Audiobook Review: All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

 

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

Publication Date: January 10th 2023 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 10hrs

Narrators: Karissa Vacker

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Isabelle’s toddler son, Mason, was taken in the middle of the night, one year ago.  Since then, she hasn’t been able to sleep more than a short nap here and there, with her whole focus to find Mason. Her marriage has fallen apart and her husband, Ben, has moved out and “is ready to move on”.

No new leads have surfaced, so in an effort to get more exposure and keep the case alive Isabelle retells her experience in the true crime circuits, much to the dismay of her husband and the detective in charge of Mason’s case. Isabelle opens herself up to speculation, people suspicious of the parents, but she doesn’t care as long as it helps find her son.

Along comes Waylon, a new podcaster offering to feature Mason’s case in a series. As Isabelle is interviewed and recounts Mason’s disappearance, questions surface not only about that awful night but about Isabelle and Ben’s past.

My heart went out to Isabelle. This is a mother’s worst nightmare, and I could easily put myself in her shoes not caring about anything else except finding my child. Ben was something else! The podcast was the perfect vehicle for us as readers (or listeners) to get the history of how Ben and Isabelle met and fell in love, and it’s not all wine and roses. Facts about Isabelle’s childhood come out, also throwing a worrisome dimension to the story.

Oh, this was a twisty mystery! I guessed at some things but was totally shocked by others! Once I got into the story I couldn’t stop listening because I needed to know what happened and how it’d all turn out! So good!

I enjoyed Stacy Willingham’s debut, A Flicker in the Dark, last year and I’m happy to say All the Dangerous Things was even better!  

Karissa Vacker’s performance enhanced an already captivating story. Her voice is rich and smooth and each character was defined and unique. I listened at my usual 1.5x-1.75x the normal speed.

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

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.