Member Reviews
What a fast paced thriller….loved it!
Dark Corners does the podcaster story that seems to be so popular lately, but Megan Goldin does it well.
Rachel is the podcaster, called by the FBI to travel to Florida to help figure out the next move of a potential serial killer. Not going to give anything away, but it was a wild ride with a great ending!
(2 1/2). This book has lots of ups and downs. A fun protagonist, a sappy love story. A creepy bad guy, a cliched setting. A pretty good amount of action, some bad sequencing. All in all, it was entertaining. I wish it had not been so formulaic but at least it was not the chick lit piece I was worried it was at the start. A decent read while I wait for some better reserves to get in at the library. OK stuff.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. Dark Corners is the third book I've read by Megan Goldin and she is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors in the suspense/thriller genre. Dark Corners is the second book about Rachel Krall, a journalist/podcaster who assists authorities in cases. She's in her 30's, single and attractive but afraid of intimate relationships. She is asked by FBI Agent Joe Martinez to review a case in Florida as a prisoner suspected of several murders is about to be released. One of the best things about Megan Goldin's stories is that they have characters that aren't unrealistic and Ms. Goldin seems to really know her stuff regarding police procedural. I'm hoping there is another book in the Rachel Krall series and I'm not a regular reader of series.
Listen… this was a wild ride from start to finish, but I have to say: Rachel got kind of mean??! Don’t get me wrong, I’d be cranky too. But Rachel seems to forget that she is just as capable of being the victim as the women she talks about in her podcast - and it would do her well to take her own life and safety seriously especially when it’s not just hers on the line.
I didn’t see the plot twist coming, which is impressive for me! I kept thinking I had figured it out, only to find that there was another little twist I didn’t see coming. I liked the inclusion of the podcast narration to fill in details in a way that would have seemed off or even boring if it was just worked into the regular conversations. It was a good way to shake things up!
Rachel Krall is back. The true crime podcaster and star of Night Swim is back and trouble is following her once more.
Rachel has no idea why the FBI wants to see her, but they are insistent! Sending an agent to take her to the airport and see that she gets on a plane.
All she knows is she is to meet them at the prison. Once there they still aren’t very forthcoming with information but what she does learn will keep her digging.
Terence Bailey is due to be released in a few days. In prison for breaking and entering but suspected of being a serial killer with six women dead. Have the police sent an innocent man to prison over something he did not do? Maybe.
The FBI knows Bailey is familiar with Rachel’s podcast and is also a fan. They hope to use her to get information about a popular social media influencer who visited him and was never seen again. Although she did leave a message on Rachel’s machine.
When Rachel finds out there is a huge influencer event in town, she decides to stay and investigate herself.
Rachel needs to find Maddison and find out why she was visiting Bailey. What is she playing at?
That is all I want to say about that. You just have to read it. Very on trend for social media influencers right now. This does and has happened before and it is scary. That is what makes it a good thriller, the fact that it is possible.
Always a pleasure!
NetGalley/ August 8th, 2023 by St. Martin’s Press
Rachel Krall is back and this time finds herself a suspect after her name pops up during a visitation at a prison in Florida. Rachel reluctantly partners with the FBI as they try and find a missing person and hopefully solve a string of cold case murders.
My first 5 star read for 2023 and I honestly cannot give enough praise to this book.
It completely consumed me, thank goodness I started it on a Saturday because once I started it was unputdownable. Sorry to anyone I had Saturday plans with an cancelled.
The way the mystery’s slowly start twisting together but fast paced enough to keep me absolutely captivated was perfection. I needed more answers until the last page when I was finally satisfied and everything wrapped up nice and tidy.
The little pieces of romance tucked into the story between Rachel and The FBI agent were great. I truly loved it all. I hope this isn’t the last of Rachel Krall and Guilty or not!
When true crime podcast host Rachel Kralls name comes up in an active FBI investigation, the FBI is hoping this is a good turn of events. And Rachel being Rachel, can’t turn down a chance to help the FBI and cover the case on her podcast.
Dark Corners is the second in the Rachel Krall series, however it can be also read as a stand alone.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ACR. #Netgalley #DarkCorners
4 5⭐️ Rachel Krall is back! While we don't get her in her actual podcast, we do find her working with the FBI to help solve murders and disappearances. It almost felt like we were getting the research that goes into the material for her podcast. I really liked how there were explanations of events as you went along instead of trying to explain it all at the end. Megan Goldin has become a favorite of mine, and this one did not disappoint. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC of Dark Corners, scheduled for release in August 2023.
What does a missing social media influencer have to do with a suspected serial killer in maximum security? When even the FBI is stumped by the connection, the agency enlists the services of podcaster Rachel Krall to assist with their investigation. When her meeting with Terence Bailey, the accused, doesn't unfold in the way her and the agency had hoped, she's determined to stay in Daytona Beach, Fl., until she has the answer because it's no longer the missing influencer's life at stake. By meeting with Terence, she's inadvertently placed herself in his crosshairs, and it's only a matter of days before his release.
Fans of The Night Swim are sure to enjoy this anticipated sequel but I wouldn't say that it lived up to its predecessor. There's lots to enjoy about the novel, from the short chapters that keep you anxiously turning the pages, to the twists and turns that unfold. However, a few things distracted me from the mystery, including the romance between Rachel and FBI Agent Martinez. It didn't add anything relevant. Second, there are several chapters that remain in Rachel's point-of-view that supposedly indicate she's recording her newest podcast but there's no clear confirmation as such. Finally, I didn't mind it but if you're not a fan of social media or influencer marketing, you'll have a difficult time remaining interested in the book.
“The scariest monster is the one that hides in plain sight,”
This is the second book about Rachel Krall. I really hope this becomes a continuing series. The second half of this book was non stop action.
This whole story was a guessing game and even when you think you have things figured out your WRONG!!
The FBI asks Rachel to talk to an inmate about a missing woman then tell her to go home but she’s not leaving without answers. Investigating a series of murders puts her in danger.
We really find out that social media influencers are a cut throat bunch that’s for sure. I love that Rachel and Joe hooked up and look forward to more from them in the future.
So good! I love a good mystery and this one kept me up. I’d love to read more from this talented author!
Megan Goldin is becoming a must read whenever she releases a new book. Every single one of her books have been fantastic and this one is no exception. Suspenseful, thrilling and unnerving are just some of the words that can describe this book. Rachel Krall is the main character of this book and was in her previous book, Night Swim. I was so thrilled that Megan brought her back into this book and this one was as good as the last. This one has to go to the top of to be purchased piles for readers. Fantastic book and I cannot wait for the next one!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
SO much better than the first one! I don't typically say that when it comes to sequels especially thriller sequels but I loved this book!
Rachel Krall is back and is searching for a famous influence, Maddison, who went missing after visiting a suspected serial killer in prison. Police have long tried to prove he was the killer of six women but without any evidence to hold him, Terence Bailey is set to be released in days. As Rachel and the FBI start looking into the disappearance of Maddison they try to figure out how she knew Terence and what their connection to each other could be. As they begin to dig deeper into the world of influencers and the background of Terence, they soon learn that everything is more connected, including the murders of other victims.
I was hesitant to read this book at first after giving The Night Swim 2 stars. I had enjoyed Megan Goldin's other book The Escape Room but something about The Night Swim honestly bored me and I wasn't particularly interested in the sequel. I'm so glad I decided to pick it up, I honestly couldn't put it down and finished it in less than 24 hours. It was suspenseful, clever, twisty, and I loved every minute of reading it. I loved the romance between Rachel and a certain FBI agent, I loved how some of the plot twists I never saw coming. Overall it was a fantastic read and I really hope that Rachel gets another book or two.
Thanks to St. Martins Press for the copy for my review.
Dark Corners by Megan Goldin follows Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star of Megan Goldin’s acclaimed Night Swim returns to search for a popular social media influencer who disappeared after visiting a suspected serial killer. Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. As his freedom approaches, Bailey gets a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge social media following. Hours later, Maddison disappears, and police suspect she’s been kidnapped—or worse. Is Maddison’s disappearance connected to her visit to Bailey? Why was she visiting him in the first place? When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems only to exist on social media; she has no family, no friends, and other than in her posts, most people have never seen her. Who is she, really? Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel Krall goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, where she discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal.
I absolutely loved, Night Swim, the first installment in this new Rachel Krall series. However, while this book was fun, I sadly didn't enjoy it as much as Night Swim. I found the love interest in this novel unnecessary and I didn't connect to the characters as much in this book. However, I did enjoy the Miami scene in this novel as well as the BuzzCon location for this book.
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
An incredible sequel to Night Swim about a missing vlogger that turns into more missing/murdered girls that are connected to a killer. I really enjoyed this because in this Rachel Krall mystery we don’t have her reading from her podcast but her narrative in real time as she’s involved in the case. Don’t get me wrong, the podcast chapters in the Night Swim were awesome, but this one was a fresh take on the podcaster as we see her in real time in immediate danger! I highly recommend!
Missing Instagram influencer who seemingly has no presence offline. No one knows where she could be and very few clues lead the investigators in the right direction. They turn to a podcaster who may have enough insight to figure out where she could be. This was twisty and fun, even though sometimes the back and forth between characters and scenes could get confusing when I put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 3.5 stars
4.5 Stars
Not quite as fleshed out as The Night Swim but still a fun and thrilling ride.
In this one, true crime podcaster Rachel Krall is called upon by the FBI to help in solving the case of the missing social media influencer, Maddison Logan. As it turns out Maddison disappears very shortly after visiting an inmate, Terence Bailey who has never had a visitor before in the six years he's been incarcerated. Although Terence has long been a suspected serial killer, no charges have ever been filled and his prison stay was the result of breaking and entering and theft as well as getting in a fight with a fellow prisoner. When a young woman is found dead in a mud pit the race is on to find if A) the girl is Maddison and B) who Terence's accomplice might be. After a brief visit with Terence herself and seemingly getting nowhere, Rachel checks into an Influencers convention to start investigating the case herself. When people from the convention start going missing the stakes get higher and with Terence getting out of prison soon Rachel might just be the next on the list.
Like in The Night Swim the writing here is impeccable. The twists and turns get more interesting with each missing person. Written from the POV's of Rachel and a smelly rideshare driver in relatively short chapters, I found myself totally captivated while racing through the pages to find out if my suspicions were correct. They were and they weren't. While I was correct with some I was still surprised by the highly satisfying conclusion. I loved how the author tied up all the loose ends and still had me wanting more. I look forward to continuing Rachel's story in upcoming additions to this series.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me a digital ARC to read, review and enjoy.
Rachel Kroll is a true crime podcaster. She is brought down to Florida by the FBI to offer them information about a missing influencer. She is also brought to a State Prison to talk with a convict who is soon to be released. The FBI Agent on the case doesn’t believe she does not know the influencer or the convict. Rachel continues to stay in the area and investigate what is going on. She attends a conference for influencers and learns more about the missing woman and about the convict. Telling more about the plot will only lead to spoilers. The plot and characters are remarkably well developed and not all are what they seem. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of Dark Corners by Megan Goldin! WOW! Okay. Goldin’s an auto-buy author for me, but as soon as I saw that this book was a follow-up to The Night Swim (One of my favorites of all time), I had to push this up to the very top of my list as soon as the approval came into my inbox.
This story picks up with Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster that we met in Night Swim. This time, she’s searching for a popular social media influencer who disappeared just after visiting a suspected serial killer in prison. Is her disappearance connected to her visit? And why was she there in the first place?
Rachel Krall finds herself going undercover to BuzzCon, an influencer conference, to uncover the truth when the FBI hits a wall. What if Rachel isn’t safe, either?
I devoured this book (as expected) and it quickly became one of my favorite reads of 2022. Being a famous influencer may seem like fun and games, but this book will definitely make you rethink your presence online. The plot is unique - hard to find with thrillers these days in my opinion - and quite twisty. There’s a romance element to this book that was perfect and I actually want (need) more of it. Different perspectives, the podcast angle...ah. Chef’s kiss Goldin on another 5-star read! This can be read as a stand-alone but why on earth wouldn’t you want to pick up Night Swim while you wait for this beauty to pub?
Megan Goldin writes another great novel. I have read a couple of her previous books and have enjoyed them all. This story centers around true crime podcaster Rachel Krall. There are missing women and the police believe the man responsible, Terence Bailey, is due to be released from prison in two days on other charges. They have to find proof that he is involved so he can be put away permanently. Krall meets with Bailey in the prison and begins to help the FBI in the disappearance of a prominent social media influencer who had just visited Bailey in prison and disappeared. Rachel attends a convention for influencers to try to find out info on her disappearance.
Although I don’t like or agree with the whole influencer lifestyle, the writing of Megan Goldin made the subject matter and the accompanying mystery riveting. This was a quick read and I look forward to more stories involving Rachel Krall.