Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of All the Dangerous Things in exchange for an honest review. I’ll just say that Willingham has done it again. She does a great job of creating atmosphere. I could feel the streets beneath my feet. This one kept me on my toes and I would recommend picking it up and giving it a read.

4.5 stars

<i>All the Dangerous Things</i> follows Isabelle Drake, a mother desperate for answers after her son has been missing for a year. Mason disappeared from his nursery, yet the police have no suspects or strong evidence of where he could have gone. Isabelle takes matters into her own hands and investigates every suspicious person, and eventually considers herself as a possible suspect. She suffers from insomnia and has a history of sleepwalking, and doesn't know if she is forgetting something key that could lead her to her missing son.

I read Stacy Willingham's debut novel and liked it, but this one was much better! They both had a similar format, in terms of an unreliable main character who then trusts a stranger who appears in her life to help solve a crime. However, the twists were more thrilling in this one. It took me about halfway through the novel to get invested, however, I enjoyed the ride after that and couldn't put it down. I liked how the ending was revealed, and the story flowed well overall.

TW: postpartum depression/psychosis, loss of a child, suicide, miscarriage, depression

I liked Willingham’s debut. Despite predicting the killer about third of the way through. So, of course, I was interested in seeing what she comes up with next. Apparently…pandering.
Which is to say the author’s sophomore effort plays up on every genre cliché from the classic unreliable narrator to the classic guilty party and more.
The thing is, I’ve just revisited my review of Flicker in the Dark and apparently, I enjoyed the writing so much, I overlooked the predictable plot. I don’t remember the book now, so maybe it was a stronger novel or maybe I was in a different—more generous—mood, but this one failed to skate by on the writing alone for me. And yes, the writing is good, Willingham has talent, but it seems it’s mostly restricted to the atmosphere and ambience…all the minutiae that drag out a very simple, fairly straight-forward (especially in retrospect) story into something that’s way over 300 pages.
Isabell, her protagonist is just THAT unreliable, a former sleepwalker who fears she’s at it again and his time might have done something to her baby. The baby’s been missing for a year during which time, her life has fallen apart. The cops aren’t helping. A podcaster (because there’s always some podcaster in thrillers these days) wants to help but can she trust him. On and on Isabelle goes spinning her wheels and casting accusations. But in the end, she’s just another hysterical mommy in another trite mommy thriller. And she can’t help it…she’s written that way.
Readable, even entertaining in own way, but ultimately didn’t do much for me outside of serving as a reminder of why I’m reading less thrillers these days. Thanks Netgalley.

I read this author's debut, A Flicker in the Dark, and enjoyed it. Just like her debut, I sped through All the Dangerous Things and overall felt it was a good read.

A friend of mine and I read this together. If you have a friend who loves thrillers and mysteries this would be a fun one to read together. We were throwing out theories left and right and wouldn't you know it ... they proved to be correct 😂

Definitely one for fans of domestic thrillers. I usually don't like them but this is an exception. If this is on your radar, grab it and enjoy! I sincerely appreciate Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

The kind of book you can’t put down. It is so well written, and the mystery and twists and turns had me intrigued and glued to the pages from start to finish. This is an addictive thriller with an ending that you will not see coming.

Isabelle's life is forever changed when her son, Mason, disappears in the middle of the night. Now, one year later, Isabelle is all consumed by her desperate need to find her son and find out who took him. Isabelle is used to those who suspect she had something to do with her son's disappearance, and in a last effort to let her story be told and continue her search for the truth, Isabelle agrees to be interviewed by a true crime podcaster. Working with him opens up new connections to the case that Isabelle did not see coming, and new truths about her son and his whereabouts start to come to the surface.

This book was twisty and fun. I was skeptical of all characters the whole time and I enjoyed how each character had their own connection to the case. Stacy Willingham did a great job weaving this story together and creating a true mystery! Bravo!

4 stars

I really enjoyed Stacy Willingham's debut novel, and after reading this one I have to say that I am definitely a fan. I find that authors sometimes have what I call a sophomore slump, and this book didn't suffer.

It is a "missing without a trace" trope which isn't necessarily my favorite mystery trope but this one was well done. I found that it took me a little bit longer than normal to figure out the whole thing, but I still figured it all out before the end of the book which is par for the course for me.

The two timeline thing that Stacy does is something that I really like. I will say that the focus on Isabelle's lack of sleep and her being overly tired all the time in the present timeline kind of bothered me, it felt excessive.

Fast-paced, timely reveals that don't feel forced or like it was dragging on, all in all it was a good read and a good time. I definitely recommend it if you are looking for a quick read,

A year ago, Mason Drake was taken from his crib in the middle of the night while his parents slept. Since then, Isabelle, his mother, has dedicated her life to finding out what happened to him. With little evidence to go off of, his disappearance has essentially become a cold case with police. But that’s not stopping his mother.

Isabelle goes to true crime conventions to tell her story. She barely sleeps. Her husband left. But all she wants is Mason’s return. When a true crime podcast host asks to interview her, she immediately declines. She doesn’t want her story being made into more of a mockery. She eventually reluctantly agrees, as maybe there is even just one person out there that knows what happened to Mason.

They have regular meetings discussing Mason’s disappearance, but is he also looking into her? And is she now starting to doubt her role in his disappearance? And was she also involved her sister’s accident when they were younger? Every answer leaves Isabelle with more questions, but she’s determined to find the truth.

All the Dangerous Things is a good book. Although, I didn't find anything outstanding about the book, I did really like Stacy Willingham's first book "A Flicker in the Dark" I just can't say that "All the Dangerous Things" even compares to "A Flicker in the Dark". I look forward to more titles Stacy writes. Hopefully it will give be a clearer outlook on the author.

One of my first 5 stars of the year! I read it with a book club, and we loved discussing our theories 2/3 of the way through. Let me just say, this one took ALL of us by surprise! The twisty ending was perfect. It was a quick and suspenseful read. I enjoyed her first book, but could see the growth in writing between book 1 and this one. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work!

A picture-perfect domestic suspense that checks all the boxes. Missing child, desperate mother, podcaster. No one is who they seem to be. Great twists, satisfying ending.

I got this arc from netgalley and then checked it out later from my library to read it again. It's every parents worst fear. Your child being taken from your own home, wondering if you failed somehow as a parent. The slide intro depression and suicidal thoughts. Marriage breaking apart and then trying to move on and find something to give you peace...I never saw the twists that was thrown in here and they were great

“A storyteller never goes into a story without actually knowing the story. Without having an idea of what it is you want to tell. You don’t go in blind, searching for answers. You have the answers—your answers, at least; the answers you want—and you go in searching for proof.”

Nahhhh because this book THRILLED me for real. That ending?! Are you kidding me???? I was SHOCKED.

What I loved:
-Dual/nonlinear timeline - this helped to piece everything together in the end.
-The ending!! I was honestly not expecting that and I was like, DANG OKAY WHAT OMG NO. lol
-An unreliable narrator - I was on the edge of my seat wondering if I could trust this woman or not
-Vivid writing - this kept me engaged and I felt a part of the intensity of the story
-The psychology of the mind and this idea that... could we be capable of horrific behavior when unconscious? Do we ever truly know what we're capable of?

Truly fantastic. And haunting.

I highly recommend this thriller!! Definitely in my top 5 favorite thrillers of all time. So, if you haven't yet, get yourself a copy and get lost in this wild ride.

❗️TW: loss of a child, postpartum depression/anxiety, motherhood trauma, child abduction❗️

I always want to squeal with joy when I finish a thriller novel without rolling my eyes. All The Dangerous Things might take the top spot for thrillers so far this year. While I was wildly uncomfortable, terrified and angry right from the beginning of this book, it was for all the right reasons. The author really gets under your skin and makes you feel all the uncomfortable feelings and emotions the characters are experiencing.

Usually I can't stand thriller novels that revolve around a woman's mental health, postpartum and postpartum mental health, but this one really handled it well and I loved the author's note at the end about it. I couldn't have predicted the outcome of this novel if I tried. I was fully enthralled in the entirety of this book from start to finish and I couldn't get enough! Can't wait for more from Stacy Willingham.

I was a little nervous going into this one after reading A Flicker in the Dark- which I enjoyed but found it way too predictable.
This one was great. I was second guessing myself throughout the book and the ending was a surprise. Def recommend for my mystery/thriller friends.

I really liked A Flicker in the Dark so I was excited to read All the Dangerous Things . It did not disappoint.

From the very beginning, I was engrossed by the story - missing baby, mom who can’t sleep, true crime podcast…. All things that kept me flipping the pages late into the night. It kept me guessing until the very end!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Stacy Willingham's debut A Flicker in the Dark was an enjoyable read so I was really looking forward to her second one and it didn't disappoint! Some readers avoid crimes against children so it should be known the book begins with a kidnapped baby. The poor mother is so sleep deprived and is an unreliable narrator throughout the book. Did she harm her own baby and not remember? The story is sad but compelling. I highly recommend this one if you like a well written, thriller with an unpredictable twist near the end.

I really enjoyed this book! I will be looking for other books by this author. It kept me on the edge of my seat from page one til the end. I didn't want to put it down til I finished!! I would definitely recommend this book,

Isabelle Drake’s toddler son, Mason, was kidnapped from his bedroom a year ago while she and her husband slept just a room away. And while the case has mostly gone cold, Isabelle will stop at nothing to chase leads and find her son — that’s why she agrees to be interviewed by a true crime podcaster and speaks at conventions. But she’s soon uncomfortable with the podcaster’s questions and questioning her own past.

I enjoyed Willingham’s debut and recommend it, but I was completely enthralled in “All the Dangerous Things” and read it in less than 24 hours. If you’re in a slump or want to read more books in 2023, this would be an excellent way to jump start the habit. There are a couple of excellent twists here that will keep you guessing up until the last page.

This book unfolds in the South Carolina Low Country and Savannah, Georgia, and having spent some time in both areas, I really enjoyed the setting.

The author’s note is fantastic, but don’t read it beforehand! It’s a spoiler (and at the end of the book, so read it afterward).