Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an early copy of All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham, narrated by Karissa Vacker. This was a good story that will keep you guessing. One plot twist I guessed, the other two I did not, I was completely surprised. I love when an author can do that.

This is the story of a mother trying to keep the cold case on her toddler son’s abduction alive. It has been a year since her son went missing and there has been no leads ever. Finally, a podcast writer wants to help her solve the mystery of her son’s abduction. The mother also has a mysterious past that she suspects is related to her son’s abduction, but cannot figure out how. As the story unfolds, there are many twists and turns to keep you going. The character development is strong and the story moves quickly.

The author addresses post-partum depression and the feelings that a parent sometimes has when faced with the challenge of being alone with a newborn. This part is factual and will be disturbing to some readers, but in my opinion, it added to the story and is very important to include in books, to take some of the taboo away from the subject.

If you like a mystery within a mystery, with lots of twists and turns and a quick story, you’ll like this story.

This one is definitely in my top five thrillers of the year! I turned this audiobook on and couldn’t turn it off. Blasted through it in one day! It was unassumingly suspenseful, quietly creeping up on the reader as the plot unfolded. Many gentle twists and turns that made it difficult to guess how it would end. Loved the ending!

This author has a talent for writing a narrative that feels so seamless that one forgets they’re reading a book. The prose seemed to wrap itself around me and pull me along. The pacing was bang on and the characters were brought to life. I felt like I understood them well and connected to their plights. The audio narrator helped in this aspect with a fabulous performance, using an array of voices and creating an unsettling atmosphere.

We are introduced to Isabelle Drake who is sleep deprived and barely keeping it together. It’s been a year since her toddler son Mason was kidnapped from her home and the leads have run dry. Isabelle‘s seven year marriage to Ben has also crumbled and he has informed her that he’s now moved on and dating someone new. To add insult to injury, Isabelle feels completely isolated having grown distant from her parents over the years, ever since a childhood tragedy took place. Even today, Isabelle isn’t exactly sure what happened since her parents have refused to ever talk about it. As Isabelle relentlessly tries to uncover what happened to her son, she is invited by a true crime podcaster to give an interview, which opens more doors than she ever imagined - including doors she wishes had stayed closed.

Thank you to @MacmillanAudio and @Netgalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4.5ish stars

So far, I’m a pretty big fan of this writer. Her other book was intriguing and well-written, and this one captivated me as well; the plot pulled me in immediately, the characters were complex, and the conflicts were multi-faceted, including layers from the past and present that were woven together nicely. I appreciate how the writer balances fast-paced, plot-driven writing and some heavier but relevant social issues; it’s a good mix. I didn’t anticipate a lot of the ending, which was fun. All in all, I really enjoyed this twisty (and twisted), suspenseful thriller.

When Isabelle's toddler son goes missing, her life falls apart. Her husband leaves, she can't sleep and the case quickly goes cold. A chance meeting with a true crime podcaster gives her a chance to look at the disappearance in a new way. As she starts to look back she's worried more will be uncovered than just the circumstances around Mason's disappearance.

I did this one on audio and the performance was phenomenal. So phenomenal that I spent the first half worried about this falling into my least favorite trope of unreliable narrator. I'm glad I stuck with it though, I definitely did not see the ending coming. There were so many little twists that added up to a great ending. If you're a thriller fan, definitely check this one out!

Thanks to Macmillian Audio for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

It's been one year since Isabelle Drake lost her toddler son, Mason, to a mysterious kidnapping. Always on the lookout, a wall of clues and pictures as she tries to solve the crime herself. It's pushed away her husband and taken all of her time. It's led to extreme sleep deprivation and brings her childhood sleep walking to new light. This isn't the first crime that's haunted her.

Told through her POV in a back and forth timeline from her childhood and now, we learn the inner workings of Isabelle. Could she be responsible for her missing son?

This was a binge worthy read as we try to unravel what really happened to Isabelle as a child and what is happening to her as an adult. Just when you think you've solved it all, you're given another clue, another twist. This was wonderfully done and I found myself fully immersed into the story. Empathising completely with Isabelle the whole time. What would a mother stop at to find her missing child? The answer is nothing. And Isabelle navigates it so heartbreakingly devastated. You never want to feel how something so unimaginable could be. But the reader is given a firsthand account in detail. We walk the path with her.

This was my first chance at this author. I'm still on the wait list from my library but having read this, I'll go ahead and purchase her debut instead.

Fantastic book! The multi-layered plot surprised me several times, with twists that were well thought out and plausible. This book kept my attention throughout, although it becomes even more compelling in the latter part. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook; the narrator was absolutely outstanding. I look forward to reading Stacy Willingham's previous book, "A Flicker in the Dark" next, and I hope more will be forthcoming. Many thanks to MacMillan audio and NetGalley for an audio e-ARC of this wonderful book!

4.75⭐️ Which I’ve rounded up

I really enjoyed Flicker in the dark, so I was excited to listen to this latest release. For me this excellent psychological crime thriller surpasses it. I loved it 😍

I had the audiobook l read by Karissa Vacker who does a great job with good distinct voices for each of the characters. She really adds interest with her narrative style. It has enhanced my score for the book.

Isabella Drake’s life changed a year ago when her toddler Mason was taken from his crib while she and her husband (Ben) were sleeping. She has literally been unable to sleep fixated on finding him.
The police had little to go on, the case soon went cold. Izzy resorts to taking part in a true crime podcast interview.

Chronic sleep deprivation is an interesting mix into a child abduction storyline, with the way it affects cognitive function and mental health.
The time frame moves through various periods during the year. It also goes back to Isabella’s childhood.
I was sure I knew where the storyline was going, but there’s some good twists along the way, and good red herrings. Needless to say I was wrong.

There weren’t any likeable characters, but it didn’t stop me getting totally engrossed in the story.
This is one I highly recommend, it’s even better than the debut.

What would you do if your child was missing?

I wouldn't stop until my child was found and that is what Isabelle Drake does in All the Dangerous Things. One year after her son is missing, Isabelle speaks at true crime conventions with the hope of keeping the case from going cold.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and was caught up in the storyline. Karissa Vacker's voice is smooth and she could change her voice for different characters effortlessly and brought them to life.

The plot of this book is what immediately grabbed my attention; a child missing is a parent's worst nightmare. At least it's mine, so I couldn't stop listening. I had to find out what happened to the child.

The audiobook for All the Dangerous Things is definitely worth the time to listen to! Check it out on January 10, 2023!

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

She woke up and he was gone...
One year ago, her toddler son, Mason, was taken in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room, changing their lives forever. The case has quickly gone cold with little evidence and very few leads, but Isabelle can't rest until she's reunited with her son. Aside from the occasional nap or blackout, she hasn't slept in a year. Isabelle's life completely revolves around finding her son. She reluctantly agrees to an interview with a true-crime podcaster, with the hopes that it brings about a new witness or buried clue, but his interest in her past worries her. His constant questioning combined with her severe insomnia has brought chilling memories from her childhood crashing back. The more she remembers, the more she starts to doubt her recollection of the night Mason disappeared and who she can really trust. Can she uncover what really happened to Mason that night?
I loved this book just as much as I loved A Flicker in the Dark. I was hooked from the second it started and needed answers. Isabelle's pain and fear was very evident throughout the story. The narrator, Karissa Vacker, did a phenomenal job narrating again. She did a great job bringing this story to life and portraying the emotions, making you really feel what Isabelle was feeling. I had so many theories throughout this story and was a little shocked by the result. An unsolved case, an unreliable narrator, and a horrifying past colliding together to make for an unforgettable, unputdownable psychological thriller. Stacy Willingham, I'm going to need you to write more thrillers STAT! I can't recommend her books enough and am eager to see what she comes up with next!
I received a free copy of this book via Libro.fm, NetGalley, and Edelweiss+. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

When it comes to thrillers, Stacy Willingham is now must read. The twists throughout the book and character development are everything!

Stop what you are reading and pick up this book!

This is the second book I have read by Stacy Willingham. I read her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, in January of this year and was really impressed with her writing skill. I thought the book was great and I was looking forward to seeing what she would come out with next.

Well, here we are. Not even a year later and I just finished her second book. I think this one was even better. I really enjoy Willingham's writing style and her stories keep me guessing. I can figure out a couple of the twists because I read a lot of mysteries, but I don't have it all figured out ahead of time. As I'm reading I can't wait to find out what happened.

This was just a really good story with really good writing. If you think it might be of interest to you give it a try. I don't think you will be disappointed.

I was fortunate enough to receive and e-audio copy of this book in addition to an e-book copy. The audio was narrated by Karissa Vacker and she did an excellent job. I would recommend it. However if you aren't an audio listener, it is still worth picking up the book for a read.

#allthedangerousthings:⁣
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“You don’t have to pull the trigger to get away with murder, sometimes, all you need to do is load the gun and let it go off on its own” ⁣
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Thank you @macmillan.audio @librofm for the gifted copy! ⁣
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Willingham is a wonderful storyteller. I can appreciate her writing style and she knows how to weave words together to form a masterful story. The descriptions, the hyperbole, I mean, I felt I was in the kitchen with her when she was talking to Waylon for the podcast. She’s a great storyteller. Sometimes I would forget what she was describing because there’s a lot of imagery, which sometimes slowed the pace. ⁣
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Karissa Vacker. Must I say more? I felt suffocated listening to Karissa speak. There’s a constant cloud of anxiety that looms over the story. Who really is in trouble? Who can we really trust? Who actually is a decent human? Sometimes too much suspense can turn into annoyance. You know how sometimes something is so good and then it’s like.. they just kept pushing and adding and it just ruined it? I was worried that would happen, but thankfully it did not.⁣
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Overall, I did enjoy All the Dangerous Things. I did feel like the last 25-30% really ramped up and kept my interest. All the little puzzle pieces slowly fell into place. The ending really sold it for me. Thank you again @macmillan.audio @librofm for copy. All the Dangerous Things is out 1/10/23⁣
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QOTD: What did you read this weekend?

4.5 ⭐️. A bingeable second thriller from Stacy Willingham!

Synopsis: Isabelle Drake’s son, Mason, has been missing for exactly a year. He was taken from his home in the middle of the night, and Isabelle has been unable to sleep since that night. The investigation has dried up, and the police have no leads. Out of desperation for some answers, Isabelle decides to team up with a podcaster to try find out what really happened to Mason. What she uncovers will make her question everyone around her, including herself.

Thoughts: This thriller had me hooked right away. The breadcrumbs Willingham placed were meticulously well-planned, and I could help but suspect everyone! The way Izzy’s childhood timeline was used was also really smart and enjoyable. I was definitely guessing until the end!

Karissa Vacker was an awesome narrator!

I finished this audio book in a day in a half. I was hooked from the get go. Such an amazing audiobook. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was suspenseful and the plot twist was jaw dropping!
This book follows Isabell whose son was abducted from his crib and has been missing for a year. She hasn’t moved on from this trying to find answer, her marriage failed after this and her fully focusing on finding her son. Isabell also has a secret from her past that haunts her causing her to believe that she may even have something to do with her sons disappearance. As she goes back into her past things begin to unfold and the answers may be right in front of her. This book had a grip on me. So good and intense! I highly recommend!

I realize that this is likely an unpopular opinion, but I liked but didn't love Willingham's first book, A Flicker in the Dark. Because of that I had some reservations going into her latest book. I have to admit, this one absolutely blew me away. I loved everything about it! The characters are all flawed and every single one of them is a possible suspect. The pace was excellent; it's an incredibly gripping, slow-burn thriller which kept me at the edge of my seat page after page. The twists! Phew, lemme tell you, I thought I had it all figured out a couple of times, but nope! That was such a great twisty and satisfying ending. The audiobook narrator did an outstanding job narrating this one.

Be sure to add All the Dangerous Things to your TBR list as soon as possible.
Publication date: January, 10, 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and the author for my ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

It’s been 1 year since Isabelle Drake has properly slept. It’s also been 1 year since she put her son to sleep only to wake up in the morning to find him missing. In that year Isabelle has done everything she can think of to try to find out what happened to her son - including giving talks at true-crime-con. On her way home from one of these talks she meets Whalen, a true crime podcaster who offers to help her get her story out. But Whalen has motivations of his own. Between Isabelle’s foggy memories and side effects due to lack of sleep and the number of suspicious characters, who can we trust? Who took Mason? And can he be brought home?

Isabelle was well developed, from learning her history in the chapters that give us a glimpse of her childhood and the time before Mason went missing we learn a lot about her experiences that have shaped her and give motivation to her actions. I enjoyed slowly learning about Whalen (the twist 🤯).

I did think I had it figured out early - the who AND why. I was SUPER close but I am happy to say I was wrong and the author did a great job making it a revelation.

The copy I received was an audio book. So I will also add some info regarding that. The narrator is one I’ve listened to on other books. I do like this narrator however, unfortunately in this case this narrator has a very distinct voice and I’ve only listened to chick-lit, romance books she’s narrated and I had a hard time reconciling her voice with a mystery/thriller. Other than that, she does a good job at conveying the emotions felt by Isabelle and telling the story at a good pace.

What would you do if your child went missing? Izzy Drake is in this exact situation. She doesn't really know how to handle it either but is doing the best she can. Despite her husband and even law enforcement giving up on finding her son alive, Izzy refuses to give up. She begins attending true crime conventions- all in the hopes of someone wanting to "revisit" their crime. A long shot. But what if it works? When a podcaster approaches Izzy about telling her side to the masses, she begins to unravel. Who can she trust? Can she even trust herself?

Stacy Willingham has once again delivered a slow-burning thriller that is almost impossible to walk away from without finishing. You'll absolutely never see the final twist coming.

Excellent

This audiobook was so good I found myself finding excuses to avoid other work so I could do projects that allowed me to listen while working. The plot is not new - a young boy is missing from his bedroom with no visible clues as to who took him. But the mom had some issues, mainly sleep problems that caused her to do strange things while sleepwalking. And her younger sister drowned when they were children. And she woke up that night in a different nightgown than the one she wore to bed. Did she kill or at least cause the death of her sister? And was at responsible for her son’s disappearance? It has been a year since he went missing. Her husband left her and she is alone and trying to figure out why she has done. As layers of he past are revealed, more questions arise.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the title. It just didn’t fit. “A better place” would have better matched the plot.

Highly recommended.

Pub date: 1/10/23, December early release through BOTM
Genre: thriller
One sentence summary: Isabelle Drake's toddler son Mason was stolen a year ago; since then, she hasn't slept a full night, and desperate to find him, she agrees to work with a true crime podcaster.

I enjoyed Willingham's previous book A FLICKER IN THE DARK, so I knew I had to read this one. The central mystery kept me guessing, and despite not being a mother, it was easy to empathize with Isabelle's pain. The podcast element was well done and kept the story moving. And WOW the twists! I did not see any of it coming, and I loved it. The twistiness and missing child narrative reminded me of another book favorite - LITTLE SECRETS from fellow Macmillan author Jennifer Hillier.

I did a hybrid read with the text and audio, and I really enjoyed both! The time shifts were easier to follow in the text, but I loved the narration from Karissa Vacker, so I think you can't lose whichever one you pick. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my e-ARC and Macmillan Audio for my ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! A slow burn thriller that I could not figure out! I loved A Flicker in The Dark and this one didn't disappoint. This author knows how to take you for loops leaving you dazed until the end when it all comes together. Well done!