Review: All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
Published by Minotaur Books on January 10, 2023
Pages: 320
Genres: Mystery


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A totally gripping thriller about a desperate mother with a troubled past.

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.

All the Dangerous Things shows just how chilling sleep disorders can be.

It has been one year since Isabelle’s toddler was kidnapped in the middle of the night. One year of obsessively chasing down leads with little cooperation or sympathy from the police. One year of dead ends. One year of watching her marriage disintegrate. One year since she has slept. One. Year. Can you imagine?

I have experienced prolonged bouts of insomnia, so I thought I knew a thing or two about persistent fatigue. Nothing that comes close to the physical and mental toll of Isabelle’s severe, mood-altering sleep deprivation though. It erases clarity and makes her question her sanity. Isabelle’s history of sleep disorders causes the reader to second-guess Isabelle as well. Sleep is like a living, breathing character here—one that is potentially dangerous. 

The book does an excellent job of balancing past and present in a way that isn’t disruptive to the flow of the story. It’s a two for one mystery, and I enjoyed unraveling the pieces of both. Some revelations are a little too easily accepted by Isabelle, but there are plenty of discoveries to keep the reader engaged.

Recommended for fans of:
Mysteries
Suspense
Sleep disorders
Podcasts

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