What is it about the true crime that turns a head?

At its most basic foundation, it is ugly, twisted, and disordered, yet when you turn a case over and analyze it from all sides, you start to see much more. Like the kaleidoscope of colors and shapes from a newly cut diamond still encased in thick, ugly rock, our intrigue over crime can actually teach us something deeper about humanity. It can even be a catalyst for change that brings about the good.

In my heart of hearts, I'd like to believe this is true...

that our collective culture is more concerned about how to help victims of crime, rather than just gawking at their calamity.

But, I don't know,

ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS by Stacy Willingham convinces me that the jury is still out on that one.

From complex relationships, to well-plotted intrigue, to deeply nuanced characters, ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS is a lesson on the deeply flawed cracks within humanity and our intense desire to understand every dark crevice. It's a riveting read you could read in a sitting or two -- yet one you could digest slowly with a book club.

A strong 4.5 stars from me!

All The Dangerous Things
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
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One year ago Isabella Drake’s life was turned upside down and ripped apart. Her son Mason was taken from his crib one night while her and her husband were sleeping. A year later and Isabella can’t rest until she finds Mason. In hopes to find her son, she agrees to interview with a true-crime podcaster. This podcaster has an interest in her past and that worries Isabella, but will it help her find Mason?
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This was my first from this author! I still have A Flicker in the Dark on my shelf I need to check out soon! This fast-paced thriller was hard to put down and when I did put it down it was hard not to think about it! It hooked me from the beginning and I needed to know what happened to Mason!! All the characters were so well written and made me really guess the entire time who could have done it! When the ending started to unfold with chaos, deception, and SO MANY secrets I was blown away by how it all pieced together. This was definitely one of the best thrillers I’ve read all year! Five stars ⭐️! So well done! This one hits bookstores January 10th! I’d be sure to get my hands on this one! Thank you so much @netgalley & @MinotaurBooks for my advanced reader copy of this one!

4.5 stars

What a ride!  This is a thoroughly gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller with plot twists I never saw coming.  The storytelling is excellent and thought-provoking.  At its heart, this is a story about family secrets and the stories we tell ourselves to make it all make sense. 
 
I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to see what this author does next.  Add it to your TBR!

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham has so many intricate details that by the end I could only marvel at all of the reveals.

✔️Stolen/missing child
✔️Sleepwalking/insomnia
✔️Dark family secrets
✔️Hidden agendas

Man this was a well laid out novel that kept me guessing. Isabelle has a missing son, an ex-husband moving on since their loss and a crumbling life as it becomes harder to tell sleeping from waking as insomnia takes a stronger hold.

The author strategically lays out the narrative placing red herrings and small revelations scattered throughout. I found this one atmospheric, emotionally riveting and wholly frustrating at times. Slow too build (in a good way), unexpected outcomes and characters I honestly can't say I liked but man I couldn't look away from. Call it the bookish version of an excellent plot car wreck. I utterly rubbernecked.

The audiobook is narrated by Karissa Vacker. The ebook took me a little to get into but when I started listening, it literally flew by. She carries the tumultuous cloud that hangs over the main character well in her narrative voice. Definitely a narrator I'll look forward to listening too in the future.

Thrillers have been a bit of a miss for me and I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the gifted advanced copies for review. All thoughts are my own.

Wow! What a way to end 2022 with this gem! This book had so many layers and multiple side storylines that kept me plowing through this suspenseful read. I generally have an idea on the whodunnit books I read but the ending caught me by surprise and I loved it! Again, so many layers built into this amazing story with so many thought provoking moments. This is the second book I’ve read by this author and she is now an auto buy!

For the genre, the pace was way too slow. Nothing really happens until the latter third of the book, and by then, it's a little too late. The story jumped back in forth between present and Isabelle's childhood, and it was done in a manner that just felt jumpy and disjointed. There were a few twists, but they were a bit predictable. Nothing really stood out to me as unique with the characters. This was just "meh."

Isabelle Drake has not slept for over a year. Her toddler son, Mason, was taken in the night one year ago and she travels across the country sharing her story and searching. I know am in the minority with my rating and review but I struggled to find the whole plot believable. The pace was slow, jumping back and forth between present day and Isabelle's childhood.

Although the ending was twisty and suspenseful, not much happened until the last 50 pages or so and I struggled with how much was included in the ending, it just didn't seem genuine. It's obvious from the ratings and reviews that many people have loved reading this book, but for me, there was no spark with the characters or plot.

Thank you to Stacy Willingham, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, what a read. This book blew me away and I could not get enough of it. I ended up reading it in one sitting and when I was done I needed more. This book moves along at a great pace that makes for an easy and enjoyable read. The characters seem so real that you feel like you know them and you cannot get enough of them. This is a book that needs to be read, there is no doubt about that.

I loved Willingham’s previous book A FLICKER IN THE DARK, and now she is back with a second book…I knew I had to have it!

Isabelle Drake’s son, Mason, was kidnapped and she is beside herself and unsure of how to move forward. She still holds onto hope that one day Mason will turn up, and she is desperate to find out what happened to him.

The toddler’s disappearance really does a toll on Isabelle and her husband’s marriage and they end up splitting up, and Isabelle consumes her time attending true crime conventions in order to keep her son’s name out there in hopes that someone will step forward with some information.

Isabelle has a dark past that is slowly coming back to haunt her, and she begins to question herself & what really happened many years ago.

This book started out with a bang, and definitely sucked me in, but the pacing slowed down towards the middle and slowly builds up the tension for a climatic ending. I really enjoyed the twist at the end and definitely did not see it coming.

This is not a fast paced thriller, so do not go into it expecting that. It is more of a slow burn, build up of suspense and intensity for an explosive ending that surely won’t disappoint you.

I loved the plot and storyline, the short chapters, and the build up of suspense throughout. I loved where the author went with this storyline and thought it was different and unique. I like books where the MC cannot trust themselves, and therefore it leaves the reader questioning every little thing-that was this book!

Definitely pick this one up if you enjoy a suspenseful and tension filled slow burn psychological thriller!

Isabelle Drake has not had a good night sleep since her son, Mason was stolen from his crib in the middle of the night one year earlier. Now her entire life is about trying to find out what happened to her beloved son.

Exhausted from lack of sleep, most days it feels like she is on her own in the search for answers. Without any leads the case has gone cold. But a chance meeting leads to an opportunity to reach a broader audience.

She will do anything to find out the truth. Even though the answers may surprise everyone....including Isabelle.

I really enjoyed this novel. The story is told from Isabelle's point of view in the present as well as the year 1999 when Isabelle was a young girl.

A bit of a slow burner, All the Dangerous Things was still quite a well written and intriguing story. It touches on a lot of important issues and I really liked how it all came together in the end.

I was lucky to again have both the eBook and audio and absolutely loved being able to switch between the two. Karissa Vacker is an excellent narrator.

I'm adding Stacy Willingham to my must read list of authors and look forward to reading her next book.



Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced readers copy of this book and audiobook for me to read and listen to in exchange for my honest review

Thanks to Minotaur Books for the ARC!

“After all, violence always comes to us in ways we could never expect: quickly, quietly. Masked as something else.”

Stacy Willingham does it again! Another five-star thriller that completely captivated me. The pacing was perfect, holding my attention the entire time, with twists (that I couldn’t guess!) in all the right places. Although missing child stories can be hard to read as a mom, this one was really well done from the perspective of a mother MC. I loved the domestic suspense, unreliable narrator, and podcast element. Total win!

Stacy Willingham is one of my favorite new authors. I read A Flicker in the Dark recently and knew I needed to take the opportunity to read this. Excellent storyline that hits all parents in the heart and takes mental health seriously while also capturing your attention leaving you needing to know where the story is going.

I listened to this story all in one sitting while I was on a long car drive and thought it was a fine way to pass the time, but as an avid thriller reader it didn't offer me anything too new or exciting. This one wasn't super memorable to me, but if you're new to the genre you'll likely enjoy it more.

Thank you to the publishers for granting me an ARC via NetGalley and sending me a physical galley for review.

Atmospheric and full of twists and turns, this book was truly unputdownable. Isabelle Drake's disappears from his crib. One year later, the investigation has grown cold She meets a podcaster who wants to interview her to help with the case. She agrees, but his questions make her question her memories from that night and memories from her childhood. Equal parts psychological thriller and suspense, Stacy Willingham continues to deliver 5-star reads.

This one will keep you on your toes with every turn of the page. I loved her first book so I knew I had to read this one! It did not disappoint at all. I thought I had it all figured out but I definitely did not. Thanks for my copy!

▪️REVIEW▪️

All the Dangerous Things ~ Stacy Willingham

▪️QUICK TAKE:
* Genre: thriller
* Pub date: January 11, 2023
* Pages: 336
* Gist: Scorned wife, desperate mother.

Isabelle’s son was taken one night out of his crib and since then, Isabelle refuses to sleep until he is back in her arms. Her life revolves around finding him and she stops at nothing to piece the clues needed for his safe return. Unfortunately, these clues bring about some of the most unlikely suspects, including Isabelle herself.

I loved Willingham’s debut A Flicker in the Dark, so this was a must for me and it didn’t disappoint. Perfectly paced, I could not put this one down and the twists came at all the right times. There is a story within the story that is a nice touch to help bridge the past and present together and truly made me start to doubt myself as the reader. Willingham is officially an auto-buy for me after this dark and twisty page-turner!

I loved this book like I did her first one . This author is good at creating believable characters and fast paced plots that make for just good reads.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book

After a solid month of reading nothing but holiday romance books, I was craving a mystery/thriller that I could binge. All the Dangerous Things, by Stacy Willingham, did the trick! This book is out now from BOTM, and pub day from @minotaur_books is 1/10/23!

One year ago, Isabelle’s son was taken from his crib while she and her husband were asleep in their room. There are no leads, few clues, and Isabelle has made it her life to find out what happened to him. She agrees to be interviewed for a podcast, but he starts making Isabelle uncomfortable. Pairing with her insomnia and memories from her past, Isabelle starts wondering off she had something to do with her son disappearing.

This wasn’t as much an ‘edge of your seat’ read, but it still held my interest and I read it in 2 sittings. I also didn’t guess the twists, so that was a big plus! Overall it was a fun read and exactly what I needed to get out of my slump!

This book will be published on January 10, 2023, and will probably be very popular. I see that the early reviews are 98% favourable, and it distresses me that I failed to engage in the story. I found the book to be written in a style I could not appreciate. It seemed to be all about style over substance, and it would have benefitted from "less is more." It was overwritten, too verbose for me, with numerous similes, allegories and metaphors attached to her many thoughts and reactions. These swept me out of the story and distracted me from feeling much tension and suspense, rendering the story slow and tedious. There was a good, twisty plot with plenty of twists and surprises in the solutions to the mysteries. I thought it contained too much unnecessary filler and useless descriptive passages leading nowhere.

It is told from the narrator's viewpoint. It explores the present situation and goes back to the recent past and some tragic events in Isabel's childhood. A year has passed since Isabel's eighteen-month-old son, Mason, vanished while she and her husband were asleep. We are told that Isabel suffers from debilitating insomnia, which differs from another type of sleep disorder she experienced as a child. Her lack of sleep since Mason disappeared can lead to delusions and hallucinations and may make her an unreliable narrator. I know I was supposed to feel sympathy for Isabel, a mother distraught with a missing child and the subsequent breakup of her marriage. The melodramatic writing made me dislike her. I imagined Mason climbing out of his crib and running away from home on his stubby little legs to escape his whiny mother. This was not the intended effect of the story!

Isabel feels the police are not putting enough effort into finding out what happened to Mason. In the present time, she tells her story to audiences. She hopes to uncover a villain by studying the lists of names of the people in attendance, but so far, this has been futile. The police have been trying to dissuade her from pursuing this tactic. Lack of sleep is causing blackouts and confusion.

A successful true crime blogger approaches her and offers to help, and Isabel finally cooperates with him. Many lies, deceptions, omissions, and misdirections must be solved before she learns Mason's fate. She worries that she may have harmed her little boy during her sleepless state and has no memory of what happened the night he vanished. She has a reason to be scared. Repressed memories from her childhood are beginning to surface and filling her with guilt and dread.

There was a good plot, but the dual timelines, with the separate, hidden mysteries influencing Isabel's mental state, overcomplicated the storyline. My misgivings should not deter prospective readers, as I am in the minority here. There are many highly positive reviews. I wish to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (Minotaur Books) for the early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

A year ago, Isabelle Drake's life was dramatically changed when her toddler was taken while she and her husband slept in the next room. Once a sleepwalker but now suffering from crippling insomnia, Isabelle is obsessed with finding Mason. When she turns to a true crime podcaster for help, Isabelle begins to doubt her memories and worries that she might have been responsible.

Stacy Willingham's sophomore novel is an excellent domestic thriller, even better than her debut. With plenty of red herrings and great twists, All the Dangerous Things will keep you gripped to the page, never knowing which character you can trust. Even better, the character development is top-notch. Full of nuanced women, the story shows so many facets of motherhood, both good and bad.