3.5 stars. I would argue that this book be classified as crime over a suspenseful thriller. I don't read a lot of straight crime books, although thrillers often delve into that lane. It's possible that my rating could have been higher had this book been originally listed as crime, because that would have mentally prepped me for what the book really was about: a trial against Scott Blair, an accomplished young swimmer who is accused of raping a high school girl, Kelly Moore, after a party. Rachel Krall, narrator and main character, uses this trial as the focus for the newest season of her podcast, so a large majority of the book is filled with jury boxes, witnesses, and forensic evidence. Don't get me wrong--I found the trial and its reporting to be engaging, but for me, The Night Swim didn't hold that mystery factor so commonplace among thrillers because of its predictability. All in all, I enjoyed this book and yes, it had me flipping pages. I do recommend it if you like crime. But was my heart thumping, my brain racing to "catch the culprit"? Not really. It lacked the intensity and high stakes of a classic thriller, but let's get into some pros and cons.

The main obstacle to a higher rating for me was the main character, Rachel Krall. She's portrayed as a reporter and a successful podcast host, someone who doesn't let distractions get her sidetracked from her real work. So, of course, when she allows herself to be distracted throughout the entire novel, I had some qualms. What made me first question Rachel's actions is how the author chose to casually slide in a cliche in the very beginning: Rachel is successful, focused, driven, but she remembers how "her mother always told her that her curiosity would get her in trouble one day"! I'm sorry, but when I read that line, a niggling feeling already told me that Rachel was likely to act in ways that are contrary to her character and, without a real motivation, I couldn't get past it. To include this little tidbit just came across as a bit of a cop-out to me, an excuse to cover the reactions readers might have later on when Rachel goes off to investigate Jenny Stills's death from twenty-five years ago, when she's supposed to be in Neapolis to cover an intense trial.

I couldn't quite get behind Rachel's actions because they seem, albeit well-intended, dumb for a driven professional. She waltzes off in the middle of a trial day because she receives a call from Hannah Stills's foster mom while the forensic expert is on the stand. Remember, she's in Neapolis exclusively to cover this trial, because she's facing pressure for her podcast to out-step its competitors who are copying her style. For Rachel, the stakes are high to stay focused on this trial and get the facts--her career depends on it. Rachel leaves the room to take the call, ultimately getting locked out. She seems upset that she can't get back in, but really, whose fault is that? She's racing to jot down everything verbatim for her podcast, but she couldn't let the woman leave a voice mail and respond when she's not "on the job"? Similarly, after Hannah continues to leave Rachel notes, why choose to meet an anonymous person (who some might call a stalker) in the middle of the night, alone, without any type of reinforcement? To be fair--and I'll get into this--Hannah Stills's story line is compelling and heartbreaking and I, too, would be interested. Interested, but not enough to drop my actual line of work to investigate, if I were Rachel Krall, reporter extraordinaire. And certainly not intrigued enough to place myself in potential danger investigating when it's not my place.

Now, let's get into what author, Megan Goldin excelled at: coaxing emotions from readers. As I read The Night Swim, those around me got an earful on just what I had to say about some pretty horrendous characters. As I mentioned, Hannah Stills writes her story in the form of letters to Rachel; she asks Rachel to investigate the so-called accidental drowning of her sister, Jenny, twenty-five years prior. In a small town where labels define one's character, it doesn't take a mastermind to realize that this was no mere drowning. Hannah's story of her sister is really what got me into this story, because it's vulnerable, raw, and suspenseful. This is where some of that mystery came in. Given Hannah's insistence that Jenny's death was a homicide, it seemed fairly evident to me that, well, it probably was. But, of course, the reader wants to know who is responsible for Jenny's death, and that had me hooked. Please be warned that both Kelly's and Jenny's stories involve rape and this was hard to envision, let alone read. I believe authors always wish to draw out emotion, some reaction, from readers no matter the content and Goldin succeeded in this. It's the perpetrators that really got me riled up; I found myself going from muttering unflattering names and wanting to punch somebody, to wanting to cry, to wanting justice. While Rachel's character arc could have been more realistic, Hannah's almost made up for it.

What I appreciated in this book was its portrayal of violence against women as being what it really is--an injustice--and the investigation into ethics and morals. Being a woman myself, I think I am more likely to resonate with Rachel's point of view, but any man can--and should--strive for empathy and understanding in these cases. Rachel brings up a slew of worries and anxieties that women face on a daily basis that most men likely don't think about, so I appreciated this perspective that called for justice to be brought. She describes a sexual assault case which prompted her to choose the Scott Blair trial for her podcast subject and writes that "It didn't help when the cops told women living in the area to take precautions. You know, the usual stuff. Hold your keys between your fingers to use as a weapon. Keep your phone in your hand and dial nine-one-one if you're being followed or feel afraid. If every woman who felt afraid called nine-one-one, the switchboard would melt. That is what women live with every day of our lives." As the trial unfurls, Rachel does her best to present both sides of the story fairly, without letting emotions cloud her report. Justice is a hard thing to deliver when two sides oppose one another and I can only imagine the difficulties in real-life trials and cases all around the world today. "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," Rachel says. Now this might be Goldin's voice blending with her narrator, but it's thought-provoking, which is what a book should do. There really <em>are</em> many people out there who argue that "she had it coming" or "she asked for it" when it comes to violence against women so examining this conversation was something that made me want to pick up The Night Swim

Most people pick a book up because it either resonates with them already or they're interested in learning something new. As someone who supports women's rights, the heart of this book explored that theme of justice very well and makes you contemplate, but I think anyone--not just women--would enjoy it. Though I would have liked to see a more developed main character with stronger motivations to back up her actions, I enjoyed The Night Swim and recommend it for anyone who likes stories on crime and justice.

This is the first book I've read by Megan Goldin but definitely won't be the last. I absolutely loved this one and couldn't put it down. It took me a wild ride and all the twist and turns along the way were perfect. This book is one of my favorites I've read so far this year.

What a fun story! I loved how the book flipped from present to past, and I enjoyed the angle of every character. Though some of it was predictable, I felt more invested in the means than the end. This is a new fave author for me!

Two great mysteries for the price of one! The main court case in this book is engaging, but an historic crime whose details unfold throughout the book is compelling. It made this book a page-turner. Even though I had to stop at points to catch my breath, I couldn't leave it alone for long. The suspense is tremendous. Rachel is an extremely empathetic character. This is a well-developed and well-written book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This is not a thriller nor a nail-biting book. From the first few chapters the reader knows that the story involves multiple rapes.
This is however an engaging mystery that tackles the real societal questions of rape, affluence, poverty and inequality in a ‘small’ town. ( I kind of disagree that 90+K population makes a town small but… not the point ). It is reminiscent of the Brock Turner trial.

This court-room drama is well paced, compelling and highly readable but ultimately the narrative is predictable and nicely tied. The bad guys get punished, the good guys get some redemption and few collateral damage characters are just … lost.

This book will animate many book clubs with essential questions on women’s rights, what constitue consent ? how do we define rape ? why are the women being violated always suspected to have enticed the action? what is the influence of power/money/age on what we consider acceptable ? Is the judicial system fair in having the victim tell and retell her intimate trauma to strangers ?

Rape remains an ambivalent subject as women have been legally abused throughout human history. The bible says ‘Thou shalt not kill’ but stays silent on rape. Certain countries, certain religions still quietly let women being raped without protecting them.

Even tough the subject matter was very relevant to me, even though i found the book interesting and well written, even though I enjoyed reading it, i dont think the book is memorable, hence the 3 stars.

Thank you to Megan Goldin and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Rachael follows an interesting trial and has a podcast where she details that day's trial and gives her listening audience a chance to make up their minds whether or not the defendant is guilty or innocent. Rachael is in a small fishing town attending the trial of a young man who is accused of rape. This man has a glowing reputation and is destined for the Olympics. Then Rachael finds a letter under her windshield outlining a murder that happened 25 years ago in this same town. Rachael tries to concentrate on the trial that she is there to cover, but the person who left the letter is persistent until finally, Rachael starts to try and find out what happened 25 years previously and somehow the two cases seems similar.
This is a great mystery and really keeps you guessing. I have read the author's previous mystery book and so was keen to read and review this one. I was definitely not disappointed..

This is a story of two different rapes that happen within 25 years of each other. Rachel is a host of a true crime podcast attending an active trial while asked by Hannah, the sister of Jenny, to investigate her sister's suspicious death.

My heart hurt for Jenny and at times the book was a little hard to read. I felt the podcast chapters were little short and sometimes repeated was was already discussed. Overall, I did enjoy the book and the writing. I have added The Escape Room to my TBR.

A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

This was an intense and emotional read. An important examination of rape culture and the irreparable harm it causes and has caused throughout generations. And although the topic is quite heavy, it was still an engrossing read and kept me up at night following the clues.

This book was soooo good!! It definitely will make You second guess taking a night swim! I highly recommend grabbing a picnic basket or beach bag bringing this with you and you won’t want to leave until you finish!

Megan Goldins's sophomore effort after "The Escape Room" is a highly readable, hard to put down mystery novel that is more sophisticated in both structure and narrative force compared to her first effort. While the subject of sexual assault is never an easy topic, Ms. Goldin is able to present the material in such a way that encourages thought and discussion. The small, idyllic town of Neapolis is shocked with the trial of Scott Blair, the son of a prominent and wealthy family. Rechel Krall is the successful host of a true crime podcast in town to cover the trial. Her aim to provide detailed accounts of the court trial so her listener's can feel like they can play jury. Woven in is the story of Hannah Stills who has returned to Neapolis to seek justice for her sister's murder twenty-five years earlier. As the two stories winds through, a connection forms between the past and the present.

Oh man. This book really hit me hard. It was raw and so real of the world we live in. This was a slow burner.

Authors dual POV was executed perfectly. Any book can jump from person to person, but the way it was done in this book really drove the book forward in such a meaningful way. The story is two-fold. Famous podcaster Rachel is set to record her true crime season 3 in Neapolis, NC about a rape of a 16 year old girl. What she doesn’t realize is there is history in this town and a terrible crime that was possibly covered up that occurred over 20 years ago that is somehow connected to rape case.

Much of the the story is told from the POV of Rachel, who is not only trying to keep up with her podcast throughout the entirety of the trial, but also trying dig into the past through mysterious letters she receives from a girl named Hannah. Hannah is another POV we hear from in the form of her letters to Rachel. Hannah is adamant that her older sister did not accidentally drown like the records show- but murdered. She pleads for Rachel to help her while she is in Neapolis and that she is certain that her sister’s killer will be present in the court room.

I enjoyed that throughout the book we read what Rachel publishes in her podcast about whole trial. Her podcast illustrates the themes that come up with rape cases. Consent, privilege, trauma. This is a story I don’t think I will easily forget.

Thank you St. Martin Press and Netgalley for this amazing ARC in exchange for an honest review. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Rachel has a very successful podcast that freed one man wrongly convicted for murder. Her latest podcast is about a trial for rape. She has also been left notes about an old death that someone wants investigated. This was a very emotional book that draws you right in. At times I was infuriated over what was happening to some of the characters. This book also represents small town life at its worst, everyone thinks they know your business and isn’t afraid to gossip even if they have the facts wrong. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

As someone who’s most favorite things include reading and true crime podcasts, this book was a must read and it did not disappoint! I could not stop reading, it’s a definite page turner!

After The Escape Room, I could not wait to read the follow up novel from this author. I will admit that this latest read was a good one. Although, not like the prior novel. While, I liked Hannah and Rachel, I was not as engaged in the other character; which in turn did take away a bit from the story.

In addition, to the fact that this was more of a slow burning thriller. Whereas, with The Escape Room it was more faster paced. Yet, I still read most of this book in one sitting. The last third of the book I read a bit slower but it is where the story comes together to a conclusion. Yet, I did not feel like Hannah's sister, Jenny really got her justice in the end. Rachel's crime podcast is what did help with the story. Podcasts have been gaining in popularity.

I might not have liked this book as much as the first book but I still will read the next book by this author.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a gifted review copy of The Night Swim by Megan Goldin.

Rachel has a very popular podcast. Her first two seasons were about cold cases and now she wants her third season to cover a live trial. On her way to Neapolis to cover the trial someone leave a letter addressed to her on her car windshield. The letter from Hannah claims that her sister was murdered 25 years ago but the case closed and it was called a drowning. This peaks Rachel's interest so in addition following a rape trial she wants to look into the death of Hannah's sister.

The story alternates chapters between Rachel, Rachel's podcast, and the letters to Rachel from Hannah. Hannah remains mysterious so the letters are the only thing Rachel has to go on. I found Rachel's character to be strong and very daring as she looks into both cases. This is a story about a small town with big secrets and outsider who wants to know the truth.

This is my first book by Megan Goldin and I loved it. This would make a great series to follow Rachel's podcasts and investigations.

Mystery & Thrillers
August 2, 2020

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Anyone who plans on reading this should be warned that there are tiggers for rape and sexual assault.

I wanted to keep reading this book straight through because it was so good, but I had to take breaks because of the subject matter.

Two story lines in this book. Two rapes, 25 years apart. Rachel, who has a successful podcast, has decided to do live coverage of a rape trial. The witness testimonies were the hardest part to read.

My only issue with this book was during the podcast part. Rachel didn’t want to reveal the victim’s name (even though it was a small town and everyone definitely knew who it was) but during her podcast, she gave away the victim’s best friends name, which is something that would definitely identify the victim.

Timely and powerful. Thought provoking the whole way. Hard to read what so many women And young women are put through. I liked the podcast angle too. Definitely worth the read!

What a great read! I have never read anything by this author, now I will obsess until her next book is out! Rachel does Podcasting of crimes, her latest is a rape trial, while her manager Pete is in the hospital, she goes alone to a small beach town in North Carolina. She receives messages on her car, at first believing she has a stalker, ignores it, but the emotions of the emails, and written messages draws Rachel in. Who is Hannah, what really happened to her sister Jenny twenty-five years ago? This is only the second book to make my top twenty for 2020!
I highly recommend! Thank you Netgalley!
carolintallahassee.cpm

Wow- I really loved this book!!! I just finished it a few moments ago and I am still smiling about the very last line—which was definitely the icing on the cake. Megan Golding is a new-to-me author and as soon I send this feedback, I will be going to the 'Zoo to check out her previous book, The Escape Room. I loved the mystery of the character, and the way she tied the past with the present. It was heartbreaking at times, but felt so real to me. It reminded me (in a good way) of the Apple+ series I recently watched, If Truth Be Told, which was based on a book. I'm hoping someone will make a book or movie about Night Swim too!!

Yes! Yes! Yes to five stars for The Night Swim. It’s the story of a current rape and its trial along with a 25-year-old rape and murder that is investigated.

Throughout the pages, I couldn’t wait to read what came next. The character development and the buildup to those what-comes-nexts is extraordinary. I only put the book down if life or sleepiness got in the way.

If you’re a NetGalley member, The Night Swim is still available for request. I highly recommend it; it is excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well done, Ms. Goldin.