4.5 stars. Another sinister mystery from Megan Goldin featuring podcast queen Rachel Krall! “Dark Corners” takes you into the shadowy underbelly of prison life & the crimes that happen most unexpectedly. This round, Krall finds herself in sunny Daytona Beach helping the FBI with a string of unsolved disappearances. Could a convicted felon, already behind bars, be responsible for these crimes? With the clock ticking & a threat against her life, Krall moonlights as an influencer during a week-long conference retreat to track down the killer before he can strike again.

Rachel Krall is back investigating another case for her podcast. She was thrown into this one when prisoner Terrance Bailey requested a visit. Terrance is finishing up his six year sentence for breaking and entering and is also under the suspicion of murdering multiple women. He has not been charged for these other cases. Shortly after visiting Terrance, influencer Maddison Logan goes missing and the FBI task force is trying to find her before it is too late. They believe Terrance is somehow involved even though he is still locked up. Police are hoping Rachel can coax some answers from him on her whereabouts.
The point of view switches between Rachel and rideshare driver Thomas McCoy. For most of the storyline, you know they are going to be connected somehow.
I really enjoyed the twists and connections. It was a complex plot but somehow still easily followed. There were a lot of characters but I did not find myself lost at any point. Megan Goldin is a mastermind at interweaving all of the subplots together. I thoroughly enjoyed her book The Night Swim so I was looking forward to another story involving podcaster Rachel Krall. She did not disappoint. I really hope there will be a next installment.

True crime podcaster Rachel Krall is called in by the FBI to help find the social media influencer Maddison Logan, who disappeared after visiting Terence Bailey in prison. While he had been imprisoned for breaking and entering, he was suspected of killing six women. Maddison has a huge online presence, but no apparent real one. Rachel creates a fake Instagram account to investigate and finds the world of social media influencing to be much more cutthroat than she thought. When a body is found, police are concerned that Bailey has an accomplice outside prison, one who is fixated on influencers, including Rachel herself.

Rachel appeared in Megan's novel The Night Swim, but it's not necessary to have read that first. She's a podcaster that found evidence that freed someone wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. "Dark corners can be danger points" is a line early on from the FBI agent that brought Rachel to the prison. In any missing person case, understanding who the victim is helps find them. With no sense of who Maddison is, the FBI has a much harder time. Rachel has no intention of backing off when told to, and posing as a micro-influencer allows her to ask questions about the influencers, and their relationship with Maddison and Terence. This leads to digging into the past, and those missing women that police attributed to Terence despite lack of evidence.

The thriller moves at a quick pace, with a short timeline to get things done. Rachel is very much a reporter first, and podcaster second, though we see chapters of her podcast transcript. She has the ability to connect with other people due to her genuine interest in finding the truth, and no other agenda. This gets her farther into the investigation than the FBI or police, allowing us to discover what really happened. Another great thriller for the summer from Megan Goldin.

I didn’t even have to read the description before requesting this book, I knew it was going to be good. This is book 2 for Rachel Krall and it did not disappoint! This could also be read as a standalone. I could not put this one down, I wanted to get to the end so badly! It was well worth it.

This week I finished Dark Corners by @megangoldinauthor … it was my second time reading a book from this author and this book was just as explosive and amazing as the first book!

I literally couldn’t even cope. I was telling everyone I knew about this book whilst reading it and I finished it in two days because I just had to know what was going on! After reading the author’s previous book in this stand alone series of the same podcaster Rachel Krall, I grew to love how the author weaved the story in a way that it makes the reader feel like they’re solving the mystery right along with the FBI Agent and Rachel.

I’m not sure if this series will continue but I just need to know more after that ending so fingers crossed 🤞🏻🤞🏻

And if my love for this book and author isn’t obvious I MAJORLY recommend this book!

I thought Megan Goldin's first book (The Night Swim) that featured Rachel Krall was fabulous. The second book - Dark Corners - has just released and I think it's even better!

Rachel Krall is the voice and the brains behind the Guilty Or Not Guilty podcast. (Okay, I was immediately hooked in book one as I love crime podcasts.) I really like Rachel as a lead character. She's smart, tenacious, inquisitive and determined. And baffled - why would an inmate ready to be released pass Rachel's name on to a travel influencer named Maddison? Why is the FBI interested in that meeting? Rachel smells a story....

Goldin has created a great storyline that is told from many points of view. From Rachel herself, the transcripts of her podcast, more than one woman who made a deadly decision, a FBI agent and a rideshare driver. I love how the tale unfolded from all of these seemingly disparate players. The road to the final answers is full of twists and turns. I appreciate being unable to predict how a book will come together. Dark Corners is full of suspense that had me wanting to flip ahead a few pages to see what the outcome was. But I didn't!

Goldin has a background in reporting and I think her books benefit greatly from that skill set. The investigation was believable and well written. In addition to loving podcasts, I also enjoy novels written with epistolary elements. Goldin gave me both with podcast transcripts being included.

I'm hoping there is another Rachel Krall book in the works. For me Dark Corners was a great read. This latest was an easy five stars.

Gentle readers, there are trigger situations in this book.

Like many others, I was excited to see now of Rachel Krall’s podcast, and was initially glad that it may be a series. However, the little things I brushed off in Night Swim, specifically my slight dislike for Rachel, became worse and I thought her character was annoying.

In the beginning, the chapters were switching perspectives and storylines so often that I found it disorienting and was hard to follow what was going on. Things started to pick up for me about 1/3 of the way through, but I felt like the breadcrumbs that were being dropped were too obvious that I couldn't believe the FBI weren't figuring things out faster. It seemed unrealistic that the characters were so dense and not putting things together, like I’m sure an FBI detective would be smarter than Martinez seems to be. Rachel is able to uncover some vital information from infiltrating groups of influencers that the FBI somehow wasn't able to, making them look like complete amateurs. But then all of a sudden when Rachel is in trouble, clues drop into their laps and they are able to do extremely quick research and figure everything out. At the highest point of tension in the novel, there were so many ways that it was obvious that the “bad guy” was going to get caught. I didn't feel nervous for a second.

I'll quickly mention the poor writing and unnatural conversation: I found myself shaking my head at awkward descriptions of conversations. There were editing issues, like similar things being said/information being shared. I think the author bit off more than she could chew with the plot and as of right now I’m not sure if I’ll give Rachel Krall another chance, this one was so frustrating to read.

Note to publisher: chose to not post review to blog due to unfavorable nature of my review.

I really liked this second installment in the Rachel Krall world. It was a quick read, and while it was a bit predictable, I had a good time.

I am a bit disappointed in some of the editing. The author is not American and some of the ways she describes things in the story are used in wording that you would use in British or Australian English so it's out of place in Florida.

3.5/5 stars

A young influencer suddenly goes missing after visiting a man, Terrence Bailey, in prison days prior to his release for a breaking and entering charge, a man who police also suspect of killing six young women. With police hitting dead ends at every turn, they turn to the one person who may be able to help them: podcaster Rachel Krall. Rachel throws herself deep into the case infiltrating BuzzCon an influencer conference where she makes surprising discoveries possibly tied to Madison’s disappearance. As bodies begin to pop up police and Rachel are left with the realization that Bailey may have had an accomplice. The deeper Rachel investigates the closer she gets to the truth and dangerously closer to risking her own life.

I really enjoyed “Night Swim” which is the first novel in the Rachel Krall series and was very excited to see what this book would be all about. I really enjoyed the short chapters, I felt like I was able to breeze through this one and able to read at a comfortable pace. This one had more suspense than mystery which I enjoyed the style in how it was written and how the story unfolded. However, the ending was sort of choppy, rushed and kind of just threw some excuses together to explain situations that were meant to throw you off but ultimately had nothing to do with the case. I wish there was more explanation and background on our villain. With “Night Swim” I felt like there was so much depth and complexity when it came to the characters and story where as I feel this book lacked in that aspect. Overall the story did keep me hooked throughout and was a fast read but just didn’t hit the same for me as the first. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Dark Corners follows true crime podcaster, Rachel Krall. This time Rachel kind of goes undercover at an influencer conference to try and help find out what happened to a famous influencer, Maddison. I liked this book but it was also a little clunky like it almost had two separate storylines and Goldjn tried to tie them together at the end but I’m not sure it worked very well and was kind of unnecessary. While the first book was set up more like a true crime podcast, this book is not at all. It was a fine book.

Book Review: Dark Corners (Rachel Krall #2) by Megan Goldin
Published by St. Martin's Press, August 8, 2023

★★★★☆ (4.25 Stars)
Positive!

Versatile thriller writer Megan Goldin enthralled readers with her debut novel, "The Escape Room" (2019), a sophisticated financial and corporate thriller loaded with high-tech gimmickry, followed by her murder mystery "The Night Swim" (Rachel Krall #1) (2021), the author's twist on the rising popularity of true crime podcasts - "one that puts you in the jury box".

Then in 2022, "Stay Awake", her quasi-medical suspense thriller with her protagonist, Liv Reese, crafted as an intricate composite of Bill Murray ("Groundhog Day"), Guy Pearce ("Memento"), and Naomi Watts ("Mulholland Drive") with skeletons deeply buried in a closet of blank memories.

All with remarkably fresh and imaginative concepts, even as the author fearlessly straddles the very edge of implausibility.

// Dark Corners (Rachel Krall #2) (2023) by Megan Goldin //

From true crime podcasting, the author's fertile mind brings her thriller brand to something that most of us suspect make a few people ostentatiously wealthy, but very few of us really know anything about.

The world of social media influencers.

// "Actually, it's more of a life lesson.
Always know what you're walking into.
Dark corners can be danger points..."
- from "Dark Corners" (2023) by Rachel Krall //

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Central Florida Correctional Facility (fictional)
Northern, Florida near Daytona

"Guilty or Not Guilty" true crime podcaster Rachel Krall is catapulted from a relatively obscure crime podcaster to a household name after her podcast helped set a man free.

Enticed by an opportunity to get a front-row seat in an active FBI investigation, she agrees to travel to Northern Florida to help the FBI interview a known fan of her podcast, an inmate convicted of murder who's near the end of his sentence. The inmate was recently visited by an Instagram travel influencer who's since disappeared. They suspect he's again somehow involved in foul play and are determined to defer his release, even as a still unidentified body is found in a nearby forest.

The interview is a bust. But Krall, not one to give up easily despite the FBI's strong advice for her to go home, stays in town to try to get a second interview with the convict.

She stays at the hotel where the influencer was last seen. Where, quite coincidentally, BuzzCon (fictional), the annual convention of social media influencers is being held.

There she finds out that things are not quite what they all appear to be.....

-----

Replete with loose ends, but all compensated for by compelling dramatizations and commendable prose.

Complex, gripping, entertaining.

Review based on an advanced reading copy courtesy of St. Martin's Press and NetGalley.

Dark Corners is filled with suspense, great characters, and a captivating plot. Rachel is a fearless force to be reckoned with. She empathizes with the victims of crimes and has a special way of getting people to open up to her and reveal the information she is seeking. The fact that Rachel is a podcaster adds extra intrigue and excitement to the story. This book is an absolutely excellent thriller!

This is book #2 in the Rachel Krall series, but this is the first book I’ve read in this series & it can easily be read as a standalone. This isn’t the first book I’ve read by this author & I believe they write intriguing mysteries, but this book just wasn’t for me.

It is an interesting thing to have chapters with the point of view from the villain/killer. It is chilling to have that knowledge but in some ways, it takes away the mystery since you are aware so early who is the killer.

This is a spoiler, which clarifies my frustrations with this story, so proceed reading with caution…
I was disappointed to learn that the villain of this story had such a prominent chronic health issue & they also happened to be such an evil character. There is a well-documented history of disabled people consistently being cast into the role of villain. This book utilized the disabled villain as the main trope & as a disabled person, I am so tired of seeing this repeatedly happen.

Because of my issue that I listed above, I struggled to connect to the story & truly get lost in the mystery.

I think Megan Goldin can write incredible mystery novels & I really enjoyed her book, Stay Awake.

Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the gifted arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Because I gave this a lower rating, I will not be posting this anywhere else.

I was such a fan of The Night Swim. While I never listen to podcasts, I love a book about one and it drew me in from the start and I gave it all (five) the stars. I was lucky enough to read this follow up to The Night Swim with some great buddies, and that upped my enjoyment of the book. But I didn’t love this one quite as much as book one. First let me note that these two books have the same main character but different stories, so they can each be read as a stand alone.

What this one lacked for me was the feel of the podcast. I read an ARC and I’ve heard the final copy is a little clearer, but I had a hard time figuring out what was happening in the chapters representing the podcast. These almost seemed like research notes and not an actual podcast. Were they in the current timeline or another?

But the story itself was interesting. A missing influencer with a tie to a convict on the verge of being released from jail. Rachel is pulled into the mix and it is quite the cat and mouse game as she steps into an influencer convention. I had a great time trying to figure out who was genuine and who was less than reliable. This may have been slightly enhanced by the buddy read, but I thought the story was solid and might have been a five star read for me if not for my disappointment over the podcast formatting.

While I know the summer is almost over in the northern hemisphere, this really is the epitome of a beach or summer read. I’d call it a blockbuster thriller read.

5 stars

I love Rachel Krall! I found myself actually liking this book better than the 1st one. I liked the FBI agent and the possible romance. The way Rachel felt about the influencers really resonated with me because I too just don’t get it! The way the book ended makes me hopeful that we get another one. My only disappointment was I wish someone had gotten Mary that kitten after all.

Thanks to the netgalley and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Megan Goldin writes the most intriguing and captivating stories. Dark Corners is spine tingling and unnerving- brilliantly written and executed with well developed characters. Good pacing. Overall an engaging and entertaining read

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin is a captivating exploration into the enigmatic realm of social media influencers. This enthralling narrative, filled with unexpected turns and a gripping storyline, had me eagerly flipping through the pages until the astonishing climax.

Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster in Megan Goldin’s "The Night Swim" returns, and I must say is better than ever! Megan Goldin's books are not to be missed. Dark Corners is my favorite yet!

I really struggled with the writing style in this book. It was often repetitive and slow paced. I also did not feel like it needed to be multiple POV’s. I did enjoy the twist, but the ending didn’t really give me the closure I was hoping for.

Oooh I loved this! I didn’t realize that it correlates with Rachel from Night Swim, I never put two and two together but I also loved that thriller.⁣
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Rachel is drawn to Florida by the FBI to find evidence to keep Terence Bailey in jail after multiple women have been murdered but there just wasn’t enough evidence to keep him in jail. ⁣
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Rachel is a podcaster who has gotten several people found guilty for murder out of jail because she found the true killers.⁣
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When an influencer goes missing, and two others wind up dead, all having the same tattoo; that Terence just so happened to draw while in jail, we follow a twisty, suspenseful story unwinding all of the dark secrets that tie all of these people together in some way and eventually lead us to the truth. ⁣
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We also follow the man picking people up for a ride share and murdering them or trying not to, if he can. Is this Terence Bailey or is this someone else?⁣
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The audio of this was FANTASTIC. It was like listening to a real podcast, while falling a murderer, a podcaster and an FBI agent, while also following influencers. I was so invested in this story. ⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨