Wow, wow, wow. What a devilishly blooming good read this book is. I’m stuck for words if I’m honest, I have so much I want to say but can’t because I don’t want to spoil anything for you but I’ll have a try.

Rachel hosts a podcast that investigates True crime, it’s popular and everyone knows Rachel’s voice but Rachel has tried her hardest to keep her face anonymous. When she heads to the small town of Neapolis to report on the trial of a rape case it seems that maybe Rachel hasn’t been as careful as she thought when notes mysteriously appear asking her for help.

The rape trial has thrown the town upside down, everyone has an opinion and Rachel throws herself into investigating but the letters she’s receiving are playing on her mind. Jenny Stills died 25 years ago in Neapolis, accidental drowning was the verdict but her sister Hannah doesn’t believe that’s the case and needs Rachel’s help to prove it.

I really wasn’t prepared for how invested I would become in this book, it was almost as if the author had cast a spell over me and no matter how many times I tried to put the book down I couldn’t. With two mysteries in this story I loved how the author managed to blend them together bringing the past and the present to life.

Rape is a difficult subject but it’s a blooming important one and as I was reading my heart was aching. The trauma that is endured during and after for the victims broke me, the repercussions that it has not only on the victims lives but their families too is so heart breaking.

The small town setting showed how reputations can be formed and how they stick and how money really does divide people. When everyone knows everyone, they all have an opinion on each other and Chinese whispers become a reality in some folks minds and they’re rarely forgotten.

The Night Swim is suspenseful and tense and along with the rape trial the investigation into Jenny Stills had me holding my breath. The reader is drip fed information throughout the book about both cases and I have to say I was just totally hooked. With its intricate layers and wonderful writing, The Night Swim has made it into my top books for this year.

I’ve seen this book around so much in the last weeks that I had to read it to discover why everyone is talking so much about how great it is and I cannot tell you how happy I am that I chose to read it.
I literally couldn’t put it down, got myself invested from the first to the last page and all my theories were demolished one by one with each chapter 😅
I loved the writing and the character’s mix, how the author managed to tell us two stories in one and going at a great pace without missing a beat in this suspenseful book.
I highly recommend it for a great few hours and a powerful story.

Rachel is a famous podcast host. When she arrives in Neapolis to cover a rape trial, she starts getting mysterious letters pleading for help. The sender, Heather, believes that her sister's death, 25 years ago, was more than just a drowning. Heather is desperate for Rachel to help her find her sister's killer.


The story follows Rachel and is interspersed with Heather's letters recalling the past leading to her sister's death.
This was a fairly good read, albeit a slow-burning one that wasn't big on suspense.
I enjoyed it, but I found it lacked the wow factor that could distinguish it among its genre.
I'm aware that I'm in the minority, so I think you should check it yourself.

Great book!! Haven’t wanted to put this one down!! I definitely recommend this one!!

Need to get a physical copy for my bookshelves

Trigger warning: sexual assault, rape, murder

This book was gripping from the very beginning. It covers two stories of rape but is written very beautifully for such a sensitive topic. It follows a narrative of a podcaster Rachel who talks about a on going trial on rape case. Rachel receives a letter from Hannah who is a fan of her podcasts and wants Rachel to cover her sisters case from 25 years ago.
I personally liked the change of the narrators as we got to follow two stories in different light. I liked Hannah, despite being of such a young age when her sister died the way she described her sister Jenny feels such a strong sisterly bond from her perspective.

The twist in the end was completely unexpected. I was no where near the suspect! So overall the book is dark, intense and thrilling. But also thought provoking in ways as the author has covered things like how a rape victim has to relive the times throughout her life etc. the following paragraph is so well written and I absolutely love it.
“So why is it that when women are attacked, the onus is on them? “If only she hadn’t walked home alone?” “If only she’d taken a cab”. When it comes to rape, it seems to me “if only” is used all the time. Never about the man. Nobody ever says “if only he hadn’t raped her”. It’s always about the woman. If only”.

I loved the authors writing so will be reading more of her books as this was the first for me.

With the premise of having a podcaster sit in on a rape trial as she describes the courtroom experience to her listeners, The Night Swim instantly has a modern and unique spin on it that makes you feel a part of the jury. As you get to play the role of the listener and decide ‘Guilty or Not Guilty’, it’s easy to enjoy the steady pace of this slowly-unravelling mystery, just as you would watch a real-life crime unfold on your TV screen at home.

With heavy themes and a 25-year-long mystery to uncover, The Night Swim has its moments of being an unsettling and psychological thriller. But this is combined with compelling characters, emotional resolutions and heartbreaking turning points for its characters, which results in a thought-provoking narrative that questions the justice system and our duty as spectators.

It’s a real slow burner which works as both a positive and a negative for this book. It begins as a slight negative as the opening chapter doesn’t give much away, and the information is revealed so slowly that it doesn’t have that unputdownable rush to it that we so often crave these days. But it’s obvious that that’s not how Goldin wanted to approach her story, as she builds on the atmosphere of the courtroom’s slow pace by giving the reader snippets of the truth drop by drop, which really suits the premise as it begins to develop more.

However, with two stories developing side by side, one in the present and one in the past, Rachel, as a journalist, should have started to piece things together a lot better. She obviously had a lot on her plate with her priorities on the trial, but there were certain comments made about details of Jenny’s death that made you attempt a guess at who was behind her potential murder, which Rachel just wasn’t questioning. Because of this, her restricted vision didn’t allow for the narration to expand on these connections. The reveal of her killer did come as a big shock to me as it wasn’t an easy twist to predict, but there were similarities to Jenny and Kate’s case that nothing came of in the end which I found a little disappointing.

But instead of making links to a clever twist to distract her readers, Goldin uses the trial and the potential murder case to raise some really important discussions. At the story’s core, there’s a great conversation about how we find it so easy to question a victim of rape, yet we would never ask someone who had been murdered if they were asking for it [if we were given the opportunity to].

“When school kids are shot by a random shooter, nobody asks whether the victims should have taken more precautions. Nobody suggests that maybe the victims should have skipped school that day. Nobody ever blames the victims. So why is it that when women are attacked, the onus is on them?”

Goldin uses her narrative to make some very valid and insightful points and it’s this side to the story that will stop you in your tracks and make you think. But I also think that there’s a lot to be said about the accused being innocent until proven guilty, as well. Rachel often says that she’s keeping her mind open, but it’s obvious from the beginning that she’s out to prove a different point entirely, that our first thought shouldn’t be to doubt a victim of abuse or to put them under more stress by having to prove that something so horrible happened to them. Of course there’s a lot of importance in that message, too, and it’s a tough subject to broach. But people are wrongly accused on occasions, and as the book details, it can ruin a person’s life.

“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.”

Although you can see why Rachel makes up her mind so early, my only problem with this is because of her position. Attending the trial as a journalist, she shouldn’t have been so blatant with her opinions. As some of her critics said, she needed to be more objective to rock the story a little more. I would have liked more time spent on the possibility that maybe he didn’t do it, and that maybe Kate was out for revenge because of something that possibly linked to Hannah’s past, just to give you that sense of doubt and really put you in the mindset of a juror in the courtroom.

There was just something that didn’t click for me to be blown away by it. Without having that added twist of whether Kate is telling the truth or not, and the answer of whether he is guilty or not guilty being made quite obvious, I wasn’t hooked on the thriller side of the story as much as I wanted to be. The courtroom drama side to the story is engaging and there’s certainly a lot to admire about Goldin’s story-telling, but it’s definitely more of a character-driven mystery than a quick-paced thriller.

The two stories come together well and I really like Goldin’s writing and development. She deals with the hard-hitting story brilliantly, getting across a powerful message about how we perceive accusations of rape in an eye-opening way. But it lacked a shock-factor, for me. The thriller elements could have been used to a better effect to grip me more tightly and make me care about the final revelations more, but it was a much softer impact that it had on me in the end.

Nevertheless, with some of the story being told through Rachel’s podcasts, this would make a great audiobook to listen to, as you could sit and figure out who was Guilty or Not Guilty for yourself. I would definitely be a fan of Rachel’s podcast if it were real, anyway. And if Goldin were to give Rachel a follow-up story, I would choose to listen, instead.

Thankyou to NetGalley for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Swim
By Megan Goldin
Pub Date 4 august 2020
This book contains information about rape and trial that go with it and sexual abuse.
Crime pod cast
I loved this book I was so additive two it I felt what the characters that were the victims of the raped I felt they sorrow the hurt I so wanted justice for them by the jury it my first crime of the year best book 2020 I gave it five stars.
The night swim is a thriller that a true crime podcast covering rape trial in a small town for her podcast Racheal joins the jury two help with the rape trials of a local boy Scott who wants two swim for the olympic he being accused of rape of a young girl Kelly the story is that he took her out her Kelly fought he fancied her asked her her favourite meal she said pizza he bough her pizza and beer for the beach he started two kiss her they eat the pizza drank the beer talked and then he got aggressive started touching her in different places under her top and she tried two pull a away from him but couldn't she was two scared he raped took her for a swim in the water she fought she alone her she might has well go with it and when he came out of the water he raped her again and gave her beer she must have fallen asleep Kelly fought Scott drug her in the beer because the next thing she woke up with a shirt around her it was daylight and he was coming back with clothes and soap and showegell and told her two was on the shower beach and if she told any one he would hurt her agin. she sob all day frightened the only good thing was a man was in the boat shed on the beach that night and he did her Tham talking about what happened and witness in trial that he heard them talking two helped with the Kelly and Scott trial the verdict better not say it spoil the book.
Next a local girl Hannah meal while as Racheal was investigating the trial Hannah was leaving notes for her about her sister death Jenny she had a terrible death by all accounts she was raped by multiple boys the kicked hurt raped her drug stuck in a truck drag her onto the beach and Hannah explained the story two Racheal it is heart breaking what the boys did two her the one Albi she had bobby which could have help at the time the boys set him on fire because he tried two help the girls in the mealtime when he was on fire they took him two the truck was going two send him two hospital but dan Morre one of the boys Kelly father the girl that got raped years ago 25 years ago he took her in the sea and killed her two avoid the evidence of what the boys done two her. He phoned his father for helped he said the only thing you can do his kill booby and he drove the car into the truck .
I felt for the girl what these boys done two them the pain and heart search is heart breaking this book makes you think about life indeed. What can go wrong in a small town 25 years ago there was a couple of killings Racheal wanted two helped Kelly oil the end she glad she did after the letters the only way Hannah knew was two send letters two Rachel in order two help her even though the town knew most of the people knew about the Jenny death and those behind the cover up scenes knew but wouldn't say till the end I was shocked at the verdict of who killed Hannah never fought it would be him. I was gutted what happened two bobby he was only trying two helped the girl from those boys and they killed him two I think everyone will love this book.
I gave this book five stars rating .

The Night Swim is an intense and disturbing book. It is also a flaming accusal about how women were and still are treated by the law –and from other people- when it comes to the subject of rape.

Rachel Krall is a journalist and she has a very successful podcast called “Guilty or not Guilty”. She is on her way to a town called Neapolis to work on the next season. A young man, aspiring athlete for the Olympic Swim Team, is accused of raping a young girl. Rachel wants to attend the trial to give her podcast a new spin. While on her way she stops randomly at a restaurant to eat something only to find a letter under her windshield when she returns. A woman called Hannah begs her to look into the murder of her sister who died 25 years ago in Neapolis. Rachel is a bit unsettled that somebody identified her and left a letter at her car. While she is kind of famous nobody knows how she looks. People only know her voice. She prefers to keep it that way. While she is in the city the letters keep turning up, telling her about Jenny and what happened to her. Rachel soon is hooked and wants to help. But at the moment she has to attend the trial and work on this case. But it seems that there is something that connects those two cases.

If rape triggers you in any way – don’t read this book. Even if it not triggers you, some passages are hard to stomach. Both stories have their very intense and disturbing moments. The story is more of a character study or courtroom drama than a fast paced thriller. But I was glued to the pages right from the beginning. The stories captivated me and I felt for these poor girls and I absolutely hated how they were treated.

This is my second book from Megan Goldin. My first was “Escape Room” and the book was a nice surprise for me. I did not expect much and was surprised to get a well written story with much more depth than expected. But “The Night Swim” is even better. Usually I would say that I enjoyed the book. But “enjoy” is not the appropriate word for such a dark subject. Goldin handled it with care and you can read between the lines how important this topic is for her. I already noticed a bit of it in “The Escape Room”. It was intense and raw and very addictive.

The Night Swim is bestselling author Megan Goldin’s third thriller and undoubtedly her most gripping to date despite The Escape Room being a fantastic read. After the first season of her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall is now a household name - and the last hope for thousands of people seeking justice. But she's used to being recognised 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 small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town's golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping a high school student, the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating - but the mysterious letters keep showing up in unexpected places. 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 insists she was murdered - and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody seems to want to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Well, this was an utterly absorbing and completely compulsive read from start to finish with a unique, well-constructed plot and enough going on amongst its pages to keep the reader ruminating on the dark and disturbing subject matter and the devastating impact the trial has both directly and indirectly on those involved as well as the wider community. The dual narrative switches seamlessly between past and present-day in order to flesh out both of the cases. At its heart, this is a book about those who get their kicks out of holding power over another and the whole narrative highlights the fact that if you're from a wealthy, well connected and locally lauded family background the justice system is less interested in you (wealth privilege) than if you were living in abject poverty and committed the same crime. Inequality at its most sickening.

It's propulsive; rocketing along at a fair old pace, The Night Swim asks — What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny? Many thanks to Mirror Books for an ARC.

This book was so gripping.

It was beautifully written for such a raw subject. The book had some good twisty little bits which made me want to keep reading to find out more “just one more chapter before bed”. I also loved that it switched between the narratives of the podcast, Rachel and Hannah.

I personally found the chapters during the live court case to be the best, but I also enjoyed Hannah’s letters and the way it was broken down.

I would also love a follow up to this to find out more about Mitch Alkins, and what case made him come back to the town.

But overall I would 100% recommend this book

I requested this on the basis of the author's novel The Escape Room and whilst the writing and plot were neatly done, I just couldn't get on with storyline in this one. It's essentially a rape trial and very deftly handled but it's very hard hitting and uncomfortable to read. That probably means it's done its job as we see how one accusation, one trial can have so many consequences for all parties concerned and that things are never seemingly black and white.

I enjoyed the small town setting and mentality and the insight into such a high profile trial but it all felt a bit .too much, over-detailed and heavy handed.

I'll be reading the author's next book though!

TW: Cancer, Rape, Rape of a minor, Sexual Assault, Suicide, Murder
Knowing this is a podcast style book I knew it would be a great audiobook. I may go and listen if I ever get my hands on the audiobook.

Early on I wondered if having the podcast crime along with the death of Jenny would be a problem. But I was intrigued to how they would be connected by the end.

As the book progressed it made sense as to why both stories were present. Both stories tackled important topics that need attention brought to them. By the end both stories tied together nicely and made sense.

The way Megan wrote about how women are raised and expected to go the extra mile to protect themselves but the rapists are never blamed for what they chose to do to innocent people.

"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."

"So why is it that when women are attacked, the onus is on them? “If only she hadn’t walked home alone.” “If only she hadn’t cut through the park.” “If only she’d taken a cab."

This was a hard book to read at times. Especially when it came to the graphic detail of the rapes. Such a heart wrenching intense story.

The topic of rape will always be a tough read but we need to read them. Change the way victims are treated. They deserve better. I was frustrated throughout. All the victim blaming that we sadly see with every rape case. Something needs to change.

When it comes to the reveal of the killer I realised I wasn't trying to figure it out so I definitely didn't figure it out. But I'm OK with that. The end made sense and worked.

I would love another book with Rachel and her podcast. Maybe even a book based on season one of her podcast. That story sounds intriguing. Or even Mitch backstory. Either way I'm excited to read more by Megan Goldin.

There are so many quotes throughout this book that I highlighted. I'll leave you with one last one.

"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."

"This year we mark a milestone. Twenty-five years since Jenny died. A Quarter of a century and nothing has changed. Her death is as raw as it was the day we buried her. The only difference is that I wont be silent anymore."

Rachel Krall is looking for a way to keep her podcast 'Guilty or not Guilty' fresh and she decides that there is no better way than to cover a current trial from start to finish, and not just any trial but that of a 16 year old girl accusing the town golden boy of rape. Rachel knows this will split opinion and, hopefully, boost her ratings. But on her way she find a mysterious letter on her car from someone called Hannah. Hannah is asking Rachel for help looking into the case of her sister Jenny 25 years ago. The Police claimed Jenny had accidently drowned but Hannah knows different. Rachel is initially worried that someone has recognised her face, the face she tries to keep out of the media, but once more letters start arriving she knows she has to at least try and give Hannah some closure. What Rachel doesn't realise is the past and the present may be more connected than she thought, what exactly happened to Jenny that night and how could it possibly try to the rape of a girl 25 years later.

This book hits hard. It doesn't shy away from the realities of rape (TW as it is discussed in detail) and the author manages to give us insight into some truly poignant topics; where people place the blame when it comes to rape, the grey area when it comes to false rape claims and the lengths people, in this book the police, will go to to cover up something they don't want found. As well as the rape itself, Goldin dives into what happens to the victim after, she gives us a dark look into how rape victims are treated, what happens during a rape exam (i'm honestly disgusted) and how the exam, and having to relive the rape in detail in a court of law can seen as being victimised twice.

I found myself getting angry at parts of this book, we hear it all the time in the media; 'well she shouldn't have been wearing that.' 'What did she expect walking at dark by herself?' 'She was the town bike, what did she expect.' And though these are the perspectives of some characters in the book, I feel the author deals with it brilliantly, we as the reader get invested in the outcome of both cases, we know something terrible happened and we, as well as Rachel wont rest until we get justice. As the reader I was left feeling exposed, in a way, throughout this book, I think because things like this happen in real life, and my reading has been more on the fantasy side recently. Realistic in the treatment of rape victims both now and in the past, when I say she hits hard I mean it. Both Susan and I were shocked at how deep she went into the trauma surrounding rape and the after effects it carries.

We get insight into both cases through three differing perspectives: Rachel gives us perspectives on both cases through her investigations into the events. We see her talking with people involved with both and the author gives us little crumbs of information of how they might be linked along the way. Her podcast 'guilty or not guilty' solely deals with Kelly's case (the present case) mainly giving us updates on the court proceedings, as well as asking the audience and through that the reader some hard hitting questions about who to believe, false accusations etc. The third format we receive information through are Hannah's letters. She writes to Rachel giving us insights to their lives at the time, her mothers illness and their inability to pay the bills. We also get information about the events leading up to the night that Jenny dies, including the night of, and the author paints a pretty bleak picture. Bringing all three of these formats together gave us as the reader a whole new perspective. Hannah hints that the person who killed her sister would still be in town, and potentially at the trail and we spend a good & of the book trying to work out who is who. I would say this is more detective style than traditional psychological thriller. The author definitely keeps the reader guessing, but leaves just enough hints through out that you can give it a good shot.

My one sticking point would be the ending was a little rushed and almost anti-climactic. Both Susan and I had guessed parts of it thanks to the bread crumbs left by the author, but I felt certain characters got an easy out and others weren't given the page time they truly deserved. Overall this was a fantastic read and one that has renewed my love for the genre.

This is an important read as well as a fabulous one. It's not easy subject matter, being about a heartbreaking tale of rape and the consequences of the act on individuals, their family and friends as well as the stigma that follows the victim. However, it's written in such a way that it never becomes too 'heavy'.

Rachel is a journalist who has had a successful podcast series and decides for her next series she will follow a rape trial 'the podcast that puts you in the jury box'.
Alongside this story is one of a murdered sister and Rachel is receiving strange notes and letters, all encouraging her to solve the cold case mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way the book went from podcast chapters, to ones about Jenny (the murdered young girl) and her sister, Hannah.
These are all characters that will stay with you, long after you've finished the book. I'm so hopeful this isn't the last we hear about Rachel, as I loved the character and she must have many more podcasts to work on?! Please!!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Mirror Books for the opportunity to preview this highly recommended read.

This is a book that is so hard to review because no matter how hard I try I’m never going to be able to do justice to just how brilliantly good it is. It’s a heartbreakingly sad story that filled me with so many many emotions, a lot of anger and frustration but most of all it was a book that made me think and that for me is what made this read so special, it captured me and wouldn’t let go and when it did I thought about what I had just read long and hard.
This will be a book that will stay with me for a long time and one that will remain one of my favourite reads. Superb story and writing and characters that jumped out of the page and lived with me, I loved the way the we had two stories running parallel well let’s just say I loved everything about it.
Many many thanks to Megan Goldin for excelling herself and writing a book with such a hard hitting subject matter and doing it in such a compelling and sympathetic way it deserves more than 5 stars I can’t praise it enough.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Mirror Books for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was haunting in a way I won't be forgetting anytime soon and tackled some really important topics and views.

Telling the story of 2 horrific rape cases 25 years apart in a small town The Night Swim is brutal in its depiction of rape and the aftermath on victims and their families.

Obvious trigger warnings in place for the subject and this story is at times incredibly difficult to read. However, what I really respected was the way that mixed techniques were used to give some level of detachment and therefore a level of relief for the reader when it came to the rapes themselves and witness testimony.

Told partially through direct narrative, letters, emails and transcripts of pod casts the mixture means that the more harrowing aspects of the storyline were told third hand rather than directly via the victims.

Overall a thought provoking book which confronts the reality of examination and cross examination of rape victims if a case gets to trial and questions if the justice system and burden of proof being on the victim is actually fair or right in modern society.

This has to be possibly THE BEST crime thriller I have read this year in terms of the style of writing which makes it an effortless read. I found myself sucked into the storyline, absorbed by author’s attention to detail so I couldn’t doubt its authenticity. If you are a lover of true crime podcasts then this is a MUST read. I used to be a huge fan of podcasts in general but because there are so many good books to satisfy the bibliophile in me I don’t have much time to listen anymore. However I do remember being completely addicted to season 1 of the Serial podcast; this fictional podcast thriller reminded me so much of time spent eagerly plugged into the latest episode.

WARNING: some readers may find the content and subject matter too distressing as the storyline centres around rape and sexual assault.

This is Rachel Krall on Guilty or not Guilty, the podcast that puts you in the jury box.
Rachel Krall is a true crime podcaster, investigating crimes that may prove to be miscarriages of justice and this is her strapline which ends each episode. Thanks to this popular podcast she has become a household name with legions of fans hooked on her every word. For her latest series Rachel is reporting first hand from the trial of a rape case that has divided the inhabitants of small town Neaopolis. She quickly discovers however that this trial isn’t going to be the only investigation to occupy her time and consume her every waking thought. An unknown stalker leaves a note under her car windshield begging for her assistance in unearthing the truth surrounding a tragic death that happened right here in Neapolis many years ago. With two cases to ‘solve’ and bring to the nations attention Rachel is supposed to remain impartial but as history reveals itself, that becomes a tall order.

The Blair case is all about consent and whether Scott Blair, champion swimmer destined for an Olympic career raped fellow party goer Kelly Moore, as she made her drunken way home. It’s all about the complexities of such an accusation with only two individuals accounts of what really happened. Who will you believe? Such a hotly debated topic and one that divides public opinion, I think the author shows remarkable sensitivity in portraying the experience of both defendant and victim. If the accused is found guilty his glittering career is over before it’s even begun and already the accusation of rape will haunt and taint him forever regardless of whether he is found guilty or not. As for the victim Kelly, her life too is already destroyed, she is a shell of her former self and I found the scenes of her on the witness stand heartbreaking. What the author is determined to convey is the sense of injustice at the fact the victim has to relive the crime all over again for the sake of judge and jury, simply a torturous experience for everyone involved. As the narrative so astutely observes, cases of rape are never black and white but all shades of grey. For the reader there is so much to process it’s difficult to order your thoughts without emotion taking over.

I found it so easy to imagine the Blair rape case was actually a true event rather than a piece of fiction. I could hear Rachel’s voice in my head as she relates the latest events from the courtroom so that I didn’t feel like a mere bystander in the proceedings. The judge, the jury together with prosecutor Mitch Alkins and defence attorney Quinn are transformed on the page from figments of the author’s imagination to real believable characters playing their roles in this unfolding drama. She has perfected the sense of theatre that lends itself to high profile cases, with both attorneys performing to their audience so that it becomes less a question of truth but a competition as to who can put on a better show. I loved the strapline to Rachel’s podcast that punctuates the narrative so you can’t forget you are supposed to be listening as opposed to reading! And yes I did feel like I was there in the jury box. This is just begging to be made into an audiobook!

I found both cases equally compelling but on reflection I think it’s hard to strike the right balance between both, with my preference weighted towards Jenny’s story. There are some harrowing scenes particularly in relation to the death of Jenny but pertinent to the ongoing Blair trial which you will discover. I knew that both these cases would be connected in some way and desperately wanted justice served on behalf of Jenny’s little sister Hannah. The way the author has interspersed details of the current trial with details from the letters/notes the mysterious Hannah leaves for Rachel keeps you absorbed to the exclusion of all else. I didn’t want to put this book down to go to work!! I was never sure if the elusive Hannah would always hide in the shadows or eventually make herself known to Rachel. This character lent a creepy menacing tone to proceedings so that I had to worry for Rachel’s personal safety the deeper she delved.

Obviously both cases are horrific. I veered from immense sadness at Jenny and Hannah’s life that hot summer years ago, left to their own devices due to their mother being seriously ill, to outrage and disgust at the ways in which some males view and treat the opposite sex. I can’t put into words how excruciating it is to read some of these words and know that the author has accurately captured the brutality and power and control men and boys can exert over their victims. The legacy of such actions means all individuals are forever tainted and there can be no winners. Reading this you can be left in no doubt that the right of a woman to say no is inviolable .

Whatever your opinion may be about such an emotive subject, the storytelling is gripping and clever and thought provoking and at no point could I decide or guess the outcomes. If I could give this book 10 stars I would.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

What to do when you feel a book is fantastic, but you feel that it isn't what it has been marketed to be. See, I wouldn't call it a thriller, or a suspense novel. I would call it a contemporary novel and an incredibly strong one at that.

Let me explain why. The Night Swim is about a very hard-hitting subject. It's about a rape trial in a small town, which is covered by our main protagonist Rachel who has a crime podcast. When she arrives in the town she finds a note on her car from Hannah asking her for her help. Her sister drowned 25 years ago in the same small town, and Hannah believes she was murdered. She wants Rachel's help in uncovering what happened and who has done it.
The story is told from the point-of-view of Rachel, while she investigates both the alleged crime of current times and the one from years ago. It's also told from the point-of-view of the podcast, and Hannah's letters about the past. It's a nice way to mix things up. It also gives the novel a bit of a faster pace.

As I stated in the opening paragraph, I didn't find the novel very mysterious. It did give me goosebumps just like Playing Nice by J.P Delaney last month. The subject matter really made me think. Goldin tackles the subject of the rape trial with confidence, and it shows she has done her research. The horror is in the slow burn and the subject-matter itself. I didn't think that the whole whodunnit added something valuable to the story.

I like that all main characters in the book are likeable, especially Rachel. She's a skilled investigative journalist and it's fun reading the story through her point-of-view. The fact that it takes place in a small town, adds to the drama of the story. People know each other, have opinions about each other and there are always plenty of secrets.

I haven't read Escape Room yet, but I've heard that Goldin also tackles a current subject in that novel. If she has done it as well as in The Night Swim, I will definitely pick it up soon as well.

Many thanks to the publisher Mirror Books and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy!

I loved this! It had my name all over it!
A great pace, formidable characters and huge potential for further books! I love the premise of a podcast fiction novel! True crime podcasts are amazing and this was executed perfectly.

A great book, particularly if you are interested in court room dramas and small town dramas. A great read. As good as Escape Room x