The Night Swin by Megan Goldin
Pub Date 08/04/2020
Thriller

Rachel the podcast host of guilty or not guilty, the podcast that puts you in the jury box! Rachel travels to a small town of Neapolis to cover a rape trial on her podcast that will put the millions of people that listen into the jury box. They can decide after listening to the trial and going over the evidence if the man is guilty or innocent.
While Rachel is in town covering a trial someone is following her, leaving notes, asking her to investigate it 25 year old case. Rachel decides to look into this old case while working on the second season of her hit podcast.
Rachel soon uncovers startling connections between the two cases. Which will change the lives of everyone involved in the two cases. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to the publisher and to #netgalley for the free book for an honest review.

I am getting use to this audiobook thing! This time around, I really like the way the narrators captured the characters. The different voices for the points of view/podcast chapters helped me stay in the story instead of being pulled out of it or distracted by it as I have been previously.

Rachel is a journalist with a popular true crime podcast, Guilty or Innocent. She has had two very successful seasons rehashing former cases for new results. I, personally, love those kinds of podcasts, books, and documentaries. I was hooked. The Innocence Project has me. I will listen to, watch, or read anything thing they are involved in. Rachel may be leading or she may be capitalizing on the popularity, but either way she has made such a splash that someone seeks her out to get justice for her sister.

A note left for Rachel brings back the case of a young girl whose death was ruled an accident. Rachel has come to Neapolis, a small seaside town, to cover a live rape trial. She is lead into the incestuous underbelly of the town itself as she weaves together the past and the present to investigate both crimes.

Here is where I feel the need to remind people that this is delicate and troubling subject matter. It may not be for everyone. Some people who have survived such crimes find the reading of justice for victims to be empowering and satisfying. Others find them to be traumatic to read. This is a trial. A victim will have to describe the crime against her. You may want to skip it, depending on your experience. It is raw and realistic in its portrayal of what a person goes through when they are a attacked. If you believe women make rape claims in order to get attention or revenge, read completely. It is never going to be worth what is required to try to get a conviction.

Thank you to Megan Goldin, Netgalley, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to experience this book for my honest review.

The Night Swim is a must read for anyone that likes thrillers! I could not put it down.

The Night Swim is about Rachel, a popular true crime podcast host. She goes to Neapolis for the current season of her podcast which is about a rape instead of a murder. Rachel is at the trial. While in Neapolis, Rachel gets notes from Hannah who's sister died years ago. Hannah believes her sister was murdered even though it was ruled a suicide. Rachel investigates both cases throughout the book.

Bailey Carr, January LaVoy, and Samantha Desz did a fantastic job narrating. I could not imagine better narrators for this book. I also enjoyed the audio clips of the podcast which I think made The Night Swim better as an audiobook than a regular book.

The Night Swim has so much suspense. This is one of the best thrillers I've read in a while. I recommend The Night Swim to mystery/thriller fans. This was my first book by Megan Goldin and I plan on reading her backlist and future titles.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this audiobook in exchange of an honest review.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a big of Goldin’s debut novel, The Escape Room because it was was just too over the top for me (I know a lot of people loved it, so definitely read it if you get a chance). That being said, I thought the The Night Swim was absolutely fantastic.

Rachel Krall runs an incredibly successful true crime podcast. For season three, she has chosen to follow the investigation of a rape trial in the small town of Neapolis. In this case, the all-star swim athlete is accused of raping the granddaughter of the local police chief. While trying to focus on the investigation, Rachel keeps receiving mysterious letters asking for her help in investigating a case that happened in Neapolis 25 years prior. The death of Jenny Stills was ruled as an accidental drowning but the person writing the letters insists that Jenny was murdered. To make matters worse, as Rachel starts asking the people of Neapolis questions, no one wants to talk. So what really happened to Jenny? And will the granddaughter get justice or will her rapist walk free?

First and foremost, if rape is at all triggering to you, you will most definitely have a difficult time reading this one as you do get flashbacks to when the rapes take place. While I think that this is something that the author handles with grace, she does not shy away from the details.

When it comes to stories that feature alternative formats such as epistolary and podcasts, I find that they make for better audiobooks especially when you have multiple cast members like you do in The Night Swim. I thought that both Hannah’s letters and Rachel’s podcast cohesively blended into the story and enhanced it rather than detracted.

As far as characters go, I absolutely loved Rachel. Rachel has to ask tough questions as she follows both the rape trial as well as investigates the death of Jenny Stills, but she never backs down from possible leads even when she knows that that they could potentially put her life in danger. She is gritty, fierce, and determined to get justice even if who we think the victim is may not be the case. She is always on the side of truth.

From start to finish, the plot is propulsive. I was immediately sucked into the horrifying rape trial as well as the story of Jenny Stills. Both of them are raw, honest, and utterly heartbreaking. I definitely had moments during the rape trial when I just wanted to stop because I felt like I was being ripped in half by the sheer injustice of the so called justice system. I was angry but also not surprised.

This is one of those books that really walks that fine line of fiction and nonfiction. All of the events within the courtroom and the way society treated both the rape victim and Jenny Stills is EXACTLY what plays in society. Some people will say parts of this book were predictable and this wasn’t a true thriller. I don’t disagree, but I also think the author was trying to achieve something more than your standard thriller, she a damn good job doing so.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced listening copy through NetGalley. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

Whew, this was a rough read. It is told in two different timelines, both of which revolve around pretty brutal instances of sexual assault and violence against women. As tough as it was to listen to at times, I found myself captivated from start to finish and I listened to the entire audiobook in pretty much one sitting. I was just so eager to find out how everything was going to wrap up and how the two individual story lines were related that I couldn't bring myself to put it down. This book also has a really cool podcast element that was used to weave the two story lines together and I REALLY enjoyed that aspect and thought it was especially well done in the audio format. I also think that that aspect of the story opens things up for the author to write future installments that center around the podcast which I would definitely be interested in checking out! Overall, I thought this was a really well done mystery and I recommend checking it out (if you are comfortable with the subject matter) in audio format if you're able so that you can listen to the podcast portions as if it were an actual podcast.

TW: sexual assault, rape, victim blaming, suicide

(Just a suggestion! For some reason 2.5 speed sounds super robotic. I can usually listen at that speed but on this app, it's a bit hard to understand and might be a technical issue? Even at speed 2 I can almost detect the techy voice, if that makes sense.)

This is one of those books that is perfect for audiobook! The podcast aspect is perfect and sounds exactly like a podcast: opening/closing song and little "snippets" of conversations that sound like recordings. The two narrators helped break up the story and had very distinct voices that were easy on the ears.

And this is when things get a bit confusing for me. Why, oh why, could I not keep track of the young boys from the past, and the adult males involved in the trial? I know that’s my fault, but something about it felt convoluted. I’m sure it’s me and not everyone had this issue, but it really made an impact on the story.

While I liked the controversy about this book, there was something about the plot that just didn’t hold me. Maybe that’s why it was hard to keep track of characters, because I just didn’t care for them. It’s not that I didn’t connect with them, I just didn’t feel anything for them. This might be one of those that fell in the category of my bad mood that affects a decent book, which is why I’m keeping this a 4 instead of a 3. Because I think most people will enjoy this one.

If you’re new to audiobooks, this would be a great start to see how one should be done. Because it was done very well!

This was so good! I love January LaVoy’s narrating in general, and I loved hearing the podcast sections of this aloud. Some of it felt predictable to me, I wasn’t terribly shocked by any of the reveals/twists, but I thought the perspectives of a true crime podcast host and sister of the victim was fun and different from what I’ve read in the past (where it’s primarily a victim or cop). The author’s other book was already on my TBR list, but I think it will be moving up, as I really enjoyed this one.

I seriously tried to like this book. I can see where the author was going but it had so many trigger points in it. I feel like every other word was rape. I think I got to about 75% and just had to put the book down. I didn’t want to give it 1 star because the narrator did a fantastic job. This book just wasn’t for me. I do think that girls are blamed so much and their victims aren’t. This book did need to be written, I just couldn’t handle it.

“She walked down the street toward the path she’d taken that afternoon. This time it wasn’t dusk...it was nearly midnight. More dangerous than ever. It’s a calculation women make all the time. Should she walk home from the bar or take a taxi? Should she cut through the park or take the long way around? Should she speed dial 911 when she thought someone was following her? Should she..? Well, you could go on endlessly. Women, girls, we make these decisions all the time. Convenience vs. safety. Most of the time things work out fine. Occasionally, something terrible happens...”

Another new release that lends itself to audio format! Whenever there’s a podcast in a book, always try audio over print...it’s a no-brainer. I have to admit I DNF’d Megan Goldin’s Escape Room last year 😬 I read enough to know it’s a popcorn thriller, filled with unlikeable characters. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐦, however, is a completely different animal. It’s a mystery with a touch of suspense. There’s nothing new in regards to the plot (Golden Boy is accused of rape in a small but divided town; some believe the victim & some sympathize with the boy). I’m going to make this sound more complicated than it is, but trust me when I say it’s not confusing while reading. Rachel Krall is a podcast host & heads to the town of Neapolis, where she’s attending the trial of an accused rapist. As the trial unfolds, Rachel begins her 3rd season of her true crime podcast, Guilty or Not Guilty - the podcast that puts you in the jury box.. So basically she attends the trial during the day & broadcasts her podcast at night about the days events in court. While there, she also ends up investigating another rape that occurred 25 years prior in the same town...There are 3 POV’s & 3 different narrators. One is a third person narrative of Rachel’s investigation, read by Samantha Desz; another is the podcast episodes, with January LaVoy as Rachel herself (there are 12 episodes throughout the book); finally, we have Hannah, the sister of the rape/murder victim from 25 years ago, read by Bailey Carr. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐦 is an intense examination of a rape trial & it’s not an easy read but I loved the way it unfolded. This one will stick with me for a long time. If you are at all triggered by sexual assault and/or rape, you may want to skip this one. If not, I can’t recommend it enough. Place your holds & preorders for this one! Available 8/4

***Many thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.****

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC-Audio. The narrators did an amazing job bringing life to this story. (hence the reminder it is a book) They did a fabulous job differentiating between the different characters of the story. The chapters where Rachel was airing her True Crime Podcast was so like listening to a real podcast. This audiobook is different from other audiobooks which is why it was so amazing.. I would definitely recommend this audiobook to friends.

This is a gripping story about a podcaster following a rape trial in Neapolis, North Carolina, a creepy little town that has seen more than it's share of crime. I could not stop listening to the audio-book, and the format of the book really drew me in. Some chapters were excerpts from the podcast and it sounded like a real true crime podcast that I would love to listen to. Others were letters to the podcaster secretly sent from someone who lived in Neapolis years ago, and I could feel her pain and fear through her voice. The story kept me guessing right until the end. The only thing I'd like to warn readers about is it does have some triggers - there are a few descriptions of sexual assault, rape and victim blaming which some readers may find disturbing. They did bother me a bit but I still enjoyed the story and wanted to find out what happened. After reading this book I would like to read more by Megan Goldin.

I loved this book. I was obsessed with all the characters and did not want to put it down. There were a couple parts where I was wondering where and how the two murders would intersect but never felt that I was not bought in. I am also obsessed with true crime podcasts so this layout and idea of the book being a podcasters journey of investigating and also putting together the show was so cool. Highly recommend. Does have some rape and sexual content as a caution. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Ok I need to first say, this was the best AUDIO I have ever listened to. The narrators, producers, authors & everyone involved did an amazing job. I felt like I was listening to an actual podcast. I felt like I was watching a tv show. I FELT LIKE I WAS THERE. There were birds chirping in the background. There was music at times. There were cars driving by when needed. The courtroom scenes felt life like. This audio felt like there was SO much work put into it! And I LOVED every single second of it.
I am SO happy I decided to listen to this instead of reading it. Because the experience was a thousand times more intense. At one point in this book, when Rachel was telling a story about one of the girls getting raped and murdered, I was listening so intently, I completely stopped putting away groceries, sat down at the kitchen table and just listened for 10+ minutes. I forgot what I was doing because I was so immersed in the story. That is exactly why I love reading and what it is all about right there.
This story GUTTED me. It was heartbreaking. It was utter desparing. All the rape stories. But the main ones. About Kelly and Jenny. They just broke my heart. The courtroom scenes about the Scott and Kelly case...WOW. It was just so REAL. I felt like I was watching a tv series. It was like I was binging a tv show and couldnt/wouldnt stop. I am normally strictly JUST a romance reader. Dark romance, contemporary romance, reverse harem, paranormal romance, MM romance, ALL romance. This was a mystery thriller that had you thinking, had you shocked, had you reeling & made you want to tell EVERYONE about it. Makes you want to fight for womens rights. One of my favorite audios of 2020 and my favorite non romance book of all time. Definite 5 stars. Thank you for writing this story, keeping me guessing the whole time and on my toes.

True crime podcasts are hugely popular these days and Rachel Krall is a very well known podcaster searching for answers to unsolved crimes. She finds a plea for help in a note left on her windshield, which leaves Rachel shaken. People might know her voice, but few would know her on sight. And this won’t be the first note she finds. With season three of her podcast on the line, Rachel begins to look into the case of a popular and well loved local swim star who has been accused of raping a high school girl, who just happens to be the town police chief’s granddaughter. While she tries to untangle the complex and explosive case, Rachel keeps getting notes from someone who wants to know what happened to her sister, Jenny, 25 years before. The official cause of death was accidental drowning, but the note writer knows she was murdered and there may be a connection between Rachel’s current podcast and the truth about what happened to Jenny all those years ago. Readers may make the connection before Rachel does, but this is still an exciting and timely read. A stellar cast of narrators bring this book to life

There are a few perspectives in the book. You have Hannah, the sister of Jenny. You also have a Rachel, whom is following along the trial of Scott for the rape of Kelly Moore. She’s also chasing Hannah’s leads on what really happened to Jenny. Then, you have Rachel in her podcast medium.

If you are not an audiobook lover, but want to try one out,I HIGHLY suggest The Night Swim. I loved the podcast sections! How they were edited, how they had the background noise added in, perfection. (Chef’s kiss)

In some of the court scenes, I started yelling back at the audio just like I do when I listen to my girls at TCO. The defense attorney was discussing all of Scott’s accolades in court, and I blurted out, “I DON’T CARE WHAT HE SWAM! ” 🤦🏻‍♀️ AKA, I don’t care what your awards are, if you’re garbage, you’re garbage. (Garbage bell for sure) Needless to say, this book was written so well, I felt like I was in the courtroom, or listening to my favorite podcast.

This book is very very triggering. While reading it was triggering, the narration in the audio amplified that. If you are triggered by sexual assault, rape, victim blaming, please understand this book tackles these subjects bluntly. It’s such a gritty and raw read, and you will get pissed off. You will get angry, but you have to remember that this really isn’t that far fetched and could easily be something straight from a headline. If you think it’s not realistic, you may want to review your state’s laws. (and then go fight for change)

I enjoyed every page. I had every emotion imaginable. 5 strong stars.

Wow! Just WOW! "The Night Swim" is probably the best book that I have read so far that comes out this summer! I knew within the first 25-30 pages that this was going to be a great book. Goldin expertly weaves the two narratives of the assaults that happened decades apart, drawing the reader in, making it so you just have to know what happened. I would highly recommend it.

The narration on the audio edition of this book is edition was fantastic. Loved the multi-cast narration, and January LaVoy especially is excellent.

Megan Goldin’ The Night Swim is a propulsive thriller made for fans of true crime and podcasts like Serial. Goldin weaves a multi-layered story about a podcast host Rachel Krall, who heads to Neapolis to cover a trial where a town’s golden boy has been accused of rape. While she intends to cover one trial, she discovers that there a deep secrets in this small town, and there is more than one crime to investigate.

This is by far the best thriller I’ve read of 2020 and will be a summer blockbuster.

The Night Swim is a fully-immersive audiobook experience with fantastic narration by Bailey Carr, January LaVoy, and Samantha Desz. The release date is August 4, 2020 and runs 9 hours 58 minutes.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this audiobook. All thoughts are my own.

I just finished the audiobook of the Night Swim and I had to write my review right away. I came in with high expectations for this book, yet it still surprised me. I expected a good solid mystery, but I didn't realize I would be completely sucked in by this story. It's a quiet book, slowly dropping information with a symmetry between two cases, one unsolved from the past, and one being tried in the present. The parallels keep coming up and making more and sense as the end approaches. You feel completely immersed as if you are right there, trying to figure out the mystery with Rachel, who is researching both cases one for her podcast, one for other reasons. The audio version of the book brings the book a step further as we experience being the audience of Rachel's court podcast, following along. Because it feels so real, this was a tough read, the trial chapters offering a gut wrenching view of the toll of a rape on the victim, the family, and a community. The ending left me breathless, yet it made sense. Excellent book.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOAH! I immediately need to read everything Megan Goldin has ever written.

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin follows the true crime podcaster, Rachel Krall, as she is about to begin covering her next story for the third season of her famous podcast. Rachel decides to focus her next case on a rape trial beginning in the small town of Neapolis. Once she arrives in the small town, Rachel starts receiving letters from a woman named Hannah who wants Rachel's help to solve her sisters murder from 25 years ago. The 25 year old murder of Hannah's sister soon intertwines with the current events involving the rape trial Rachel is covering.

This book was hard and challenging to read but at the same time very rewarding. I loved whenever there were chapters that were simply Rachel's podcast. I could not put this book down and would highly recommend this to people who want to try venturing into the mystery/thriller genre.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Swim is the story of two rape victims, 25 years apart with locations and some characters connecting the two crimes. While the subject matter is difficult to hear at times, the author did such a great job interweaving the stories using the viewpoints of Rachel, an investigative journalist following the trial of the more recent case for the newest season of her true crime podcast, and Hannah, the younger sister of the first victim who is looking for the truth. Interspersed with first person narration from both women are episodes of the podcast. This style lends itself incredibly well to the audiobook format and meshes well with the current true crime podcast popularity.

Megan Goldin was a new author to me, but I'll definitely be searching out more of her books. This would be a good match for anyone who enjoys a bit of mystery in their fiction.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.