I received this book in exchange for an honest review, which has not altered my opinion of this book.

I’m going to jump right in, this book follows two rapes in the same town over two different periods of time. It is a difficult book to read, although it is still tasteful when it comes to describing what happens. Not only does this follow the rapes, but it is mostly about the court case and how it affects those around the town and the rest of the country as well. This story talks a lot about how the impact of the media on a case and the difficulty in keeping anyone objective. It also talks about all the difficult things that the people in this town have felt with and how this case affected the small time. It talks about victim blaming and ruined lives, and ruined potential, and what this can do to a small town, but it concentrates on what it does to the victim, which I feel gets forgotten sometimes.

This is a subject that I have strong feeling on based on my own life and experiences, which I will not go into. However, I am very glad that I listened to this audiobook, the fact that this was a podcast made it all the more interesting. The quote below summarizes it quite nicely:

“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.”

I think the main reason I didn’t give this a 5/5 is because it was advertised to me as a thriller, but it really didn’t feel like a thriller. It more felt almost like a mystery story and a contemporary and intense book. Overall, this book was intense and I can’t emphasize trigger warnings enough! This is a highly emotional book, so this is my warning, but go read it! 4.5 out of 5.

This book was good. It started really strong. I would give "The Night Swim" 3 Stars. I liked the fact that it featured a podcast story line. I believe I have never came across this is a book. But, I also feel this book was less of a thriller and more of a legal crime book.

At times, I felt Rachel was a little self absorbed. This did frustrate me but I do think this book needed character. I also feel there are so many characters in this story, at times, it was hard to keep everyone straight. with that said, I do like the Dual the narrative.

Over all, I would probably not re-read (or listen to the audiobook) but I do not regret listening to it the first time.

I loved The Night Swim- such a fantastic read. Truly one of the best in the mystery/thriller genre right now. I loved it so much because it reminded me of my beloved Nancy Drew, but with much darker subject matter. I really like how this book had Rachel investigating an old case and a new one at the same time, set in a beach town in North Carolina. You really felt like you were along for the ride solving the cases, and I loved the true crime podcasting element. I would definitely recommend this one on audio for that reason!⁣

Sadly I could not complete this book. I made it about half way but the narrator did not keep me interested. And it just seemed to drag. I don’t mind triggers and mystery but I would find myself dozing. I will come back to it at a later date but I am afraid this was not for me

Megan Goldin"s The Night Swim was an awesome read. I had the pleasure of listening to the audio version and the narrators did a fantastic job bringing this mystery to life. It was great! Five plus stars.

Told between 3(ish) different points of view, The Night Swim is the story of a true crime podcast about a rape trial and a separate investigation into a long forgotten death. I was given the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook in advance and I was definitely impressed. The story was so compelling and the ending was a surprise, kind of. Not only were you trying to discover if the rape actually happened but also piece together the events that led to Jenny’s death.

The narrator for the audiobook was clear and did the characters well, even when I turned the speed up a bit.

If you like thrillers, this is one for you to pick up for sure!




You can see my video review here:
https://youtu.be/jYMffabNncY

If you like true crime and even better, fiction about true crime, this one will be right up your alley. True crime podcaster, Rachel, receives a note on her car begging for help to find out what really happened to her sister decades before. Did she tragically drown or was she murdered? Rachel is also covering a current rape trial and ask she digs, she begins to discover strange connections between the cases.

This book definitely has #murderino vibes! It is not a classic thriller though – more of a slow burn mystery, in my opinion. It is character driven and gritty. The book does not shy away from addressing the issue of rape and assault. Readers should be cautioned if they are triggered by these issues, but I believe the author handled them in a respectful way without looking away from the very real atrocity of such crimes and how the issues affect individuals, families, and entire communities for generations.

This is a gripping tale that will haunt and stay with you for a long time. It is highly relevant for #metoo and the women’s movement in general. It is a “hard” read but worth looking at the issues head on and understanding the despicable way women have been, and still are, treated when reporting sexual assault.

This was a great suspense novel perfect for audio. The podcast element of the story really elevated the audio. The narrators were excellent. I loved how this book brought up an important and current topic.

I am sorry to say that this one just didn't do it for me. I thought the story was interesting at first, but honestly I thought it was very slow and I was bored during large parts of it. I did find the podcast chapters interesting, but I thought it was weird that for someone who was supposed to remain neutral, she offered very little facts about the case. It was mostly long commentaries on victim blaming. Now don't get me wrong, I thought her commentaries were spot on and I agreed with all of them. I just thought it weird for her to continue claiming she was neutral while her posts were obviously on the prosecution side. I thought parts of the story had too much detail -- I didn't beed a step by step reenactment of what she did when she got up, for example. I wish the letters from Hannah and the old murder case made up for the lack of interest in the other parts, but it really didn't. I also just thought it too easy that Rachel was able to get all the information she needed from witnesses, even when others couldn't. I also didn't really understand the twist at the end and the person who came forward with information on the case. I won't give any spoilers, but I thought it ridiculous that he didn't come forward much earlier and his reason for not coming forward was a bit stupid. I am flabbergasted no one called him out on it and I was rolling my eyes at the fact that he was obviously protecting the person, but the reader was supposed to feel sorry for him. Umm, no. The guy was awful. I wish I liked this book more, but I just didn't.

First off, if rape or sexual assault is a trigger for you, I’d recommend skipping this book. The entire thing revolves around the story of two separate sexual assaults. It goes through them in detail and focuses on the victimization that occurs to victims during rape trials. It’s a heavy topic!

I personally enjoyed this book… I love podcasts and crime procedurals so this was right up my alley.

Rachel has a very successful podcast Guilty or Not Guilty where investigates crimes and follows their trial. For her third season, she’s followed the trial of a young swimmer accused of raping a high school girl. Along the way, she is contacted by Hannah who begs her to investigate her sister’s twenty-five year old murder.

I really enjoyed how relevant The Night Swim in. It discusses deep topics and still keeps you guessing.

I listened to the audiobook and absolutely LOVED it. The podcast portions were my favorite and were so well done. I did a couple of extra loads of laundry because I didn’t want to stop listening— I was enjoying it that much!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Pretty and NetGalley for an audiobook copy of The Night Swim in return for an honest review!

The narration was great, but overall the story fell flat for me. It didn't quite live up to the expectations I had. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to this.

I was a little disappointed in this book. When I heard that it was a thriller surrounding a true crime podcast, I was super excited! But I think I set my expectations a little too high. It just wasn't gripping enough for me, and it was too much of a slow burn. Not very thrilling!

The audiobook was well done. There are three separate narrators - one for each character the story flips back and forth between, and one for the podcast portions. I liked that the podcast sounded like an actual podcast with the intro and everything.

The topic is very important, and I love the premise. I just didn't feel like the book delivered, unfortunately.

3.5 stars

Rachel Krall hosts a true crime podcast, and is heading to the small town of Neapolis, NC to cover a rape trial on her show. She keeps her face out of the public eye though and is only recognized by her voice. When she finds a note on her car windshield addressed to her asking for help, she wonders how this person knows who she is. These letters keep showing up until Rachel gets involved in solving this mystery from 25 years ago which seems to have connections to the rape trial she’s covering.

I had a hard time with my rating. I went between 3 and 4 stars so ended up giving it 3.5 stars. I received the audiobook ARC to review, and I think that had something to do with my rating. I probably would have preferred to read it myself. The narrator who voiced Rachel spoke very slowly, and I didn’t get a lot of emotion from her. With a book about two different rape cases, you would think the main character would be more emotional, but she was very flat.

The book goes back and forth between Rachel’s narrative, snippets of Rachel’s podcast, and another narrator, Hannah Stills. Hannah’s sister drown 25 years before, but she believes it was murder. I did prefer her storyline and narration. Most of her chapters were a flashback leading up to what happened to her sister. I found her more invested and these chapters more intriguing.

There is a very strong storyline of sexual assault and violence against women. If this is a trigger for you, I would avoid this book. I do think this is an important topic to focus on, and I thought the author did a good job of showing us a rape trial and how the victim can be unfairly judged by the lawyers and public.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars
I loved the way this was written as a dual POV with letters written to the main character as a way of getting the second POV. I thought that was really clever and broke up the main story well. This was a well written thriller with an interesting plot and a good cast of characters.

So why 3.5 stars and not more? It was a good thriller but not a great thriller. A few of the reveals I had called early on in the book and some of the tertiary characters could’ve used a little more fleshing out.

I listened to the audiobook so I want to say that the narrator was great and the quality was exceptional. Would definitely look for more books narrated by her.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the ARC copy of this book for review.
I listened to The Night Swim on audiobook and loved this version! The podcast elements added to the immersive experience of this story. At points, the listener can hear elements of the MC's environment, such as long grass and wind. Both narrators did an amazing job with their characters; one can hear the emotion in their voices, which makes some of the more tense moments, that much more deeply felt.
The Night Swim is a harrowing tale of the search for justice within an unfair legal system. Included in this story is the POV of two women. One of which is a true crime podcast host and the other, a woman who lost her sister in childhood. The women become tied up in each other's stories and I enjoyed each character's piece of the narrative.
At times, this can be a difficult read/listen as one must listen to the rape experience of a 16 year old girl. It is difficult but it is necessary, as the narrative emphasizes the process of a rape trial and how traumatic it is for the rape victim to rehash the experience in detail in a courtroom environment.
Overall this is an, at times, brutal and emotional experience. The wrongness of it is deeply felt and maddening. It is necessary to bring these issues to the forefront if we ever want to see change. I know I wasn't aware of the process of a rape trial but now that I am, I feel inspired to learn more and do what I can to become part of this discussion. It's difficult for me to believe how divisive rape is but as we continue to keep this topic an open discussion, we can work towards changing minds and attitudes.
I recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers and true crime.

4 stars! This is a review of the audiobook and kindle version. I received a digital copy for review from NetGalley first, then requested the audio when NG began offering audiobooks more recently.

Rachael Krall has a true-crime podcast with a lot of followers. It is very popular and people know her for her voice. The plot involves two murders...one in the past. One today. Are they connected? Rachael heads to a small town to cover a rape trial for the third season of her podcast. Someone reaches out to Rachael ( a note on her windshield ) asking for help in solving her sister, Jenny's murder. Some big secrets are going to come out.

So different from The Escape Room which I really didn’t enjoy, tho I had many friends who did. I highly recommend this and want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a digital edition to read...and later the audiobook..which is outstanding! Excellent narration!

This is my first book by this author but I most certainly would like to try her other works!

Rachel is a podcaster and she talks about true crime and after her first successful season that helped an innocent man go free she becomes very popular. In trying to make her next season just as great she decides to take on a controversial trial although others were against her doing it. So she heads to a small town called Neapolis where the ‘golden boy’ swimmer who had his sights set on the olympics is accused of rape.

While on her way to the town she comes out to her car after stopping for something to eat and finds a note. This freaks Rachel out because she has done her best to make sure nobody knows who she is, so how did this person find her. Hannah is a woman who wants Rachel to find out what happened to her sister who drowned 25 years ago. Everyone said it was an accident but Hannah believes she was murdered. She just needs to know the truth.

Rachel isn’t sure at first what to do with Hanna as she won’t meet her but keeps leaving her notes about what she remembers from back then which of course brings Rachel in with her curiosity. Meanwhile she is also working on her podcast with what happened with the rape case.

Things begin to intertwine the more that Rachel digs into the past and learns more about the present case.

The Night Swim is told in two POV’s as we have present day with Rachel and then 25 years ago as Hannah remembers her sister and the things that happened leading up to her drowning. Then you also get the podcast that Rachel is doing on the rape case.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story and it was very easy to get wrapped up in their lives. Rachel likes to search for the truth with her podcast and then let the listener decides what they think. I also liked Hannah who has went her whole life wondering what really happened, not every believing that it was an accident, alway believing in her sister.

I really enjoyed this book! I think listening to these types where they have a podcast is really the best way! This one did such a great job of making it sound just like a podcast when those sections came on! It also has a really great mystery with a lot of great suspects and I had a hard figuring it out and was a bit surprised at the end. The podcast trial was very well done and showed both sides of what can happen when rape is involved.

I can see this book being sensitive to some because it deals with rape culture, small town politics, slut shaming and so enter at your own risk. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller.

This was a powerful story and will stay with me for a long time. The main character, Rachel Krall, is a podcast host for true crime-Guilty or Not Guilty show. Rachel is faced with reporting on a controversial trial as it is taking place which she usually covers well after the trial has been completed. In the process of her podcast, Rachel is contacted by the sister of a rape/murder victim for assistance in solving the 25 year old case in the same small town.

This story is a HEAVY, dark and really emotional read. I was pulled into the story from the beginning and the strong message that Megan Goldin sends about the treatment of rape victims by society, family. The ultimate revelation of secrets of the town and its residents past along with the ending of the current trial were shocking and kept me on the edge of my seat.

The narrators in the audiobook version were FANTASTIC! I am a huge fan of January LeVoy, and together with Bailey Carr, the performance of this story was incredible. I couldn't hardly remove my earbuds. I received this book as an advanced listening copy from NetGalley and I am so glad that I listened to it. The combination of excellent story and performance really made this book come to life.

I finished this book a few days ago and the story is still one that I think about.

This was a fantastic listen! It has three different narrators and all of them did a great job! This book will pull you in right from the start and keep you thinking about it long after you have already finished it. The story is two different POVs and while that isn't something I usually love I feel like it was really well done in this instance. There are also several podcast parts that were great. I loved the characters, especially Rachel and found that I connected with her really well. I also liked Hannah and the way that she convinced Rachel to help her. I don't want to give anything away so go pick up the book and read it!

This book is excellent! Really well written and definitely very thought provoking. I enjoyed the short, engrossing chapters and the layout between the podcasts, letters and Rachel's point of view.