Night Swim kept me guessing and Dark Corners did too! Until the end of the book, I thought I had everything figured out. This book also portrayed the good and bad of being a social media influencer. Worthy sequel!

Dark Corners is the second novel Megan Goldin has written featuring True Crime Podcaster, Rachel Krall. Even though this is the second book with Rachel as a main character, in my opinion, this can be enjoyed as a standalone. I would recommend the first novel though, The Night Swim, because it is such a great story. Additionally, I would recommend the audiobooks for both of these titles, as the podcasting elements translate so well to that format.

This story begins shortly after Rachel finishes up her investigation that was covered in the first book. She has just returned home and is ready for a little R&R. It's at that time, of course, that she receives an intriguing call from an FBI Agent located in Florida. He's working an active missing person case. It's a bit of an odd case and he is seeking Rachel's help. Unable to resist temptation to learn more about the case, Rachel agrees to meet with him. She packs her bag and heads out.

The missing person in question is Maddison Logan, a young influencer with a huge social media following. She had recently been to visit a man, Terence Bailey, imprisoned on a B&E charge, but long suspected of actually having been responsible for the deaths of six women. Shortly after leaving the prison, Maddison disappears. The FBI have hit a dead end. Maddison's life is a complete mystery. She doesn't even use her real name. How are they ever going to find out more about her?

Thus, Rachel gets shoved into the world of high-profile influencers. Creating a fake Instagram account, Rachel is able to infiltrate BuzzCon, a popular influence conference, which happens to be underway in the local area.
There Rachel learns more about the influencer culture, Maddison and the people she associates with online. Per usual, Rachel is like a dog with a bone when it comes to investigating crimes. She won't give up until she gets answers. The FBI definitely called on the right girl.

I really enjoyed this one. I was a bit nervous going in, because I had read some less than stellar early reviews, but luckily, for me, this was a hit rather than a miss. I became invested in the mystery early and felt the audiobook was an incredible way to experience it. I liked the examination of influencer culture and the convention was a great way for Rachel to immerse herself in that community.

I also found the mystery involving Terence Bailey and Maddison's disappearance so interesting. There were a lot of moving pieces and it wasn't always as easy to make out who was who, but I feel like it had a way of working itself out. There were moments where I would start to get confused amongst the characters, but overall, I feel like Goldin pulled it together as the reveals were starting to happen.

There was a romance subplot, which I'm on the fence about. I could have taken it, or left it far behind. I ended up really liking the love interest, so I'm ultimately okay with it and actually hope they are in future books. With this being said, at no time during The Night Swim did I ever think, 'you know what would make this better? If Rachel had a man?' Never once.

Of course, if that is my biggest meh-moment with this story, I would say that's pretty good. I'm not sure what the plans are for Rachel Krall. If there are going to be more books in this series, or not. I certainly hope so.
I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys taut and compelling mysteries, with a True Crime podcast element. I think these mysteries are well plotted and there are exciting twists and turns along the way.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I look forward to more from Megan Goldin!

Megan Goldin is a beautiful writer. I really love her thrillers and I find myself sucked into her plots and her characters. Hope we get more Rachel and Joe in the future.

This book was twisty and had me engaged the entire time. Even though we had a good idea who did it, it was fun to see how it played out and everything fit together. This was a very satisfying ending. 4 stars!

"The scariest monsters are the ones who hide in plain sight."

Or hide in dark corners! From the start the entertaining often anxiety inducing Dark Corners by psychological thriller author Megan Goldin had my full attention.

Follow closely because the plot is simple in some ways but a bit of a twister (see what I did there 😉). Terence Bailey is getting out of jail for violent crimes in 2 days. A popular media influencer, Maddison visits him and right after goes missing. Now FBI agent Joe Martinez knows Terence didn't take her but maybe an accomplice helped him. See, Joe believes Terence is a serial killer but he can't prove it. He wants to keep him from leaving jail. He brings in true crime podcaster Rachel Krall, who we met in the author's previous thriller Night Swim, because her name came up between Terrence and Madison.

From this point all hell breaks loose, people die, and Terence gets out of jail. What I enjoyed in between reading this standalone book 2 of the Rachel Krall series, was listening to the audiobook where we get Rachel's POV through her podcast. It felt like a real true crime podcast.

Narrators January Lavoy, Andre Santana and Samantha Desz are flawless in their roles definitely amping up the tension. Now there are twists you will see coming but one you will not. The killer's POV is chilling in his belief in the necessity of these murders. He made me shiver.

The chemistry between Joe and Rachel was explosive and I appreciated their moments as a breather in the midst of all the commotion. A lot is revealed at the start of this story but beware, "Always know what you're walking into. Dark corners can be danger points."

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Happy to be back with Rachel Krall, but missed the podcast element that took a backseat in this one.

Good story, a little long in the build up for my liking.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The podcast thriller is really having a moment. It seems like every other thriller I pick up is about a podcast or features a podcaster solving crimes, and Megan Goldin’s Dark Corners is another title to add to that list.

Dark Corners is a totally acceptable thriller. It has some twists, a plucky protagonist, and a concrete resolution that will leave you feeling satisfied. But I found myself wanting a little more from this story – a little more from the podcast element, a little more from the romance that was somewhat randomly included, and a little more from the mystery after such a long build up to the reveal.

I think this is a great book to throw in your bag if you want an easy to read thriller for the final pool/beach days of the summer, but I wouldn’t say this is a must read in my opinion. If you’re interested in checking out Goldin’s work, I’d suggest The Night Swim or Stay Awake instead.

Dark Corners is out now. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kudos for the return of podcaster Rachel Krall! So glad to see this character back again as I was a big fan of Night Swim. The plot for Dark Corners is equally suspenseful and unique. I enjoy thrillers like this one when authors think outside the box and it's not the same cookie cutter whodunit. And the creep factor was definitely there as I can almost smell the Rideshare driver...yuck. Looking forward to the next Rachel Krall book! My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A solid mystery with its own clever twists. Rachel Krall is the main character in this novel and this is the second book that she has starred in. I enjoyed Night Swim a great deal. Even though Dark Corners didn't mesmerize me quite as much, it's still a good read.

This story revolves around the world of influencers. A young influencer is missing and Rachel is pulled into it when she finds out that the girl had left a message for her. Things only get more interesting when there are links made to a man getting ready to be released from prison. Could he be related to the missing influencer? There seem to be too many coincidences.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I also received an early copy of the audiobook and really enjoyed listening to this book. This type of story really lent itself to this format and the narration felt spot on. 4 1/2 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for both early copes of the ebook and audiobook.

I have become a fan of Megan Goldin's ever since her first novel, The Escape Room. Each book she has written takes us to the underbelly of society and the crimes they commit. 

This is a follow-up book to The Night Swim. While you don't have to read that book to enjoy this one, it might give you a little more background on Rachel Krall. However, the author does provide quite a bit of history on Rachel so that the reader does not feel lost.

I was drawn into the story when Rachel is flown to Florida, by the FBI, for a reason that we don't discover until later. However, this sets off a chain of events that put her life and others in danger. 

I found the world of influencers very interesting and probably very true. Nothing they post is real. It is all staged. It makes me wonder why people give so much power to these people. But it was also intriguing to get a glimpse into that world.

Rachel is a smart investigative investigator, and that might be how she was able to uncover information that the FBI couldn't find. A lot of it comes down to trust and the fact that she is not part of the government. I enjoyed the special report that was shared every few chapters that reflected what she learned about this situation.

As I read this novel, I wondered if Terrance (Terry) was guilty, or was it circumstance? Was there a partner, or was he working on his own? There are many holes in the case against him, but what was fact or fiction was buried until Rachel starts digging into the missing persons case and his case. 

There were many twists and turns. Some I expected, and many I did not. I had a hard time putting the book down, wondering what could possibly happen next. 

Overall, we give this book 4 paws up.

Rachel Krall is a famous podcaster who has helped mini suspected criminals prove their innocence and when a famous influencer name Madison goes missing after going to see us suspected serial killer in prison the FBI want her to help. The suspected SK who’s name is Bailey ask the influencer Madison to get in touch with her but when she arrives he doesn’t have much to say. Rachel quickly gets drawn into the case and learns that it has a lot more to do with the world outside of prison then The man who’s in it she finds herself getting involved with the world of influencers in those and the tripping community but when someone else is murdered and then tries to kill Rachel it all becomes way more personal than any other case. It doesn’t help that she finds herself very attracted to special agent Martinez and although they share a night together she is leery because he is still mourning the loss of his own wife. Are usually love meg golden books but I can’t say I was overly excited about this one are usually love books having to do with podcasts, influencers in the young adult community but I found myself bored at times and even figure out the killer long before I was halfway done aspire all that though I do still recommend this book because I am usually an outlier when it comes to opinions and have always thought Megan Golden to be an awesome writer so maybe it is just my frame of mind at the moment. I want to thank Net Galley and Saint Martin’s press for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Here we go again! Rachel Krall is back!

This time, the FBI needs her help with a case and Rachel can't help but be intrigued. That is until, Terrence Bailey, the suspect Rachel is tasked with interviewing is released and appears to be hot on her tail. Rachel however, doesn't back down. Why? Maddison Logan, a social media influencer has gone missing and Rachel feels compelled to help, even if it costs her.

A thriller that keeps you on your toes, Megan Goldin, knows how to keep readers gripped to the pages. While this wasn't my favorite book by her, I enjoyed it.

A buddy listen with Kaceey.
3.5 Stars

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the arc and Macmillan audio for the alc.

{ Dark. Methodical. Discomfiting. }

The Night Swim blew me away when it came out a few years ago, and I've enjoyed Megan Goldin 's other books, as well. So, I was excited to read this Dark Corners, which follows the main character from The Night Swim as she works on another case.

The mystery in Dark Corners was strong, but overall the story did not capture my interest as strongly as it's predecessor. The writing felt a bit forced, and a romance was thrown in that seemed completely out of place with the rest of the plot.

This one can definitely be read as a standalone!

Thank you, Megan Goldin, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the gifted eARC.

Terence Bailey is in prison for breaking and entering, though it has been suspected that he has murdered six women. While there, other than his lawyers, he has only ever had one visitor, Maddison Logan. Maddison is a well-known influencer. Shortly after visiting Terence, Maddison disappears. Rachel, a well-known crime podcaster, is called in by the FBI to help find the missing influencer. There's one problem. Maddison doesn't seem to exist outside of social media. To help find out what Maddison was doing before she went missing, Rachel goes undercover at a BuzzCon conference Maddison had recently attended. When a body of a female turns up with a snake tattoo matching one that Terence also has, the police begin to think that Terence has help on the outside. Now that Rachel is a target, can she find out what happened to Maddison while keeping herself safe?

There was something about Dark Corners that just didn't work for me. I found the pacing to be a bit too slow and the story to be on the boring side. I actually didn't find myself wanting to go back to continue reading this book. That's says quite a lot about how unengaged I was with the writing, characters, and plot of this book. The podcast chapters didn't work for me either, having read another book this year that pulled off podcasts in a far superior manner. By the last 10% of the book, I thought things picked up, but the other 90% was just not to my liking.

Favorite Quote: "The scariest monster is the one that hides in plain sight."

Dark Corners released yesterday and it’s one of my favorite thrillers so far for the year. I was a little worried going into this one as I have not read the first but there was no need to worry! @megangoldinauthor did a great job recapping the first book without info dumping. I was hooked from the very beginning and the pace was perfect to keep wanting to read one more chapter. Highly recommend checking this one out even if you haven’t read The Night Swim.

This book follows crime journalist and podcaster Rachel Krall as she is asked by the FBI to come talk with an inmate as her name is the only clue they have in their current case. I loved getting Rachel’s pov plus her podcast as well as two other pov’s. Thank you @stmartinspress for my #gifted copy for review.

Dark Corners was a suspenseful, tense procedural thriller with fantastic character development. It’s told from 3 different perspectives: the killer, Rachel and the detectives searching from the killer, and Rachel’s podcast. Goldin’s writing flowed effortlessly between each perspective. I would recommend this book to fans of true crime, dark thrillers, and police procedurals.

4.5/5 stars

Dark Corners is book two in the Rachel Krall series. It is a thriller that can be read as a standalone.

The main character of this book is Rachel Krall. She was the lead character in Night Swim. The case in Dark Corners is completely self-contained in this book. It can be read as a standalone. However reading the first book will give readers a better understanding of Rachel and her podcast.

Rachel is the host of a hugely popular true crime podcast. She is asked by the FBI to go to Florida.

The key characters are: inmate Terence Bailey (who is believed to be a serial killer), Instagram influencer Maddison Logan, FBI agent Joe Martinez, and ride share driver Thomas McKoy.

This book was so good! I really enjoyed it. The case is so fascinating and creepy. Rachel herself is amazing. And the sparks between the FBI agent and Rachel were off the charts. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller.

WOW! Love this author and this book. Sometimes in a series of books I find myself losing interest as the story progresses and I start to dislike the main character. This is not the case with this series. This is a great one even as a stand alone book. Looking forward to the next edition. One of my favorite mysteries this year!

After the incredible debut of Goldin’s book the Night Swim, I had high hopes for Dark Corners!

Rachel Krall is back, and this time she’s not just a podcast host, she’s also a homicide investigator? After being responsible for proving someone was innocent on her podcast, everyone wants Rachel to prove their innocence. This includes serial killer Terrence Bailey. A popular influencer visited him recently, and now she’s missing. The last thing he told her was to contact Rachel. What transpires is a rollercoaster of events as Rachel attends BuzzCon, a convention for influencers, in order to find the truth.

What I liked:
- Strong female leads
- Podcast style books
- A look into the reality of an influencers life
- Differing POV’s, including the serial killers
- Somewhat of a happy ending
- The notion that horrible people “are hiding in plain sight”, and the reality that just your ordinary Uber driver can be an absolute homicidal maniac 😅

What I didn’t care for:
- The sudden romantic plot line that didn’t have much context
- The story was a quick read, but it wasn’t very riveting. The “plot twists” didn’t cause me to gasp, and just felt a little, well…meh
- Somewhat of a happy ending, but the last few pages were just rushed and corny

HOWEVER, although not as good as the Night Swim, Dark Corners had great aspects and do I look forward to reading more of Rachel’s journey!

Rating: 3⭐️

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for an ARC of Dark Corners, in exchange for my honest review :)

Megan Goldin has become a must-read author for me, and this is the much-anticipated sequel to the fabulous The Night Swim. This time around, Rachel is a rockstar podcaster, and she's the go-to person for the wrongfully convicted. Megan is an expert of crafting a clear mystery, and I'd recommend this to anyone new to the mystery/thriller genre. However, the obvious climax and reliance on by-the-number tropes keeps this from five stars.