Book Review: All the Dangerous Things

One year ago, Isabelle’s infant son was kidnapped. With the case growing cold and police running out of leads, Isabelle has taken matters into her own hands. She has gone on the speaking circuit, visiting true crime conventions in hopes that someone can provide her with a clue, or even that the kidnapper might come to see her just to gloat. When Waylon, a true crime podcaster, offers to interview her, she reluctantly agrees. But is he an ally? Is he the gloating kidnapper himself? Or is he an accuser, like the police who seem willing to believe - at this late date - that Isabelle herself is responsible for her son’s disappearance? Isabelle is surrounded by questions and a debilitating bout of insomnia has left her unable to trust her own instincts, and now a resurgence of the sleepwalking that she suffered as a child has returned, making her wonder... Could she be the dangerous thing?

All the Dangerous Things was a top recommendation among Chandler Library staff, hitting multiple staff picks lists and the 2023 New Year, New Reads list. The universal fear of losing a child and the narrator’s descriptions of insomnia are powerfully rendered, and a mystery surrounding an incident in Isabelle’s past only adds to the suspense. All the Dangerous Things earns its popularity with every turn of the page. - Michelle (Sunset)

All the Dangerous Things