All the Dangerous Things: The gripping new psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark

Product Information

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. I walk past him, to the edge of the stage, and stand behind a black curtain, the audience just barely obscured from view. I’m so honored to be able to reveal the cover for Vanessa Lillie’s buzz-worthy new mystery here on CBTB today! Could a terrible secret from Isabelle’s past—something she has repressed for years—have manifested itself in her adult life, and caused her to harm her son? I also had to roll with one major aspect of the ending, which was explained but not realistic in today’s investigative world.

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.Stacy Willingham is the New York Times, USA Today and internationally-bestselling author of several novels, including A Flicker in the Dark, All The Dangerous Things and the upcoming Only If You're Lucky. 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. 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 Drake put her toddler son to bed one evening and upon awakening she found that Mason was GONE!

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. Isabelle's entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can't go on this way forever. Some people, maybe even the local police wonder if she had anything to do with Mason’s disappearance.The mystery/suspense feels very guessable but has enough surprises and twists to keep you on your toes. Stacey Willingham has just proven with “back to back” impressive books that she will be an AUTO REQUEST author for me! The identity of the kidnapper and the resolution of the mystery were easily the best parts of the book.

We have a back and forth timeline with Isabelle now and Isabelle as a girl growing up with her parents and little sister, Margaret. Willingham’s strong affinity for characters and her superior plotting elevate All the Dangerous Things. 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. 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. To make things even more complicated, she grew up in a house that was a civil war hospital at one time and it may or may not be haunted.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. Sleep deprivation is a beast and it's not like Isabelle hasn't struggled with sleep irregularities in the past. Huge thanks to Vanessa and her publisher for giving us this early sneak peek—I can’t wait to read BLOOD SISTERS this fall! Desperate to keep public attention on her son’s case, Isabelle now travels to true crime conventions, where she stands in front of crowds of hundreds of eager true crime aficionados, recounting the night that changed her life forever. Willingham’s writing is beautiful and she didn’t rely on flashy, “in your face” twists and thrills to grab attention.

In the ‘Then’ timeline, things are pretty interesting and I was quite hooked onto the events that might have affected contemporary Isabelle. 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. 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. 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 Isabelle is giving talks to the public about her missing baby, who was taken from her home a year before.

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? Her past is revealed slowly (a bit too slow at times) and it fits well with the main characters growing fear and paranoia.