For the third season of her true crime podcast, Rachel Grall chose a story that she knew would generate conversation and conflict. It's a rape case and the trial is still ongoing. She's living out of a hotel room, gathering information and condensing it into episodes she hopes will entertain her listeners. One of those listeners has written to her twice and started leaving notes on her car, desperate to get Rachel's attention.

Enjoyed isn't the word for how I felt about this book. I was fascinated, and anxious to find out what had actually happened. Parts of the book are absolutely heartbreaking and I found myself wishing I had the power to make things better for the fictional characters. Rape plays a huge role in the plot and it's absolutely brutal...not the description of the act itself as much as the effect it has on the victim. If that's something you prefer to avoid reading about, you might want to skip this one.

This story gave me all sorts of feelings. First of all I think the author grab the concept of rape and portrayed it very respectfully. It’s always hard to hear and talk about something like that. I guess my issue with this novel was the main character Jenny. To me, it felt a bit unrealistic that she would go through everything she did again and again without nothing really changing. (Ex not carrying anything to defend herself etc) I’ll give it a 3.5. I still liked her last novel much more.

I really liked this. It’s not a nail-biting or action-packed thriller, but it is a heavy mystery that explores the topic of rape culture honestly, succinctly and I’m not sure that’s being done enough in this genre, or its relatives.

The style of the novel is split between regular narrative chapters and podcast script-like chapters. You know those podcast chapters are all the rage right now, and this novel does them really well.

Goldin really put a lot of emphasis on how a trial plays out, how a jury views things, how public opinion can run rampant and be so ignorant and callous. There is great care taken to portray a rape victim’s trauma and mental state; how a trial, public opinion and being known as “the victim,” can affect a person’s mental health and recovery. A trigger warning is fair for this novel if you have experiences with sexual assault and rape.

The duelling mysteries between Hannah’s sister’s cold case murder and the rape trial are captivating and keep the novel going at a constant, addictive pace. The themes of the novel are important, socially current and explored deftly, lending the fast-pace an emotionally heavy vibe that may move you emotionally.

The Night Swim was not what I was expecting. Although it is indeed a good novel that will surely be enjoyed by many people, I believe that the marketing will mislead readers. I saw the novel marketed as a thriller, which, in my opinion, is a mistake. It is a slow burn mystery novel, mixed with drama, and there is nothing wrong with that. Unless you were expecting something different, which was my case.

The novel has three different narratives. The podcast bits were interesting and added a different touch, but the parts where Hanna tells her story through letters didn’t work well for me. The way they were written was too literary, too elaborate if you take into account that they were written as a call for help, not as an autobiography. I think this part of the story would have worked better if that character had simply shared her story in a normal conversation. I understand the author wanted to create the game of the double mystery, but I think this way of telling the one from the past seemed unnatural and illogical.

The best part, and the most interesting, was actually the one that focused on the trial. The moral debate, the interviews with the parents, the impact on the town…those were the strong points of this book, and that is why it is a shame that the marketing is only focusing on the other, and less relevant, part of the book. Yes, everything is intertwined, but the topic of rape culture is being considered as a secondary theme, which is ironic.

In sum, I don't think this was a bad novel at all, but it wasn't the gripping thriller I was promised and it won't be a story that I will remember in a few months.

4.5 stars. This is kind of 2 stories in one! Rachel, a former reporter turned famous crime podcast host is attending a trial for the 3rd season of her show. This time it’s a rape trial of a teenage girl who is accusing a 19 year old hometown golden boy who is also on his path to the Olympics for swimming. The details of the crime are horrible and the town is split over who they believe and support.
In this same small town, 25 year earlier- another teenage girl drowns in a suspicious manner and her sister Hannah reaches out to Rachel in hopes of getting her help. What Rachel uncovers will not only shock you but ultimately tie the 2 cases together. Very engrossing book but definitely hard to read at times!

This story was fast-paced and exciting. I had a hard time putting it down. Sometimes thrillers tend to feel run of the mill and predictable but this was not the case with this book.

Wow! I went into this book not knowing what to expect and I was so extremely pleasantly surprised. I am loving this new trope of true crime podcast books that I am seeing.
I enjoyed that there were real anc serious issues explored in this story such as rape and consent. At times the story. can make explore a wide range of emotions; anger, uncomfortable, rage, sadness, anxiousness and so much more!! I think the characters were wonderfully fleshed out just enough for you to become fully invested in their stories.
I would out this in your must read list now!

I received a copy of The Night Swim in return for an honest review! Yes, I am months behind here but I did read this one, and loved it!

Anything to do with true crime podcasts and I’m in! I loved Rachel and her quest for the truth.

The dual storylines made it interesting although confusing at first. I found myself way more ire invested in one than the other. I’ll let you guess which one.

I’m all about this author and will be back for me. Thank you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I received the ARC eBook and audio book of The Night Swim. The writing in this was good and the flow was amazing. It kept me intrigued, flowing Rachel while she tried to solve 2 caes. My main hangup with this, though, is the lack of trigger warnings. Now I usually don't say that. I am not one to put trigger warnings in my works, but I felt like this needed one. The violent rape in this book made me so upset, I had to pull over, because i was listening on my way to work. That is the reason I gave it 3 stars.

Oh I loved this book so much! I liked (but didn't love) Megan Goldin's freshman effort, The Escape Room. It had all the right pieces, but something was missing that kept it from being fantastic. With The Night Swim, Megan Goldin knocked it out of the park. A podcast, a rape accusation, a 20-year old mysterious death, all wrapped up in one pretty large package.

I loved the plot and the pacing. The plot kept twisting and turning and it was hard to keep up with everything and how/if they were related. What a fun and wild ride! I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Night Swim is the first book that I have read by Megan Goldin. It centers around Rachel Krall who is the host of a podcast called Guilty or Not Guilty where she has earned a reputation by covering murders and murder trials. In her first 2 seasons, she was instrumental in changing the course of two murder investigations. For her 3rd season, she is following a rape trial in a small coastal town while simultaneously investigating a murder that happened decades before in that same town.

Although it did start off kind of slow, the book eventually got me interested and really started to pick up the pace. The author did a really great job of exploring how class and gender play a role in criminal investigations. Rachel Krall proved to be a very likable and capable investigator in her own right. She truly missed her calling. The book featured an interesting cast of characters that were very hard to figure out until I got closer to the end. I can’t get into any true details because this is truly a double mystery with some compelling plot twists that really made the storyline rather unique. Overall, I did find it all to be hauntingly realistic and relevant to our current climate. I would definitely read another book by this author.

This novel had me absolutely riveted throughout. Both story lines were compelling, but my favorite of the two was the story of Jenny and Hannah Stills.

The book covered many social problems. It spoke to how ‘justice’ can sometimes be bought. That if you want a decent defense you have to pay through the nose. It shows the disparity between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’. It also touched on the subject of ‘victim blaming’, a common occurrence in rape trials. It chronicled how very important reputation is to the psyche, and how social media has ascertained that everyone wants to voice their opinion, whether they are based on facts…. or not.

The setting, coastal North Carolina was fabulous and I could almost smell the briny air. The characters were well drawn and the plot tight and believable.

In my opinion, the ending was very satisfactory and it also left the narrative open enough that this could potentially be the beginning of an interesting series – though I have no idea if the author intends to bring Rachel Krall back in further books.

This was an easy 5-star read for me. No question. I’ve not read this author before, but she will now be one I look out for. Highly recommended!

I have been debating on how to rate this book for a while since I finished it. I did not like it at all. The only reason I finished it was because of pure determination to finish a book. The writing felt like the author was watching a PG thriller and copying it down. The characters were not really relatable or likable. The dialogue seemed straight out of the '50s at times. As a whole, it didn't make much sense that characters would do or say what they did.

I found this to be a well-written, fast paced story about two crimes in the same town set 25 years apart. The characters were interesting and the story intriguing. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Goldin always keeps me enthralled with five star thrillers. This one is no different! The Escape Room was just as good as this one, so if you enjoyed her debut, you'll enjoy this one.

This was one of the best and most shocking books I read this summer. I loved every minute of it and Megan Goldin is quickly becoming a must read author for me!

This was my first book of 2021 and it did not disappoint. I think the fact that I was coming off a reading rut is the only reason this got 4 stars instead of 5. I just had no drive to read but this book kept me wanting me.

I really enjoy investigative books so I thought this book was perfect and the podcast aspect was super interesting. It was also very eye opening on just how brutal rape trials are for the victim. It made me really angry and hopefully things will change in the future so victims don't have to go through such a trauma gauntlet.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for a galley of The Night Swim in exchange for my honest review. I was incredibly stoked to receive a copy of Megan Goldin's latest after enjoying The Escape Room so much. I find it very clever that the author made the main character, Rachel, a true-crime podcaster and used letters and podcast episodes to unfold the past in an otherwise chronologically written story. TW: The author tackles difficult subjects of sexual assault and rape and touches on the harsh realities of how the victims can be torn apart on the stand, in the media, and by a community. I found a surprising (yet appreciated) depth to this suspenseful whodunit that you just don't find in a lot of thrillers. Two homeruns in a row have made me a Megan Goldin fan and I look forward to reading what she puts out next.

I loved the premise of this book! Such a fun and unstoppable read! This one kept me hooked from the beginning!

I loved the Escape Room by Megan Goldin, so I was super excited to read The Night Swim-and I have to say, it's a superb follow-up and one of the best books that I read in 2020. From the moment I picked it up until I put it down, it was completely enthralling!

There are two storylines in the novel: one about a young man, an Olympic hopeful, accused of raping a young girl and the other about the death of a local girl, Jenny 25 years ago whose sister is convinced was murdered although the town is convinced she drowned. Rachel, the host of the podcast, Guilty or Not Guilty, goes to the coastal of Neapolis to cover a rape trial and becomes involved in looking into the death of Jenny by her sister Hannah. Is there a connection between the rape case today and Jenny's death in the past? If so, how and why? This is definitely a suspenseful read that will have you searching for answers as the tensions mount, shocks keep coming, and the conclusion will leave you stunned.

What I really, really loved is the podcast chapters since it made me feel like I was listening to Rachel's podcast! That was such a clever device for the novel. Overall, the novel is excellent, with a fabulous plot, wonderful characterizations, the two storylines work well together and converge beautifully. This is a heartbreaking book on several levels.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the DRC. All opinions are my own.