Powerful. This book deals with a hard-hitting topic gracefully and masterfully. This was well-written and evocative. I found it to be a page turner. I stayed up late just to finish this book. The end kept me guessing and just when I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. The style was compelling and the characters complex. This is a great book and truly worth the time spent reading it.

While in town to cover a rape trial for her true crime podcast, Rachel Krall is pulled into an investigation of another death that occurred in the same small coastal North Carolina town 25 years earlier. Goldin’s prose is smooth and she draws the reader in immediately. This is a book that is difficult to put down. She crafts the characters and the story so skillfully that you HAVE to know the jury’s verdict in the rape trial and you desperately want to know what truly happened to Jenny Stills a quarter of a century earlier.

I loved Goldin’s novel The Escape Room, so I was thrilled to be offered the chance to read an early copy of her latest thriller. While not as successful for me as her previous novel, The Night Swim is nonetheless a compulsively readable story. I think, for me, where this falls short of The Escape Room, is that I was able to figure out the whodunnit, and the answer made me both angry and sad. I also think that I’m not in the best headspace for reading books that are so centered around rape. This was a hard book for me to read, for all that it was well-written, but I can’t wait to see what Goldin writes next. I’m sure it will be unputdownable.

𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: Ever since her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall has become a household name—and the last hope for people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.  
  
The new season of Rachel's podcast has brought her to a small town being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. A local golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season 3 a success, Rachel throws herself into her investigation—but the mysterious letters keep coming. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered—and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody in town wants to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases—and a revelation that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.  
  
𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨: Giving this one all the stars! First of all, I just love Rachel {such a strong character} and how the chapters alternate between her investigations {not 1, but 2} and letters from Hannah. I really enjoyed Rachel’s true-crime podcast episodes that were woven throughout the book, and I wish I could have actually heard her narrating them. While this is a tough read due to the nature of the cases being investigated, it all comes together so perfectly in the end. Gripping, well-written, and fast paced! This one needs to be your next read!

I was so excited to receive an eARC of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘮 By Megan Goldin. The synopsis had immediately intrigued me as a big fan of podcasts - the book follows Rachel, the host of an immensely popular true crime podcast, as she untangles two mysteries. One, the rape case she is reporting on in her podcast, and second, the mysterious death of a young teen several decades previous.⁣
—⁣
The book is tense and the plot is quick so in those regards it reads like a thriller. But it is much more as it deeply explores the ramifications of rape and sexual assault, the ways in which our criminal justice system mistreats survivors, and how perceptions and misogyny/toxic masculinity can shape opinion in these types of cases. The book is part thriller, part courtroom drama, part dual timeline mystery. ⁣
—⁣
The book is not necessarily easy to read given the subject matter: the story is often unrelenting. But it is a definite page turner and one which you can’t help but fly through. That said, I finished this a week ago and am still very much processing it. ⁣
—⁣
One aspect that didn’t quite work for me was Rachel’s character - I felt like I didn’t know who she was (and perhaps that was the intention, to have her somewhat as an objective narrator much like on her podcast) but I kept thinking there must be more to her story. ⁣
—⁣
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞: 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 season 1, North Carolina, dual timelines and multiple perspectives. ⁣
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡: crab cake and a gose ⁣
—⁣
4⭐️ (Reserve the right to change my mind on this one). ⁣
—⁣
Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the chance to read it! It comes out today. Go get your copy!⁣

The Night Swim is not for the faint of heart. It simultaneously takes you on a courtroom journey through a current sexual assault case while traveling back to a time where justice did not prevail in an eerily similar situation. Both cases will have your stomach doing somersaults as they uncover hidden truths to bring justice to two young girls.

What an incredible READ!!!!!!!
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin was pure magic!

Rachel is the host of a podcast "Guilty or not Guilty". She travels to a small town to cover a rape trial on her podcast that allows all her listeners to essentially be a member of the jury and decide for themselves if the suspect is guilty. While she is in town she is approached by someone that has been following her aggressively asking for her to open a cold case.

This is a fast paced, highly addicting read. The characters were well defined and engaging.
The plot was perfectly paced with some shocking twists.

Highly recommend !

Jenny's death killed Hannah's mother. The doctor said it was cancer. The will to live drained out of her the moment the policeman knocked on their screen door. He was a young cop. Visibly inexperienced in dealing with tragedy. Jenny was barely 16 when she died. Hannah was five weeks short of her tenth birthday. Jenny was Hannah's sister. A few days after Jenny's funeral, a man from the police department arrived in a creased gabardine suit. He asked Hannah if she knew what had happened the night that Jenny died. It's been 25 years since Jenny died. A quarter of a century later, and nothing has changed. Her death is as raw as it was the day they buried her. Hannah's ready to tell her story.

Rachel is deeply troubled by a letter. Not by its contents, but by the strange, almost sinister way the letter had been delivered earlier that morning. After Rachel has breakfast in a diner, she sees something shoved under her windshield wiper. Assuming it's an advertising flyer, Rachel pulls it off her windshield, and is about to crumple it up unread when she notices her name has been neatly written in bold lettering: Rachel Krall (from the Guilty or Not Guilty podcast). Rachel received thousands of emails and social media messages every week. Most were charming and friendly. Letters from fans. A few scared the hell out of her. The fact that a stranger recognized her and left a note addressed to her on her car made her uncomfortable. Rachel has an eerie feeling that she's being watched. It was rare for Rachel to feel vulnerable. A month earlier, she'd spent the best part of an afternoon locked in a high-security prison cell talking to an uncuffed serial killer while police marksmen pointed automatic rifles through a hole in the ceiling in case the prisoner lunged at her during the interview. Rachel felt ridiculous that a letter left on her car had unnerved her more than a face to face meeting with a killer. Rachel's discomfort is due to the fact that she had been recognized in public by a stranger which had never happened before. In the first season of her podcast, Rachel uncovered fresh evidence that proved that a high school teacher had been wrongly convicted for the murder of his wife on their second honeymoon. Season 2, Rachel solved a previously unsolvable cold case of a single mother of two who was bashed to death in her hair salon. She purposely avoided public speaking events and TV appearances so that she wouldn't be recognized in her private life. The letter Rachel received is from Hannah, begging her to help in solving her sister's murder. Rachel's podcast is designed to get justice for the innocent. Somebody is following Rachel as she travels down the highway. Rachel has chosen the trial in Neapolis to kick start Season 3 of her podcast. She arrived days ahead of the trial to cultivate sources and get to know the people and the rhythm of the town. She had to keep Guilty or Not Guilty fresh and groundbreaking, or risk the podcast failing into obscurity as ambitious rivals overtook it. She had to deliver a podcast that ran rings around the first two seasons. There was no room for failure, and Rachel knew it. That was why she selected a case for Season 3 that was topical, controversial, and had the potential to spark conversations at water coolers and dinner tables alike. For the first time Guilty or Not Guilty would cover an active trial while it played out in court. In Neapolis, the factories are struggling. Fishing and tourism are the big money earners. Neither are reliable. The tourism depends on the hurricane season. Rachel suspects a stalker tracked her to the truck stop. She doesn't want to involve the cops. Her fans knew she was in Neapolis to cover the trial. So did every one else. The trial in Neapolis is a rape case. Rachel had to remind herself that Neapolis might be a vacation town, but she was there for business.

Rachel agrees to meet Hannah who sent her the request for help in finding Jenny's killer. She doesn't meet Hannah, but finds an inscription carved in wood dedicated to Jenny with a pocketknife and another letter. Hannah has written several times to Rachel wanting her to help find her sister's murderer, but keeps getting rejected, so she devises a way to catch Rachel's attention by leaving her letters that are guaranteed to be received by Rachel. Hannah was adopted by her foster family. At 13, she needed a loving family after she lost hers.

Before the relatively recent population spike, Neapolis was your classic small town. The locals love their water sports: fishing, sailing, windsurfing, and sea kayaking. There are shipwrecks along the coast for scuba divers, and a golf course for those who prefer to keep their feet on dry land. The victim of the rape had missed her bus which was why she was out so late at night. She was heading to her best friend Lexi's house for a sleepover. By the time she got to the bus stop, the bus was already gone. K was out at dusk alone. Nobody knew she'd come that way. K and Lexi had been planning a party when she was attacked.

Hannah sends another note pinpointing where her sister is buried. Yet another letter is delivered to Rachel. Hannah says in order to overcome her past, she must remember it.

Rachel tells the story of Lexi and the party on her podcast. K gets in a fight with Lexi over a boy Lexi likes, and decides to walk home.

Rachel goes to the cemetery to visit Jenny Stills' grave.

When K heard footsteps behind her, she froze. Harris Wilson was a familiar face, a senior from school with a nice-guy reputation. Kelly Moore's father, Dan, had taken his daughter's rape very hard. The Blair family worked the media by drip feeding leaks from their inner circle. Leaks that were designed to whip up sympathy for Scott and portray him as an innocent young man who was the victim of a vindictive girl. It was an open secret in Neapolis that Kelly Moore was the complainant in the Blair rape trial, even though the media was withholding her name from the public. Kelly is so traumatized by what happened to her, that any affection shown to her by her dad is rebuffed. Dan is ready to talk to Rachel about his daughter's horrific experience. Scott Blair's family have hired a public relations company to help them portray Scott as a victim of an unhinged teenage girl who turned on him when he dumped her. The Blair family said the case against Scott Blair was so weak that he would never have been charged if Kelly hadn't been Russ Moore's granddaughter; Russ Moore was or is the police chief. Dan Moore goes to Lexi's house to pick up Kelly after the party. Only Kelly's not there.

Hannah Stills has no digital footprint. No birth certificate. No social media accounts. It's almost as if she doesn't exist. Rachel is determined to find out what happened to Jenny Stills by researching old newspapers and microfilm. Apparently Jenny hit her head on some rocks while taking a night swim and ended up drowning. Rachel is puzzled as to why a car accident that killed two boys was covered extensively by the newspapers and why Jenny's death got so little coverage. She wonders if it's because of the nature of her death or because the family has a lower social ranking. Rachel decides to visit the police department for more answers.

She visits Nick Cooper- a detective for any information relating to the Scott Blair case. Detective Cooper goes to Harris Wilson's house because he was one of the last people to see Kelly Moore before she disappeared. He thought it would be an instance where the girl ran away because she was mad at her parents.

Rachel had planned to ask about the Jenny Stills case but decided to because Detective Cooper wasn't a local. Some boys in a pick-up truck offer Jenny and Hannah a ride home. Hannah gets out, but one of them says Jenny wanted to go fishing with them. Jenny hates fishing. Rachel receives another letter. She chooses to put all her focus on her podcast and decides she doesn't have time to be Hannah's savior, or Jenny's avenger. She's confronted by a stranger at the place where Jenny was killed. She goes to the gas station where the boys gave Jenny and her sister a ride to speak to Rick. He's no longer there, but the kid behind the counter directs Rachel to Sally Crawford's house. Sally remembers Hannah Stills. Sally warns Rachel not to dig up the past when it came to Jenny Stills. Jenny was probably gang-raped by the boys she went off with. She comes home with bruises on her wrists and legs.

Rachel goes to see Scott Blair's family. She wants an interview with Scott. Greg Blair hopes that Rachel's podcast will be fair and balanced. Greg says that Scott and Kelly went skinny dipping and had consensual sex. He then says that Scott rated her sexual performance in a message to a friend and she saw it. Then, she made up a story about being raped to get back at Scott. K would've recognized Scott because of social media. Scott's celebrity status was powered especially by social media. K was one of Scott's Instagram followers. The prosecution thinks Scott was at the playground because he'd arranged for Harris Wilson to follow K back from Lexi's party and keep her at the playground until he could get there and whisk her away in his car. K went with Scott willingly. The prosecution says that Scott Blair raped K because he was in a competition with a friend to see who could have sex with the most girls in a 30-day period. Why did Scott leave K alone at the beach and drive back to his college apartment if it was an innocent sexual tryst. Scott's parents claim that K asked Scott to drop her at the bus stop. She didn't want her parents to find out that she'd spent the night with him. Scott has been suspended from the state swim team and barred from attending the national swimming championships. His Olympic dreams are in shambles. His college scholarship has been revoked. His sponsors have abandoned him. Scott told Harris to go after Kelly and meet him at the playground near Harris's house. He said when he got there, he should leave because he was going to take her somewhere and have sex with her. Scott was in a competition with his roommate and was trailing by a few girls. He needed an easy lay and needed his help to reel her in. Scott texted Harris to say he was in his car next to the playground and that he should leave so he could be alone with Kelly. Rachel receives another note. Dwaine Richards tells the story of his and Scott's "conquests" list.

Rachel follows up on Hannah's letter which indicated that a social worker came to her house when she was a little girl. She gets in touch with Hannah's foster mom. Rachel calls Hannah and leaves her a voicemail. She receives another letter.

Kids from Lexi's party testified that Lexi told Scott Blair that Kelly was "easy" after she kicked Kelly out of her party. Rachel goes to the hospital to interview the nurse who did Kelly's rape test. If a nurse made a mistake collecting evidence or taking down testimony, it could damage a potential prosecution. A District Attorney would look for any hole in the prosecution's case, including perceived inconsistencies in a rape victim's statements to the nurse and to the police, to make the victim look like a liar. Tracey Rice directs Rachel to Stuart to ask about Jenny's death. Jenny did drown, but it was suspicious because she had bruises all over her body. There were bruises on and lacerations inside Kelly indicating that she did not consent to sex with Scott Blair. It indicates that she tried to resist the sexual intercourse.

Rachel shows Dr. North the pictures of Jenny. She says Jenny endured some kind of trauma shortly before her death. Dr. North believes Jenny was assaulted in the hours before her death. Rachel receives another letter from Hannah.

Simon Blair, Greg Blair's father, bought up the Stills' place to build condominiums. In the early 90s, Simon and his son Greg, built their first retirement units. These days the family owns properties up and down the coast. Hope came back after Ed Stills died. She had two children out of wedlock. Hope moved into her grandfather's house and lived there with her daughters. Mitchell Alkins had a crush on Jenny when they were in school together. Rachel plans on meeting Mitch Alkins to ask him what he knows about Jenny.

After meeting with Scott Blair, Kelly exhibited all the symptoms of PTSD, which Dr. Lawrence, Kelly's psychotherapist, said was common among victims of sexual assault. The effects ranged from anxiety and depression to panic attacks and nightmares. Rachel goes to the retirement community to see Rick, the former gas station owner whose store was frequented by Hannah and Jenny Stills.

Kelly gives her testimony about the night Scott raped her.

Jenny and Hannah had gone to the movies when they were kids, and some other kids pelted them with popcorn and ice chips from their soda cups, and one kid had even stuck gum in Jenny's hair; they left when the other kids started calling Jenny vulgar names. The social worker shows up again at their house, along with a nurse. Jenny gets snatched and the same pick-up that gave them a ride before is nearby. Could the driver have taken Jenny? The boys are found with Jenny, and it appears that one of them is raping Jenny.

Judge Shaw asked Mitch Alkins if Kelly Moore was returning to the stand. Alkins told the judge that Kelly's psychiatrist said she wasn't quite ready.

Mitch Alkins finally agrees to meet with Rachel to discuss Jenny Stills' death. Mitch Alkins is t the one who took Jenny out for a date. Mitch agrees to look into the circumstances surrounding Jenny's death and get Rachel whatever evidence she needs to prove that it wasn't an accidental drowning. Detective Cooper and Mitch Alkins are cousins.

Rachel meets with Kelly's parents to try to tell them how important it is for her to testify in order to secure a conviction for Scott Blair. The parents decide that Kelly will not testify against Scott.

Vince Knox is really Bobby, the boy and then the man who looked after Jenny and Kelly after they were raped.
Bobby was in a serious car accident and thinks he ended up killing his two friends when he was younger. Hannah wants to meet Rachel about Jenny's killer. When Jenny was raped and killed, the boys tried to have a go with Hannah, the kid sister. Bobby Green defends her honor. They get back at Bobby by trying to burn him alive by pushing him into the bonfire. They load him into the truck. Hannah walks to the gas station to get help for Jenny. When she gets back, Jenny's not there. The police drag the now dead Jenny from the water. Rachel shows up at the beach to meet with Hannah. Dan Moore along with his friends raped and killed Jenny. Bobby Green was the only one that didn't participate. Danny Moore was the driver who slammed into the tree and killed the other two boys and not Bobby. Hannah tries to kill herself by walking into the ocean from the news of what happened to Jenny. Rachel pulls her to safety saving her life. Scott Blair is found not guilty of the rape of Kelly Moore, but guilty on one charge of sexual assault and two counts of sexual battery. Dan kills himself over his guilt from what he did to Jenny and his friends.

I enjoyed this book. What a thrilling ride. It was quite a page-turner, and I couldn't put it down.

I received this book for free as an advanced reader copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I was reading just another mystery, which I was, but its more than that. On the surface, the reader thinks they are reading a story about a true crime podcaster who is in North Carolina to follow the rape trial of a well-known Olympic-hopeful swimmer, but there is another story. A story of a woman who wants Rachel, the podcaster, to help her solve the mystery of her sister’s death 25 years ago. Told in two voices, it is Rachel’s firsthand account of what is happening along with the podcast of the trial, in which she is vocal about the stress put on rape victims when testifying. It moves back and forth in time, as Jenny Stills sister, tells the 25-year old story of her sister’s supposed drowning.

Podcaster Rachel Krall is covering a rape trial in coastal Neapolis without the support of her producer, Pete, who is in the hospital recovering from a motorcycle accident. So she's doubly freaked out when she finds an anonymous note on her windshield. People are supposed to only recognize her voice, not her face.

The note writer wants her to investigate the murder of her sister, Jenny, who died in Neapolis as a teenager 25 years earlier. However, everyone Rachel talks to insists Jenny wasn't murdered. She drowned.

Meanwhile, teenaged Kelly Moore suffers from PTSD after being raped by local heartthrob and rich boy Scott Blair. Scott's parents are throwing huge sums of money into their son's defense, while Kelly--whose grandfather was once police chief--is of much more modest circumstances.

As Rachel gets more involved in the contemporary case, she realizes that in the small town, there are definite ties to Jenny's death 25 years earlier. Can Rachel find justice for both crimes, or will she be too late?

My only complaint about this page-turner is that it's not part of a series. I really thought Rachel's backstory could have been explored more and that I'd missed the first book in the series. But, alas, THE NIGHT SWIM is a standalone novel, but one that is not to be missed. #TheNightSwim #NetGalley

True crime podcaster Rachel Krall travels to a small NC beach town to follow a rape case in which a young college swimmer, Scott Blair, is on trial for the accused rape of a high school girl. While there, Rachel is contacted through letters by a woman named Hannah who is from the town and whose sister, Jenny, died in a swimming accident there 25 years earlier. Hannah is convinced that her sister's death was anything but an accident and wants Rachel to shed light on the case. This book is told in two timelines: Hannah's perspective 25 years earlier when her sister died and the current day as Rachel observes the rape trial.

What I Liked: When dual timelines and alternating POVs are executed well, I am their biggest supporter, and, in this case, they worked well. I am so, so happy that this book was not told through the perspective of an unreliable female narrator - I am tired of that trope. The author's handling of rape and sexual assault was respectable and did not come off as gimmicky and insensitive, as I often find in other books.

What I Didn't Quite Like: Like some other reviewers have said, this book does move a little slowly and should be marketed more as a courtroom drama and mystery than a thriller.

Recommended If: If you're looking for a courtroom drama or general crime fiction book, you might enjoy this one! I am excited to read more from this author after reading The Night Swim.

Trigger Warnings: Rape, sexual assault

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This mystery was phenomenal: from the strangely beautiful, yet unsettling, scenery, to the compelling group of complex characters. I enjoyed following Rachel as she unraveled the disturbing accusations of rape in a small town. This novel and its author were undoubtedly affected by the countless stories of rape and sexual assault that have been unearthed over the past decades. As I was reading, I couldn't help but compare this fictional case to the very real cases depicted in John Krakauer's Missoula. I would highly recommend this novel to fans of podcasts, true crime, and mysteries.

Hannah continues to silently mourn the death of her 16-year old sister Jenny who died under mysterious circumstances twenty-five years ago. On the anniversary of this tragic event, she decides to be silent no more after she learns that Rachel Krall, the popular true crime podcaster of ‘Guilty or Not Guilty’ will be in her town covering a rape trial. Hesitant to expose herself, she begins leaving notes regarding her sister’s cold case, hoping Rachel will use her investigative skill to expose the potential coverup involving local authorities.

A suspenseful mystery with courtroom drama and a unique spin of character-led chapters alternating with podcast episodes.

Phew! This book is riveting and so very raw. For those who read The Escape Room last year by the same author, expect something very different with this read. This isn't a pulse pounding, fast paced thriller. This is a very heavy and character driven novel touching on the important topic of rape culture.

I'm not a podcast person but this book definitely makes me curious to possibly trying one. I enjoyed the podcast transcripts throughout this read (ok, so if podcasts were written, I'd probably read them but still not listen? Haha - it's so hard to say). I also enjoyed the dual timeline and different POVs. We certainly get an in depth look at rape culture and how different (but also the same) it is throughout the years. It was certainly infuriating to get through some of the moments in these pages.

“To tell you the truth, I don't get how we can almost unanimously agree that murder is wrong, yet when it comes to rape some people still see shades of gray.”

Goldin is clearly a very talented author. I love that the two books I've read so far from her are so very different. I'll certainly be getting The Girl in Kellers Way and keeping an eye out for her next read. I think she handled a very sensitive topic with respect and gave voice to her characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy in exchange for an honest review!
The first thing that needs to be noted is that if you are a fan of books that include a podcast element, PICK THIS ONE UP! I am always captivated by stories that include a podcast within the storyline, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one! One thing to mention is that if you are triggered by rape or sexual assault, I would pass on this book as that is the focus of the trial. If that is a topic that will not cause any problems for you when reading, I highly suggest adding this to your TBR! Megan Goldin’s writing in this story pulled me in from the beginning and I didn’t want to put it down!
The Plot:
The Night Swim begins with Rachel Krall beginning season three of her highly popular podcast the dives into a different true crime case each season. When she travels to the town in which her current season focuses on, she expects to have an easy experience as she attends court cases and reports on the information to her fanbase. Things begin to take a strange turn when she discovers a letter on her car’s windshield pleading for help. While she is supposed to be focusing on the rape trial taking place in the small town of Neapolis, she finds herself distracted by the messages that keep showing up from the mysterious Hannah. Hannah will stop at nothing until the truth of her sister’s murder from twenty-five years earlier comes to light. As Rachel digs deeper into both cases, she discovers that maybe these two crimes are connected?
My Thoughts:
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up The Night Swim. After reading Megan Goldin’s The Escape Room last year, I had similar expectations. I found The Night Swim to be a much different story, and I enjoyed it much more than her previous novel. Goldin’s mystery element in the story was woven perfectly between the two different cases. While one case involved a murder and another a rape, I wasn’t sure if they would end up having any connections in the end. I was pleased to see that they did tie together in some form in the end, which is a satisfying moment for me as a reader. Even though much of the story had extremely heartbreaking moments as the truth slowly begins to be revealed, Goldin didn’t allow for the entire book to feel sad. She kept the pace wonderfully, and I believe having the separate cases added to that suspense. I enjoyed Rachel as a character and her passion for doing the right thing. She felt like the character that I could relate to and it made reading the story a much more personal experience. Overall, I thought this was a very well-written story that kept me interested from the beginning to the end.

I was hoping the idea of mixing the true crime podcast with a current court case might be interesting and it was to a point but the sections detailing the podcast were flat and didn’t add any interest
It was a very quick read but I skimmed through all the graphic rape details so that could be why. I also thought the link between the crimes was too tenuous to be a real thing.

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rachel Krall runs an extremely popular true-crime podcast and is on the hunt for a compelling story for season 3. She travels to the small coastal town of Neapolis to cover an active rape trial in real time. The victim is a 16 year old girl, the defendant is a popular 18 year old man with Olympic swimming aspirations, and the case has torn the small town apart. While covering the trial, Rachel begins to receive mysterious letters from a woman named Hannah. Hannah claims that her sister Jenny, who committed suicide in Neapolis almost 25 years prior, was actually murdered. Rachel is drawn to Jenny’s case while reporting on the trial, and soon discovers that the town of Neapolis may be keeping secrets. Secrets that, if brought to light, may rewrite history.

Ooooh this is exactly the book I wanted to read right now. I love a good mystery! Everything about this story was very topical, from the true crime podcast element to the very Brock Turner-esc rape trial. I enjoyed this book quite a bit and flew through it in two sittings. This novel is two stories in one, and they are wrapped together by the end of the book. I will say that I have seen this book advertised as a thriller... it’s definitely not a thriller IMO and those expecting a true thriller may be disappointed. I would consider this book a mystery/somewhat crime procedural, with a podcast protagonist rather than a traditional detective/cop. My one critique is that I thought the characters arrived at major plot resolution a bit too cleanly, which made it a little unbelievable. However, I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it to those looking for a mystery! Thank you @stmartinspress @netgalley and @megangoldinauthor for my advanced reader’s copy! The Night Swim is out now! 🏊‍♀️

Trigger warning: rape and sexual assault on minors

“This is Guilty or Not Guilty, the podcast that puts you in the jury box.”

⚠️ Okay so, I’m not giving any spoilers here because it’s the entire premise of the story. But, if rape and sexual assault is a trigger for you I would seriously not recommend this one. The entire book is focused on two separate sexual assault/rape situations.

Now, that being said. This is such a good book! If you love true crime podcasts and shows like Law and Order SVU, you will be super into this book! It is so well written-I sped through it wanting answers. I adore an intersecting story line and this one does it seamlessly. It kept me guessing until the end about what really happened 25 years ago - and it will all tear your heart out.
The plot definitely gives off Brock Turner vibes with everyone more concerned with the image and future of a golden boy swimmer than the victim of rape. But the most important thing that Ms. Goldin manages to do through fiction is address the public humiliation and revictimization that rape survivors must endure. “The victim is treated like a human crime scene” and are violated for a second time in court.

I know this got super long, but I have so much to say. I worked as a SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) nurse and this topic is a big passion of mine. The graphic descriptions of the rape kit process and common injuries that occur to victims were spot on. I appreciate the obvious research that the author put into this story. I have experienced first hand the exact same struggles with the judicial process, I’ve been attacked on the stand regarding my examination findings, and it breaks my heart for these victims.

A HUGE thank you to @stmartinspress and @megangoldin for gifting me a copy of this one in exchange for my review.

⁣
I read Know My Name earlier this year and this book talking about an Olympic swimmer raping a student and this book reminded me how strong Chanel Miller is in sharing her story.

This book is told in 3 perspective: Rachel’s podcast as she covers the trial, Rachel’s research and what happens to her while talking to different parties for the trial and Rachel’s search for a 25 year old case of Jenny Stills. This story kept me interested from the beginning and I wanted to know what really happened the night of the rape and also what happened 25 years ago. This book brought up so many good points as how rape victims are subject to so much emotional scars after the assault and how difficult it is to stand trial and how it impacts the family. ⁣
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Thank you to @stmartinpress and @netgalley for a copy of the ebook. I really enjoyed this one. ⁣

The Night Swim: A Novel By Megan Goldin
The week of August, 4th brings readers two Adult Thrillers that tackle women's issues in page-turning fashion. First, Megan Goldin's The Night Swim A Novel delves into rape, classism, and the perceptions that society tags onto people. Second, The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan takes on the Pharmaceutical Industry, infertility, and wealth in an insane Adult Psychological Thriller that I will be reviewing shortly. In both instances, the issues at the crux of the stories never drag down the plot or become preachy.
Unlike The First To Lie, The Night Swim leans more to the Detective/Women's Sleuth genre, riding the true-crime podcast trend. That is just a matter of preference, in sub-genre. Megan Goldin writes The Night Swim from two points of view, Rachel, the host of Guilty or Not Guilty, Hannah (we'll talk more about her later), and then episodes of Guilty or Not Guilty are interspersed in between. Megan
Goldin's format keeps The Night Swim moving at a fast clip, along with keeping readers on their toes. You don't feel like you have solid ground under your feet, which creates more suspense throughout the novel.
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The Night Swim: A Novel By Megan Goldin: Our First Adult Thriller Buddy Read
<Sentimental Moment> Becky and are having our first Adult Thriller moment! But not our last as I'm so excited to report that we will buddy read Ruth Ware's next thriller One By One!!! And thank the book fairies because I can't do that alone, again. BAH! Here is Becky's review of The Night Swim, which is both fantastic, concise <ahem unlike mine> and has a synopsis, should you need one. We also agreed on well, everything?
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The Night Swim: Social Themes
Megan Goldin's The Night Swim A Novel excels where many Adult Thrillers, whether they fall under detective, psychological thrillers, or other sub-genres, is in its handling of social themes. As with The Split by S.J. Bolton, Goldin doesn't just use them as plot devices. Instead, Goldin gets into the nitty-gritty of each and explores their ramifications thoughtfully, fearlessly, and purposefully. Furthermore, the themes Goldin has chosen to approach in The Night Swim are relevant, sensitive, and complicated. So, let's break them down, eh?
Rape- what is so impressive about the way Megan Goldin handles not just the physical act of rape (and yes, please keep this in mind if you choose to read The Night Swim) is how she handles the aftermath. She depicts both the victim and the accused, throughout the trial, very honestly. It leaves the reader to contemplate what happens if the accused is innocent. If the victim was raped but unintentionally implicates the wrong person, what is the cascading cost to that person's life? To both lives? The victim then does not know who raped them, and the defendant has to live with that accusation for the rest of their life.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press for a Hardcopy ARC and St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an Advance Audiobook for an honest review.
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The burden of proof lives and dies with the victim. The horrors a victim must jump through to build a case, let alone convict the accused, are depicted in devastating detail. I do not care how many times you have heard the term "rape kit" (unless you have experienced it or otherwise administered one), reading the details of what goes into what it entails was disturbing.
The body of a sexual assault victim is a crime scene, "said Nurse Rice. "It's my job to... methodically collecting evidence in a way that preserves the chain of custody and reduces cross-contamination."
Nurse Rice explained how the victim's clothes were put into evidence bags... "...examine every inch of the victim, from the tip of her head to her toes. We document each bruise, scratch, and abrasion. We remove any foreign pubic hairs, semen, fibers. Anything we find. And we take swabs and samples of the victim's own pubic hairs for comparison purposes.
"If the victim agrees... we use a camera called a colposcope to photograph internal injuries. Lacerations on the genitals. Anything that might be evidence of a sexual assault."
I wish I could say that was all, but there is more to it. From there, the victim also has to relive the entire experience by testifying on the stand. If she doesn't, there isn't a case. Meanwhile, the defendant shows up every day. It is the constant reliving of a nightmare for months if not longer that will already haunt you for a lifetime.
Classism and reputations are also addressed in The Night Swim. Megan Goldin does a fantastic job connecting how your social status correlates to perception and the worth of your life. When cases such as these rip families, towns, and even the country apart. Often, the social status, the perceived social activities of the victim, and the power of the defendant's family can choose the outcome of the case more readily than its reality. The Night Swim interweaves this truth within the crime committed 25-years ago and present-day, flawlessly.
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The Night Swim A Novel: Structure
Megan Goldin rides the trend of true crime podcasts, giving her main character, Rachel, Guilty, or Not Guilty. While this is a trend for the sub-genre, it is my first experience with true crime podcasts. Sprinkling podcast episodes throughout the book might be typical. I loved how Goldin utilized it. Having Rachel's actual point of view, interactions, and inner-dialogue/conflicts and then seeing how that filtered through to her podcast was insightful.
The wrench that Goldin brilliantly adds to the piece is social media. I love how twitter blows up on Rachel and her podcast. Again, it is another way of showing both sides of the trial, before the truth comes to light. No matter what or who you decide to believe, Rachel sticks to providing a balanced story on her podcast. Neither those who think the victim nor those who think the defendant will let her get away with it. Hearing the ugliness, we all know exists on social media, played out, is jarring and done realistically.
Along with Rachel's point of view and the podcasts, we have Hannah's point of view. Hannah begins writing letters to Rachel while she is in Hannah's hometown, covering a rape case. Twenty-five years ago, her sister Jenny died, after she went swimming at night by a jetty and hit her head.
The police ruled Jenny's death an accident, but Hannah insists she witnessed everything that happened that night. And Rachel is the only one that can help her bring the truth to light.
When you bring all of this together, it is a bullet train of mystery, action, and suspense.
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The Night Swim A Novel: No Spoilers- The End... Meh
Becky and I agreed that this is where The Night Swim lost its steam. It was anti-climatic and predictable in yes, the actual predictable way. It wasn't predictable in the good way, where we had tidbits that we could pick up on but anti-climactic, could have been much better predictable.
There were so many ways that I wanted The Night Swim to do and be better. Megan Goldin attacked so many social themes with bravery that I wanted the end to be brave. With two massive crimes, you have the chance to do so much. I will not say more than that because of spoilers.
Also, the odd thing? Goldin did leave A LOT of clues and exciting things that I connected the dots on throughout the town's 25-year history. Things that Becky and I discussed and got us excited. If those things had been a part of the ending? That would have been awesome. That would have been the right kind of predictable. None of that had anything to do with anything. And that had us kind of like... well what was the point of any of it?
It was a shame that all these social themes never became preach, never took anything away from the suspense or entertainment of the story throughout the plot, but then had the ending just fall flat. But I think it is still worth the read, as many will probably enjoy it, even the end. And again, the social themes are worth it, in itself.
Plus, with such a likable main character and the ending? I am wondering if this might be the set-up to a series. And I would read the next installment.

This was a fantastic thriller. Alternating between a crime in the present and a crime in the past. I was hooked from the beginning. A well written mystery with strong characters, I highly recommend. The ending didn’t disappoint.