The Night Swim was one of the top books that stuck with me in 2020 and I had the pleasure of interviewing Megan Goldin about it for the Bad Bitch Book Club's thriller discussion group. All that to say, I suspected this would be another home run for me and it sure was. Rachel Krall is such a dynamic character and I was so excited to see there would be more to her story. I loved watching Rachel investigate a new case, this time involving a bunch of a influencers. If you like solving a case through reading alongside a main character I think you would absolutely enjoy this. Happy to say, Megan has done it again!

I am a big fan of Megan Goldin and her coming back to her series about the podcaster Rachel Krall was an excellent decision. Podcasters and influencer characters are all the rage right now and this one is very well done.

I mainly listened to the audiobook for this one and this is definitely the way to go. This audiobook is so engaging and brings this podcast and story to life. I loved seeing Rachel back in action. I loved The Night Swim and was excited to see Rachel dig into another muder.

I love the short chapters and fast paced storyline. A fun page turner but I liked The Night Swim better.

4 Stars

Another winner from Megan Goldin. After reading "Stay Awake" last year, this author was immediately added to my must read list, and, once again, she did not disappoint!

Rachel Krall shot to internet fame with her podcast "Guilty or Not Guilty," so when she was contacted by the FBI requesting that she come to the Central Florida Correctional Facility, her interest was piqued. As it turns out, her presence was requested by Terence Bailey, a hulking prisoner with a temper to match, who was scheduled for release in two days.

The FBI believes that Terence had something to do with the disappearance of Maddison Logan, a popular influencer on IG. They are racing against the clock to not only locate Maddison, but keep Terence in prison,

After a tense meeting with Bailey, Rachel decides to spend a few days in FL and investigate on her own. She infiltrates an influencer convention, where she finds more than she bargained for.

This book was full of twists, with an ending that I wasn't expecting.

Just remember, the scariest monster is the one that hides in plain sight.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and the author for this ARC.

As a huge fan of Night Swim, I was excited to read this one that features Rachel Krall (podcaster) attempting to solve another string of murders. This one didn’t disappoint…. It had it all! I felt like I was solving the crimes and looking for clues right alongside Rachel and Special Agent Martinez.

I also really enjoyed learning about the fascinating dark underworld of social influencers. Who knew? Then throw in badass FBI agents and even a little touch of romance - it's a recipe for success. Everything tied together nicely by the end as well.

I also listened to the audio version and loved the real-world podcast recordings as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of Megan Goldin's, 'Dark Corners'. I really enjoyed this book, it was quick paced and kept me guessing the entire time. It even had a few twists that I did not anticipate which I typically look for in books.

I am a big Megan Goldin fan, so of course I liked this book. The podcast angle is fun and I enjoyed reading more about Rachel Krall. The book can be read standalone, however it might be a good idea to read the first to familiarize yourself with the MC (I've heard it's boring if you don't). I loved the short chapters and how each one left you in suspense and wanting to read more.

This book was an easy 5 stars for me. It was full of twists I never saw coming and I would recommend it to anyone. I was sure that there was going to be things left hanging at the end, but the wrap up was perfect. If this was a real podcast 10/10 I would be addicted.

Rachel Krall, the podcaster from. Night Swim, returns in Dark Corners, a story that kept me reading well into the night. Rachel receives a request from the FBI to visit Terrence Bailey, currently in prison for breaking and entering charges. He had been visited by influencer Maddison Logan shortly before she disappeared. During their visit Rachel’s name had come up and they are hoping that her visit might provide information that will lead them to Maddison. When her trailer had been found there were signs of an attack and they fear the worst. Bailey is suspected of being a serial killer, but there is insufficient evidence to confirm this. When her visit yields little new information she is dismissed and told she can return home, They don’t know how determined Rachel is when she becomes involved in a story.

Agent Joe Martinez’s investigation has hit a wall. Maddison is not her real name and there is no background on her. Rachel attends a conference of influencers hoping to learn more about her.. There is an attraction between Rachel and Martinez as they cooperate on the case. The more Rachel learns, the more danger she is in. Bailey is scheduled to be released in two days so pressure is mounting to find evidence. Authorities suspected that Bailey may have been working with someone else. Thomas McCoy, a rideshare driver with a distinctive medical condition, is looking forward to Bailey’s release. He is pure evil, but is he Bailey’s partner and how are they tied to Maddison? Before the truth is revealed, Megan Goldin takes you through a number of twists to keep you guessing. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

“There’s an old rule of thumb in prisons,” Martinez said as he rang an intercom buzzer for a guard to let them through. “Actually, it’s more of a life lesson. Always know what you’re walking into. Dark corners can be danger points.”

Dark Corners is a solidly entertaining thriller. Procedurals aren’t usually my favorite, but this one worked for me. It had the right amount of suspense, a brutally honest portrayal of influencers, and a podcast element that cleverly acted as a recap of the previous chapters. There were clever red herrings and satisfying twists, and the story was propelled by its strong, fast pacing.

I haven’t read Night Swim yet but it didn’t feel like I was missing anything. I really enjoyed Dark Corners and I’m looking forward to reading more from Megan Goldin in the future.

Thank you to St. Martins Press for the arc!

This is the second book in the Rachel Krull series. Rachel is a journalist with a famous podcast. She’s called by the FBI to speak to a prisoner who may know something about the disappearance of a popular influencer. When told to go home, Rachel decides to stay and go undercover at Buzz Con a convention for influencers.

I really enjoyed this book and this character. I haven’t read the first book (but I will), but I don’t think too much was revealed. I really enjoyed her foray into the influencer world. It took a heavy story and offered a little comic relief. The main story had me guessing on most things, but everything was neatly wrapped up. The book left me with one nagging question, but in hindsight perhaps I’m glad I don’t have the answer!

I liked Dark Corners but I didn’t r joy it as much as the first Rachel Krall book. Something was missing for me. It wasn’t as thrilling and Rachel wasn’t as interesting of a character in this book.

Last year I had the pleasure of reading Megan Goldin’s Stay Awake, which kept me guessing all throughout its twisty (occasionally absurd) plot, making for a chilling, compulsively readable thriller. So when I saw Dark Corners pop up (her latest release, out this August), I decided to take a chance on it, despite not having read the first book in her Rachel Krall series, Night Swim . . . which I definitely didn’t realize until I was already a few chapters in, oops. Fortunately it’s very much a standalone so I didn’t find myself floundering.

Red herrings, creepy killers, the world’s most annoying influencers, and shocking amounts of B.O. abound in this murder mystery, which sees investigative journalist and true crime podcaster Rachel Krall called to Daytona Beach, FL, to (somewhat reluctantly) aid the FBI in their latest case: popular travel vlogger and #vanlife influencer Maddison Logan has disappeared following a visit to prisoner Terence Bailey. He was locked up on a breaking and entering charge half a decade earlier, though the local police strongly suspected he had a hand in murdering six women (despite barely a shred of proof), and is due for release in a matter of days. A few hours after her conversation with him — during which he instructs her to reach out to Rachel Krall, which is why the FBI hauls her down to Florida in the first place — Maddison is kidnapped from her van at a deserted state park and everyone fears the worst.

This leads Rachel to BuzzCon, an influencer convention downtown, where she poses as a ‘fitfluencer’ herself in order to gain insight into Maddison’s circle of online friends and narrow down potential motives. Is this simply a case of fierce digital rivalry gone wrong? Or is Maddison’s mysterious past a factor? And how, exactly, does Terence fit into all this? Well, when a woman’s body turns up not far from Maddison’s campsite, Rachel — with the help of a hot FBI agent, because of course — is up against the clock to discover the truth.

I have to be honest: this wasn’t my favorite thriller in the world. But I did enjoy a lot of it! The pace moves quickly, the twists are fun (if not entirely unexpected), and a certain character is especially creepy. Yeeeesh. Just thinking about him makes my skin crawl. Not to mention, my paranoia about using Uber and Lyft has returned with a vengeance. Thank you, Dark Corners!!!!!!

What I wasn’t crazy about was everything to do with the BuzzCon plotline, which I found a smidge grating. From the unbelievably convenient run-ins Rachel repeatedly has with chatty guests at the hotel — all these dudes are just begging to tell her the exact clues she needs? Really? — to the multiple attempts at sprinkling in social media jargon, it had a very “how do you do, fellow kids” vibe.

I also think we’ve reached critical mass with basic commentary about how influencers are vacuous and narcissistic. There’s obviously truth behind the stereotype, but unless you’re going to dig deeper or put a new spin on it, acting like it’s some big, new critique about the state of social media, kinda feels *snobby YouTuber voice* so 2015, y’know? At this point, we’re painfully well aware of all the deranged, self-obsessed egomaniacs who have deep roots on the internet — one scroll through just about anyone’s TikTok FYP proves it. Not exploring that further felt a bit like a missed opportunity to me, that’s all.

TL;DR: Dark Corners is undeniably entertaining, and fans of Goldin’s work should absolutely put it on their TBR lists. Also it serves as a great reminder that nothing good ever happens in Florida and it should be avoided at all costs 🙃

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! Dark Corners by Megan Goldin is out now.

I was excited to read "Dark Corners" by Megan Goldin, the follow-up to her book, "The Night Swim." The novel features Rachel Krall, a true crime podcaster who is searching for a missing influencer who visited a suspected serial killer. While I had high expectations for this book, I, unfortunately, found it to be underwhelming.

Firstly, I found the story to be full of unanswered questions and plot holes. Another aspect that bothered me was Rachel's character. I found her to be arrogant and kind of rude, which was not how I remembered her in the first book.

I also did not care for the influencer angle in the book. As someone who is not interested in social media, the BuzzCon convention plotline did not appeal to me. However, I can understand why others might find it interesting. If you're someone who enjoys reading about influencers and social media, this aspect of the book might resonate with you.

Additionally, the dialogue felt clunky and unnatural at times. It seemed as though the characters were simply serving the plot instead of being authentic. This was a major detractor from the book as it made it harder to connect with the characters and their motivations.

Overall, "Dark Corners" was a disappointing read for me. While I enjoyed "The Night Swim," this book did not live up to my expectations. The plot felt lacking in substance, Rachel's character felt different from the previous book, and the dialogue felt clunky and unnatural.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

Books about influencers are usually hit or miss for me, but Megan Goldin is always a hit. I really enjoyed this book, about podcaster Rachel Krall. I don't think you need to read The Night Swim first, although it's referenced a few times.

Rachel gets summoned to a prison near Daytona Beach by the FBI because she's asked to help find missing influencer Maddison Logan. Maddison went to visit a man in prison, who is the suspect in several murders of young women. Then, Maddison goes missing. Rachel is asked to help investigate, and of course gets in deeper than she, and the FBI, expected.

I enjoyed the bits and pieces about social media influencers, and the plot was intriguing and held my interest. I liked how everything came together at the end. You do need to suspend belief a little bit, but that's fine with me.

Bingeable & incredibly eerie, this psychological thriller has you constantly wondering what's going to be thrown at you next. True Crime podcaster Rachel Krall gets tangled into a web with a dangerous serial killer when called to Florida by the FBI to assist in an investigation. This was my first Megan Goldin book and I immediately want to read the rest of her backlist. I tore through this book in two sittings within twelve hours. Fans of psychological thrillers will eat this one up!

Thank you to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book is out now and available for purchase!

📖My Thoughts📖

I’ve only read one other book by Megan Goldin so far (I know, I know) and I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series (the first one is The Night Swim, which I do in fact own, but have yet to read). Despite the fact that I haven’t read the first book in the series, I was still able to follow along just fine and don’t feel as though I missed anything that was too pertinent to the story. The book was pretty fast paced and easy to keep up with. There was a lot going on in this book, so there were a few times I had to go back and reread what I had just finished. There were some twists along the way, but nothing too horrific, as well as the start of a romance, which wasn’t an ooshy gooshy romance, but this is a thriller and not a romance novel, so I’m ok with that. Overall the book held my attention and was a pretty good read. I plan to go back and read the first book and reread this to see if it changes things at all, maybe putting some things more into perspective.
Thank you Netgalley, Megan Goldin and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was fabulous. This time around Rachel, our podcast host, is brought to Florida at the request of the FBI via a Florida inmate at a correctional facility. He wants to see her for reasons unknown to the FBI, but the FBI is hoping she can uncover them when she goes in. She fails. But of course, her curiosity is super piqued, so she hangs around to poke the bee's nest...and uncovers so much more than she was expecting. Want to know what happens? Pick up the book to find out! It's available now, and it is totally worth the read. 4 stars.

This is my first book my Megan Goldwin and is the second in her series with True Crime podcaster Rachel Krall. Rachel was the star of Goldwin's first book with her, "Night Swim" which is fairly popular with 4 stars on Goodreads with over 95k reviews. That is impressive.

You do not have to read that book to follow this one as I had no trouble diving in. Rachel gets invited by the FBI to interview Terence Baily, a (possibly) sentenced serial killer who is getting out of jail in 48 hours. Things go south during the interview as Bailey threatens Rachel and she also learns there are interior motives as to why the FBI wanted her there in the first place. The Agent in charge: Joe Martinez tells her to go home immediately for her safety but of course Rachel says, "Hell no" and stays to get to the bottom of this ordeal..... Mainly for her podcast.

My first thoughts of this book is that it is very well written. There are some books that are just totally linear and seemed to be thought of as the author writes and there are those who are mapped out and we thrown into a small piece of a way bigger puzzle as the author throws us clue by clue and leads us along. This book is the latter. There are some reviews who claim they saw this twist a mile away but they must be magicians because I totally didn't see this ending play out.

It's not perfect..... I have to throttle some back for the length. It got fairly slow is some places but didn't take away from the book overall. In the end, I highly recommend it.

I really appreciate St. Martin's Press for giving me a advance reader copy to read for free for my honest review and it is out now.

This was a great follow up to The Night Swim. I really like Rachel's character and how she approaches the cases she's working on. It's good to have someone in the mix who is more interested in finding out what happened to the victim and telling their story than just focusing on catching the bad guy. I accept that the bad guy needs to be caught, but I want to learn more about the victims too so I like this viewpoint. I appreciate that Megan took the moment to mention the lack of attention that non-white missing persons receive. It wasn't a large part of the book, but it was definitely present and I appreciate that she didn't just gloss over it all together.

The romance felt a bit shoehorned in to the story. It either needed to be more or less present. I did like the romance, I felt that Rachel and Joe were a good match. It just felt weird the way it was added into the story.

I also enjoyed the aspect of getting a POV from the villain. Those are some of my favorite things. I love getting the viewpoint into why they do the things they do. It's never a justification but I like to learn some things about how peoples brains work.

Overall this was a pretty good second book and I'd like to see more of Rachel (and Joe!) in the future.

Rachel Krall is called in by the FBI to help find Maddison Logan – an influencer who visited a criminal in prison and then immediately went missing. The criminal in question is Terence Bailey, who the police suspect of murdering young women. Rachel must work with the FBI to find Maddison and investigate Terence.

This novel can be read as a standalone, there is no requirement for the reader to have read the Night Swim. I enjoyed this book better than the Night Swim though. One thing I did not expect though was Rachel’s real hater mentality towards influencers and social media. This seemed like a new personality trait that wasn’t seen in the first book. Her critiques and complaints about social media honestly get tiring and it doesn’t add to the story at all.

Aside from that, this is a pretty basic thriller. Not ground-breaking by any means. It has a slow start but it picks up towards the middle. It’s a good light read but didn’t bring the amount of suspense or intrigue I like in thrillers.