Cover Image: All the Dangerous Things

All the Dangerous Things

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Member Reviews

Isabelle Drake's son, Mason, is taken from his crib while everyone in the house is asleep in the middle of the night. Isabella will stop at nothing to find her son, despite the fact that there is little evidence and the police have few leads to go on. Isabella cannot sleep, function, or live a normal life until she is able to find out what happened to her son.

With the goal of keeping her cold-case story in the forefront, Isabella delivers speeches at events like crime-con. She also agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster who is fairly famous. But after several interviews with the podcaster, Isabella begins to wonder, why is he so interested in this case?

This book kept me at the edge of my seat as the author creates an atmosphere so eerie and unsettling that it is almost uncomfortable. Almost. Weaving together timelines of past and present, along with several characters that can go back and forth between appearing sinister and then appearing harmless, the reader begins to wonder, who is the crazy one here? I love a good unreliable narrator book, and Stacy Willingham executed this one flawlessly. I would highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of her work.

I did listen to this book on audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job.
Special thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher, for this audio-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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My second by Stacy Willingham solidified her terrific, twisty tales as some of my absolute thriller faves.

It’s trigger-heavy, especially for parents, since the story revolves around the disappearance of Isabelle Drake’s toddler son, Mason. Her life has unraveled since he was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night a year ago. She’s split with her husband. The case has gone cold. She’s barely slept at all. But she refuses to give up hope.

She agrees to work with a true-crime podcaster to drum up new interest in the case, but her insomnia, along with long-buried childhood memories, have her more on edge than ever. She’s doubting everything and everyone–including herself–more than ever. But nothing will stop her from getting answers.

I loved every layer of this story, and narrator Karissa Vacker made the already stellar reading experience even more enjoyable with her impeccable pacing. Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

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Isabelle Drake has been trying to find her missing son for a year. She has taken on the investigation on her own, calling the detective daily, alienating her friends and family. Not only did she lose her son, but she lost her marriage too along the way. But could she be the cause of her sons disappearance. There was a line in the start of this book that compared the main character to Casey Anthony and from that point on, I started looking at this book differently. I didn't view this book simply of a reader of fiction, I started to read it as if this was a real life case that I was following on the news. I definitely discovered I have a different way for approaching the innocent until proven guilty mindframe.
As a psychological thriller fan, I can assure you that All the Dangerous Things has it all. Gaslighting, infidelity, sleepwalking/insomnia caused memory lapse, deceit. Is Isabelle a caring mom who wants to find her son? Or is Isabelle a murderer trying to cover this up, along with things of her past?

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Mason, a toddler is taken from his home during the night. A year later, his mother Isabelle hasn’t given up on believing Mason is still alive. She speaks at a true crime convention and tries to keep the story in the news. She stays on the police to keep the case open and hopes her son will be found alive. She shares her story with a podcaster and invites him into her home. Her husband tries to move on with his life, and moves on from his wife. Isabelle has experienced loss in her past. And so has her husband. This story gives glimpses of the past and leaves the reader questioning what/how/why and if there are patterns and connections.

I have read a lot of thrillers. While reading one, I keep in mind that nothing can be trusted and that everything is subject to question and unravel. If I think an author wants me to believe one way, I’ll doubt it. Twists and revelations are not very surprising when you’re prone to analyzing every word and trying to solve the mystery. I was able to predict a number of things early on in the story but I still enjoyed reading this book. The writing and pace are solid and it is better than a lot of others in this genre!

If you enjoy thrillers and read a lot of them, put this one on your list. If you rarely read thrillers, I wouldn’t say this is a “must read” but I also don’t think too many people will be disappointed by it.

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All the Dangerous Things, much like the author's debut A Flicker in the Dark, was a middle of the road mystery/thriller. It was enjoyable enough while reading, with overall pretty good pacing, but nothing earth shattering. The story was a little predictable at times, but had a couple of good twists here and there and then finally wrapped up in a neat little bow.
I very much enjoyed the narration by Karissa Vacker, who is one of my favorite audio book narrators.

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I heard a lot of buzz about this book and was excited to read it. I don’t see what the buzz was all about. This was just an average mystery/suspense novel for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Okay so I'm going to start this review by saying I'm rounding up to 4 stars. It would probably have been closer to a 3.7 for me.

I really liked the general premise of the book - I like when main characters are actively playing detective, and I really like that a true crime podcaster was involved (nothing gets me reading a book quite as fast as that), and I LOVE the dual timeline aspect. A mystery in the past AND in the present? Sign me up.

I'm known for not loving the unreliable narrator trope and while I knew there was going to be some degree of it, it wasn't nearly as bad as some other books, I didn't hate it.

The only thing I wasn't sold on was the pacing. It felt like things moved along at a slower speed with a few things thrown in until suddenly everything happened all at once and the book was done.

Overall I was a fan and I'd definitely read more books by this author!

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When Isalbelle's son is taken in the night, she will stop at nothing to find some answers. She devotes her life to trying to solve the case, much to the chagrin of local police. Meanwhile, her husband (now ex) seems to have moved on with his life. So much suspense and so many suspects!

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The author slowly builds suspense, tension, and doubts in this psychological thriller which did bring interesting twists and turns along the way. you’ll notice I said slowly builds the story.

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Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio-ARC of All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham, narrated by Karissa Vacker.
The story of a mother who will stop at nothing to find her missing child. The story of a couple whose lives are torn apart by a terrible event. The story of a mystery, where the things you think you know may not be true. A suspenseful story that keeps the reader guessing until the end.

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One year ago, Isabelle Drake's son Mason was kidnapped from their home. With barely any evidence and no real suspects, his case soon went cold. Over the past year, Isabelle has probably only had a few minute's sleep. Her entire world revolves around finding her son.

Shortly after the one year anniversary of Mason's disappearance, Isabelle is approached by a podcaster for an interview about her son's case. She hesitantly agrees in hopes of shedding more light on the case, however the more she talks about that night, memories from the kidnapping and from her childhood begin to surface. Isabell begins to second-guess the people around her as well as herself.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It kept me guessing the entire time I spent reading it. Plot twists aplenty. Stacy Willingham has quickly become one of my favorite mystery/thriller authors.

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I really wanted to enjoy this one, but it just wasn't for me. I know a lot of readers who did enjoy it, so don't let this review deter you from trying it yourself.

It just seemed really drawn out and felt like there was missing information. I also didn't really enjoy the narrator, but I think that's more personal preference.

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This is the second book I have read by Stacy Willingham, and just like A Flicker in the Dark, I loved it! The writing is beautiful while expertly bringing to life the raw emotion of loss and devastation. I loved the way the author compared a relationship to a library book and also tarnished jewelry. The characters are complex demonstrating both the best and worst qualities of human nature. Isabelle is living a parent’s worst nightmare. Her child vanishes without a trace while doubt about her involvement surrounds her as she tries to navigate the world of grief. The story is compelling, heart breaking and utterly captivating. Its originality kept me mesmerized as the story unfolded. The narration adds an extra layer of depth, mystery and emotion. A big thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my audiobook. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillian.audio for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

All the Dangerous Things is fabulous second novel by Stacy Willingham. It is a story about guilt a woman has carried with her since childhood that turns in to grief and insomnia ruining her marriage when her son is taken from home in the middle of the night. Isabelle Drake is haunted by what happened both for her dead sister and her missing son.

The author does a wonderful job creating a domestic thriller as Isabelle works through inner demons, detectives closing in, and her ex-husband. The book is full of twists and turns. The audiobook drew me in right away, I did not want to even pause.

5 stars

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True crime fans will love this novel that pulls the mother of a missing infants into true crime circles to try and find out what happened to her child. But things are not what they seem, and as she recovered memories from her past, Isabelle begins to doubt everything around her, including herself and her own memories from that night and the days leading up to the disappearance of her son.

Isabelle suffers from extreme anxiety and insomnia, and she begins to lose track of time and reality. She gets involved with a true crime podcaster to help her solve the mystery, find her son, or get closure. But her new friend may not be what or who he seems to be.

This was a great thriller from Willingham, who has already proven herself in this genre. It's a pageturner that you won't soon forget and solidifies Willingham as an auto-buy author for me!

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I absolutely loved this book. It really gripped me from the start and i loved the way the author made the book flow. The topic is very sensitive as a mother but I feel like it made me more engaged. The ending was not what I expected at all and it’s interesting to see how everything plays out.

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This is my first Stacy Willingham book and I really enjoyed it. The story has a ton of twists and turns and when you think you have figured things out, Stacy Willingham throws you a curve ball.

I did find the story to be a bit slow at first but it definitely picked up pace. I also found the flashbacks to be confusing in the beginning because I kept thinking it was going back to right before Isabelle's son Mason disappeared in the middle of the night but it was not. It's actually going back to when Isabelle was a very young child.

Stacy Willingham does an amazing job with creating such a twist and turn story. The characters are complex and well created. The way that she has woven each characters lives into each other, sometimes, without them knowing it at first was great.

There is an author's note at the end of the audiobook by Stacy Willingham that I found resonated with me quite a bit. It discusses how she developed her story and the extensive research she did in being a mother and mental health, especially with her not being a mother herself. She also makes sure to recommend a national helpline for individuals who may be suffering with mental health at the time.

Karissa Vacker was amazing in her narration. I was impressed with the ease that she seemed to be able to transition from an Adult female voice to an Adult male voice to a female child's voice. Her narration brings the story alive as you listen to it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 as I really enjoyed the story including the twists and turns, the intricacies of all the characters and how their lives were interwoven with such secrecy, and the second guessing that is created with the "who done it". The reason for the 4 though is because it took me a while to understand the past part of the story and where exactly in Isabelle's life it was referring to. I initially thought it was to her son's disappearance but then realized that it wasn't and it took me a while to figure out what even it was flashing back too.

I am definitely looking forward to picking up another Stacy Willingham book in the near future.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this review copy. This is my honest opinion.

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A mother who a year later is still trying to find out who kidnapped her son. She refuses to give up hope that he is still alive and spends every waking hour (and there are many because she can no longer sleep) trying to find him. Her husband, on the other hand, has moved on with his life and he moved out and is seeing someone new. When a podcaster befriends her and suggests they work together, she is a little suspcious but soon they discover that all is not how it seems. Lots of suspense and well narrated.

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Stacy Willingham’s newest novel continues to establish her as a mystery writer to watch. All the Dangerous Things tells the story of a grieving mother whose own life is another casualty of her son’s disappearance. Her marriage, her sleep, everything is gone in the wake of her son’s loss. Isabelle Drake will not stop looking for the person responsible for taking her son, and her obsession is at the center of the novel. Compelled to tell more of her story she teams up with a podcaster who can get her story to more people. It’s a good mystery and it’s a quick listen. The audiobook is well done.

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This was my introduction to this author and I certainly now a fan! An infant goes missing and the child's sleep-deprived mother continues a frantic journey to save him. Yet, this mother has deep secrets of her own as do many of the characters throughout these pages.
Sure this story has been written about before but there are twists that keep you going, turning those pages faster and faster to see what happens. The narrator is great and the tension builds and builds. It is true suspense and an exciting read!

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