
Member Reviews

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).

All the Dangerous Things is a slow-burn mystery that does set up a chilling ending if you stick with it. Willingham has leveled up her craft, and I am eager to see what she comes up with next.

Quick, easy read! I loved the twists - definitely some shadey people out there. Willingham does a great job with the plot setup and just tearing it apart.
Isabelle's son was taken from his bedroom a year ago - 365 days of no sleep and refusing to accept he's gone.
A podcast host resolves to help her find him - digging deep into the events of that night.
Her husband, Ben, has already moved out - and started a new relationship.
Convinced she had hurt her younger sister during a bout of sleepwalking, Isabelle isn't sure she isn't guilty.

I loved Stacy Willingham's debut, A Flicker in the Dark. It was excited and fast paced. I didn't think she would be able to top it. However, this was even better. I love the incorporation of the podcast in the storyline. It brings a modern element into the story to make it seem more realistic. This author is now an autobuy for me.
When Isabelle's son goes missing, she will not rest (literally) until he is found. For over a year she looks for him, trying to find witnesses or remember anything that might have been overlooked. She agrees to be interviewed for a podcast, but the host seems to focus on her instead of her son, Mason. She doubts what she believes and who she trusts. Such a great thriller that keeps you guessing the whole time!!

This was a gripping story and dark at times. I loved the twist and how everything wrapped up.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so excited for this, and tried to read it right after I had my son, and it was too stressful for me to get through. I just wasn't what I needed post partum. Bummer.

This one had me guessing until the very end. I enjoyed the complexity with which the author handled the "unreliable narrator" concept in this thriller, because ultimately our protagonist wanted the truth about not only her past but her present situation.

I really like this story and the unknown theme that kept you wondering what was real and what was not. The twist was very unexpected and the ending was excellent.

Books like this one haunt me in my sleep. Anything in regards to missing and or abducted children, ugh it takes my anxiety to to level. This was an exceptionally well done book, and a first for me from this author. Won’t be the last!

This started out kind of slow, but then halfway thru it really picked up! I had my thoughts about who I thought it was or what happened the night of the kidnapping. I definitely didn’t piece together everything! Lots of twists at the end, and it didn’t leave you with any loose ends.

domestic thrillers are my fav and this was no exception! though it was a bit repetitive at times, it had plenty of twists and turns with an ending I didn’t see coming. it did the unreliable narrator aspect so well that I was never quite sure who or what to believe.
definitely recommend if you enjoy mysteries/thrillers - I read this in a day and couldn’t put it down!

Isabelle hasn't slept in a full year. Of course, she's had some micro-naps, minutes a day where her body forces her to rest in order to stay alive. But ever since her toddler, Mason, has gone missing, she has felt the need to solve the open case to bring him home. The police aren't much of a help, her husband has left her, and she hates that she needs to resort to presentations in front of true crime junkies who view her life as entertainment. But when Waylon, a podcaster, gives her an opportunity to tell her side of the story, she's cautiously optimistic and begins to uncover more about her own past.
This was more than just a twisty thriller, but don't get me wrong -- this had some excellent, unpredictable and most importantly, realistic twists. But more so, this was a great mystery with some strong messages about motherhood, guilt, and the ways we are often confined to our own perspectives of our lives.
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I absolutely loved Stacy’s debut “A Flicker in the Dark” so when “All the Dangerous Things” came out I knew I needed a copy.
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. Isabelle's entire existence from that day forward revolves around finding him.
Once again Stacy’s writing drew me in and I was captivated with the story. It was an intelligent spine tingling thriller that kept me guessing who was responsible for Mason's disappearance and why. Stacy touches upon trauma, motherhood and mental health.
It’s safe to say I am 100% a fan of Stacy’s work and will be looking forward to her next book.
I want to thank NetGalley, Stacy Willingham and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

4.5 stars rounded up! This book met all of my expectations - which isn't a surprise. I A LOVED Flicker in the Dark so much and this book was JUST AS GOOD! Stacy Willingham is now going to be an immediate purchase author for me. I had no idea what was going on and twist after twist kept coming!

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.
If I thought I loved Stacy Wilingham's debut novel last year, I have been BLOWN AWAY by how much more I loved this second story from her. This book was utter perfection from start to end. There is something exceedingly satisfying about the way Stacy crafts very character drama-esq stories that have intense thriller vibes to them, and a mystery to unravel all in one delightfully addicting plotline.
This particular story of a child being kidnapped, and never found, with a mother who refuses to let the case die until she gets answers was ripped from the headlines compelling. I loved Isabelle and I loved that her insomnia gave her a hint of unreliable narrator trope, without diving totally into it. I loved that she was a perfectly written vulnerable woman, who was still fierce and strong in her convictions to find her child. I LOVE that the relationship with her estranged husband was as utterly complicated and messy as I imagine it would be in real life. The entire story I was rooting for Isabelle to get her answers and rooting for justice to be served.
No spoilers - but I can say that I didn't see the twists coming in this one, and I literally devoured this book in one sitting because I REALLY NEEDED TO KNOW what happened and what was going to happen next.
Overall, this is just such a terrific read. A must have for thriller and mystery lovers this spring!

I felt her sophomore novel was a lot slower read compared to her first book. I enjoyed the premise of it, and it was quite a gripping tale. I would have prefer if the plot line sped up slightly, because in the middle of the book it was quite slow. I also felt there were some storylines that were dropped that we never got the full resolution for - I'm not sure if it was intended that way or forgotten about. While this book was not my favorite, I will still pick up any novels that she writes in the future.