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All the Dangerous Things
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2023)10 hours
Following up her instant New York Times bestseller, A Flicker in the Dark, Stacy Willingham delivers a totally gripping thriller about a desperate mother with a troubled past in All the Dangerous Things.
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. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally.
Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.
Isabelle's entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster—but his interest in Isabelle's past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust... including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.
Following up her instant New York Times bestseller, A Flicker in the Dark, Stacy Willingham delivers a totally gripping thriller about a desperate mother with a troubled past in All the Dangerous Things.
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. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally.
Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.
Isabelle's entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster—but his interest in Isabelle's past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust... including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.
Audiobook
First published January 10, 2023
About the author
Stacy Willingham
7 books12.2k followersStacy Willingham is the New York Times, USA Today and internationally bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark, All the Dangerous Things and Only If You're Lucky.
Her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, was a 2022 finalist for the Book of the Month's Book of the Year award, Goodreads Choice Best Debut award, Goodreads Choice Best Mystery & Thriller award, and ITW's Best First Novel award. Her work has been translated in more than thirty languages.
Before turning to fiction, she was a copywriter and brand strategist for various marketing agencies. She earned her B.A. in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and M.F.A. in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
She currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, Britt, and Labradoodle, Mako.
Her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, was a 2022 finalist for the Book of the Month's Book of the Year award, Goodreads Choice Best Debut award, Goodreads Choice Best Mystery & Thriller award, and ITW's Best First Novel award. Her work has been translated in more than thirty languages.
Before turning to fiction, she was a copywriter and brand strategist for various marketing agencies. She earned her B.A. in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and M.F.A. in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
She currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, Britt, and Labradoodle, Mako.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 20,439 reviews
December 7, 2022
I understand that there’s something even more unsettling than being alone in the dark.
It’s realizing that you’re not really alone at all.
I have a new must-buy thriller writer.
A Flicker in the Dark was good, but All the Dangerous Things was far better, in my opinion. This book is ridiculously hard to put down. Cliches like "on the edge of my seat" come to mind, but I will try to do better than that. It deserves a good review.
In this book, Willingham creates a really creepy and unsettling thriller out of the subject of sleepwalking. How is it I never realised how creepy sleepwalking can be until now? Both for the sleepwalker themselves and for those around them.
Imagine not knowing what you'll do-- where you'll go, what you're capable of-- while you're asleep. Imagine waking up in unfamiliar places. Or in familiar places, but with objects moved around, a trail of muddy footprints leading out your front door. Like being haunted by a ghost, but the ghost is yourself. Imagine wondering, when tragedy strikes in the middle of the night, if it could have been your fault.
This is where Isabelle finds herself when her son goes missing in the middle of the night. "I was asleep the whole night" she says when the police ask, and it's true-- she was.
We are nothing but what we choose to believe, but it's all a mirage, bending and warping and shimmering in the distance, changing its form at any given second.
All the Dangerous Things is a psychological thriller about memory and mental health, about questioning your own mind and your own past. Because long before Isabelle lost Mason, she lived with her mother, father and sister, until something happened, something that was covered up and never spoken about. Something that Isabelle knows she was involved in.
Now, a year has passed since Mason was taken from his crib and a desperate Isabelle turns to True Crime enthusiasts, podcasters and anyone who will listen, to turn attention back to the case and make sure people out there keep looking for her son.
But alongside this, Isabelle is also turning her attention inwards, asking long-ignored questions about herself, her past, and what really happened all those years ago.
Absolutely riveting and genuinely scary in parts.
September 7, 2022
This is my book, so I'm giving it 5 stars (shamelessly, I might add). I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
January 30, 2023
In a Nutshell: A slow, slow, slow “thriller”. Worth it for the final resolution, but the journey to reach that point was eye-roll-inducing. I’m making it official: I am tired of 1st person unreliable narrators that ramble too much and trust only themselves.
Story Synopsis:
Isabelle Drake’s toddler son Mason was kidnapped a year ago. She hasn’t slept since. The case is now cold, with no clues and no leads for the police. Even her marriage is over, not being able to stand the strain of a missing child. Isabelle tries to keep the investigation active by speaking about Mason at true crime cons. At one such event, she bumps into a crime podcaster who wants to highlight Mason in his next show. But as they proceed with this, Isabelle starts questioning her own memories of what happened that night.
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Isabelle from ‘Now’ and ‘Then’ timelines.
Where the book worked for me:
😍 The identity of the kidnapper and the resolution of the mystery were easily the best parts of the book. It is this section that caused me to push up my rating to 2.5. Until then, I was sitting firmly on the 2 star mark.
Where the book left me with mixed feelings:
😐 The author has a tendency to use analogies in her writing, and almost all of these are excellent. It’s after a long time that I noticed such nice descriptive writing in a thriller. Then again, do people want beautiful prose in a thriller? Let me not open that Pandora’s Box.
😐 The mystery/suspense feels very guessable but has enough surprises and twists to keep you on your toes. A couple of the twists are nice but many of them were just silly. Some were farfetched.
😐 In the ‘Then’ timeline, things are pretty interesting and I was quite hooked onto the events that might have affected contemporary Isabelle. But towards the end, there come two “big reveals” that are utterly out of the blue and didn’t make sense at all. These killed the impact of this timeline for me.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😬 The word ‘thriller’ applies to the book in its loosest possible sense. Most of the book is more of a slow-burn mystery. If you want adrenaline-filled thrills, this is the wrong book.
😬 As this is advertised as a thriller in every blurb and almost every review, I was hoping for something fast and high-octane. But this was too slow and meandering for my mood. Thank God for the audiobook!
😬 I’m beginning to hate the use of first person in this genre. All we get is “I think”, “I wonder”, “I imagine”, “I feel”,… after every few lines. It kills the momentum of the plot. I understand that first person povs will always have some inner monologues, but there should be a limit to them, especially in genres that function on pace.
😬 Isabelle is the typical contemporary thriller protagonist: a woman obsessed with an idea and who assumes herself to be correct while everyone around her has to be wrong. Clichéd to the core! I didn’t understand why she felt that only she could find out what happened to Mason, and yet she was so determined to sabotage her chances of doing so by taking one stupid decision after another. I might have enjoyed this better had I been able to connect with Isabelle.
😬 Why can’t we have ONE “thriller” where the husband turns out to be a good guy who is equally devastated by his child’s kidnapping without being a gaslighting, cheating dickhead?
😬 As usual, the police didn’t find out anything important. It is our unreliable narrator who manages to resolve the case almost entirely on her own, a whole year after the incident. So basically, nothing much happened for a year, and then every secret started unravelling within a couple of weeks and the mystery is resolved too neatly, tied together with a ribbon on top.
The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at nearly 10 hours, is narrated by Karissa Vacker. She is pretty good. I loved how she voiced Isabelle distinctly for the Now and Then timeframes. I wasn’t a big fan of her male voices, but overall, she did a nice job.
All in all, except for the ending, this was too slow and too melodramatic and too whiny and too clichéd for me. But as usual, I am the only one whining about it in a melodramatic way. Almost all of my friends LOVED it. So please read their reviews and take a call on the book while I sit here alone on Outlier Island, moping and sulking. Sigh.
2.5 stars.
My thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “All the Dangerous Things”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook. Sorry this didn't work out better.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Isabelle Drake’s toddler son Mason was kidnapped a year ago. She hasn’t slept since. The case is now cold, with no clues and no leads for the police. Even her marriage is over, not being able to stand the strain of a missing child. Isabelle tries to keep the investigation active by speaking about Mason at true crime cons. At one such event, she bumps into a crime podcaster who wants to highlight Mason in his next show. But as they proceed with this, Isabelle starts questioning her own memories of what happened that night.
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Isabelle from ‘Now’ and ‘Then’ timelines.
Where the book worked for me:
😍 The identity of the kidnapper and the resolution of the mystery were easily the best parts of the book. It is this section that caused me to push up my rating to 2.5. Until then, I was sitting firmly on the 2 star mark.
Where the book left me with mixed feelings:
😐 The author has a tendency to use analogies in her writing, and almost all of these are excellent. It’s after a long time that I noticed such nice descriptive writing in a thriller. Then again, do people want beautiful prose in a thriller? Let me not open that Pandora’s Box.
😐 The mystery/suspense feels very guessable but has enough surprises and twists to keep you on your toes. A couple of the twists are nice but many of them were just silly. Some were farfetched.
😐 In the ‘Then’ timeline, things are pretty interesting and I was quite hooked onto the events that might have affected contemporary Isabelle. But towards the end, there come two “big reveals” that are utterly out of the blue and didn’t make sense at all. These killed the impact of this timeline for me.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😬 The word ‘thriller’ applies to the book in its loosest possible sense. Most of the book is more of a slow-burn mystery. If you want adrenaline-filled thrills, this is the wrong book.
😬 As this is advertised as a thriller in every blurb and almost every review, I was hoping for something fast and high-octane. But this was too slow and meandering for my mood. Thank God for the audiobook!
😬 I’m beginning to hate the use of first person in this genre. All we get is “I think”, “I wonder”, “I imagine”, “I feel”,… after every few lines. It kills the momentum of the plot. I understand that first person povs will always have some inner monologues, but there should be a limit to them, especially in genres that function on pace.
😬 Isabelle is the typical contemporary thriller protagonist: a woman obsessed with an idea and who assumes herself to be correct while everyone around her has to be wrong. Clichéd to the core! I didn’t understand why she felt that only she could find out what happened to Mason, and yet she was so determined to sabotage her chances of doing so by taking one stupid decision after another. I might have enjoyed this better had I been able to connect with Isabelle.
😬 Why can’t we have ONE “thriller” where the husband turns out to be a good guy who is equally devastated by his child’s kidnapping without being a gaslighting, cheating dickhead?
😬 As usual, the police didn’t find out anything important. It is our unreliable narrator who manages to resolve the case almost entirely on her own, a whole year after the incident. So basically, nothing much happened for a year, and then every secret started unravelling within a couple of weeks and the mystery is resolved too neatly, tied together with a ribbon on top.
The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at nearly 10 hours, is narrated by Karissa Vacker. She is pretty good. I loved how she voiced Isabelle distinctly for the Now and Then timeframes. I wasn’t a big fan of her male voices, but overall, she did a nice job.
All in all, except for the ending, this was too slow and too melodramatic and too whiny and too clichéd for me. But as usual, I am the only one whining about it in a melodramatic way. Almost all of my friends LOVED it. So please read their reviews and take a call on the book while I sit here alone on Outlier Island, moping and sulking. Sigh.
2.5 stars.
My thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “All the Dangerous Things”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook. Sorry this didn't work out better.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
March 18, 2023
Five Happy Dance Stars 💃💃💃💃💃
Mason was kidnapped one year ago. His case is still unclosed. Its every parent's nightmare. He was taken at night from his crib while his parents were sleeping.
Isabelle has always had insomnia and she always walks in her sleep.
She can't rest at all now until Mason is returned to her.
Her insomnia gets worse and she is having some uncomfortable memories from her childhood.
Her husband, Ben has cheated on her and they are no longer a couple.
She does not know who she can trust.
This one had a little slow burn in the beginning but I was never bored.
I loved loved loved this book. It was so good. I guessed every character and I was wrong every time. All the characters seem to be untrustable.
There are lots of jaw dropping moments and loved all of the twists. I could not put this book down after the beginning. I kept on flipping the pages to see what was going to happen next. It gave me a five star high. It kept me on the edge of my seat. This book was just so crazy. It had everything that you want in a thriller. This one is not a predictable read. It was mind blowing!
I want to thank Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mason was kidnapped one year ago. His case is still unclosed. Its every parent's nightmare. He was taken at night from his crib while his parents were sleeping.
Isabelle has always had insomnia and she always walks in her sleep.
She can't rest at all now until Mason is returned to her.
Her insomnia gets worse and she is having some uncomfortable memories from her childhood.
Her husband, Ben has cheated on her and they are no longer a couple.
She does not know who she can trust.
This one had a little slow burn in the beginning but I was never bored.
I loved loved loved this book. It was so good. I guessed every character and I was wrong every time. All the characters seem to be untrustable.
There are lots of jaw dropping moments and loved all of the twists. I could not put this book down after the beginning. I kept on flipping the pages to see what was going to happen next. It gave me a five star high. It kept me on the edge of my seat. This book was just so crazy. It had everything that you want in a thriller. This one is not a predictable read. It was mind blowing!
I want to thank Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2023
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
Isabelle Drake has never been perfect. In fact, she's felt extreme guilt since she was a child. But so much about her childhood seems to be behind a curtain of things she doesn't want to think about and things she can't quite remember. Instead, she moves forward and is thrilled when she is hired at her dream job.
Then comes marriage and a baby although along the way she loses so much of herself, her hopes, her identity. Once her baby is born she's so exhausted but eventually she wants more, only to lose everything she had left. Sleep deprivation is a beast and it's not like Isabelle hasn't struggled with sleep irregularities in the past.
Now Isabelle is giving talks to the public about her missing baby, who was taken from her home a year before. She knows she is a suspect in his disappearance. She knows people try to get close to her for their own reasons, such as the true-crime podcaster who offers to help her find out who took her son. He's had a successful case and is on a roll. She could use his help but fears a trap.
Motherhood meant sleep deprivation but since Isabel's baby was taken, she's had no real sleep in a year. She's at a new level of sleep disfunction and it's hard to think straight. She doesn't even trust herself now or her memories of the past. Are there more reasons to feel guilty than she already knows?
This is the kind of book that makes me want to stay up all night to keep reading, especially since each chapter ending begged for me to move on to the next chapter. When the main character isn't sure she can trust herself, what does she do? How far back in her life did she go wrong to end up where she is now? This story made for a great buddy read with DeAnn and Jayme.
Pub January 10, 2023
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
Isabelle Drake has never been perfect. In fact, she's felt extreme guilt since she was a child. But so much about her childhood seems to be behind a curtain of things she doesn't want to think about and things she can't quite remember. Instead, she moves forward and is thrilled when she is hired at her dream job.
Then comes marriage and a baby although along the way she loses so much of herself, her hopes, her identity. Once her baby is born she's so exhausted but eventually she wants more, only to lose everything she had left. Sleep deprivation is a beast and it's not like Isabelle hasn't struggled with sleep irregularities in the past.
Now Isabelle is giving talks to the public about her missing baby, who was taken from her home a year before. She knows she is a suspect in his disappearance. She knows people try to get close to her for their own reasons, such as the true-crime podcaster who offers to help her find out who took her son. He's had a successful case and is on a roll. She could use his help but fears a trap.
Motherhood meant sleep deprivation but since Isabel's baby was taken, she's had no real sleep in a year. She's at a new level of sleep disfunction and it's hard to think straight. She doesn't even trust herself now or her memories of the past. Are there more reasons to feel guilty than she already knows?
This is the kind of book that makes me want to stay up all night to keep reading, especially since each chapter ending begged for me to move on to the next chapter. When the main character isn't sure she can trust herself, what does she do? How far back in her life did she go wrong to end up where she is now? This story made for a great buddy read with DeAnn and Jayme.
Pub January 10, 2023
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
January 5, 2024
A big and bold “WOW!
I loved the author’s debut novel: “A flicker in the dark” but her newest book exceed my whole expectations and I loved this one even more than her first work!
Isabella Drake: a struggling and grieving mother, suffering from insomnia after her son Mason has been kidnapped a year ago! She never gets a good sleep, keeping herself alert to be ready when her son will be back!
She is determined to find him and bring him back home even though she slowly loses the thin line between reality and delusions which force her to take trip down memory lane to face the most tragic event of her childhood. Her son is not the only person she lost!
Her husband Ben already lost his hope and moved on in his life, dating with a new woman who is younger version of Isabella.
And the detective who searches the case of her son act like she is the one who is responsible with her son’s kidnapping.
Isabella keeps joining at TrueCrime conventions as guest speaker to raise awareness and attract attention to the case. Waylon Spencer: a famous podcaster who already solved a cold case about missing child approaches to her: He wants to make interview, teaming up with Isabella to dig out more about Mason’s case!
Isabella rejects his offer at first but as she sees she stuck in her own house, memories about her childhood she’s buried deep, slowly fading away at each day she struggle to sleep a wink, she decides she has nothing more to lose. She even invites Waylon at her house to stay with her to conduct their own investigation!
But as she learns more about case by watching the security videos they recorded before the incident, she realizes there’s something more sinister about her life and only one to find out what happened to her son is Isabella by opening the Pandora’s box and bringing out the secrets she’s buried!
The twists were amazing! I didn’t see them coming! The pacing was impeccable, riveting!
This book is extra smart, engaging, well developed, unputdownable!
I wish I could give more than five stars! I enjoyed it so much! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for sharing this incredible digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
I loved the author’s debut novel: “A flicker in the dark” but her newest book exceed my whole expectations and I loved this one even more than her first work!
Isabella Drake: a struggling and grieving mother, suffering from insomnia after her son Mason has been kidnapped a year ago! She never gets a good sleep, keeping herself alert to be ready when her son will be back!
She is determined to find him and bring him back home even though she slowly loses the thin line between reality and delusions which force her to take trip down memory lane to face the most tragic event of her childhood. Her son is not the only person she lost!
Her husband Ben already lost his hope and moved on in his life, dating with a new woman who is younger version of Isabella.
And the detective who searches the case of her son act like she is the one who is responsible with her son’s kidnapping.
Isabella keeps joining at TrueCrime conventions as guest speaker to raise awareness and attract attention to the case. Waylon Spencer: a famous podcaster who already solved a cold case about missing child approaches to her: He wants to make interview, teaming up with Isabella to dig out more about Mason’s case!
Isabella rejects his offer at first but as she sees she stuck in her own house, memories about her childhood she’s buried deep, slowly fading away at each day she struggle to sleep a wink, she decides she has nothing more to lose. She even invites Waylon at her house to stay with her to conduct their own investigation!
But as she learns more about case by watching the security videos they recorded before the incident, she realizes there’s something more sinister about her life and only one to find out what happened to her son is Isabella by opening the Pandora’s box and bringing out the secrets she’s buried!
The twists were amazing! I didn’t see them coming! The pacing was impeccable, riveting!
This book is extra smart, engaging, well developed, unputdownable!
I wish I could give more than five stars! I enjoyed it so much! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for sharing this incredible digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
September 24, 2022
An Intriguing Puzzle
“We are nothing but what we choose to believe.”
All the Dangerous Things is a psychological thriller about a missing child and his sleep-deprived mother obsessed with finding out the truth behind his disappearance.
It’s been 364 days since Isabelle Drake had a concrete night’s sleep. 364 days ago, her two-year-old son, Mason, was taken from his room in the middle of the night without a trace. Not only is her son missing, but the police can’t find any evidence of what happened to him, and Isabelle’s husband, Ben, has ended their marriage. Determined to find Mason, Isabelle must face her past, even if it means accepting that she might have put her son in danger.
Narrated solely by Isabelle, the narrative alternates between the present and 1999, when Isabelle was a child. Isabelle is an unreliable narrator, and since she doesn’t sleep, her memory is murky, and her obsession with finding Mason has her struggling to separate reality from fantasy.
The pacing is on the slower side, but I was pulled in immediately by Isabelle’s voice. The structure of the narrative, coupled with the moody atmosphere, works to slowly build a palpable level of tension. I thought I had everything figured out, but I was caught off guard by one of the twists.
All the Dangerous Things is a tension-fueled addictive thriller with a solid twist. I loved seeing how the pieces fit together--although everything wraps up a little too neatly, the ending was quite gratifying.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.
“We are nothing but what we choose to believe.”
All the Dangerous Things is a psychological thriller about a missing child and his sleep-deprived mother obsessed with finding out the truth behind his disappearance.
It’s been 364 days since Isabelle Drake had a concrete night’s sleep. 364 days ago, her two-year-old son, Mason, was taken from his room in the middle of the night without a trace. Not only is her son missing, but the police can’t find any evidence of what happened to him, and Isabelle’s husband, Ben, has ended their marriage. Determined to find Mason, Isabelle must face her past, even if it means accepting that she might have put her son in danger.
Narrated solely by Isabelle, the narrative alternates between the present and 1999, when Isabelle was a child. Isabelle is an unreliable narrator, and since she doesn’t sleep, her memory is murky, and her obsession with finding Mason has her struggling to separate reality from fantasy.
The pacing is on the slower side, but I was pulled in immediately by Isabelle’s voice. The structure of the narrative, coupled with the moody atmosphere, works to slowly build a palpable level of tension. I thought I had everything figured out, but I was caught off guard by one of the twists.
All the Dangerous Things is a tension-fueled addictive thriller with a solid twist. I loved seeing how the pieces fit together--although everything wraps up a little too neatly, the ending was quite gratifying.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2023
4 malignant, deadly, and pernicious stars for ‘all the dangerous’ and intriguing things about this book.
With plenty of twists, endless revelations, and no shortage of suspects, Isabelle’s story and that of her missing son is sure to grip many readers, as the plot elements unfold, and the hidden secrets provide motive, a better understanding but also more clarity. With a few surprises.
Despite working out the plot far too early, I was still gripped with the unpredictability of the sub plots, unsure of how the story would come together, and then of course the unveiling of peoples secrets and characters, was a great feature of the book. Dangerously entertaining.
The Plot
Twelve months ago, Mason the 18-month-old son of Isabelle and Ben goes missing from his cot while the family slept in another room.
In the present day – the police and the family are no further forward, and Isabelle begins to tell her story of the sleepless nights and anguish she feels because there are still no suspects, no answers and no one is any nearer to finding Mason.
However, Isabelle’s childhood – may provide some of the answers. Specifically, the untimely death of her sister Margaret who was drowned at a nearby lake. A trauma and loss that Isabelle still experiences especially during her insomniac nights, when she feels Margaret’s presence ever closer and the thoughts of her sister haunts her longed for peace and search for answers.
It would seem trauma follows Isabelle though!!! However, there is also something about Ben, who is now in the arms and bed of another women. The same situation Isabelle found herself in when she met Ben because he was already married then too. Although events took care of themselves when Ben’s first wife commits suicide.
Messy – well yes, thrilling – yes to that as well. Dangerous, secretive, but also reflective.
The dangerously good and bad things about this book
The portrayal of different female characters was very good. All of them felt genuine, authentic, but flawed and complex. Yet I didn’t find myself rooting for any one of them which is unusual given the subject matter – missing child, working mother, spurned woman etc.. and the reason was because Isabelle wasn’t very likeable – nor were any of the other women for that matter.
I liked that the author tackled many themes, and through the lives of these women SW wanted us to feel and understand the grief, the effects and choices people make at the most difficult times in their lives. What was particularly well done was highlighting the challenges of working mothers in balancing their work and their other relationships, when life cruelly deals them an unexpected blow.
The writing style was punchy and flowed well. Perfect along with the short chapters for creating the tension and suspense that kept me hooked to the end despite working out the plot too early.
The reason I pulled this up from a 3.5 to a 4 was because of the lens placed on the human element of the person. We who are shaped and mutate through our good and bad experiences, and sometimes unrecognisable but certainly different from our earlier decades. I do think this was intentional from the author if you read the authors notes, but it was very good.
A complex range of characters and themes. An intense psychological thriller. A contemplative but not thought-provoking story but nevertheless ‘dangerously’ readable. I would have enjoyed more had I not worked out the plot so early on.
With plenty of twists, endless revelations, and no shortage of suspects, Isabelle’s story and that of her missing son is sure to grip many readers, as the plot elements unfold, and the hidden secrets provide motive, a better understanding but also more clarity. With a few surprises.
Despite working out the plot far too early, I was still gripped with the unpredictability of the sub plots, unsure of how the story would come together, and then of course the unveiling of peoples secrets and characters, was a great feature of the book. Dangerously entertaining.
The Plot
Twelve months ago, Mason the 18-month-old son of Isabelle and Ben goes missing from his cot while the family slept in another room.
In the present day – the police and the family are no further forward, and Isabelle begins to tell her story of the sleepless nights and anguish she feels because there are still no suspects, no answers and no one is any nearer to finding Mason.
However, Isabelle’s childhood – may provide some of the answers. Specifically, the untimely death of her sister Margaret who was drowned at a nearby lake. A trauma and loss that Isabelle still experiences especially during her insomniac nights, when she feels Margaret’s presence ever closer and the thoughts of her sister haunts her longed for peace and search for answers.
It would seem trauma follows Isabelle though!!! However, there is also something about Ben, who is now in the arms and bed of another women. The same situation Isabelle found herself in when she met Ben because he was already married then too. Although events took care of themselves when Ben’s first wife commits suicide.
Messy – well yes, thrilling – yes to that as well. Dangerous, secretive, but also reflective.
The dangerously good and bad things about this book
The portrayal of different female characters was very good. All of them felt genuine, authentic, but flawed and complex. Yet I didn’t find myself rooting for any one of them which is unusual given the subject matter – missing child, working mother, spurned woman etc.. and the reason was because Isabelle wasn’t very likeable – nor were any of the other women for that matter.
I liked that the author tackled many themes, and through the lives of these women SW wanted us to feel and understand the grief, the effects and choices people make at the most difficult times in their lives. What was particularly well done was highlighting the challenges of working mothers in balancing their work and their other relationships, when life cruelly deals them an unexpected blow.
The writing style was punchy and flowed well. Perfect along with the short chapters for creating the tension and suspense that kept me hooked to the end despite working out the plot too early.
The reason I pulled this up from a 3.5 to a 4 was because of the lens placed on the human element of the person. We who are shaped and mutate through our good and bad experiences, and sometimes unrecognisable but certainly different from our earlier decades. I do think this was intentional from the author if you read the authors notes, but it was very good.
A complex range of characters and themes. An intense psychological thriller. A contemplative but not thought-provoking story but nevertheless ‘dangerously’ readable. I would have enjoyed more had I not worked out the plot so early on.
May 22, 2024
**4.5-stars rounded up**
Isabelle Drake has barely slept in a year. Not since the night her toddler, Mason, disappeared from their home. Her and her husband were asleep in the next room, but they heard nothing, saw nothing.
The only sign of an intruder was an open window in Mason's room. With zero other leads, or evidence though, the police had nothing to go on. The case goes cold.
Since that time, Isabelle and her husband, Ben, have split. Isabelle knows the stats, it's not unusual for people who have lost a child to split up.
For her though, she just couldn't understand how Ben seemed to move on after Mason. He gave up on him. Isabelle can't do that. She's not going to chalk it up as a loss and move on. Her son could still be out there. She refuses to see him as gone forever.
Isabelle talks about the case, literally gives talks about the case any time she can. She figures talking about it, keeps the case alive. It keeps Mason's missing status in the forefront of people's minds.
It's after speaking at an event dedicated to True crime that she meets True Crime Podcaster, Waylon Spencer. Waylon takes an interest in Mason's case and proposes to Isabelle that they work together. If he can interview her for his series, it will bring even more exposure to her case.
After some thought, Isabelle agrees and Waylon comes to stay in Savannah, to be near her and make the interview process easier on them both. Thus, it begins.
In addition to Isabelle's present perspective, we also get her past perspective. In her childhood she lived with her Mom, Dad and little sister, Margaret.
After tragedy struck the family, Isabelle was haunted by the event. She's never truly recovered from the trauma and a lot of recollections are more her trying to parse out the truth of what happened as opposed to a strict retelling of the event.
I really enjoyed the inclusion of this past perspective. I felt it gave a lot of insight into who Isabelle was as a character and helped to give substance to her motivations in her present.
I found this entire story so compelling. From the first moments I met Isabelle, I was sucked into her story. I wanted to know everything there was to know about her life, both past and present.
It was interesting to be inside her head as she grappled with the loss of Mason and tried to make sense of it. The lack of sleep has had an effect on her, so it's unclear whether or not she's entirely reliable.
I am a sucker for an unreliable narrator. I know some Readers are over it, but I'm so not one of those Readers.
I wouldn't describe this as being fast-paced, it was more of a steady pace with great tension throughout. Each chapter fills in more and more of the puzzle and it was really hard to put it down.
There were some super fun twists and reveals. I just had an absolute blast with this one. I really enjoyed Willingham's earlier release, A Flicker in the Dark, and personally, I think this one is even better. Highly recommend the audio format as the narration is fantastic!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.
After loving her first two novels, it's safe to say that I will continue to pick up anything else Stacy Willingham writes. Looking forward to more!!
Isabelle Drake has barely slept in a year. Not since the night her toddler, Mason, disappeared from their home. Her and her husband were asleep in the next room, but they heard nothing, saw nothing.
The only sign of an intruder was an open window in Mason's room. With zero other leads, or evidence though, the police had nothing to go on. The case goes cold.
Since that time, Isabelle and her husband, Ben, have split. Isabelle knows the stats, it's not unusual for people who have lost a child to split up.
For her though, she just couldn't understand how Ben seemed to move on after Mason. He gave up on him. Isabelle can't do that. She's not going to chalk it up as a loss and move on. Her son could still be out there. She refuses to see him as gone forever.
Isabelle talks about the case, literally gives talks about the case any time she can. She figures talking about it, keeps the case alive. It keeps Mason's missing status in the forefront of people's minds.
It's after speaking at an event dedicated to True crime that she meets True Crime Podcaster, Waylon Spencer. Waylon takes an interest in Mason's case and proposes to Isabelle that they work together. If he can interview her for his series, it will bring even more exposure to her case.
After some thought, Isabelle agrees and Waylon comes to stay in Savannah, to be near her and make the interview process easier on them both. Thus, it begins.
In addition to Isabelle's present perspective, we also get her past perspective. In her childhood she lived with her Mom, Dad and little sister, Margaret.
After tragedy struck the family, Isabelle was haunted by the event. She's never truly recovered from the trauma and a lot of recollections are more her trying to parse out the truth of what happened as opposed to a strict retelling of the event.
I really enjoyed the inclusion of this past perspective. I felt it gave a lot of insight into who Isabelle was as a character and helped to give substance to her motivations in her present.
I found this entire story so compelling. From the first moments I met Isabelle, I was sucked into her story. I wanted to know everything there was to know about her life, both past and present.
It was interesting to be inside her head as she grappled with the loss of Mason and tried to make sense of it. The lack of sleep has had an effect on her, so it's unclear whether or not she's entirely reliable.
I am a sucker for an unreliable narrator. I know some Readers are over it, but I'm so not one of those Readers.
I wouldn't describe this as being fast-paced, it was more of a steady pace with great tension throughout. Each chapter fills in more and more of the puzzle and it was really hard to put it down.
There were some super fun twists and reveals. I just had an absolute blast with this one. I really enjoyed Willingham's earlier release, A Flicker in the Dark, and personally, I think this one is even better. Highly recommend the audio format as the narration is fantastic!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.
After loving her first two novels, it's safe to say that I will continue to pick up anything else Stacy Willingham writes. Looking forward to more!!
January 11, 2023
**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur, and Stacy Willingham for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 1.10!**
Picture a flat pond in a murky bayou. Calm, still, and deep.
It might seem like nothing could disturb that sort of tranquility...but with an effortless toss of ONE tiny pebble...the whole pond becomes a moving, rippling being, ever-changing and ever-surprising.
In All The Dangerous Things, Stacy Willingham tosses in that pebble to keep the expertly crafted plot of this STUNNING thriller rippling, changing, and SURPRISING the reader from page one until its breathtaking end!
Isabelle Drake has been an insomniac in the truest sense of the word for a LONG time...since the disappearance of her beautiful baby son, Mason, a year and a half ago. Aside from the occasional drift or 'microsleep,' she's been battling her bleary eyed grief and dedicated herself to trying to bring Mason home. With no evident disruption to the room the night of the disappearance, a dead battery on the baby monitor, and no leads, the case has all but stalled entirely. Isabelle's husband Ben has moved out and she feels utterly alone...until after attending a True Crime convention, a podcaster named Waylon makes her acquaintance...and asks for The Interview.
Hesitant at first, Isabelle eventually acquiesces to this request, figuring that as a True Crime devotee, Waylon has just as much incentive to help solve the case and bring Mason back. But when his questions become a bit TOO intrusive and hard-hitting, Isabelle realizes he may know something big about her past...something dark, deep...and dangerous. Can Isabelle trust Waylon's intentions AND trust him with her darkest secrets? But more disturbing still...can she even trust herself?
Willingham's debut, A Flicker in The Dark, was STUNNING, hands down. I figured it would be hard for her sophomore novel to even live up to her own high standards, much less surpass them.
But words cannot describe how THRILLED I was to be wrong!
What her first novel may have lacked in terms of the final 'whodunit' surprise (which was probably the only weak thing about it!)....this one delivered, over and over again. This is the sort of plotting that thriller lovers CRAVE, where you know the author sat down and worked through exactly what was going to happen and when, where multiple story lines are essentially running without your knowledge, and where you are specifically led to focus on one angle of the story so intently that others creep right up on you to thrill, chill, and disrupt EVERYTHING you thought you know...RIGHT at the perfect moment! I had so many jaw-dropping moments and times where I couldn't do anything but stare at the ceiling in disbelief after a big reveal...trust me when I say, they will STOP you in your tracks! 🛑
I read this coming off of a rewatch of Sharp Objects (based on the Flynn novel) and the southern, spooky small town vibe co-mingled perfectly with the scene set by Willingham in this book. There was an air of foreboding throughout and frankly, this is yet another book that would play beautifully on screen. Atmosphere abounds, and Willingham's ability to take the reader right to her chosen locale is always on point. In her first book, there were several references to the 'Flicker' and in this one, several made towards the water, sort of as a running theme that helped drive this home (and don't get me started on the PERFECT cover!) 🌊
Willingham also manages to get her characters JUST right...flawed, complex, interesting, and yet accessible. Unlike another thriller I read about insomnia earlier this year that shall remain nameless, Isabelle's insomnia and how she dealt with it were handled in a REALISTIC way, which only added fuel to the fire. On the surface, this could be characterized as a 'Is she an unreliable narrator or not?' type of story, and on some level it is...but I promise, this read is SO much more than that.
Even though this is only her second book, Willingham's future is SO bright and my only quibble is that I now will have to wait for her next book to arrive! It may be early, but I'm thrilled to add this to my list of 2023 favorite reads and that Willingham continues to not only stun and surprise, but much like that rippling pond in the moonlight...she simply DAZZLES.
5 stars
Picture a flat pond in a murky bayou. Calm, still, and deep.
It might seem like nothing could disturb that sort of tranquility...but with an effortless toss of ONE tiny pebble...the whole pond becomes a moving, rippling being, ever-changing and ever-surprising.
In All The Dangerous Things, Stacy Willingham tosses in that pebble to keep the expertly crafted plot of this STUNNING thriller rippling, changing, and SURPRISING the reader from page one until its breathtaking end!
Isabelle Drake has been an insomniac in the truest sense of the word for a LONG time...since the disappearance of her beautiful baby son, Mason, a year and a half ago. Aside from the occasional drift or 'microsleep,' she's been battling her bleary eyed grief and dedicated herself to trying to bring Mason home. With no evident disruption to the room the night of the disappearance, a dead battery on the baby monitor, and no leads, the case has all but stalled entirely. Isabelle's husband Ben has moved out and she feels utterly alone...until after attending a True Crime convention, a podcaster named Waylon makes her acquaintance...and asks for The Interview.
Hesitant at first, Isabelle eventually acquiesces to this request, figuring that as a True Crime devotee, Waylon has just as much incentive to help solve the case and bring Mason back. But when his questions become a bit TOO intrusive and hard-hitting, Isabelle realizes he may know something big about her past...something dark, deep...and dangerous. Can Isabelle trust Waylon's intentions AND trust him with her darkest secrets? But more disturbing still...can she even trust herself?
Willingham's debut, A Flicker in The Dark, was STUNNING, hands down. I figured it would be hard for her sophomore novel to even live up to her own high standards, much less surpass them.
But words cannot describe how THRILLED I was to be wrong!
What her first novel may have lacked in terms of the final 'whodunit' surprise (which was probably the only weak thing about it!)....this one delivered, over and over again. This is the sort of plotting that thriller lovers CRAVE, where you know the author sat down and worked through exactly what was going to happen and when, where multiple story lines are essentially running without your knowledge, and where you are specifically led to focus on one angle of the story so intently that others creep right up on you to thrill, chill, and disrupt EVERYTHING you thought you know...RIGHT at the perfect moment! I had so many jaw-dropping moments and times where I couldn't do anything but stare at the ceiling in disbelief after a big reveal...trust me when I say, they will STOP you in your tracks! 🛑
I read this coming off of a rewatch of Sharp Objects (based on the Flynn novel) and the southern, spooky small town vibe co-mingled perfectly with the scene set by Willingham in this book. There was an air of foreboding throughout and frankly, this is yet another book that would play beautifully on screen. Atmosphere abounds, and Willingham's ability to take the reader right to her chosen locale is always on point. In her first book, there were several references to the 'Flicker' and in this one, several made towards the water, sort of as a running theme that helped drive this home (and don't get me started on the PERFECT cover!) 🌊
Willingham also manages to get her characters JUST right...flawed, complex, interesting, and yet accessible. Unlike another thriller I read about insomnia earlier this year that shall remain nameless, Isabelle's insomnia and how she dealt with it were handled in a REALISTIC way, which only added fuel to the fire. On the surface, this could be characterized as a 'Is she an unreliable narrator or not?' type of story, and on some level it is...but I promise, this read is SO much more than that.
Even though this is only her second book, Willingham's future is SO bright and my only quibble is that I now will have to wait for her next book to arrive! It may be early, but I'm thrilled to add this to my list of 2023 favorite reads and that Willingham continues to not only stun and surprise, but much like that rippling pond in the moonlight...she simply DAZZLES.
5 stars
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
March 23, 2023 Oh hey there! Listen to Novels & Nonsense Podcast episode 2: Goodreads & Bad Reads to hear me discuss this book and more. Can't wait to hear what you think💖
Hi, it's me, Girlwiththepinkskimask, the world's biggest party pooper. St. Martin's Press, I don't blame you for blacklisting me on NetGalley. Unfortunately I was still emailed a widget. I gave it an honest chance, I really did. But I could only make it to 14% (after SEVERAL attempts including a failed buddy read) before I gave up.
Similar to The Quiet Tenant, I found this book profusely overwritten. The prose is "all style, absolutely no substance." When I read turgid prose like this, all I can think of is how much I want to edit it. I just wanna load this bad boy on Microsoft Word, turn on "tracked changes" and GO. TO. TOWN.
I'm a firm believer in "less is more" when it comes to writing. Think of Iain Reid: he can bring all the spooky vibes without winding similes and melodramatic run-on sentences. If you can elicit emotion from the reader with sparse prose, that's talent. Moaning on and on and on about "me sad, me depressed, me wounded like a baby bird who dropped 30000 feet from the sky during a stage 5 hurricane" in hopes the reader might be like... maybe I should be sad here?? is not talent.
Now ya'll know I come with the receipts. Here are some excerpts that had me spiralling:
"My ears burn at the familiar sound, Izzy, my old nickname on his lips suddenly rancid and wrong. What used to be so tender, full of longing and love, now feels like a punishment: something swathed in pity, like a lukewarm smile tossed across the room when someone you used to love catches you hanging out without them. Like A WHAT??? JFC. Now tell me why we needed all this over how your ex-husband says your nickname.
... Purple, like a marbling bruise, while the rest of my face has taken on a grayish tone, like chicken that's been left in the fridge too long." ight #1: b2b similes should be a crime against humanity. #2: if you understand the chicken simile, never invite me to your house for a meal. Why was this the go-to? Ole nasty ass. Throw out your expired meats before you get food poisoning.
I don't even remember the exact moment I decided I wanted to be a writer for The Grit, it was just something I had always known, the same way doctors and firefighters carry their childhood dreams over into adulthood, cupping them so tightly they forget to look up and notice what else could possibly be out there. What else exists. holy. fking. batman. AGAIN. WHY??? WHY SO VERBOSE??? And also this math doesn't quite math. So all adult doctors/firefighters dreamed of doing so as a kid? Me thinks tf not.
I remember his lips feeling salty and soft... This is where I threw in the towel for good. You cannot FEEL salty. His lips can TASTE salty. Unless you meant his lips felt grainy, which seems unpleasant, and doesn't fit the context of this ~~romantic~~ scene. Feeling salty... foh!!!
Ok so anyways. Call me picky. Call me hard to please. Idc. This writing was so try-hard I couldn't move past it and enjoy the story. Anyways... if you liked it, this isn't shade against you. I'm glad you enjoyed. But this certainly wasn't the book for me.
Hi, it's me, Girlwiththepinkskimask, the world's biggest party pooper. St. Martin's Press, I don't blame you for blacklisting me on NetGalley. Unfortunately I was still emailed a widget. I gave it an honest chance, I really did. But I could only make it to 14% (after SEVERAL attempts including a failed buddy read) before I gave up.
Similar to The Quiet Tenant, I found this book profusely overwritten. The prose is "all style, absolutely no substance." When I read turgid prose like this, all I can think of is how much I want to edit it. I just wanna load this bad boy on Microsoft Word, turn on "tracked changes" and GO. TO. TOWN.
I'm a firm believer in "less is more" when it comes to writing. Think of Iain Reid: he can bring all the spooky vibes without winding similes and melodramatic run-on sentences. If you can elicit emotion from the reader with sparse prose, that's talent. Moaning on and on and on about "me sad, me depressed, me wounded like a baby bird who dropped 30000 feet from the sky during a stage 5 hurricane" in hopes the reader might be like... maybe I should be sad here?? is not talent.
Now ya'll know I come with the receipts. Here are some excerpts that had me spiralling:
"My ears burn at the familiar sound, Izzy, my old nickname on his lips suddenly rancid and wrong. What used to be so tender, full of longing and love, now feels like a punishment: something swathed in pity, like a lukewarm smile tossed across the room when someone you used to love catches you hanging out without them. Like A WHAT??? JFC. Now tell me why we needed all this over how your ex-husband says your nickname.
... Purple, like a marbling bruise, while the rest of my face has taken on a grayish tone, like chicken that's been left in the fridge too long." ight #1: b2b similes should be a crime against humanity. #2: if you understand the chicken simile, never invite me to your house for a meal. Why was this the go-to? Ole nasty ass. Throw out your expired meats before you get food poisoning.
I don't even remember the exact moment I decided I wanted to be a writer for The Grit, it was just something I had always known, the same way doctors and firefighters carry their childhood dreams over into adulthood, cupping them so tightly they forget to look up and notice what else could possibly be out there. What else exists. holy. fking. batman. AGAIN. WHY??? WHY SO VERBOSE??? And also this math doesn't quite math. So all adult doctors/firefighters dreamed of doing so as a kid? Me thinks tf not.
I remember his lips feeling salty and soft... This is where I threw in the towel for good. You cannot FEEL salty. His lips can TASTE salty. Unless you meant his lips felt grainy, which seems unpleasant, and doesn't fit the context of this ~~romantic~~ scene. Feeling salty... foh!!!
Ok so anyways. Call me picky. Call me hard to please. Idc. This writing was so try-hard I couldn't move past it and enjoy the story. Anyways... if you liked it, this isn't shade against you. I'm glad you enjoyed. But this certainly wasn't the book for me.
January 10, 2023
***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY***
This is a novel of a mother’s worst nightmare, almost unimaginable!! Isabelle Drake put her toddler son to bed one evening and upon awakening she found that Mason was GONE!! No signs of forced entry but a window was open in the nursery.
Her husband Ben left her six months ago and has already found a “girlfriend”. He tells Isabella that she needs to put this behind her and get on with her life. WHAT MOTHER COULD EVER DO THAT??
Isabella hasn’t had a full night’s sleep in a year, she stumbles through one day after another, hoping that some clue will be found to lead her to Mason’s abductor. She has been giving speeches, begging for anyone who attends to come forward with some information. It isn’t the money that she makes that she cares about, it’s the names of the people who attend. Isabella is spending all of her waking time making lists and charts of people who attend, known criminals in the area, trying to find a link somewhere to her missing son.
She finally agrees to be interviewed by a true crime podcaster. His questions of her childhood and background bring up memories of the trauma that she lived through when she was young.
The novel is told exclusively through Isabella's POV and as she gets to know Waylon better, they begin to work as a team.
I thought I had the plot figured out several times but I was wrong. You will need to be an amazing detective to figure this one out!!
I loved A FLICKER IN THE DARK but I think this one is a true psychological thriller!! This author just keeps getting better!!
I can highly recommend this one and will watch for the next offering from this gifted author.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher Minotaur, through Edelweiss. It was my pleasure to read and review this terrific thriller.
#Minotaur
#Macmillan first to read
This is a novel of a mother’s worst nightmare, almost unimaginable!! Isabelle Drake put her toddler son to bed one evening and upon awakening she found that Mason was GONE!! No signs of forced entry but a window was open in the nursery.
Her husband Ben left her six months ago and has already found a “girlfriend”. He tells Isabella that she needs to put this behind her and get on with her life. WHAT MOTHER COULD EVER DO THAT??
Isabella hasn’t had a full night’s sleep in a year, she stumbles through one day after another, hoping that some clue will be found to lead her to Mason’s abductor. She has been giving speeches, begging for anyone who attends to come forward with some information. It isn’t the money that she makes that she cares about, it’s the names of the people who attend. Isabella is spending all of her waking time making lists and charts of people who attend, known criminals in the area, trying to find a link somewhere to her missing son.
She finally agrees to be interviewed by a true crime podcaster. His questions of her childhood and background bring up memories of the trauma that she lived through when she was young.
The novel is told exclusively through Isabella's POV and as she gets to know Waylon better, they begin to work as a team.
I thought I had the plot figured out several times but I was wrong. You will need to be an amazing detective to figure this one out!!
I loved A FLICKER IN THE DARK but I think this one is a true psychological thriller!! This author just keeps getting better!!
I can highly recommend this one and will watch for the next offering from this gifted author.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher Minotaur, through Edelweiss. It was my pleasure to read and review this terrific thriller.
#Minotaur
#Macmillan first to read
January 10, 2023
It’s been one year, since Isabelle has gotten any type of meaningful sleep. She moves about in a semiconscious dream state, opening her eyes to find herself in another place with no recollection of WHEN or HOW she got there.
ONE WHOLE YEAR, since her eighteen month old toddler, was taken from his room, in the middle of the night-the window by his crib open-but neither she, nor her husband Ben, awakened by any noise.
And, now Isabelle Drake is the keynote speaker at TrueCrimeCon-the largest true crime conference in the world-drawing a global attendance of over 10,000-trying to keep her son’s case alive, as it grows COLD-still with no leads. She hates that the people who attend sit behind their computers and tablets like this is a just a puzzle to be solved-when it’s the reality of her life-but she does this because they offer her the only HOPE she has left.
Her husband has moved out, and moved on-so when Waylon Spencer offers to feature her on his True Crime Podcast, she has nothing left to lose.
But, does he believe in her innocence?
As the two begin to work together, Isabel will begin to wonder if the events from her childhood could possibly be connected to Mason’s disappearance. Occasional flashbacks to what happened then will fill the reader in on the past.
Stacey Willingham has just proven with “back to back” impressive books that she will be an AUTO REQUEST author for me!
Like “A Flicker in the Dark” this story is a slow burn 🔥, immediately captivating, plausible story of SUSPENSE-filled with beautiful vivid descriptions, contemplative prose and intricate plotting.
My only minor critique of her first book was that I thought she had written one twist TOO many and should have stopped after the first one.
This time-I was surprised and satisfied when it ended where it did. Just right!
If you were a fan of her debut-don’t hesitate to pick this up!
NOW AVAILABLE!
A buddy read with DeAnn and MarilynW-be sure to watch for their reviews!
Thank You to Minotaur Books for my gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
ONE WHOLE YEAR, since her eighteen month old toddler, was taken from his room, in the middle of the night-the window by his crib open-but neither she, nor her husband Ben, awakened by any noise.
And, now Isabelle Drake is the keynote speaker at TrueCrimeCon-the largest true crime conference in the world-drawing a global attendance of over 10,000-trying to keep her son’s case alive, as it grows COLD-still with no leads. She hates that the people who attend sit behind their computers and tablets like this is a just a puzzle to be solved-when it’s the reality of her life-but she does this because they offer her the only HOPE she has left.
Her husband has moved out, and moved on-so when Waylon Spencer offers to feature her on his True Crime Podcast, she has nothing left to lose.
But, does he believe in her innocence?
As the two begin to work together, Isabel will begin to wonder if the events from her childhood could possibly be connected to Mason’s disappearance. Occasional flashbacks to what happened then will fill the reader in on the past.
Stacey Willingham has just proven with “back to back” impressive books that she will be an AUTO REQUEST author for me!
Like “A Flicker in the Dark” this story is a slow burn 🔥, immediately captivating, plausible story of SUSPENSE-filled with beautiful vivid descriptions, contemplative prose and intricate plotting.
My only minor critique of her first book was that I thought she had written one twist TOO many and should have stopped after the first one.
This time-I was surprised and satisfied when it ended where it did. Just right!
If you were a fan of her debut-don’t hesitate to pick this up!
NOW AVAILABLE!
A buddy read with DeAnn and MarilynW-be sure to watch for their reviews!
Thank You to Minotaur Books for my gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
Read
May 5, 2023more importantly, i support women's wrongs
January 17, 2023
while i didnt enjoy this as much as SWs debut novel, its still a pretty engaging story!
i was able to figure out everything very early on, but thats only because ive read loads of mystery/thrillers and can spot the ‘whodunnit’ a mile away. it has nothing to do with SWs storytelling, which remains pretty strong. the pacing is good, the reveals are timed well, the characters have depth to them, and i enjoyed how the past is woven into the present.
so overall, this is a successful addition to SWs bibliography.
thanks for the ARC, st. martins press/minotaur books!
↠ 3.5 stars
i was able to figure out everything very early on, but thats only because ive read loads of mystery/thrillers and can spot the ‘whodunnit’ a mile away. it has nothing to do with SWs storytelling, which remains pretty strong. the pacing is good, the reveals are timed well, the characters have depth to them, and i enjoyed how the past is woven into the present.
so overall, this is a successful addition to SWs bibliography.
thanks for the ARC, st. martins press/minotaur books!
↠ 3.5 stars
January 12, 2023
I was decently impressed with Willingham's sophomore effort after being an outlier on her first book (I figured it all out ahead of time), this one at least had a few more surprises on hand. I'm glad because "missing without a trace" is my favorite trope if done right, and this one had a good exposition and explanation.
Told in two timelines--in the present and in the past. Present day, Isabelle and Ben's young son Mason disappeared from his crib in the middle of the night one year ago. Their marriage has split up and Ben has moved out. Isabelle is obsessed with figuring out what happened to her son. She isn't sleeping at all and she goes to different true crime conventions in the hope that she can get the word out about her son. The past timeline is when Isabelle was growing up, she was a very deep sleepwalker and one night something happened that Isabelle thinks might have been her fault. Was Mason's disappearance her fault as well?
I pretty much figured out what happened in the past before it was all revealed, but I was wrong with my guesses about Mason's disappearance and who was responsible. The way that fit together in the end did elevate my rating for this one, despite Willingham's tendency towards overly flowery descriptions and my overall dislike for Isabelle through most of the book. I thought there was WAY too much dwelling on her lack of sleep, sleepwalking, keeping herself awake, being tired, micro sleeps, etc. It almost put me to sleep.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker, and I'm not the biggest fan of her narration (too much whispering) but I was kept interested and entertained regardless.
The book is very fast paced and the reveals to the different parts of the mystery come at regular intervals that allowed me to remain engaged with the story rather than getting bored. I'm glad I gave Willingham another chance and will be interested to see what she comes up with next.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Told in two timelines--in the present and in the past. Present day, Isabelle and Ben's young son Mason disappeared from his crib in the middle of the night one year ago. Their marriage has split up and Ben has moved out. Isabelle is obsessed with figuring out what happened to her son. She isn't sleeping at all and she goes to different true crime conventions in the hope that she can get the word out about her son. The past timeline is when Isabelle was growing up, she was a very deep sleepwalker and one night something happened that Isabelle thinks might have been her fault. Was Mason's disappearance her fault as well?
I pretty much figured out what happened in the past before it was all revealed, but I was wrong with my guesses about Mason's disappearance and who was responsible. The way that fit together in the end did elevate my rating for this one, despite Willingham's tendency towards overly flowery descriptions and my overall dislike for Isabelle through most of the book. I thought there was WAY too much dwelling on her lack of sleep, sleepwalking, keeping herself awake, being tired, micro sleeps, etc. It almost put me to sleep.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker, and I'm not the biggest fan of her narration (too much whispering) but I was kept interested and entertained regardless.
The book is very fast paced and the reveals to the different parts of the mystery come at regular intervals that allowed me to remain engaged with the story rather than getting bored. I'm glad I gave Willingham another chance and will be interested to see what she comes up with next.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
December 13, 2022
I was so excited to be granted an arc for Stacy Willingham's latest novel after hearing so much praise for it so it always pains me to be the dissenting opinion in the crowd. 😞
Isabelle Drake is exhausted and hasn't slept in nearly a year since her toddler son, Mason, was taken during the night. The detectives have no leads so Isabelle spends her time doing research and conducting her own interviews even though the detective has warned her not too. Her obsession with finding Mason is also the reason her marriage to Ben deteriorated.
Though she hasn't slept since her son disappeared that wasn't always the case. Before his disappearance she not only was a heavy sleeper but also suffered from sleepwalking, often doing things and going places she has no recollection of. The possibility that she herself could have harmed Mason is always in her mind though she would never, ever voice that concern.
At a recent conference where she discusses the case with the public in the hope of gathering any and all new information she meets Waylon, a true crime podcaster, who offers her his services. At first she's appalled and wants nothing to do with him but after taking time to think about it more she believes he may be able to help so the two work together to try to find Mason. Will they succeed? You'll have to read this to find out.
This book is slow and laborious. Willingham has a tendency to use more words than are necessary to say the most basic of things so it takes forever for her to just get to the point. A lot of people like that style of writing, and sometimes I do too, but for whatever reason it just didn't work for me here. I like my thrillers a little more thrilling.
As awful as it will be to say I didn't care about Isabelle. In fact, I disliked her quite a bit so with her being the sole narrator this book was doomed from the start.
We have a back and forth timeline with Isabelle now and Isabelle as a girl growing up with her parents and little sister, Margaret. It's alluded to that something tragic happened in the past so we have that mystery along with the current missing child mystery and neither really captured my attention. There was no spark, no sense of urgency to find out what happened in either of the timelines. I was truly reading just to be finished with the book.
Can I also just say how unbelievable it is to me that in both the past and the present the detectives knowingly turn a blind eye to the truth with a "You've been through a lot so I don't want to make things worse" type of attitudes?!?! I'm sorry to say but that doesn't happen in the real world.
Many readers found the twists to be mind blowing but I didn't think anything all that surprising was revealed. I knew who the bad person was very early on though I admit I didn't know exactly how it all went down it and when I found out I just shrugged my shoulders ready to move on. 2 stars! 🤷♀️
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my complimentary copy.
Isabelle Drake is exhausted and hasn't slept in nearly a year since her toddler son, Mason, was taken during the night. The detectives have no leads so Isabelle spends her time doing research and conducting her own interviews even though the detective has warned her not too. Her obsession with finding Mason is also the reason her marriage to Ben deteriorated.
Though she hasn't slept since her son disappeared that wasn't always the case. Before his disappearance she not only was a heavy sleeper but also suffered from sleepwalking, often doing things and going places she has no recollection of. The possibility that she herself could have harmed Mason is always in her mind though she would never, ever voice that concern.
At a recent conference where she discusses the case with the public in the hope of gathering any and all new information she meets Waylon, a true crime podcaster, who offers her his services. At first she's appalled and wants nothing to do with him but after taking time to think about it more she believes he may be able to help so the two work together to try to find Mason. Will they succeed? You'll have to read this to find out.
This book is slow and laborious. Willingham has a tendency to use more words than are necessary to say the most basic of things so it takes forever for her to just get to the point. A lot of people like that style of writing, and sometimes I do too, but for whatever reason it just didn't work for me here. I like my thrillers a little more thrilling.
As awful as it will be to say I didn't care about Isabelle. In fact, I disliked her quite a bit so with her being the sole narrator this book was doomed from the start.
We have a back and forth timeline with Isabelle now and Isabelle as a girl growing up with her parents and little sister, Margaret. It's alluded to that something tragic happened in the past so we have that mystery along with the current missing child mystery and neither really captured my attention. There was no spark, no sense of urgency to find out what happened in either of the timelines. I was truly reading just to be finished with the book.
Can I also just say how unbelievable it is to me that in both the past and the present the detectives knowingly turn a blind eye to the truth with a "You've been through a lot so I don't want to make things worse" type of attitudes?!?! I'm sorry to say but that doesn't happen in the real world.
Many readers found the twists to be mind blowing but I didn't think anything all that surprising was revealed. I knew who the bad person was very early on though I admit I didn't know exactly how it all went down it and when I found out I just shrugged my shoulders ready to move on. 2 stars! 🤷♀️
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my complimentary copy.
September 17, 2023
I’ll start with the negatives first since there are only two - and they don’t warrant taking off any stars.
1) Although the analogies are really good, there are too many of them, they become distracting and pull you out of the storyline.
2) The use of the same descriptors over and over are also a distraction - like she “punched” her hands in her pockets or she held her breath a “beat” to long. I’d like some other descriptor words used here instead of the same ones over and over.
Now for the good stuff…
This is a gripping story of a mother looking for answers…answers to the mysteries surrounding her own troubled youth and answers to the mystery surrounding the unsettling disappearance of her son.
As we traverse this wildly twisted story, no one is off limits from suspicion. The story leaves you shell shocked more than once and the intricate unfolding of events leaves you clamoring to follow the bread crumbs.
Extraordinarily entertaining, intricately multi-layered and you’ll never see it coming. I now have a new favorite author!!!
1) Although the analogies are really good, there are too many of them, they become distracting and pull you out of the storyline.
2) The use of the same descriptors over and over are also a distraction - like she “punched” her hands in her pockets or she held her breath a “beat” to long. I’d like some other descriptor words used here instead of the same ones over and over.
Now for the good stuff…
This is a gripping story of a mother looking for answers…answers to the mysteries surrounding her own troubled youth and answers to the mystery surrounding the unsettling disappearance of her son.
As we traverse this wildly twisted story, no one is off limits from suspicion. The story leaves you shell shocked more than once and the intricate unfolding of events leaves you clamoring to follow the bread crumbs.
Extraordinarily entertaining, intricately multi-layered and you’ll never see it coming. I now have a new favorite author!!!
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 4, 2023Anyone who follows my reviews know I have a strong dislike of wordiness and over-the-top similes. I disliked the author's first book for the same reason but decided to give this one a chance when several readers said it was better than her first book. Perhaps the mystery is better but I couldn't get past the writing to find out.
A few examples:
….his mouth hanging open like a creaky cupboard door
…..(She)knew they were bloodshot, the little veins that were supposed to be invisible branching out across my sclera like a windshield after a wreck, bloodied and cracking. Broken beyond repair.
….oak trees have formed a giant archway over the Bluff, their limbs getting mangled together in time like the lacing together of arthritic fingers.
And this….so many words devoted to nuking and eating a bowl of pasta:
Then I pull out a Tupperware container of spaghetti, open the lid, and sniff. The wet noodles flop into a bowl, still molded together in an oblong tube, and I thrust it into the microwave, staring at the clock as my dinner spins. Those little digital numbers glowing in the dark. 3:14 a.m. When the microwave beeps, I pull the bowl out and bring it into my dining room, pushing aside the various papers and folders and sticky notes with midnight musings scratched across their surface with dried-out pens. The chair screeches as I pull it out, and Roscoe ambles over to me at the noise, resting at my feet as I jab my fork into the pasta and spin.”
That’s it. I’m done. The only mystery here is where was the editor?!
* I received a digital and audio copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own
A few examples:
….his mouth hanging open like a creaky cupboard door
…..(She)knew they were bloodshot, the little veins that were supposed to be invisible branching out across my sclera like a windshield after a wreck, bloodied and cracking. Broken beyond repair.
….oak trees have formed a giant archway over the Bluff, their limbs getting mangled together in time like the lacing together of arthritic fingers.
And this….so many words devoted to nuking and eating a bowl of pasta:
Then I pull out a Tupperware container of spaghetti, open the lid, and sniff. The wet noodles flop into a bowl, still molded together in an oblong tube, and I thrust it into the microwave, staring at the clock as my dinner spins. Those little digital numbers glowing in the dark. 3:14 a.m. When the microwave beeps, I pull the bowl out and bring it into my dining room, pushing aside the various papers and folders and sticky notes with midnight musings scratched across their surface with dried-out pens. The chair screeches as I pull it out, and Roscoe ambles over to me at the noise, resting at my feet as I jab my fork into the pasta and spin.”
That’s it. I’m done. The only mystery here is where was the editor?!
* I received a digital and audio copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own
November 17, 2023
‘All the Dangerous Things’ is a little different in that it features sleepwalking at its core.
Isabelle Drake appears to lead a normal life, but behind that facade, she lives with the guilt that she did something really bad as a child.
We meet Isabelle a year after her son Mason was taken from his bed in the middle of the night, and despite the efforts of the local police department together with a well meaning public, no clues have led to them discovering what happened to her little boy.
Isabelle has barely slept in the last year, meaning extreme sleep deprivation makes it hard for her to function, to trust her own thoughts - did she do something wrong on that dreadful night that Mason went missing, she knows that the detective investigating the case looks on her as a suspect. As if she doesn’t have enough to worry about, her husband Ben has ended their marriage - it’s difficult to maintain a relationship when you’re both grieving and are unable to communicate, but whilst Isabelle is unable to move forward in her life, Ben appears to want to do exactly that.
Isabelle has been giving speeches to packed audiences, pleading with attendees to come forward with any information, no matter how small. From the list of people attending her speeches she tortures herself going through them, seeing if any of them are known criminals, desperately trying to find a link.
Eventually she agrees to be interviewed by true crime podcaster Waylon, and they’re soon working as a team. Much is to be discovered, not just about herself, but others too, and a it’s gripping read just wanting to know where it will all end. Recommended!
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Isabelle Drake appears to lead a normal life, but behind that facade, she lives with the guilt that she did something really bad as a child.
We meet Isabelle a year after her son Mason was taken from his bed in the middle of the night, and despite the efforts of the local police department together with a well meaning public, no clues have led to them discovering what happened to her little boy.
Isabelle has barely slept in the last year, meaning extreme sleep deprivation makes it hard for her to function, to trust her own thoughts - did she do something wrong on that dreadful night that Mason went missing, she knows that the detective investigating the case looks on her as a suspect. As if she doesn’t have enough to worry about, her husband Ben has ended their marriage - it’s difficult to maintain a relationship when you’re both grieving and are unable to communicate, but whilst Isabelle is unable to move forward in her life, Ben appears to want to do exactly that.
Isabelle has been giving speeches to packed audiences, pleading with attendees to come forward with any information, no matter how small. From the list of people attending her speeches she tortures herself going through them, seeing if any of them are known criminals, desperately trying to find a link.
Eventually she agrees to be interviewed by true crime podcaster Waylon, and they’re soon working as a team. Much is to be discovered, not just about herself, but others too, and a it’s gripping read just wanting to know where it will all end. Recommended!
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
January 11, 2023
Publication Date: January 10, 2023
It has been almost a year since Isabelle Drake’s toddler son, Mason was taken from his crib in the middle of the night while Isabelle and her husband Ben slept in the next room. Over the last year, Isabelle has been functioning on minimal sleep and has left no stone unturned in trying to find her son – hounding the police who have been unsuccessful in finding any clues, giving interviews and investigating the backgrounds of her friends and neighbors and attendees of the true-crime conferences she attends. Despite her initial reluctance she also agrees to participate in a true-crime podcast hosted by Waylon Spencer, who has been successful in solving a cold case in the past and who was one of the attendees at a conference in which Isabelle speaks about her son’s disappearance. Isabelle's marriage has fallen apart after Mason’s disappearance and her husband Ben has apparently accepted that Mason is never coming home. He has moved on and is now involved with another woman. But nothing has deterred Isabelle from her efforts to find her child.
As the narrative progresses we are taken back to Isabelle’s childhood and the traumatic events that have haunted her throughout her life – events for which Isabelle holds herself responsible. We also get to know more about her relationship with her husband Ben – how they met, their marriage, and subsequent events. While Isabelle tries to zero in on possible suspects, often acting impulsively in confronting those whom she suspects, it becomes clear that she is also a suspect in her son’s disappearance in the eyes of the police and others around her. With no one above suspicion and over a year since Mason was taken, will Isabelle be able to figure out what happened on that fateful night? Who took Mason? Is he still alive? Who can she trust to help her? Can she even trust her own memories of that night?
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham is an absorbing read! Suspense and twists, lies and deception, flawed characters and an intriguing well-structured plot make for an engaging psychological thriller. The narrative is shared completely from Isabelle’s PoV and moves back and forth between the present day with flashbacks from her relationship with Ben and chapters devoted to her childhood. I wasn't the biggest fan of Stacy Willingham’s previous novel, A Flicker in the Dark , but I thoroughly enjoyed All the Dangerous Things. Though the pace does wane in parts, I enjoyed the plot development and the twists and turns along the way. Though the primary mystery is that of Mason’s disappearance, a lot is going on in Isabelle’s life and the author seamlessly weaves past events into the primary narrative and expertly brings it all together in the end. The author touches upon themes of trauma, marriage, motherhood and mental health in this story. I won’t say that the end wasn’t entirely unpredictable but I was definitely surprised by how we got there. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Many thanks to Stacy Willingham, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eGalley of this engrossing novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 10, 2023
4.5⭐"All the Dangerous Things" drew me in immediately and I couldn’t put it down. I have to know!!😙🤌
Isabelle (Izzy) Drake's toddler, Mason was snatched from his crib in the middle of the night, the baby monitor ran out of battery and there was no break-in. A year later with no clue to go by, the investigation stalled and it's up to Izzy to keep the case going and maintain public interest.
Izzy encounters a true-crime podcaster Waylon Spencer who had success solving a case. Although reluctant at first, Izzy gave in for an interview. He seems to be interested in her past and keeps digging but it's something Izzy wants to forget.
"All the Dangerous Things" is a story about mental health and motherhood. It's told in two timelines, now and in 1999 from a sleep-deprived mother seeking answers. There are many twists and surprises along the way which I much prefer over the reveals unloaded in the last few chapters. I was completely blindsided by this one and all theories I had were tossed out the window. Loooved when this happens!!
The audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker is excellent. She's very talented with voice emotions without being overdone. It's also easy for listeners to differentiate the timeline from young Izzy vs now Izzy, male voices and other female characters are very noticeable as well.
Despite not being a big fan of the unreliable narrator trope, I enjoyed last year's debut "A Flicker in the Dark" and this one tops that! I can't wait to listen to Stacy Willingham's next novel.💓
Thank you, Amber Cortes, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for my ALC.
Out Jan 10, 2023!!
Isabelle (Izzy) Drake's toddler, Mason was snatched from his crib in the middle of the night, the baby monitor ran out of battery and there was no break-in. A year later with no clue to go by, the investigation stalled and it's up to Izzy to keep the case going and maintain public interest.
Izzy encounters a true-crime podcaster Waylon Spencer who had success solving a case. Although reluctant at first, Izzy gave in for an interview. He seems to be interested in her past and keeps digging but it's something Izzy wants to forget.
"All the Dangerous Things" is a story about mental health and motherhood. It's told in two timelines, now and in 1999 from a sleep-deprived mother seeking answers. There are many twists and surprises along the way which I much prefer over the reveals unloaded in the last few chapters. I was completely blindsided by this one and all theories I had were tossed out the window. Loooved when this happens!!
The audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker is excellent. She's very talented with voice emotions without being overdone. It's also easy for listeners to differentiate the timeline from young Izzy vs now Izzy, male voices and other female characters are very noticeable as well.
Despite not being a big fan of the unreliable narrator trope, I enjoyed last year's debut "A Flicker in the Dark" and this one tops that! I can't wait to listen to Stacy Willingham's next novel.💓
Thank you, Amber Cortes, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for my ALC.
Out Jan 10, 2023!!
July 6, 2023
Finally I got my hand on the audiobook, which I have been anticipating as more and more of my goodreads friends have read it. I loved a flicker in the dark, and enjoyed this one as well. The pain of the main character was described convincingly. I thought about my own son and imagined how it would feel to loose him. Her past is revealed slowly (a bit too slow at times) and it fits well with the main characters growing fear and paranoia. I loved the ending although the twist was a bit extreme in my opinion.
December 27, 2022
Isabelle Drake can’t sleep. Even as a child she struggled with what happened after she closed her eyes at night. Her repeated sleepwalking episodes were a mystery to her parents and troubling to her little sister, Margaret, who adored her big sister but was frightened by these behaviors.
Now things are even worse. It’s been a year since her toddler was taken from his crib in the night, and six months since her husband Ben left her. He thinks she needs to move on, but Isabelle can’t and won’t rest until she finds their son Mason. After she speaks at a true crime con, podcaster Waylon Spencer offers to let her tell her story. After all, there are still some who think SHE’S behind Mason’s disappearance, and a tragic event from her past isn’t helping.
Between her extreme sleep deprivation, the strange, glassy-eyed old man she encounters during night-time neighborhood walks, some unexpected discoveries on a laptop, Ben’s new relationship and a dogged detective who seems to treat everything she says with suspicion, Isabelle begins to wonder if she really IS the villain in this story.
As impressed as I was with her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, I think this book is even better. Willingham’s writing is beautiful and she didn’t rely on flashy, “in your face” twists and thrills to grab attention. Rather, she let the story unfold organically, in a way that didn’t require constant suspension of disbelief, which was nice! I thought the whodunnit was believable, and I didn’t figure it out ahead of time, unlike her last book. I also appreciated the attention brought to a specific mental health issue. Read the author’s note AFTER the book. It’s very thoughtful!
I did have a couple minor issues. There was a thread involving infidelity which I didn’t love. I understood where it served the story, but I couldn’t get behind why one party was being treated more sympathetically than the other, since it literally takes two. I also had to roll with one major aspect of the ending, which was explained but not realistic in today’s investigative world.
I read on my Kindle and also listened to the audio narrated by Karissa Vacker, who did a wonderful job with the voicing across genders and ages. My only quibble is that sometimes the emotion is Isabelle’s voice could’ve been reigned in just a teeny tiny bit, but that’s just personal preference.
All-in-all it’s a fantastic second outing by Stacy Willingham and an excellent thriller to end my year!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, NetGalley and author Stacy Willingham for the digital ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC to honestly review. Both will be available on January 10, 2023.
Now things are even worse. It’s been a year since her toddler was taken from his crib in the night, and six months since her husband Ben left her. He thinks she needs to move on, but Isabelle can’t and won’t rest until she finds their son Mason. After she speaks at a true crime con, podcaster Waylon Spencer offers to let her tell her story. After all, there are still some who think SHE’S behind Mason’s disappearance, and a tragic event from her past isn’t helping.
Between her extreme sleep deprivation, the strange, glassy-eyed old man she encounters during night-time neighborhood walks, some unexpected discoveries on a laptop, Ben’s new relationship and a dogged detective who seems to treat everything she says with suspicion, Isabelle begins to wonder if she really IS the villain in this story.
As impressed as I was with her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, I think this book is even better. Willingham’s writing is beautiful and she didn’t rely on flashy, “in your face” twists and thrills to grab attention. Rather, she let the story unfold organically, in a way that didn’t require constant suspension of disbelief, which was nice! I thought the whodunnit was believable, and I didn’t figure it out ahead of time, unlike her last book. I also appreciated the attention brought to a specific mental health issue. Read the author’s note AFTER the book. It’s very thoughtful!
I did have a couple minor issues. There was a thread involving infidelity which I didn’t love. I understood where it served the story, but I couldn’t get behind why one party was being treated more sympathetically than the other, since it literally takes two. I also had to roll with one major aspect of the ending, which was explained but not realistic in today’s investigative world.
I read on my Kindle and also listened to the audio narrated by Karissa Vacker, who did a wonderful job with the voicing across genders and ages. My only quibble is that sometimes the emotion is Isabelle’s voice could’ve been reigned in just a teeny tiny bit, but that’s just personal preference.
All-in-all it’s a fantastic second outing by Stacy Willingham and an excellent thriller to end my year!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, NetGalley and author Stacy Willingham for the digital ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC to honestly review. Both will be available on January 10, 2023.
January 5, 2023
3.75 Stars
I enjoyed this more than I enjoyed Flicker in the Dark. When I read that one, I remember thinking it was thisclose to being a true four star, but fell solidly short. Happy to have enjoyed this one more.
I thought the timeline was a bit all over the place sometimes, but I really enjoyed certain aspects of the writing, the plot, and the overall feel of the book. And I really just like thrillers about cold cases and missing people.
Much like I said in my review for Flicker, I really liked the way the author seems to have a solid handle on the human experience...I enjoyed the way she portrayed the uglier side of motherhood and society's expectations, especially as contrasted to the southern past.
I enjoyed the sleep deprivation/sleepwalker aspect, especially since I was a prolific sleepwalker until about 12 years old. I also really liked the ending as I didn't figure it out for once.
I enjoyed this more than I enjoyed Flicker in the Dark. When I read that one, I remember thinking it was thisclose to being a true four star, but fell solidly short. Happy to have enjoyed this one more.
I thought the timeline was a bit all over the place sometimes, but I really enjoyed certain aspects of the writing, the plot, and the overall feel of the book. And I really just like thrillers about cold cases and missing people.
Much like I said in my review for Flicker, I really liked the way the author seems to have a solid handle on the human experience...I enjoyed the way she portrayed the uglier side of motherhood and society's expectations, especially as contrasted to the southern past.
I enjoyed the sleep deprivation/sleepwalker aspect, especially since I was a prolific sleepwalker until about 12 years old. I also really liked the ending as I didn't figure it out for once.
December 3, 2022
Isabelle Drake tirelessly pounds the true crime circuit desperate to keep her 18 month old son Mason in the public eye after his kidnapping a year ago. It’s gruelling and punishing in more ways that one as Isabelle has had little more than micro-sleep since Masons disappearance. She drives herself forward stoked up with caffeine in a relentless bid to discover the truth. After one keynote speech she meets podcaster Waylon Spencer on the flight home and he offers his services. One thing is for absolute sure, no parents would want to walk a mile in her shoes. This extremely well written novel examines motherhood and the expectations that accompany it.
Wow, wow, wow. Stacy Willingham has knocked it out the park and then some with this stay up long into the night read which is appropriate owing to Isabelle’s insomniac state. This aspect of the novel is done incredibly well as the author makes you feel the mental and physical toll it has taken and you totally get her obsessive pursuit of the truth. Through Izzy you get a pervading sense of unreality, a dreamlike somnambulant state,, it’s almost hallucinatory so you have no idea what’s real and what’s not. This keeps you guessing and constantly on your toes, fully immersed and caught up in the plot.
The locations and settings add another dimension too as they perfectly match the events, creating a terrific atmosphere and heightening the tension and increasing intensity.
The novel contains a multitude of dangerous things including insomnia and the fear it induces but it also takes a deep dive into the past. All these ‘dangerous things’ arise organically in the plot being expressed and described extremely well.
Although this book is not especially fast paced it seems to me to be pitched just right which makes the unpredictable jolting shocks and jaw droppers really stand out. This is accompanied by vivid imagery that keeps you absorbed in the quality of the writing.
Finally, I must mention the characterisation. These are without doubt, flawed, complex people who are all portrayed well so they feel authentic and they are what makes this such a powerful and thought provoking psychological thriller. I highly recommend this and I can’t wait to read what the author comes up with next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Wow, wow, wow. Stacy Willingham has knocked it out the park and then some with this stay up long into the night read which is appropriate owing to Isabelle’s insomniac state. This aspect of the novel is done incredibly well as the author makes you feel the mental and physical toll it has taken and you totally get her obsessive pursuit of the truth. Through Izzy you get a pervading sense of unreality, a dreamlike somnambulant state,, it’s almost hallucinatory so you have no idea what’s real and what’s not. This keeps you guessing and constantly on your toes, fully immersed and caught up in the plot.
The locations and settings add another dimension too as they perfectly match the events, creating a terrific atmosphere and heightening the tension and increasing intensity.
The novel contains a multitude of dangerous things including insomnia and the fear it induces but it also takes a deep dive into the past. All these ‘dangerous things’ arise organically in the plot being expressed and described extremely well.
Although this book is not especially fast paced it seems to me to be pitched just right which makes the unpredictable jolting shocks and jaw droppers really stand out. This is accompanied by vivid imagery that keeps you absorbed in the quality of the writing.
Finally, I must mention the characterisation. These are without doubt, flawed, complex people who are all portrayed well so they feel authentic and they are what makes this such a powerful and thought provoking psychological thriller. I highly recommend this and I can’t wait to read what the author comes up with next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
February 5, 2023
2.5 stars.
A young boy goes missing from his bedroom while his parents, Isabelle and Ben, are sleeping. Less than a year after his abduction, Isabelle and Ben, separate as they struggle to come to the acceptance of his disappearance. Isabelle continues her desperate search for answers alone.
This book included many elements that I love: dual timelines, an unsolved crime, strong motherhood theme, true crime podcast, a loveable pet dog for the main character. As much as I gravitate to stories that involve these aspects, they didn’t come together smoothly for me in this novel. The Past flashbacks lacked any sort of pull for me. The suspense kept my attention to the end, but the storyline itself was lacking.
The main issue I had was I didn’t click with the writing. Within the first 25% of the book I considered DNF’ing as many descriptions and similes felt forced and awkward. The writing lacked a natural flow/ease for me and I found myself scratching my head with the way the author overused descriptive words which took away from my enjoyment and connection. I didn’t connect with Isabelle at all. I should have been rooting for her and feeling sympathy for her situation but I had no investment. I continued on with the book as I have heard many great things about this authors’ writing. I can see how many loved this book, but for me, I know I am not a good fit for this authors’ writing style.
Overall, I’m glad I read it because I’ve been curious about this author. However, I cannot recommend this one.
Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!
A young boy goes missing from his bedroom while his parents, Isabelle and Ben, are sleeping. Less than a year after his abduction, Isabelle and Ben, separate as they struggle to come to the acceptance of his disappearance. Isabelle continues her desperate search for answers alone.
This book included many elements that I love: dual timelines, an unsolved crime, strong motherhood theme, true crime podcast, a loveable pet dog for the main character. As much as I gravitate to stories that involve these aspects, they didn’t come together smoothly for me in this novel. The Past flashbacks lacked any sort of pull for me. The suspense kept my attention to the end, but the storyline itself was lacking.
The main issue I had was I didn’t click with the writing. Within the first 25% of the book I considered DNF’ing as many descriptions and similes felt forced and awkward. The writing lacked a natural flow/ease for me and I found myself scratching my head with the way the author overused descriptive words which took away from my enjoyment and connection. I didn’t connect with Isabelle at all. I should have been rooting for her and feeling sympathy for her situation but I had no investment. I continued on with the book as I have heard many great things about this authors’ writing. I can see how many loved this book, but for me, I know I am not a good fit for this authors’ writing style.
Overall, I’m glad I read it because I’ve been curious about this author. However, I cannot recommend this one.
Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!
December 10, 2022
Gripping and tense, All the Dangerous Things was hard to put down. Once I started listening to the audiobook, I did not want to put it down, as this one seeped in and piqued my interest. Motherhood, a missing child, insomnia, and an unreliable narrator pulled me in.
Isabelle Drake's son, Mason, was taken from his crib while Isabelle and her husband Ben slept in the next room. Now Ben has moved on and Isabelle has not slept since she read her son a bedtime story and tucked him in for the night. She questions how she didn't know someone was there? How did she not know he was taken? She wants answers and searches for clues. She gives speeches about her missing child, knowing that people are interested, hoping to find answers.
Isabelle has not slept, thus making her an unreliable narrator. She is tired and it affects her memory and recollections. Will talking to a true crime podcaster help her? What does he know about her past? The book looks at both Isabelle in the past and present.
After feeling so-so about A Flicker in the Dark, I was wowed by this book. It took me by surprise and shocked me. I love when I can't figure things out and I did not see that coming! Well played! Plus, the twists! It's whiplash time!
Gripping, riveting, hard to put down and shocking! What a great book, plus the narrator did a fantastic job. What a great read/listen.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Isabelle Drake's son, Mason, was taken from his crib while Isabelle and her husband Ben slept in the next room. Now Ben has moved on and Isabelle has not slept since she read her son a bedtime story and tucked him in for the night. She questions how she didn't know someone was there? How did she not know he was taken? She wants answers and searches for clues. She gives speeches about her missing child, knowing that people are interested, hoping to find answers.
Isabelle has not slept, thus making her an unreliable narrator. She is tired and it affects her memory and recollections. Will talking to a true crime podcaster help her? What does he know about her past? The book looks at both Isabelle in the past and present.
After feeling so-so about A Flicker in the Dark, I was wowed by this book. It took me by surprise and shocked me. I love when I can't figure things out and I did not see that coming! Well played! Plus, the twists! It's whiplash time!
Gripping, riveting, hard to put down and shocking! What a great book, plus the narrator did a fantastic job. What a great read/listen.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
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