have been questioned separately.

Isabelle has been sleuthing herself by attending these public forums looking for clues or help from the public at large. It is on her flight home after attending one of these talks that she has given, when suddenly the man sitting beside her offers Isabelle his card. At first she balks at the idea and is rude to him.

As I read this mystery I started to ask myself if Isabelle is a reliable narrator? She spends quite a bit of time in this novel in her own head space. After a confrontation with her husband Ben, who urges Isabelle to accept Mason is dead, and to move on with her life. Isabelle cannot believe her ears. Ben after the loss of their only son, has already entered into a new relationship. Isabelle and Ben attend a one year vigil that night to memorialize Mason.

What struck me as the biggest creep factor was how chapters alternated between 1999, and, 2022, with the before chapters being especially chilling. The before chapters have both Isabelle and her little sister, named Margaret living in an old large home with a Marsh behind their home. Isabelle is a sleepwalker. That home was so creepy and, a tragedy strikes.

Stacy Willingham has previously written as her debut called, "A Flicker in the Dark," which was highly acclaimed and what led me to want to read this one. She did in this one pull off writing elegantly a chill factor back story of Isabelle's childhood. Could Isabelle still be sleepwalking in her adult life? Did she harm her son? You will have to read this highly entertaining novel if you are intrigued and are curious about learning what is a big reveal, that I never imagined or could have guessed. This was seemingly a bit longer than most psychological thrillers. I did really like it and would recommend it.

Publication Date: January 10th, 2023

Thank you to Net Galley, Stacy Willingham and St Martin's Press--Minotaur Books for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#AlltheDangerousThings #StacyWillingham #StMartinsPressMinotaurBooks #NetGalley

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from St. Martin's Press and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

What a tantalizing thriller you won't want to put down.