3.75/5

We love a story with multiple perspectives, plus a podcast in it! Megan truly gave me the creeps while reading this book. The story had a quick pace and had me guessing (correctly) so there wasn't the huge shock factor for me.

Read if you like:
podcasts in books
multiple povs
influencers

I think I will need to check out more of Megan's books in the future.

I love thrillers and I love true crime, so I was excited when I heard about this book! The premise sounded really interesting, but the execution wasn't exactly what I had hoped for. The pacing was a little off. I still would recommend to patrons though. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This is a great series so far, would love to reread and read more from this author tho!

Review for Dark Corners by Megan Goldin ”

1. Plot Uniqueness : 4/5
2. Pacing and Coherence :” 4/5
3. Emotional and intellectual Engagement : 3.5/5
4. Twists and turns : 3.5/5
5. Protagonists Character Development : 4/5
6. support character development : 3/5
7. Setting and atmosphere : “ 3.5/5
8. Chapter Organization : 4/5
9. Conclusion and tied loose ends : 3.5/5
10. Overall rating of book : 3.5/5

Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star of Megan Goldin’s acclaimed The Night Swim, returns to search for a popular influencer who disappears after visiting a suspected serial killer.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin is a sitting on the edge of your seat kind of book. I was obsessed!

3.5 stars. While not groundbreaking it was an easy read, with a decent twist! Had my attention the whole time, and found it entertaining enough.

I became a fan of Megan Goldwin’s writing after reading Night Swim and Stay Awake. Her thrillers tend to have just the right amount of twists and turns without obvious plot twists.

Dark Corners is a continuation of Rachel Krall’s story, a main character we meet in Night Swim. Though I gave it the same rating as Night Swim, I actually liked Dark Corners a smidge more.

If you like the podcast/social influencer twist currently vibing in books then I would definitely recommend both of the Rachel Krall books. I know I’m definitely looking forward to Megan Goldwin’s next book!

Wow..... don't look in Dark Corners unless you're prepared to have your eyes opened! This book was wild from start to finish.

This story follows Rachel Krall as she tries to piece together why Madison Logan, influencer, is tied to Terrence Bailey, murderer.

I am a huge Megan Goldin fan but did not like this book as much as her others. Maybe because I’m not big into the social media influencer world. This book was fast paced, which I enjoyed, but there were times it was too fast for my liking.

Rachel does not seem to have an ounce of fear in her body, which makes her a good reporter. But there were times I was thinking, GIRL WTF.

I’ll still read anything Goldin writes, but just wasn’t as pleased with this book… probably why it took me so long to finish (my apologies).

Slow is all I need to say. It did not even remotely keep my interest. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

I love a true crime podcast thriller and Dark Corners fit that bill. Rachel Krall is the protagonist who ends up being summoned by a presumed serial killer to his jail cell. When she’s brought in to see what he wants with her Rachel starts to try to unveil the truth behind the crimes he’s been accused of committing.

This one gets super twisty and bounces around quite a bit but it was entertaining.

Megan Goldin’s Dark Corners is a chilling and compulsively readable thriller that combines the unsettling world of true crime with the darker side of social media. It’s a follow-up to her successful The Night Swim, and while it stands on its own, fans of that book will appreciate the return of Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster who once again finds herself diving into a case that’s both dangerous and deeply personal.

The story kicks off with the release of Terence Bailey, a man infamous for his connection to the brutal deaths of six women. When the story begins, Bailey’s past seems to be at the forefront—he’s been imprisoned for a lesser charge, but the shadow of those murders looms over him. However, the focus quickly shifts to the mysterious disappearance of Maddison Logan, a social media influencer who vanishes shortly after visiting Bailey in prison. This sparks a tense investigation as the FBI grapples with a trail of clues that leads them into the murky world of influencer culture and online facades.

Rachel Krall’s involvement in the case, though reluctant at first, is what propels the narrative forward. The idea of using social media as both a tool for investigation and a source of danger is cleverly explored. Maddison’s life—or lack thereof—beyond her curated posts adds a layer of suspense and uncertainty, as her online presence doesn’t seem to match the real person behind it. Goldin masterfully plays with the notion of identity in the digital age, where everyone can be someone else online, and that sense of doubt is what keeps the pages turning.

The investigation takes Rachel undercover into BuzzCon, an influencer conference where rivalries boil under the surface and where fame is both a currency and a trap. Goldin doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of social media fame, making it clear that it’s not all glitz and glamour. The potential for harm is always lurking beneath the surface, and in this case, it’s lethal.

Bailey’s disturbing obsession with influencers—especially Rachel herself—adds an additional layer of tension to the plot. The tattoo of a snake eating its tail that is discovered later in the investigation is a sinister symbol that hints at a deep and growing danger, not just for Rachel, but for anyone who crosses Bailey’s path.

What makes Dark Corners especially gripping is Goldin’s ability to blend the personal stakes of her main character with a broader social commentary on the toxic nature of internet fame. Rachel’s podcasting background gives her a unique perspective on the case, and she uses her skills to dig deeper into the world of influencers, social media manipulation, and the dangers of becoming too invested in a curated online persona.

While the book is thoroughly engaging, there are moments when the pacing slows down a bit, particularly in the middle, as the investigation hits some dead ends. But just when you think it might drag, Goldin throws in a twist or a new discovery that reignites the mystery, keeping the tension high until the very end.

The conclusion, though satisfying, left me wanting just a little bit more in terms of resolution. Still, it’s a solid finish that leaves readers contemplating the blurred lines between the real world and the online one.

Overall, Dark Corners is a gripping, thought-provoking thriller that blends psychological suspense with a timely exploration of the dangers of fame in the digital age. Goldin's writing is sharp, her characters are well-developed, and her ability to build tension is exceptional. It’s a great read for anyone who enjoys fast-paced mysteries with complex characters and a dash of social commentary.

Highly recommended for fans of true crime, psychological thrillers, and stories about the power and peril of the internet.

I was excited to be approved to read Dark Corners by Megan Goldin after reading Night Swim and Stay Awake.

Taking a look at the world of social media influencers may be of interest to a lot of readers, however for me, it wasn't something that I was overly interested in. It was hard for me to connect with the story. Throughout the book there are several twists and turns that kept me guessing pretty much the entire time, which I think was the saving grace for me.

I found the writing to be well done, but the content wasn't exactly perfect for my tastes.

3/5 stars.

Thank you SMP & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really torn on how to rate this. When I first started reading this book back in 2023, I was struggling with motivation to pick it up and read it, which was disappointing because I really enjoyed The Night Swim and was excited for this one. Dark Corners is about an influencer who goes missing, she is associated with a suspected serial killer who is going to be released from prison in a few days, the FBI asks for true crime podcaster, Rachel Krall’s, help in finding the missing influencer and the prisoner’s potential involvement; so Rachel goes undercover at an influencer conference.

The format was slightly confusing at first, and I kept notes on each chapter so I could keep it straight (4 POVs!). Thankfully, I did keep notes so that I could pick back up where I left off, now in 2025. Once I picked this book back up, I was able to get into it; and the further along I read, the more invested I became in the story. The 4 POVs were an interesting plot device, and I found myself interested in how they all would interconnect at the climax.

That said, I think there were too many things going on in order to make the story more dramatic, some plot holes, and changes to our main character that didn’t suit her. In the first book, Rachel was an accomplished investigative journalist who, along with her producer, was able to uncover details that may have been overlooked by police. In this book, even though she was able to get more information than the police about certain things, she was also very blind to the things right in front of her that book 1 Rachel would have never missed, and were barely touched on later.

I really liked the competence of the FBI investigation, and how all the pieces fell into place at the end. But, the ending was clumsy and written a bit confusingly (can’t explain without spoilers). Overall this book was exciting and boring, and can be read as a standalone.

Dark Corners is a fast-paced thriller that had me hooked from the beginning. The story is full of twists, turns, and had me second guessing myself every time I thought I had it figured out. The characters are well developed and the story flowed well.

This book was a wild ride from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed it. When you're ready to look in dark corners you'll find things you weren't ready to know.

i didnt quite enjoy this as much as the first book. however, its really only because of personal preferences. i thought the courtroom scenes and drama in ‘the night swim’ were super strong, so i was bummed that didnt occur in this sequel. and this particular mystery begins with telling the reader the identity of who is behind the murders, so the only thing the reader gets to discover is how that person is connected to other characters, and thats not the kind of narrative i like in my thrillers. i prefer a bit more unknown and reveals.

I will say I almost DNF this one multiple times. Maybe I’m just impatient (that’s clearly what it is there’s no “maybe” about it) because night swim was one of my favorite books ever. Should this be a series? I mean I’m sure I raved it should. But just because it can doesn’t mean it should.

It truly felt like a completely different author. Like do I need to re-read night swim and take it off a pedestal? I did love the audio in its format, so that could be the downplay.

I just felt like ole Rach was so savvy last go round, and now she’s just walking into danger all willy nilly like she forgot any type of common sense? She’s Whoopi Goldberg “you in danger girl” and just said “awesome! Thanks”

Whether or not you read the first Rachel Krall book, Megan Goldin's DARK CORNERS is the perfect escape. Set inside the world of social media influencers, Goldin nods to the realities of being an influencer -- what compromises must be made to make it look like you live a glamorous life. The audiobook does a great job at producing the podcast segments so you feel like you're tuning into your favorite show, not listening to part of a book.

This was exactly the sequel I was hoping it would be. It was great to be back with the protagonist again, moving another crime with nuance.