Without a doubt, the true crime podcast Serial took the world by storm when it was first released in 2014. In Megan Goldin's The Night Swim, our protagonist hosts a fictional podcast reminiscent of this cultural phenomenon. The book weaves a tale of a current sexual assault case and trial, while there is an older murder that must also be solved.

Definitely enjoyed this one - well written, fast paced, and a timely topic. It does a great job pairing a cold case murder investigation with a courtroom drama. I enjoyed seeing multiple POVs and it was cool to see some chapters written as "episodes" of the podcast.

I recommend this when it releases!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC.

I love when a book hooks you in right from the get go. The Night Swim is one of those books!
Rachel Krall runs a popular true crime podcast. Her podcasts focus on cases where justice never seems to be served. Her voice is well known to all her listeners, but her looks are not.

So imagine her surprise and uneasiness when she finds a note on her car. See she is only in the town to cover a highly publicized rape trail. A man who is a talented swimmer (and headed for the Olympics) has been accused of raping a high school student. Now, she has this note that is asking her to investigate the death of a fan's older sister. Did I mention the death (it was a drowning) happened 25 years earlier? This book is everything a good thriller should be.

Even though there are two mysterious in this book, Megan Goldin skillfully allows us readers to follow along with both and get invested in both. So often when I read a mystery book that tries to have two story lines, it gets jumbled and is usually clear that the author spent more time developing one and not too much on the other. That is NOT the case with the Night Swim.

This was a fantastically told story. There’s actually dual stories being told and I think it’s brilliantly done.

Rachel hosts a podcast. Her current season takes on the rape case of a popular swimmer in a small town. Of course there’s supporters on both sides. But once she arrives in town, she is bombarded by a letter. This letter is hand delivered (unseen) and written by a girl who believes her sister was murdered years ago. And she wants Rachel to investigate and bring forth justice.

Told in part in podcast, letters from Hannah, and then Rachel’s point of view, The Night Swim was compelling. So much so that I found myself wanting it to be longer. It truly flies quickly and before you know it, the conclusion has arrived. Which, I admit, is completely fulfilling.

But beyond just the story itself, this brings up an important subject: rape. And how society views victims and their rapists. How we interpret these crimes. And how many view ways to prevent it. It will really make you think, which is the most important aspect of all.

I highly recommend this to those who enjoy solving mysteries, those who enjoy topics of controversy, and for those who like smartly written books.

Hello, friends...
This is Rachel Krall
on ‘GUILTY’ or ‘NOT
GUILTY’, the podcast that puts you in the jury box”.
“I’ll spare you the gory details. Other than to say that it was awful watching a 16-year-old girl get tortured in the name of justice”.

“Rape cases can be more traumatic to try than murder cases because the brutalized victim is there to describe what happened to her. More than that. She lives with the nightmare every… single...day … of life life”.

“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 am sitting here on the jetty at Morrison‘s Point. My feet are hanging over the edge. The water is rough. The wind is wild. The light is fading. I can’t believe that it’s been 25 years since Jenny died”.

A community in the small North Carolina coastal town - Neapolis- is divided about who they think is guilty.
The accuser, or the victim?

Through, letters, investigation, podcasts,
alternating perspectives, past and present, with two separate cases separated by 25 years, .... the story unravels ( a little repetitive), to the ends closing.

A quick read with a simple plot...not nail biting, ( which is fine).... and I appreciate the relevancy of the topic,
but I wasn’t overly enthralled either.
It simply felt very ordinary to me.

But I probably need to be honest here… I read this book after reading “A Long Petal of the Sea”, by Isabel Allende. ....
a literary historical fiction novel, that haven’t come down from the ‘wow’ factor yet.

3 stars - readable - liked it - didn’t love it.

Megan Goldin gained an immediate fan after I read The Escape Room and she has once again blown me away with The Night Swim.

Rachel Krall is a true-crime podcast host who's newest story is following a controversial rape in small-town Neapolis. Once she arrives, she starts receiving odd messages from the sister of another victim from a much older case from the area, begging for Rachel's help to track down the real story behind her sister's death. Drawn in by the mysterious details of the case, and eventually the similarities between the two local stories, Rachel can't help but search for answers.

This story sucked me in from page one. I had a rollercoaster of emotions as I followed these two tragedies and I was heartbroken imaging any woman experiencing this. Emotional and thought-provoking, I could not put it down until I knew the truth. Amazing story and I'll be back for more!

This was not an easy read as it deals with rape, reputations, and influence. There are two mysteries to follow that are twenty five years apart and come together through the producer of a crime podcast, Rachel Krall.

Rachel's current crime podcast involves a small town and the rape of a high school student. While covering this trial, Rachel starts receiving mysterious letters from a sister seeking justice. These two mysteries will begin to evolve, connect, and shock.

The courtroom scenes were my favorite part of the book. All the drama, calling witnesses and intense moments.

The author does a great job weaving the two mysteries together. Thought provoking and emotional story.

A few pages into reading Megan Goldin's, "The Night Swim," I found myself so immersed in a tragedy that took place 25 years prior that I quickly flipped through the pages. The book opens up through Hannah's perspective explaining the night her sister Jenny died. At the tender age of ten, Hannah was, "Old enough to know my life would never be the same. Too young to understand why." Twenty-five years later, Hannah wants to uncover Jenny's murderer and does not want to remain silent anymore.

The story is told in alternate voices between Hannah and Rachel Krall, a successful true crime podcaster, who has chosen the town of Neapolis as the site of her next podcast. Specifically, she is there to cover the trial of Scott Blair, a local swim star who has been accused of raping a local girl. The trial has also brought Hannah back to Neapolis, which is where her sister died from what was deemed an accidental drowning.

Through cryptic messages, Hannah reaches out to Rachel to implore her to help her find her sister's murderer. Though Rachel is engrossed in the Scott Blair trial, she finds herself drawn into the 25 year old case. This is my second book I read by Megan Goldin, and she is the master of leading us through many surprising twists and turns until the final revelation.

Although this is a murder mystery, Goldin avoids the predilections of the typical mystery genre. It is an unflinching examination of what it means to be a female in today's society and how women are labeled and ostracized for crimes committed against them. She also explores the ramifications of rape on the victim, the accused and their families. This is a book you'll be thinking about long after you have turned the last page.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Megan Goldin for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First, this is marketed as a thriller and is coming out on August 4th, 2020, right in the heart of beach-read season. Let me make it clear: this is not a thriller and do not bring this to the beach. Second, the book is filled with trigger warnings for rape, abuse in various forms, bullying, and murder. Rachel is a podcast host who is in a small town covering a controversial trial as it is unfolding and while there, she becomes obsessed with a potential crime that occurred there 25 years ago. She keeps receiving mysterious letters from the victim’s sister and as we get closer to the end of the novel, will the victims, past and present, ever see their individuals brought to justice?

The controversial trial in the novel is a rape trial. A potential Olympic swimmer has been accused of raping a local girl while he is home from college - similarities to Brock Turner anyone? The secondary mystery is the drowning of Jenny Stills, that occurred 25 years ago. While I thought the writer tried to do a good job of weaving the two storylines together, it wasn’t always cohesive and often felt a little clunky when the podcast sessions were included. That said, I think the writer tried to handle the subject matter with grace, which is why I kept reading. I didn’t get the sense that she was trying to be sensational about the material but really tried to provide commentary on rape, our society’s obsession with true crime, the justice system, and how very frequently, others are set up to take the fall. I also appreciated that the writer didn’t try to throw in a romance plot line on top of everything else.

It’s hard to formulate my thoughts on this given the subject matter and how the writer chose to construct the story but ultimately, I think this book is worth your time. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-arc.

I absolutely loved this book. I read The Escape Room by Megan Goldin and wondered if this one would live up to my expectations but it exceeded it.

Rachel is the host of a true crime podcasts called Guilty or Not Guilty. Aiming to make sure season three is as good as the rest, instead of taking on a murder, she decides to cover a rape trial in a small town where the golden boy and star athlete is the accused. But on her lunch break one day, she receives a note on her windscreen for a women desperate for her to cover her sisters death.

I read this is two sittings, it was too good not to binge read! I loved the different POVs that focused on two different crimes which was perfectly executed. I loved the podcast narrative chapters, the setting, Rachel as a host - I wish her podcast was real!

Overall, it was well written, focused on some key topics such as rape and influence and I found myself engrossed in the story. A solid 4.5 from me.

A twisty mystery with parallels to a modern day rape trial. The two stories entwine and finally converge in a nail-biting finale. Masterful writing at its best!

I honestly had no expectations when I started reading this book. had not read anything else by the author, didn’t know the name and the cover was a little cheesy. I read the first chapter and was hooked - so much so that it has consumed me the past day to two days it took me to read, only stopping when life got in the way. This book was outstanding. I loved the podcast tie in and the parallel stories made it seem like reading 2 books in one with such a good twist in both. I feel the structure of this book is where Reese Witherspoon’s pick of Conviction was lacking, making the podcast a huge part of the story and making it stick through the story, instead of just at the beginning. This book also brings to light the rawness if sexual assault, the 2 “sides” of you will, the emotions and devastation and effects to all involved, but also the real ness of the pressure, bullying behaviors and “identity’s” people are labeled with - this book will resonate long after

Podcaster, Rachel Krall, brings true crime to her listeners and asks them to be the jury. While covering a rape case for her next season, Rachel is sucked into another similar crime from 25 years ago. Two young girls, both raped and shamed by the same small-town community, deserve justice and Rachel won’t stop until she uncovers the truth.

While the subject is difficult, the mystery and telling of the story was excellent. Thankfully, there was not a lot of graphic descriptions in the story, but I will still put out a trigger warning for readers. What really made this a great reading experience was the manner in which Goldin intertwined the stories. The story shifted from victim to victim every 1-2 chapters and just made me want to read faster in order to get back to each victim’s story.

Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced ready copy.

I love true crime podcasts and I love a good thriller and Megan Goldin took the two and rolled them into one fantastic book. This one will stay on my mind for quite some time.

#TheNightSwim follows Rachel, a true crime podcaster, as she follows a rape trial in a small coastal town. As she attends the hearings and records the days events for her podcast, she also finds herself looking into a similar crime that happened in the same town some 20 years earlier.

There are descriptions of sexual assault and battery in this book so be warned it is not a light read. That being said Megan Goldin covered the topic well without being overly graphic.

The characters were written really well, the story flowed easily and it was so hard to put down because I just needed to know more!

I read The Escape Room and liked it, but The Night Swim is a superior novel. I can't wait to see how good her next book will be.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @StMartinsPress for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars!!

Absorbing plot. Well developed characters. Very believeable. Megan Goldin never disappoints.
Nice style of writing. Hope to see more from this author.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review -
I totally devoured this book- it was a pageturner that will stick with you long after you finish reading!
Rachel is a true crime reporter who becomes famous when her report leads to the freedom for an innocent man.
She begins to cover the story of a popular swimming star of the t.own accused of rape.
She finds a note on her windshield asking for help to find out what happened to Jenny 25 years ago. It was listed she drown but many think she was murdered.
Grab this book to find the answers to what happened to Jenny!
And - is the swimming star a rapist?

This was a DNF for me. The writing was good but it was a tough read, especially if you are triggered by violence towards women. There was not one, but two assault stories in this book to get through. With all the dirge of #metoo stories in the news, on TV shows and in movies, frankly, I just can't stomach any more. This just wasn't the book for me. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC, but I have to pass.

Wow - What a blockbuster of a book!

From the first paragraph It caught my attention. I could not put this one down.

Author Megan Goldin wrote a powerful book. A storyline that is not all that unique however told with great pathos and description. Characters that the reader would really care about, as well as wanting to know how it all would turn out.

This is the first book I have read by the author, and will not be the last

Thanks to Author Megan Goldin and The NetGalley team at St. Martin's Press

I’m beginning to think this author just isn’t for me. I tried Escape Room last year, and while I didn’t love it, it was entertaining at least. I decided to give Goldin another shot with The Night Swim but I couldn’t finish it. I think the writing in this one was far better than her last, but I just could not connect with the characters or the storyline.

This was a very captivating read! It's two stories in one. This is the second book of Megan Goldin's that I have read and really enjoyed. She is fast becoming an author that by name alone, I'd get her book!

Rachel Krall, a podcast host fro Guilty or Not Guilty, is attempting to outdo her last season by covering a rape case by making the audience feel as if they are right in the jury box. Sides are split down the middle of this case, the accused on trial, is popular and training to be in the Olympics. The girl, referred to as K, was bubbly, kind, and dreams of being a Physiotherapist. Rachel is known for her voice, and keeps a low profile. She heads to Neapolis a few days early before the rape trial begins, but after stopping at a rest area, finds an unwelcome letter under her windshield wiper. She's uncomfortable with this fact, because someone knows who she is in public.

Despite Rachel's misgivings, the letter intrigues her, the letter is from a fan, who believes Rachel is the only one to help solve the murder of a sister from decades ago.

Hannah was just a little girl, when her world turned upside down, but Hannah will not remain silent anymore and if she can get Rachel on board, Hannah may get justice for Jenny. It's coming up on twenty-five years, that Jenny died.

I was captivated from the beginning, the story opens with a very young girl trying to comfort her mother after being told the tragic news of her oldest daughter drowning. Alongside of Hannah's story, is Rachel's, where Rachel is inquiring and interviewing people regarding the upcoming rape trial. Little by little each side of the rape case is revealed. Rachel continues to receive letters from Hannah, and it is through the letters that Jenny's story unfolds. I loved how this whole book had two stories happening side by side, and told from varying perspectives. In the beginning, you wonder if the letters are a lure from an unstable person, but the more pieces that fill in, the more invested it becomes to learn the entire story behind the letters until the shocking end.

I received an ARC from NetGalley via St. Martin's Press and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

YOU MUST READ Megan Goldin's The Night Swim, coming August 4 from St. Martin's Press!! Rachel Krall, the number one podcaster of Guilty or Not Guilty, is covering a rape trial in the small Southern town of Neapolis for the third season of her show. She has chosen to do so because she "want[s] her [listeners] to think about how rape and the threat of rape affect[s] women in a hundred different ways.". Citizens of Neapolis, like Rachel's listeners, are divided on how they view the trial. About half think that the defendant, a college student whose Olympic dreams have been cast in doubt, should be convicted, castrated, or killed. The other half think that the sex was consensual, and that the victim, a sixteen year old high school student, is lying to protect her reputation.

As Rachel prepares for the trial, she receives letters from a listener asking for her help in solving the twenty-five years old murder of her sister Jenny. Rachel begins to investigate and uncovers hidden secrets that lead to a breathtaking conclusion. Goldin treats her subject with sensitivity and style. Highly recommended. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC provided in return for this honest review. Thanks also to my GoodReDs friend Dita for recommending The Night Swim.