A little slow to start but a great story with lots of unexpected plot developments along the way and a pretty good ending !

It’s been a year since Isabelle Drake’s life was turned upside down. Her son, Mason was taken from his room while she and her husband were sound asleep in the other room. With very little evidence (no camera footage, no signs of a break in) the case is now cold. Now, Isabelle is doing everything she can to find him and will not rest until he is home (literally, she hasn’t slept in a year). Isabelle has teamed up with a podcaster and his questions have made her doubt the events of Mason’s disappearance and if she can actually trust herself.
WOW!!! This book has definitely lived up to the hype after reading A Flicker in the Dark. Willingham was able to create such creepy and unsettling vibes involving Isabelle’s sleepwalking past and her present insomnia. This played into the fact that Isabelle could no longer trust herself and really blended into the psychological thrill of it all. This becomes more apparent when we learn of something that happened in Isabelle’s past that she can’t seem to quite remember what actually happened. This one is a slow burn but definitely pays out in the end. The twist was not something I expected but well worth trying to play detective. I highly recommend this if you are into true crime and like an unreliable narrator.
Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for my digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say, most authors I read after enjoying their debut fall into the sophomore slump category, but Willingham did pretty good with constructing a thought-provoking crime novel with All the Dangerous Things. (There are some trigger warnings with this one, so please check out the end of my review before diving in.)

Thrillers with podcasts seemed to be the THING of the last couple of years, and to be honest, most haven’t worked for me, but surprisingly this one did.

Synopsis: One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. Since, Isabelle has been battling near crippling insomnia and spends all of her time trying to find her son. She meets a podcaster at a true crime convention who offers to help share her story with the masses and resurrect the cold case.

All the Dangerous Things dives into some pretty deep and dark themes, including our societies fascination with true crime that at times is borderline glorifying, as well as postpartum mental health and how society views victims. It really had me thinking about how society views victims of crimes and how that morphs overtime if a crime is unsolved. In Isabelle’s case, she’s not extremely likeable, but you feel for her because her son was taken from her and she has no answers. Her marriage has crumbled, she can barely get 15 minutes of sleep and even the Detective assigned to her case is sick of her. But why? She’s a grieving mother. While this crime is suspended in time for everyone else and they can move forward, she can’t. She lives it every minute of every day. And yet, everyone around her discards her and treats her like a potential suspect. It really gets you thinking about crime victims and the judgement society passes on them.

I also appreciated the aspect of postpartum mental health. As someone who struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety, I appreciate when a book can shed some light to this often disregarded issue that so many silently struggle with.

Only complaint….the unreliable *crazy* female narrator trope. It’s been dooooooooooooooooone. But I do appreciate that Willingham added some deeper elements to Isabelle’s story so it wasn’t the traditional crazy/drunk woman who no one believes trope that has been well overdone since…..dare I say it….Gone Girl.

Content warning: child abduction, postpartum depression, murder

Thanks so much to the author, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog

TW: death/murder, loss of children, kidnapping, postpartum depression and psychosis, some violence, infertility

I listened to this book on audio, and I was so engrossed! At one point I was forced to take about a 20 minute break to charge my earbuds because they had died, that's how long I had been listening to it. I just didn't want to put it down!

I found all of the characters really interesting in this book. They were all different and flawed and I thought that they were really well written. I especially loved all of the women in this book. They were all fully written characters with complex emotions and lives, and I really loved getting to see the range of women included in this story.

This book is told with a dual timeline, one set in the present and the other set during the main character, Isabelle's childhood. I enjoyed seeing the similarities that tied both timelines together, and it made a lot of sense thematically for the book to have both, but I will say that of the two I preferred the chapters set in the present. I didn't dislike the past, I just found the mystery in the present a bit more thrilling.

Let's talk, spoiler-free, about the whodunnit aspect of the mystery. The mystery of the past, I figured out the twist pretty early on. The mystery in the present, I was pretty sure I knew what had happened, but I was quite sure who the bad guy was. I'm not someone who is bothered by guessing the ending of a mystery, though, so it didn't bother me. And the bit that I hadn't figured out about the present, the person behind it, was a really interesting twist! I thought that it was a really interesting way to tie up the storyline.

Overall I would absolutely recommend this book to my friends and fellow readers. I listened to it on audio, and was able to read it very quickly since I was listening while working on other things, but I also think that I'd like to go back and reread it in print at some point in the future. Maybe there were clues to that final twist that I missed on audio, and I could seek them out on a reread. I think that the best way to read this book would be with a large glass of wine, and maybe a rainy afternoon, or a dark and stormy night. No better way to set the mood for a thriller, right?

All the stars for Stacy Willingham’s sophomore novel, All the Dangerous Things. I was a huge fan of A Flicker In the Dark so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of it. This book had me hooked from the very beginning and I found myself picking it up at every opportunity , The story was gripping, loved the alternating timelines and while I was dying to see how it would end, I hated for it to be over.

Highly recommend adding this one to your TBR. Thanks so much NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my copy.

All The Dangerous Things by Stacey Willingham is a fantastic psychological thriller from start to finish! I absolutely loved this book. I did not have an opportunity to read the author’s debut novel A Flicker In The Dark, but after reading her sophomore effort I am now a fan, and definitely will be going back to read it. A huge Thank You to St. Martin’s Press, the author and Net Galley for the advanced copy of the book. This twisty, enthralling tale grabbed my attention from the very first chapter, had me on the edge of my seat, up late reading and kept me guessing right up until the end. A book that should be at the top of every thriller fan’s reading list, certainly one not to be missed!

With an intense, gripping, deep and dark storyline that deals with subject matters of insomnia, motherhood, postpartum depression, kidnapping, separation and murder. The narrative is told through Isabelle's point-of-view from two time periods 1999 when she was a child, and the present day. Isabelle is an irresponsible, unsound narrator because of her lack of sleep.
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Book Synopsis: It has been 365 days since Isabelle Drake’s toddler son Mason was kidnapped right from his crib in the middle of night while she and her husband slept. There is no real evidence, any viable suspects, or leads into what happened that night. The police investigation has stalled and remains unsolved. Isabelle is suffering with severe insomnia, aside from the occasional catnap and small blackouts she hasn’t really slept the entire year. She cannot continue living this way forever, but rest is not an option when your child is missing.

Determined to find her son, and the truth she agrees to be interviewed by a true crime podcaster. With the objective of discovering clues or possibly a witness. However, the interview stirs up uncomfortable memories from her childhood and lots of uncertainty about what really happened that fateful night her son went missing. Now Isabelle is seriously doubting her own remembrance, and doesn’t know if she can trust herself or anyone else.

Ever since her son Mason was stolen from his crib one year ago, Isabelle Drake has been unable to sleep except for blackouts and small cat naps. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold, and since no body has been found, Isabelle has made it her life's mission to get her son back. In her attempt to leave no stone unturned she agrees to be interviewed for a true crime podcast, which then leads her to question everything she thought she knew.

Much like Stacy's first book, A Flicker in the Dark, this one had be intrigued from the jump. It was a quick and enjoyable read. While I am personally over the unreliable narrator trope, I am always here for the podcast trope in thrillers. Karissa Vacker nailed the narration and I'd recommend listening to the story if you enjoy audiobooks. I'm 2 for 2 in enjoying Stacy's books so I'll definitely check out what she writes next.

Special thanks to Libro.fm for the ALC copy and @netgalley, Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press for the ARC copy for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

After making an appearance at a True Crime conference Isabell Drake is annoyed to see she is sitting next to a man who introduces his self as a True Crime podcaster he even gave her his card after she made her irritation is his interruption obvious. He tells her his podcast is already solved one case and he would love to help her find her little boy who went missing a year ago. She hasn’t slept a good nights sleep since her baby went missing since then it’s been catnaps and caffeine but this isn’t her first bout with a sleeping disorder. As an adolescent she had problems with sleepwalking something that scared her six-year-old sister and worried her parents. It seems every time Isabell has problems with sleep disorders something tragic is associated and some people do blame her for her missing son but one strange thing start popping up she to start second-guessing herself. I am not doing this great book justice. this was a really awesome book I love this authors first book and I must say she has out done her self this time. If you love a good thriller with twist and no eye rolling and a narrative that completely makes sense then you should read All The Dangerous Things you will not be disappointed. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Izzy has experienced every mother’s worst fear- the kidnapping of her child. She hasn’t slept since the disappearance of her son and trying to speak publicly to raise awareness for his case while also navigating the dissolution of her marriage has not been easy. She begins to work with a podcaster to share her son’s story and to continue the search for him.. but what she’s discovering is leading her to think she might know what happened to her son already.

What I loved:
-fast paced
-twists and turns
-unreliable narrator
-complicated family relationships
-dual timelines

This was such an interesting read! I thought I knew where this was going and I was definitely wrong. I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend for thriller lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced reading copy!

Unfortunately I didn't love this book. I felt like not much happened for a significant portion of the story (almost 200 pages), and i wished the story had been teased out more slowly. I was just kind of bored for a while. In addition, I thought major climatic plot points of the book fell flat when they were revealed. I didn't see the ending coming which made for a good surprise, but it also felt a little bit out of the blue.

I much preferred Willingham's Flicker in the Dark to this latest novel. I know a ton of people loved this book and that's great! I think my lack of pizazz for it is definitely an unpopular opinion, but it just didn't wow me.

If you liked Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier, you’re going to want to read All The Dangerous Things. While the present-day plots are extremely similar, what stood out about All The Dangerous Things were the flashbacks to Isabelle’s past. I enjoyed the overlapping mysteries and how the author built suspense toward both reveals–does Isabelle’s past have anything to do with her son’s disappearance in the present? Could her insomnia have something to do with what happened to him?

I’d certainly consider this a bingeable thriller, as I finished it in just a day. Willingham’s writing makes it impossible to press pause or stop turning pages!

I was really looking forward to this book as I enjoyed the author’s first novel, A Flicker in the Dark. Stacy Willingham delivered another page-turner. This book is full of twists, a great psychological thriller. Not as gruesome as her first book. I enjoyed it just as much. Recommend.

I received an advance digital copy from the publisher via Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

I read A Flicker in the Dark last year and loved it. We all learned that Willingham can write a damn good thriller, so this read was a no-brainer for me. And I ended up loving this one even more than her last book!

As a mom to two toddler boys, I absolutely could sympathize with Isabelle. Having your child stolen from their bed in the middle of the night is probably the most horrific thing that could happen. I would absolutely be in the same state as Isabelle--not sleeping, obsessed with figuring out who did it, and enraged with the police who still have no leads.

Every chapter in this book propelled the story forward. I loved the dual timeline and how the past played into Isabelle's present-day experience. The writing is beautiful; it's full and detailed without feeling bogged down, and the story never felt slow or dull for me. I love an unreliable narrator, and as she is suffering from severe insomnia, Isabelle can't trust her own memories or her past actions, so I was looking for clues everywhere.

There were so many twists throughout the book, and I was shocked at the ending. And the author's note at the end was the cherry on top of this sundae. I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend it to all my thriller readers out there!

Happy book birthday to All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham!

Isabelle Drake’s son was kidnapped from his crib in the middle of the night. No one’s able to find him and the whole world thinks he’s dead, even the police and Isabelle’s husband. But Isabelle is certain that he’s still alive, so she spends every second of her life trying to find him.

A year has passed and Isabelle feels desperate and hopeless, so when a true-crime podcaster asks for an interview, she agrees to talk to him. But when he starts asking questions about her life and her past, she starts questioning everything that has happened, and she realizes that she can’t trust anyone, not even herself.

All the Dangerous Things is Stacy Willingham’s second novel and is even more compelling and suspenseful than her debut, A Flicker in the Dark. I just couldn’t put it down!

I was intrigued from the very first page and got pulled into the story right away. I love books with well-developed unreliable narrators and this one, with her history of sleepwalking and sleep deprivation, kept me guessing what was real and whom to trust until the end. The big twist really took me by surprise and the ending was very satisfying.

I also really liked the way the author explored motherhood, how it can be a lonely journey and the social expectations that come with it.

The audio was Narrated by Karissa Vacker and she did an amazing job. Now I cant wait to read Willingham’s next book! Thank you @librofm @netgalley @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the gifted copies of this great book.

Since her toddler son was kidnapped a year ago, Isabelle Drake has been unable to sleep. Truthfully she has always had issues with sleeping, issues that cause her to doubt everything anyone tells her about the night of the kidnapping and even her own possible role in it. This is a creepy and exciting thriller in which neither the protagonist nor the reader knows what to believe or whom to trust including the protagonist herself. Although some parts of the story may be predictable to regular readers of the genre, there are still plenty of shocking surprises and a fairly satisfying conclusion.

First book by Stacy Willingham for me her book drew me right in. turning the pages late into the night.Twists turns eerie tense.A story that kept me guessing till the last page.Will be reading more books by this author.#netgalley #st.Martinsbooks

This review is going to be short because well it doesn't need to be long. This is my first thriller of 2023 and IT DID NOT disappoint. It is told from the grieving mother's POV which I loved. Ben was piece of work (not in a good way) and I loved it! He wasn't supposed to be the good guy. I loved Stacey's writing. It gripped me from the beginning and didn't let me go. I didn't want it to end! I finished 3 DAYS AGO and it still living rent free in my brain.

On the scale of Buy, Bargain, Borrow, Bud or Bust this is the first one of 2023 I'm putting in the BUY category💥

Read this book if:
👶🏼 you want to read about a mother who will stop at nothing to find her son
👶🏼 you want to go on a wild ride
👶🏼 you like books living rent free in your brain 🧠

So I don't read many thrillers cause I get so angry when people usually women get gaslit by controlling people around them. But as this did have some of that, some rewriting truths and changing the narrative to fit the lives they wanted as possible pain to others. I was kind of feeling icky at the end even though it blew my mind.

But then I read the author's note and the reason behind this book and as I sit here with tears in my eyes I totally get it.

I think if my child went missing I would be this woman though how she got in this relationship and the aftermath and situations I hope to avoid but they happen. Women in all shapes, forms, status, etc have it rough in their own way. It has made the word "too" a trigger lol. Too this, too that. It's always too much or never enough.

Mental health issues need to be taken more seriously and if anyone ever tells you that you are just hysterical or emotional, move on to the next doctor. It's 2023 we have been through a lot and life in general is a lot without a pandemic, wars, floods, homelessness, starvation, the list is endless, there should be empathy and help for everyone.

Women's health isn't always taken seriously for some reason and it seems to depend on the doctor you talk to.

Btw I would for sure have a huge yarn wall of clues on some wall where I live. Also, pretty sure anyone would give my kids back cause they cry if out of my range. It's a mommy tracking feature.

Ok so that was just word vomit of my feelings after reading the book. I didn't know who it was though I had some ideas and some pre-existing conditions and personalities were making some look guilty so I didn't know which way to look. The pre story was so sad and is a reflection of issues in our society for sure.
Def recommend now I need to go read a romcom or fantasy book.
Love this cover too though after reading it's really eerie.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Thank you stmartinspress and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

This was my first by the author and what a thrilling ride this was. I found the timeline jumps worked really well here, especially as the story was progressing towards the conclusion. The storytelling and dual timelines came together seamlessly for some shocking revelations and twists that I did not see coming.

I have a hard time with child abduction tropes and while there were certainly several triggers here that I would caution readers to look up, I still found the story unputdownable. I also liked the inclusion of motherhood expectations, societal pressures, and postpartum health. I would encourage everyone to read the authors afterword post-reading as it does contain spoilers but gives great insight into the characters and inspiration behind them.

Fans of true crime podcasts will also enjoy this, as a large focus is on true crime. I also have to point out the fantastic narration done by Karissa Vacker! I listened to this book partially on audiobook while physically reading the rest, and her narration was incredible!

Overall, I highly recommend this one and will be picking up Flicker in the Dark next! Thank you so much to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for this gifted eARC!

4.5 stars

Isabelle Drake hasn’t slept since her son, Mason was taken from his crib in the middle of the night. One whole year without sleep, leads, or answers. Trying to leave no rock unturned Isabelle starts speaking at true crime conventions and when approached, agrees to be interviewed for a podcast.

As questions are repeated, details are rehashed, and the past is resurfaced Isabelle starts to question everything and everyone…even herself.

This was a very intriguing story told in short chapters and with an alternating timeline. It was atmospheric and drew me in but it was a slower burn. The first half especially seemed to drag on a bit, but the last 25% of the book totally made up for it.

Throughout the majority of the book I was under the impression I had this pinned down, until bam! The twists came flying and it all came together beautifully although not in the way I had expected. And while I did correctly guess some of the reveals, there were still a few that left me stunned.

The characters were messy and complicated, far from perfect and while they aren’t all that likable, they’re real. Having characters that aren’t easy to like doesn’t always work well but in this case I felt it did.

The book touches on some serious topics (miscarriage, depression, etc) but I feel it was handled delicately. The authors note at the end also really resonated with me, it was a great addition.