All the Dangerous Things

Waylon Spencer serves as Isabelle Drake’s confidant and eventual collaborator. He is a true crime podcaster who attends Isabelle’s keynote speech and solicits her to be on his podcast. As the novel progresses, it is revealed that Waylon is the younger brother of Allison, Ben Drake’s first wife; Waylon’s involvement in the true crime community branches from his belief that Ben killed Allison. However, he is not forthcoming with this information, and his desire to avoid scrutiny causes a temporary rift between him and Isabelle. Their reconciliation empowers Isabelle to confront Valerie, giving her the information she needs to find Mason.

Waylon’s purpose in the novel is to encourage Isabelle and lead her to question preconceived notions. His prior experiences with Ben have empowered him to identify Ben’s pattern of manipulation, giving him an outside perspective that Isabelle cannot access. He lays a subtle groundwork of doubt until Isabelle pressures him into honesty. By using his sister to illustrate Ben’s abuse, Waylon helps free Isabelle of Ben’s hold, giving her the resources that Allison lacked.

Waylon highlights the Nonlinear Nature of Grief. His expression of grief aligns with Isabelle’s in that it is rooted in action; he uses his podcast to address his sister’s murder in a way that mirrors Isabelle’s speeches at true crime conventions. However, Waylon’s grief is older than Isabelle’s (regarding Mason, not Margaret and Eloise), reflecting a nearly decade-long dedication to justice and truth. His grief remains fresh despite the length of time he has dedicated to it, reinforcing that mourning is a different journey for each person who experiences it.

Benjamin “Ben” Drake is Isabelle’s husband and the novel’s main antagonist. He is repeatedly noted to be handsome and charming. He is Isabelle’s boss at The Grit magazine when they first meet; however, he withholds this information until after they have kissed, just as he hides the fact that he is married. When his wife Allison dies, Ben and Isabelle quickly marry. After Mason’s disappearance, Ben is quick to claim his son is dead and moves on with a new girlfriend, Valerie. His actions, both witnessed and discussed, showcase that he is a manipulative individual who uses women as he pleases.

Ben’s status as the novel’s antagonist is unique in that the reader learns of his cruelties alongside Isabelle. Because the novel is filtered through her perspective, Isabelle’s affection for Ben and rage at their situation dominate the narrative. It is not until Isabelle begins to challenge her own perceptions that she challenges her ideas about Ben, allowing her and the reader to see through his deception.

Ben forces others, especially women, to adhere to his perspective and desires. His manipulation is best represented by Isabelle herself, who gave up her dream job (as a writer for The Grit, rather than a freelancer) and hid their relationship to marry him. Waylon reports that Ben similarly prevented Allison from attending law school, and it is clear from Valerie’s behavior that she experiences a similar distortion of facts. Ben’s alteration of information avoids the truth and presents a specific story, one that leaves him free of blame and free to live life as he sees fit. He is only stopped when Isabelle takes control of the narrative, planting evidence to link him to his past crimes.

Valerie Sherman is Ben’s current girlfriend and the novel’s second antagonist. She physically resembles both Allison and Isabelle, but her youth makes her more attractive to Ben. She works as a grief counselor and hosts weekly meetings for people experiencing bereavement. Valerie once served as Ben’s therapist, but Ben insists their relationship did not become romantic until after he stopped seeing her professionally. She helped Ben arrange Mason’s kidnapping and gave Mason to a woman named Abigail Fisher before the events of the novel. Valerie is accidentally killed by Isabelle when Isabelle learns of her involvement; her death is used as evidence against Ben.

Valerie occupies a complicated place in the narrative as she embodies a version of Isabelle. Like both Allison and Isabelle, Valerie is an intelligent woman with professional goals. Like Isabelle, her relationship with Ben begins as an affair; she is fed false information about Isabelle’s failures as a mother, but this does not absolve her of her crimes. In her mind, kidnapping Mason alleviates the burden of motherhood from Isabelle and frees Ben to leave his family. It is Valerie’s lack of remorse that makes her an antagonist despite also being a victim of Ben’s lies. She has multiple opportunities to talk to Isabelle and right her wrongs but instead remains dedicated to Ben and prolongs Isabelle’s suffering.

Allison Drake is Ben’s first wife and Waylon’s older sister. She bears a strong resemblance to both Isabelle and Valerie. After Ben and Isabelle begin their affair, Allison dies in what is believed to be either a suicide or an accidental overdose. It is not until Waylon opens up to Isabelle that Ben’s culpability in her death is made apparent. Although Allison is only in one scene, she serves as Waylon’s motivation and provides Isabelle with vital context that helps her see through Ben’s deception. Through the endeavor of memorializing Allison, Waylon provides Isabelle with the tools and questions she needs to find her son, making Allison’s death an inciting incident for the novel.