Rachel Krall's podcast has blown up. Now in its third season, Rachel has worked hard to make sure she delivers the kind of programming and content that her listeners crave. Which is why she's traveled to the tiny town of Neapolis.

Neapolis is the site of an upcoming court case that has literally split the town. A golden boy has been accused of rape and everyone has an opinion. Rachel strives to be impartial, sharing the facts as they're presented, but when she's approached by a woman who all but begs for help in solving her sister's murder, Rachel finds that being impartial is becoming more and more difficult.

The murder in question is over two decades old and has nothing to do with the current trial, but similarities between the victims are impossible to overlook. And that case from so long ago is starting to haunt Rachel. As she splits her time and focus between the two cases, she begins to realize that Neapolis is hiding some very dark secrets!

I will admit that I had high expectations of The Night Swim, given how much I enjoyed Goldin's debut, The Escape Room. And I'm happy to say that this book did not disappoint!

Rachel is on her way to Neapolis when the book begins. She's on her own, thanks to an accident that has left her producer, Pete, hospitalized. Being alone isn't really a concern except that Rachel's podcast has grown more and more popular with each season. But it's her voice people recognize, not her face.

At least that's what she thought.

Before she's even arrived, Rachel has been spotted by someone. A woman calling herself Hannah has left Rachel a note on her windshield. In the note, the woman asks for Rachel's help, claiming it's the third time she's done so. She's desperate, that much is clear to Rachel. But Rachel has a job to do—a trial to attend and a podcast to put together. She doesn't really have time to investigate a second crime.

Plus, she's used to people asking for her help. And she's only got so much she can give.

Still, something about the letter intrigues her. She finds herself drawn into the case in spite of her reservations. And as it turns out, there's something to the case after all.

The small town setting is perfect for the kind of dramatic story that Goldin has built. And interspersed between chapters of Rachel's investigation and her attending the court case she's actually in town for, are episodes of the podcast and Hannah's letters.

Weaving together so many different threads can be a precarious thing and it doesn't always work, but Goldin manages it quite well. I never felt pulled out of the story or anxious to get back to any one part. I thought the whole thing worked and flowed so well together that the narrative moved along at a great pace.

I was attracted to this title by the high reviews. Sadly, not for me. I thought the characterization and suspense were well-done, but ultimately found the subject matter too unpleasant. Personal threshold.

Oooo this is a good one folks!

Rachel Krall is the voice behind the very popular podcast Guilty or Not Guilty – the podcast that puts you in the jury box. She has traveled to Neapolis to kick off her third season by featuring a rape trial that is about start. Upon her arrival to Neapolis, Rachel receives a mysterious letter from Hannah. Hannah prefers to keep her identity a secret, but she is desperate for Rachel to look into her sister (Jenny) and her death twenty years ago.

I loved the use of a podcast throughout this book! It was incredibly life-like with the use of music and a couple of other creative liberties that were done to really bring it to life.

Rachel is a great character! She is smart, inquisitive, and driven by the truth. Hannah’s story is so sad. She very slowly reveals the story of her sister through letters and emails. I was surprised it took so long for Rachel and Hannah to meet in person, but I think the fact that Hannah remained such a mystery to her egged her on to keep digging and unearth the truth about what happened to Jenny.

I was juggling listening to this book and reading another. Every time I would start to read my other book my mind would drift back to this one. I finally caved and decided to exclusively listen to this one so I could finally learn how it all would all play out.

This is my first book by Megan Goldin and I cannot wait to read more!

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

The small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town’s golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping a high school student, the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating―but the mysterious letters keep showing up in unexpected places.

Oh what a fabulous clever book this is. A reporter doing a live podcast following the trial of the town future prospect is such an emotive subject right now. This was clever, engaging and with an interesting cast of characters. Who to believe?

This is an emotive intense thriller covering not only a current case but a historical one from the same town.

Rachel, who hosts a popular true crime podcast, is trying to up her game. Thus, she travels to a small town to cover a trial live. Once there, however, something strange happens. She begins finding notes from a fan, Hannah, on her windshield. This leads Rachel to begin looking into a cold case, a fifteen-year old mystery involving a girl who drowned but whose sister, Hannah, is convinced she was murdered. Hanna tries to pull Rachel into the cold case. The two cases are similar, and Rachel begins to work them both. The story does provide a lot of good information/perspective on how rape cases are handled, as well as on the culture that surrounds them. Often, one’s social standing, coupled with community knowledge, understanding and credibility of the raped as well as of the rapist becomes important, which I had not really thought a lot about before this book. I found the cold case murder/death part of the book to be better done than the real-time trial. This is definitely a topic that can use more explanation of as well as more discussion, especially today. I received this from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Rachel Krall is a successful true-crime podcaster. Her podcast "Guilty or Not Guilty" features people believed to be wrongly accused of a crime. For her upcoming season she is covering a high profile, small town rape trial where an Olympic hopeful and has been accused of raping the granddaughter of the town's police chief.

In the midst of the trial Rachel finds a disturbing note on her windshield from a young woman named Hannah who claims her sister Jenny was murdered 25 years earlier and that the case was covered up, it was ruled as an accidental drowning. Hannah is begging Rachel to look into her sister's case which has haunted her for so many years. It appears that there are many similarities in the two cases both in this small beach town.

The subject matter of rape is a tough topic so readers should be aware of this before deciding if this is a book that they want to read. It's also a story about memory, secrets, cover ups and the justice system. It's all rolled up into a page turning mystery and courtroom drama. Told through Rachel and Hannah's third person POV, where Hannah slowly reveals her late sister's story and Rachel's coverage of the current courtroom rape trial plays out.

The characters were well explored, I felt Hannah's pain and the emotional trauma for what she witnessed and for what had happened to her only sibling Jenny. The author does a very good job tying the two similar stories together; well done overall.

This book will stay with me.
Bold. Daring. Real. Integrity. Dignity.
A young girl is sexually assaulted on her way home from a party. A true crime podcast personality visits the town to cover the trail months later.
As she investigates, a 25 year old death is brought to her attention. Hannah is still seeking justice for her sister's death.
This book does an amazing job exploring the complexity of rape. Victim blaming. Archaic definition of rape- must involve some sort of weapon. Ongoing violation of not just the rape- the rape kit, reliving the trauma via filing report, trial, media, gossip.

I was so looking forward to reading The Night Swim. I loved The Escape Room and was hoping I wooed love this one as well. I'll be honest, I didn't love it and I'm not completely sure I liked it. In The Night Swim, Rachel is a True Crime pod-caster who is in town to cover a rape trial of a high school student. While she is there, she gets letters from someone who wants Rachel to look into a death that happened years before.

There was a twist at the end that I didn't guess, but it wasn't enough to save the book for me. Rachel was just kind of a boring character. She felt generic to me. I was more interested in the story that is told to us through the letters Rachel received. The other thing I wasn't a fan of was the way author wrote every male in this book. I understand what she was trying to do by making the rape trial a parallel to a recent real life trial of a college student who got a slap on the wrist , but it was just over the top. Every single male in this book was either a pig or woman abuser. Really? Not all men are like that and to pretend otherwise is disingenuous. It was annoying and got old.

It's an OK mystery, but not thrilling. I found this one slow paced and not all that interesting. I didn't even really love the podcast excerpts that were included. I think I'm in the minority when it comes to this one. So, give it a try and see for yourself.

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. I absolutely loved this fast paced thriller told both in the present but also in the past. It was wonderfully written and emotional. I was extremely invested in the characters and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the ending. I highly recommend it to all thriller lovers. Thanks again to NetGalley for the chance to read this one!

First things first – I loved The Night Swim. I thought it was topical (as so many books are in these post-#MeToo times), and I enjoyed the dual time story, moving between the current court case Rachel is reporting on for her podcast, and the comparable story she gets dragged into of Jenny, from 25 years previously, and her sister Hannah, still searching for answers to what happened all these years later. Both stories grabbed me – it wasn’t a case of one being much stronger than the other, as is sometimes the case in dual timeline stories.

I have a real weakness for books set in small town America, where everyone of consequence knows everyone else, meaning no-one is truly neutral. The ghosts of the past always haunt the present in such novels, and in this book (like some others set in places like this) it’s a case of the reader trying to figure out who the person from the past is now.

Interspersed in Rachel’s investigations are her podcast episodes, relating the results of her investigations into the court case, and letters from Hannah, tantalizingly left for Rachel, describing what happened that summer all these years ago. She was only a child back then, and some things were beyond her understanding. The fact that her family were poor, and that their mother was dying of cancer, make Jenny – who’s trying to shield her younger sister from what’s going on – even more alone and vulnerable as she attempts to hide what’s happening to her from the rest of her family. She’s alone, with no one to turn to, and so perfect prey for the rich, entitled boys of the town. Her family’s status also makes what happened to her much easier to sweep under the carpet, and for any perpetrators to walk away under the protection of their richer, more powerful families.

Meanwhile, in the present day, it’s a straightforward he said/she said court case that Rachel is reporting on for her podcast. The defendant has a huge amount to lose – not just his liberty. He’s a talented swimmer and could be in line for a place in the next Olympics team, as well as a place at a prestigious college. Again, he’s from a rich and highly influential family who can afford the very best legal representation. Will the prosecution be able to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt if these two people are – as is nearly always the case in rape trials – the only ones who saw and heard what happened? There are some great courtroom scenes in this book which will keep you turning the pages rapidly (I do enjoy some good courtroom drama too!) It’s a book with lots happening – boredom will definitely not be an option! As for one of the reveals at the end – what really happened to Jenny? Who, if anyone, was responsible for what was deemed to be an accidental night-time drowning? – well, it was a satisfying and unexpected twist (and not the only one…) And will the town’s great athletic hope escape justice by buying his way out of the accusations against him…?

Megan Goldin is a hugely talented writer – I gulped this story down, grabbing every spare minute I had to keep reading and discover what happened, both now and 25 years ago. I’ve already bought her very well-reviewed debut novel, The Escape Room, so much did I enjoy this follow-up. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into that one soon, and will be looking out for her future works. Meantime, if you read this polished, very of-the-moment novel, I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Highly recommended.

Wow! This was a great book. It was written from the perspective of a podcaster which was interesting to me. I have never listen to podcast, but I am going to check them out. The subject matter was dark and disturbing. I really liked the way the story came together but using a trial, the podcast and some letters from a fan. I knew it was going to all connect, but it took me a while to figure it out. The book was fast paced and hard to put down. The only thing that was a distraction was how everyone opened up and told the podcaster all the secrets and information she was looking for even with her being a stranger. It was necessary to keep the book moving, but totally unbelievable. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I will definitely have her on my radar for future books!

I love a thriller and this one was full of interesting twists. Not just the kind of thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, but also a riveting account of what sexual assault victims endure beyond the event itself. Megan Goldin's story was beautifully done. Both captivating and thought-provoking, this book will be one I think about for a long long time.

Sorry I have been able to get to this book yet, but unfortunately due to this years troubling events my reading mojo has deserted me. Once it returns I will certainly be reading this book and updating my review.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Content Rating: 18+
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery
Published: August 4, 2020, by St. Martin's Press

Megan Goldin has hit the mark again with her new book The Night Swim. After reading her previous book, The Escape Room, I knew I had to read her latest book. The Night Swim is a twisty suspenseful story spanning twenty-five years, with two dueling narrators. The first narrator is telling her sister's compelling horrific story the other reporting on an equally sad story. Throw in some courtroom drama, a gripping podcast, and a few disturbing mysterious letters, and you have the makings of a book that will keep you glued to its pages.

In The Night Swim, Goldin tackles an age-old issue that societies have been struggling to deal with, rape, and I commend Goldin for taking on this issue. I feel she does an excellent job of showing both sides in this book, without letting us forget how important it is to believe women without the victim-blaming and shaming that is sometimes associated with rape cases.

"It's a calculation women make all the time…Women, girls, we make these decisions all the time. Convenience versus safety.
Most of the time things work out fine.
Occasionally something terrible happens."


The story seems relatively straightforward. Rachel Krall's very successful true-crime podcast, Guilty or Not Guilty, leads her to the small town of Neapolis in North Carolina, where for the first time, she is not covering a murder trial, but a rape trial. Even though Rachel Krall is a strong, intelligent woman with a tenacious sense of right and wrong, I liked how the author had her go through a trek of self-discovery of how difficult it is for women to speak up when they have been a victim of rape. Rachel is a newswoman who seeks the truth no matter who it may anger or where it leads her.

"The prosecution needs to prove that the victim did not consent. That's tough when it's "his" word against "her" word."

"The trauma of testifying is one of the main reasons why so many rape victims opt not to testify and why so many rapes are never prosecuted."

"I'm Rachel Krall and this is Guilty or Not Guilty, the podcast that puts you in the jury box."

The accused, the town's golden boy, is on trial for allegedly raping the police chief's granddaughter. There are lots and lots of secrets in this small town, and not all are what it seems. When Rachel starts receiving letters, in very unusual ways, that describe a murder that happened twenty-five years ago, things become even more complicated. Rachel soon begins to wonder if these two crimes are somehow related to one another. But that's all I will say about that. 😉

The Night Swim is a fast-paced well-written book that kept me reading and kept me guessing to the very end. With her compelling writing style, Goldin makes this book relatable and thought-provoking. She addresses the subject of rape with care and sensitivity. The characters are complex, believable, and endearing, which enhances the story and makes it unputdownable. I highly recommend this book if you like memorable characters and a story that will keep you on your toes.

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. *

** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Megan Goldin. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

<b>First and foremost: this book contains graphic rape scenes. </b>

Like others, I went in expecting an edgy, tension filled thriller and what I got didn't fit the bill. Instead, The Night Swim is more of a slow build crime novel. Don't get me wrong, you'll definitely feel tension (how could you not when the book centers around the brutal rape of 16-year-old girls); however, not the kind I would describe as "nail-biting."

On that note, this book and its reality is downright intense and heartbreaking. The story line is lived in real time, as we bounce between Rachel's True Crime pod cast: Guilty or Not Guilty, the courtroom, and the past. Ms. Godin puts the focus on rape and its repulsive culture. She takes no prisoners when it comes to the very real and raw facts of victim blaming in our society. A society where the victim is the actual one on trial, while the suspect is instead the victim.

<b><i>“I don’t get how we can almost unanimously agree that murder is wrong, but when it comes to rape some people still see shades of gray”. </i></b>

This quote is the epitome of this book and the world we live in. Rape is bone deep. It is life altering. There should be no shades of gray. There should be no victim blaming. The victim should not be the one on trial, determined immediately guilty by her peers.

The Night Swim will lead you on an emotional roller coaster. At times, I felt like I was derailing off the track with the crazy feels I had. There will be so much anger, pain, disgust, and disheartenment that you'll wonder if you 'll make it to the end. I almost DNF'd a couple time. The anxiety I felt became overwhelming at times. As a mother, I grieved for these girls and the thousands like them. As a woman, I grieved for these girls and the thousands like them. I felt gutted and defeated by the merciless treatment of our victims. Especially since this piece of fiction is in actuality non-fiction. I cried so many tears from the soul wrenching degradation and depravity.

Ms. Goldin wrote a powerful, thought provoking and tangible novel that gets under your skin. As I stated earlier, the scenes are descriptive and vivid. They'll stay with you. If this is a trigger for you, I would give this book a hard pass. Outside of the slow pacing, it was beautifully written as two stories interconnected as one. This tough, sensitive subject was handled with the upmost respect and care. I admire the author for going outside the box and writing about such a controversial subject matter.

I really look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

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It took me close to a month to get through this book due to the heavy content. If rape/abuse is a trigger for you then I would not pick this book up. That being said, I found the first half of this book to be a bit slow but once I got to the 40% mark I was hooked. This story is told by Rachel who is a true crime podcaster and is attending the trial of a rape case. Upon arriving to the small NC town in which the trial is being held she starts receiving letters and emails from a sister of a victim that passed 25 years prior.

With two story lines being told I thought the author did a wonderful job of intertwining them so that neither felt outlandish to the overall plot. More than anything, I think this book opened my eyes to what the victim had to endure during the trial and having to defend herself as if she were in the wrong or lying about that night it happened. I am quite sure this is similar to real life rape trials and this makes me sad and frustrated. I will forever think of this book and the characters who played a part in it.

A big thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and ARC of this book!

The Night Swim is a slow burn mystery/suspense story that I very much enjoyed, but also found sad and upsetting in parts. The issues within regarding rape victims and how the judicial system, media, and society handle such cases is timely and deeply disturbing. I enjoyed the mixed narrative from Rachel interspersed with the transcripts from her podcast. I always like a good courtroom drama, and the trial parts I found interesting. I enjoyed the way it felt like the reader was along for the ride, and I had no idea where it was going or how it would end. Ultimately, I felt the most emotional impact of the story came from the letters from Hannah. The author does a good job of slowly but steadily connecting past events recalled by Hannah into the present day action. Keeping me from a five star rating was the limited character development. If continued as a series (I felt that vibe at the end), I hope for a deeper dive into Rachel or a meaningful link for her to the story line. After thinking more about the book once finished, I feel Rachel as the main character was more the conveyance of the narrative and less driving the narrative. Overall, I liked this book and would definitely recommend. It will stay with me for a while.

This is an example of the perfect thriller! The Night Swim really ticked every box for me. The crime was topical, but not overly graphic. The twists were unexpected and jaw dropping.
The Night Swim follows podcaster Rachel as she delves into season 3 of her hit show. The crime is ripped from the headline. A rape trial. Golden boy and Olympic hopeful or sadistic rapist? If that wasn't enough another case fall into Rachel's lap. The two seemly unrelated crimes twist and turn as the rape trial rocks the small coastal town.
Fans of Serial will love this fictionalization of the true crime podcasting world.

Using the podcast format alternating with Rachel's perspective, and the letters from Jenny's sister, Hannah, this book has multiple perspectives on the current trial, and a murder which never made it to a courtroom.

Seizing the opportunity to raise awareness of Jenny Stills death, based on Rachel's success in overturning a conviction, Hannah leaves letters in places where Rachel is staying, stopping off for coffee etc which is not only intensely creepy, but also highlights her desperation in reaching out to Rachel.

The tragedy of Jenny's life is laid bare as it contrasts with the public, media circus of the case which Rachel is covering. The abduction and rape of a local girl by the son of a well connected townsperson, illustrates that those who report sexual assault, and those who don't, are treated with disdain, disbelief and results in tarnished reutations at best, death at worst.

Ostensibly ruled a suicide/accident, Hannah is sure that Jenny was murdered. As Rachel explores the way that the townspeople are talking about 'K' , the annonymised girl in the case,she sees direct links to Jenny's story. Both were seen as 'asking for it', Jenny for going for 'the night swim' of the title, with people basically assuming this young girl going swimming at night asked for, and got, the 'wrong' kind of attention, whilst 'K', chucked out of a house party for kissing the hosts boyfriend, was left with little option to walk home alone, in the dark, and accepted a lift from someone unknown to her.

Themes os sexual assault, justice perceived to be done and reutations ruined are explored as 'K's' life is torn apart, whilst the boy accused of rape is seen as just taking what was offered to him on a plate. Jenny, coming from a single parent family, constantly looking after her younger sister whilst her mother was working around the clock, is seen as the product of her background, her death a mere accidental footnote to a tragic life.

The ones on trial are the girls-Rachel's podcast aims to put her audience in the the jury box, and her USP for her season 3 is an ongoing, current trial, rather than a cold case, but as can be seen from her terse interactions with the family of Scott Blair show how difficult it is to remain impartial.

Poverty, social standing and justice are not happy bedfellows as the general public seem torn over whether what Scott did is a crime or not-the girls themselves seem to be held to account in  ways that boys are not, an age old tale that is accurately reflected in Hannah's impassioned letters. That we are living in the 21st Century and the 'asking for it' excuse is still used to excuse the bad behaviour and actions of men, whilst destroying the emotional and physical health of the girls involved speaks to the lack of successfully prosecuted assaults, the numbers of assaults reported to those which make it to trial, let alone the sheer, unestimated number of those who feel there is no point reporting them at all.

The strain of attending a real time trial at the same time as recording a podcast and investigating Jenny Stills is so well conveyed in how Rachel connects with these cases. She recognises the constant threat that is posed to women, the way they become bit parts in the story of their assualts and rapes, and is justifiably angry, as is the reader. That it is known and accepted that women and girls will be castigated for taking 'the wrong route home', wearing too short a skirt, having anything to drink is held as rationale for making yourself vulnerable to assault is just unthinkable, and rage inducing.

As you read, you are desperate for Rachel to uncover what happened to Jenny whilst simultaneously being worried for her as whoever is leaving letters knows exactly where she is staying. The invasion of her privacy, no matter how well intended, puts shivers down this reader's spine.

An engaging and thoughtful mystery, in a very modern framework of a podcast, I found the chapters flowed so easily that it was hard to put down.You wanted to get to the next letter, to bear witness to Jenny's story, find out what happened next, burn with rage for 'K' who is every girl who has ever been taken advantage due to being vulnerable and then ruined. It's a very interesting read which I would recommend to those who enjoy that slow burn, the building of tension through the pages and a very keen eye on social issues of justice being seen to be done versus real life consequences.

The Night Swim, by Megan Goldin, was a 4 star read for me. It had a very unique concept as it followed a true crime podcaster along her journey recording her third season. I loved the pacing of the story. I definitely did not want to put it down, because I was SO curious what was going to happen. I loved the mixing of the two stories and how they came together at the end. The addition of Jenny's story made this book much better. I will say that I predicted the ending, but did like a few of the smaller twists. The ending felt a little rushed, and I would have liked it to go a little deeper. Overall, this was a nice read.