Member Reviews
Thank you to NetGalley and Edelweiss Publishing for the ARC of All the Dangerous Things!
I read Stacy Willigham's first book, A Flicker in the Dark, and LOVED it. I couldn't wait to read this one. I can say I loved this as much as the first novel I read by her. Izzy's son, Mason, was kidnapped from her house in the middle of the night. Izzy has not slept in the years since he was kidnapped, as she is a chronic sleepwalker. The story focuses on Izzy and worry that she may have had something to do with it due to her sleep walking. 4 stars because the beginning took a little bit to get into, but definitely made up for it!
After reading A Flicker in the Dark and loving it, Stacy Willingham does not disappoint with All the Dangerous Things. Great storyline with twists you never see coming. Allison is an unreliable narrator, or is she? After discovering her 6 month old son missing one morning a year ago, Allison has not slept more than cat naps or quick dozes, for fear that she will miss her son being found. And she can’t rely on her husband for the support she needs, and she can’t stop looking for her son even when friends and family think she needs to move on, for the sake of her health, if nothing else.
I absolutely devoured this book and could not put it down! This was such a smart, atmospheric and powerful thriller! The book was wonderfully paced and the setting at Izzy’s childhood home is so ethereal! I also think this would be such an excellent book for book clubs to discuss. I love that in addition to being a psychological thriller, this really dug into the heart of mother’s and mental health. This novel was incredibly powerful and I know it will stick with me for days!
I have to say this sophomore novel is better than "A Flicker in the Dark". Seriously, how many times did she put the word flicker in the book?!?
I read All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham completely blind. I didn't read the description when requesting the ARC from Netgalley nor after receiving a digital copy. After loving the author's first novel, Flicker in the Dark, I just needed to get my hands on ADT right away. Not knowing anything about the plot enhanced my experience of the book and, since I had no preconceived notions of what the story would be like or whom it would center on, I'm hesitant to share too much in this review.
For those who like to know at least the basics of what they're going to read, All the Dangerous Things starts with the one year anniversary of main character Isabelle's infant son going missing. From there it delves into family secrets, and how our childhood lore shapes us. Readers are drawn into the intricacies, joys, and hardships of motherhood, self doubt, and the lies we tell ourselves.
Stacey Willingham masterfully plotted this novel with plenty of twists and turns along the way that all seemed to fit and match up with the story, rather than being thrown in for the sake of surprise. She's a hell of a good writer and I was drawn into the book from page one. I will be reading anything and everything she publishes.
It’s been a year since Isabelle Drake’s baby was taken from her home while she and her husband slept in the room next door. The hot case turned cold quickly, when no evidence was found and no leads were forthcoming. The police may have given up on finding Mason, but Isabelle will stop at nothing until her son is back in her arms. Her worry and fear have been so great, that she’s had very little sleep in an entire year and the lack of REM sleep is making her think some pretty strange things. When she agrees to be on a true crime podcast in hopes of new evidence, she begins to believe the podcaster has ulterior motives and knows more than he’s saying. Is her insomnia making her paranoid or is her mother’s intuition on to something?