The Night Swim is a captivating double-story that leaves you wanting more with every chapter. You experience an ongoing trial, famous crime podcaster, Rachel Krall's follow-up podcast episodes, mysterious letters that keep showing up for her, and Rachel's daily experiences. This is a book you WILL NOT be able to put down!

I thoroughly enjoyed the parallel storylines that ran throughout this book---after figuring out an occurrence from the past, it was impossible to put it down before reading the following present-day happenings. The podcast episodes were riveting! Coming from an avid true crime/suspense podcast listener, I felt like I was listening to a real podcast and hearing the nuances in Rachel's storytelling firsthand. This book delves into some tough subjects but in such a delicate & respectful way. It emphasizes that popularity is not a redeeming quality and eventually, people will have to answer for their actions.

Goldin's writing is captivating, thrilling, and un-put-down-able. The ending will leave you speechless and amazed at how all the events we were slowly watching unfold transpired together. I thoroughly enjoyed The Night Swim and can't wait to read it again!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Mirror Books, and Megan Goldin for the ARC of The Night Swim!

This is quite a slow burn to start with and I was surprised to find myself really enjoying the read the further I got into it. Overall, a very good thriller and definitely worth the read.

4.75* Highly recommended. I found this really gripping. I loved the way it was intricately woven and then unfurled like a fern leaf for the truth to be revealed.
An Australian best selling author, who is new to me.
Rachel Krall has broadcast her true crime podcast and has become well known for managing to set a wrongly imprisoned man free. Trying to maintain the podcasts popularity in the face of budding competition she investigating 2 cases, one that she had intended to look into, the topical controversial rape trial of a small towns golden boy and potential Olympic standard swimmer accused of raping the chief of Police’s grand daughter.
She is also stalked and pushed into investigating a cold case that was attributed to drowning, but her sister is insistent that she was murdered.
Story is told by Hannah ( whose sister drowned) and Rachel (the podcaster)
Rachel comes across as a very likeable character who desperately wants to do the right thing for justice to prevail, but also trying to present an unbiased view. She is caring and compassionate.
There’s a bit of repetition regarding testimony and interview statements. This is the only reason for the 4.75*
The suspense and tension really builds up between both the stories as the book draws to a conclusion.
It’s quite emotional too.
I hope that her 4th podcast series makes it to another book.

This is an author new to me and she really knows how to keep readers in the palm of her hand!

Rachel Krall became an overnight sensation thanks to her true crime podcast. Taking it to the next level, she travels to a small town where she has secured permission to attend court each day and record her podcast each evening for a rape trial which is dividing the population. Normally able to work in anonymity as, of course, it's her voice which is recognisable and not her face, Rachel is surprised to find a note on her windshield begging for her help. Someone knows who she is - should she be worried? As the notes continue and the trial gets underway, Rachel finds her attention divided; along with the case she's hearing about in court there also seems to be a historic case which is piquing her interest. Uncovering more details, she is concerned about the possibility of a connection between both cases.

Now, I'm a bit sceptical when it comes to blurb about books; I tend to take it all with a pinch of salt but the comments on this one are spot on. It is thrilling beyond measure! I especially love to tackle a completely different take on a situation and this is certainly that. Our experience of the crime in the trial comes through Rachel's presence in court, whilst both her and our knowledge of the cold case comes through the letters which she keeps finding in the strangest of places. There is never a dull moment in this one .. it races on with the story and I could hardly bear to put it down until I got to the nitty-gritty. The ending is unexpected and rather spectacular, as well as being so very, very satisfying. I honestly had no idea where this one was heading so my only choice was to go with the flow and it was a bit of a white water ride with excitement all the way! Highly recommended. I'm trying to be much stricter with my ratings this year, but there is absolutely no reason for this novel not to have the full five stars.

The first season of Rachel Krall’s true crime podcast Guilty or Not Guilty was a runaway success, leading to the exoneration of an innocent man, and catapulting Rachel into podcast superstardom. With Guilty or Not Guilty entering its third season, and with copycat podcasts springing up left, right and centre (I’m seeing a lot of Serial comparisons here), Rachel feels more pressure than ever before to do something different, something special, something meaningful.

Deciding that investigating a case in real time is the something different she needs, Rachel journeys to the town of Neapolis, where the town’s golden boy has been accused of the rape of a teenage girl. While Neapolis may be a town devastated by the fall from grace of its golden boy – an Olympic hopeful swimmer named Scott Blair – it is also a town hiding a decidedly dark past.

Before she arrives in town, a note left on Rachel’s windshield urges her to investigate the death of local girl Jenny Stills, who died by drowning twenty-five years earlier. Jenny’s death, the note alleges, was no accident. In fact, Jenny was murdered and, in a town where past and present forever intertwine, Jenny’s murderer will be present in the courtroom at upcoming rape trial.

It’s up to Rachel to uncover the murderer, who has been hiding in plain sight for twenty-five years, and get justice for Jenny. Now that’s something meaningful.

Thoughtful examination rather than explosive page-turner, The Night Swim by Megan Goldin, is a meticulous exploration of what can happen in a town that fails to learn from the mistakes of its past.

After reading a bunch of semi-average thrillers, this one blew me out of the water... literally.

When true-crime podcaster, Rachel Krall, arrives in small-town Neapolis, her main focus is the upcoming rape trial that will be the topic of discussion for season three of 'Guilty or Not Guilty.' The accused is swimming sensation and local golden boy, Scott Blair, while the alleged victim is a 16-year-old girl named 'K' to protect what little privacy she has. While in Neapolis, Rachel is spooked when a series of letters from a girl called Hannah are left for her, begging for her help with her sister's death that occurred years earlier in the small town. Hannah believes Jenny was murdered, and Rachel is the only one that can help. With its small-town status and tightknit community, Rachel realises that there are connections between the two cases and is in a race against time to make sure justice is served.

This book ticked all the boxes. I loved how the plot interweaved between the present-day rape trial and the build-up to Jenny's death. I thought they complemented one another perfectly and were brilliantly executed. I felt an even stronger connection to the trial than usual because of the podcast chapters - as a huge Serial fan, I really felt like I was a part of the trial which was the whole purpose of the podcast. I thought this was a unique perspective that was inspired by current true crime podcasts and worked really well in this fiction novel. I was on the edge of my seat throughout, desperate to know what the trial verdict would be and how Hannah came to be murdered.

The author built the tension perfectly without stringing the reader along with unnecessary filler. There were just enough characters to suspect everyone was hiding something which kept that element of suspense. I did work the ending out just before it was revealed but through logic, as the author left subtle clues throughout and I was quite proud of myself for reaching the conclusion; I certainly didn't feel cheated in any way like I normally would. There was motive and reason which are two vital elements I need in a thriller for it to feel plausible.

I also appreciated how the author sensitively tackled the rape trial; it is so difficult to convict rapists as it is usually their word against the victim. They are complex and traumatic which showed in the testimony and podcast recordings. It was clearly researched and I commend the author for portraying a rape case in a very real way.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Am I the last one here to read The Night Swim? Most of my GR friends have read it and rated it 4 or 5 stars and I have to agree!

The Night Swim can be described as a thriller with some court drama elements. Rachel is a presenter of a popular true crime broadcast and her newest story brings her to Neapolis to observe a controversial court trial of a rape case. While in Neapolis she starts receiving letters from Hannah who wants her to look into her sister's death from 25 years ago.

I enjoyed the parallel narration of the two stories which had more similarities than originally believed. Large parts of the book take place in the court following the trial, which was brilliantly done, keeping the tension up throughout the book. Megan Goulding talks about rape in great detail but with sensitivity and valuable insight into the societal prejudices often accompanying rape victims.

Many thanks to Mirror Books for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

There was so much hype with this book i didn't know if it could meet my expectations but wow did it ever. The combination of adding a podcast twist to this story was incredible and added such a unique layer to the book. I love podcasts and i loved this element but i think even if it didn't have that then i would love the story.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book when I first picked it up, but I was hooked from the very start and couldn’t put it down.

The story follows Rachel Krall as she reports on a rape trial in the small town of Neapolis for her podcast. At the same time, she is contacted by Hannah, who believes her sister was murdered 25 years ago in the same town. The two storylines intertwine, as Rachel discovers the mysteries of the past.

While some of the themes covered made for uncomfortable reading, the writing style and portrayal of the characters was perfectly done - I think this book will stay with me for a long time.

'The Night Swim' might be my favourite thriller of the year! It's the story of Rachel, an investigative journalist, who runs popular crime podcast 'Guilty or Not Guilty'. She is reporting on a rape trial in the town of Neapolis, when she receives a letter from Hannah asking for help to prove that her sister was murdered, and not accidentally drowned as it was officially recorded.

I loved how the story was told from the point of view of Rachel and Hannah, but also featured extracts from the podcast. I've listened to a few true crime podcasts and I thought these chapters were really realistic, and I loved Rachel's sign off!

If I'm honest, I don't think I particularly warmed to any of the characters. Rachel is incredibly work-focused and audacious, but came across as quite cold... possibly because we didn't learn much about her personality. It didn't bother me TOO much because the storyline was so good, but it would have been a nice bonus!

I didn't see the ending coming... I was forever trying to work out how the two stories would come together but didn't manage to work it out in time!

If you enjoyed 'A Good Girl's Guide to Murder', you would like this more 'adult' version! I'll definitely be looking out for more books by Megan Goldin in the future.

Absolutely brilliant book, really enjoyed it. Really interesting and thought provoking. I look forward to the next book.

Thank you for NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. The book follow Rachel and her true crime podcast; "guilty or not Guilty" Rachel heads off to a small town to cover the rape of a young girl by a well know and well loved local man. When she arrives she received a series of notes mentioning a very similar case from 25years prior. Both girls subjected to rape and one girl ending up dead. I really like the way that rape cases were shown in this book very true to life and makes you really think about the awful situation victims of rape are thrown into in court the system is very biased toward the defendant and the victim has to relieve the ordeal in great detail and be subjected to harsh cross examination where their very chartered is questioned as if they asked to be raped its a sad but true fact and one that needs highlighting and changing whereas the culprit doesnt even have to take the stand. Overall an easy read I would recommend.

A compulsive thriller on an important subject.

The story follows Rachel, a journalist with a successful true crime podcast as she arrives at a small town to cover a rape trial. Whilst there, she is approached by Hannah, a former resident of the town who has returned on the anniversary of her sister’s death, asking for Rachel’s help to solve what she believes was a murder.

The story is told through a combination of prose following Rachel, episodes of her podcast and letters from Hannah to Rachel recounting the events up to her sister’s death. This helps keep the reader hooked to the story. The first third I found a little slow but it soon picked up and I couldn’t put it down to see how both threads of the story intertwined and how they were resolved.

This is a difficult and emotive subject to write about but I thought it was handled well. Definitely one of the better thrillers I’ve read recently.

4.5/5 - I really enjoyed this!
A combination of courtroom drama, small town vibes and a true crime podcast made this a thrilling read. The delicate subject matter and subsequent fallout was dealt with sensitively and realistically. At times it was difficult to read, but it was necessary for the book to be understood in its entirety.
I am not a fan of courtroom dramas at all but honestly, combined with the investigation and podcast it was really very good and I highly recommend picking it up.
Big thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was by far one of the best mysteries I have read this year - following a podcaster as she makes the third season of her very successful true-crime podcast. Although this time around past and present collide in what makes a brilliantly written dual time lined book.
The pacing was brilliant, I was constantly engaged in the storyline, the characters were excellent, the mystery was compelling and I finished reading it before I knew it.

I love true-crime podcast anyway so straight away I knew I was really going to enjoy this book. If you enjoyed Sadie by Courtney Summers I think you will definitely enjoy this book.

Going into this one, I knew it was going to be a tough read for me personally. I have a hard time reading about rape, in any form, but something about this book drew me in despite the tough material. It is the story of two rape cases, 25 years apart in a small town where everyone knows everyone and once you are branded with a judgement, it stays with you for the rest of your life.

It is told through the perspective of Rachel, a podcast host who is following a rape case for her podcast, covering the details of the court proceedings as they happen. The story is told from the perspective of Rachel as she moves into the town temporarily and tries to find information through its people and resources, the true crime podcast Rachel runs, and through a series of letters and notes from a mysterious listener who is begging Rachel to look deeper into a case from 25 years ago. I love how each chapter is told in a different way and they are cleverly woven together to give you a bigger picture of what is going on in this town, Megan wrote it cleverly and it kept my interest. I also appreciated how delicately the subject was handled, despite it being an awful crime and a sensitive topic to cover. It made the reading experience just a little bit easier.

Retrospectively, I probably would still read this despite it not being easy for me. I will continue to look out for further releases from Megan Goldin. I think it would be a 3.5 star for me, maybe it would have been more if I didn't find it so difficult.

Thank you to Megan, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This is the first book by Megan Goldin and I really enjoyed it!

It has an interesting format, using podcast episodes to follow the current legal trial of Scott Blair, accused of raping K, and using letters to slowly unfold a mystery case from the past.

Main character Rachel is our podcast host, turning up in small beach town Neapolis to report on the trial to her podcast followers, bringing them the full courtroom experience with daily summaries. I loved this aspect of it and really enjoyed the inside the courtroom scenes, I do like a legal thriller!

At the same time, Rachel is being left letters from a mysterious Hannah who wants her help investigating a case from the past. I loved this and found myself really looking forward to finding out what was going to be in the next letter and thought it definitely helped to create suspense and tension as the plot unfolded.

I'd say the first half is a little slow, but around the halfway mark I found myself pretty much glued to it and very eager to solve the mystery, which I did not do, until almost the very end.

What I particularly liked about the book is how Goldin highlights the stress placed on a rape victim throughout a trial process. Through K, we are shown the lasting effect sexual trauma can have on the mind and how having to give evidence at the trial is such a harrowing experience. It raises the very good question of why should the onus be on the victim to prove they are telling the truth, why should they be cross examined and pushed to the brink, accused of lying, after everything they have already been through? Unfortunately the answer seems to be, this is the way the justice system works. My question then is, is there not a better way, because this doesn't work?

So yes, I found it quite thought provoking and thought Goldin wrote about this topic in a sensitive and realistic manner and got her point across without being too graphic, whilst still creating a gripping and tense story. Definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers and courtroom dramas, but there are trigger warnings for rape.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mirror Books on the arc of The Night Swim by Megan Goldin.

This is a 5 star read for me, I really enjoyed it and had me on the edge of my seat and wanted more and it made me page turn quick and so it was a quick read for me. This follows Rachel whom is a True Crime Podcast host which became an over night hit sensation which ultimately led to a innocent man being freed from prison. Set between two timelines and 2 cases which are a 25 year old murder which is unsolved and one is happening now in the present time about a rape.

This book isnt for people whom are faint hearted...! Love this book so so much I love it!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Although I’ve only read one other book by this author, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both. The Night Swim was a fast paced thriller that I devoured in under 24 hours! I loved the whole podcast setting and thought it was definitely interested seeing both alternating storylines unravel. 4/5

You might have noticed from some of our recent reviews that I’ve been reading along with some of the books picks from @bookofthemonth. The Night Swim by @megangoldinauthor was featured a couple of boxes ago and I knew I wanted to read it. I was given a review copy by the publisher via @netgalley.

I feel like true crime documentaries seem to have exploded in the last couple of years and like everyone else I’ve binged a couple of popular series on Netflix. When I read the blurb of this book I knew immediately I wanted to read it. Rachel is the voice behind a popular true crime podcast, her latest season follows a live rape trial in the small town of Neapolis. While covering the trial someone mysteriously contacts Rachel looking for help to bring the case of her sisters murder to justice.

I don’t read a lot from the crime/thriller genre. One look at our grid and you can tell we definitely tend to stay along the lines of romance. So that said, this is a relatively unexplored genre for me but the blurb really intrigued me.

Throughout the narrative comes from Rachel as she covers the trial, Jenny’s sister Hannah as she writes to Rachel for help and Rachel’s podcast ‘Guilty or Not Guilty’. I haven’t listened to any podcasts but I could clearly imagine listening to Rachel as if she was speaking to me as a listener. I could imagine her voice which is part of the reason for her success lulling me into being hung up on the season waiting for each new episode.

I found this to be a page turner particularly after the trial started. With the subplot of Jenny’s murder running alongside the main plot around the trial I was constantly trying to work out where the story was going to go and asking myself did both girls’ story have a connection? I didn’t see the end coming, and remember being shocked reading through to the end. After this I’m definitely looking forward to more from this author.