Rachel Krall is back, but this time instead of simply reporting on crimes, she finds herself in the middle of one. I really enjoyed this book. As in most mysteries and thrillers, you do have to suspend disbelief for some plot points, but nothing is too outrageous that it takes away from the story. It kept me guessing and had a satisfying ending. I look forward to reading more from her.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin (8/8/23) Review Published 8/7/23 4 Stars
Published by St. Martin’s Press

“Always know what you’re walking into. Dark corners can be danger points.”

After influencer Maddison Logan goes to a correctional facility in Florida to meet with Terence Bailey and inmate, she disappears without a trace. While Maddison and Terence were talking, Rachel Krall’s name come up in their conversation. Rachel is the true crime podcaster from Night Swim. The soon-to-be-released inmate, Terence Bailey, though incarcerated for breaking and entering, is also a suspect in the murders of six women, but the FBI has yet to prove their case.

That prompts the FBI to fly Rachel in, not quite revealing all the relevant details. When the meeting between Terence Bailey and Rachel Krall ends with Bailey’s veiled threats directed towards Rachel, the FBI, sensing that Bailey might target Rachel and requests her to fly back home.

Rachel decides to do some investigating of her own and joins the social influencer conference being held nearby, which Maddison was supposed to be attending. As an insider, she is privy to a lot more information on the attendees as compared to the investigators in charge of the case.

Rachel is now pursuing every lead possible in finding the truth behind Maddison's disappearance and her connection to Terence Bailey. She is all the while gathering more information about the other six victims of the serial killer. Will Rachel be able to help the FBI find Maddison before she becomes the seventh victim?

The Author is great at creating suspense and tension, and I turned the pages as fast as possible. Plenty of twists and turns kept me on my toes, trying to figure out who was involved and with whom. I loved how Megan pulls it all together with a satisfying ending that wraps up well. This is a must read for thriller and suspense junkies!

Many thanks to the author Megan Goldin, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy of this novel.

The first book in this series, The Night Swim, is one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to. Something about the fact that the MC is a podcaster lends itself very well to an audiobook ... there are episodes of the podcast layered into the story. While this book wasn't as good as the first (I felt like the mystery unfolded too slowly and the ending was then too fast, it was still immensely enjoyable. I definitely recommend this series!

Dark Corners comes out next week on August 8, 2023, and you can purchase HERE! I really liked this one!

Have you ever had a day when absolutely everything goes haywire and nothing goes as planned? I have. More times than I care to remember. Like the time my kitchen pipe burst just as I was heading off on a date with my old college crush who was in town on business.

Instead of rekindling the unrequired spark from college, I spent the evening frantically mopping the flood of water on my kitchen floor while waiting for the emergency plumber to turn up. My next-door neighbor Chloe kindly went down to the bar across the road to keep my date company while I dealt with the plumbing crisis.

By the time I joined them, they were hitting it off. Sparks flew like fireworks that night. Just not with me. Incidentally, they've been married for three years. One baby. Another on the way. Cutest couple ever.

The first 40% of this book I was starting to think this would be thriller of the year, but after a few twists I thought it fell flat. I didn't love that a huge part of the plot was finding the suspect because he had a bad odor. I appreciate that the author provided the medical reason behind it, but it just felt strange. By the end of the book there were so many plot lines to wrap up (and I appreciate that the author made sure to wrap them all up), but it just felt like chapter after chapter we were reading about the wrap ups. I also didn't need the romance nor saw it coming whatsoever, lol. Now for the positives (because there are also a ton!), I love the podcast and social media element playing into these true crime/thriller novels because that's exactly how a lot of these stories play out in real life these days. The commentary on influencer culture was also spot on. I loved the first in this series and will continue to read and recommend the author!

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin is the second book in her Rachel Krall series. This book can definitely be read as a standalone because Rachel Krall is the common denominator. This is another riveting story that kept me reading way past my bedtime. Ms. Goldin takes us on a rollercoaster ride of twist and turns. It is told in alternating point of views with some really good characters you will like and some, well maybe you won’t! Along with all the suspense, twists and revenge, there is a little bit of romantic suspense mixed in that I hope continues into the next book. This author is becoming a must read for me, I highly recommend her and all her books.

Thank you NetGalley, St.Martin’s Press and Megan Goldin for another intriguing book to read and review. The thoughts expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley. #stmartinspress. #megangoldin. #darkcorners. ##rachelkrall#2. #arc

I love Megan Goldin! This book is no exception. It's fast-paced, it includes a lot of aspects of relevant culture, and it has a strong female character. While I guessed one thing a little early on, I was blindsided in the best way by the twist. The only thing that kept nagging at me was how unrealistic it was that an FBI agent would work so closely with a random civilian. Otherwise, a great book and a great follow-up to Night Swim!

I was a big fan of The Night Swim and excited to read this new novel by Megan Goldin. This was fast-paced and twisty and definitely fit the bill when I was in the mood for a thriller. I do remember loving Rachel's character from her last novel, but I found myself to be pretty annoyed with her attitude and decisions for a great deal of the book. I did enjoy the ending and the twist and would definitely read another in the series.

Rachel Krall is a true crime podcaster who has more than once helped exonerate innocent people from jail. Terence Bailey is a man long suspected of the murders of several women, and about to be released from prison. After a popular influencer goes missing shortly after visiting Bailey in prison, Rachel also visits Bailey at the request of the FBI, to try to find the connection. How could Bailey have anything to do with the disappearance while locked in jail? Does he have an accomplice?

This was an entertaining read. Goldin has a great writing style that keeps you hooked. The story was a great pace and I enjoyed the podcast episodes thrown in. The multiple POV's were easy to follow. The plot was twisty and had some good trickery thrown in, and I had no idea how it would end. Krall is such a great character and I look forward to hopefully reading more of her.

Rachel Krall has few plans for the day when she receives a phone call from the FBI asking for her assistance. They want her to fly to Florida immediately to meet with Terence Bailey. He’s set to be released from prison in 48 hours, but they feel he may be connected to the disappearance of Maddison Logan, a popular social media influencer.

Bailey was sent to prison following a break and enter, but law enforcement has had him in their sights for the murders of six women even though they’ve never had enough evidence to convict him. Maddison visited Bailey right before her disappearance, so the plan for Rachel is to see what she can find out from Bailey.

Maddison Logan doesn’t seem to have a past online. She exists only on social media with no hints to identify where she is from and if that is in fact her real name. Rachel uses an old Instagram account and claims she is a “micro-influencer” to attend BuzzCon, an influencer conference, to see if she can dig up any info on Maddison. She soon finds out that the rivalries are strong, and some may go to great lengths to ensure success.

The police find the body of a young woman with an infinity tattoo of a snake eating its tail. The symbol continues to pop up and Rachel feels that the symbol is connected to Maddison and if she can figure out its origin then maybe she can find her. Rachel keeps coming back to something Bailey said to her about monsters hiding in plain sight. If she can piece together information from her sleuthing with information she’s gained from Special Agent Martinez, then she might be able to follow the trail.

This is the second book that I’ve read by Megan Goldin and I look forward to reading more. This book was definitely a page-turner, and I had a hard time putting it down. I will be recommending it to others to read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #DarkCorners

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of Dark Corners. Megan Goldin proves once again to me that she can weave a tale that’s twisty and tense. The FBI calls upon true crime podcaster Rachel Krall to meet with a prisoner about to be released to see if she can learn anything about missing influencer, Maddison Logan. The reasons aren’t made totally clear as to why she’s the one but once involved, she can’t let it go. The story unfolds with Rachel attending an influencer conference to see what she might find about Maddison and possible ties to other missing women. This world of social media influencers defines it as “hyper-competitive”. “What people don’t realize is that being an influencer is like feeding a monster. An insatiable monster. Nothing is ever enough. No matter how much you give, there’s always someone giving more. Eventually you have to give your soul. Even that’s not enough. People self-destruct all the time.” It’s an interesting backdrop for the book but not a distraction from the fact that there are bad things happening and Rachel could be putting herself right in the middle.

The story is interspersed with excerpts from her podcast. That was not readily apparent to me. All in all, a very quick and suspenseful read.

This is my defiition of a mystery, thriller. Excellent story and plot. I will deefinitely be reading more of Megan Goldin's books. At first it was just a tad bit confusing, when it jumped around to the unknown character but then after the confusion was brought to light, the book flowed and kept me on edge of my seat. I was afraid to read this at night lol. This ARC is getting a rating of five stars

Dark corners is the sequel to 2020s night swim, following true crime podcaster Rachel krall. Rachel is becoming famous thanks to her crime solving podcast and is catching the attention of police and criminals alike hoping for her to break cold cases. One such case is that of Terrance Bailey, suspected of killing eleven women, although never proven definitively. Terrance is visited by a popular influencer days before he is to be released from jail, but the influencer soon goes missing. Rachel is contacted to help find her and prove Terrance guilty in the process. Rachel goes undercover as an influencer to try to find the missing girl and ends up on a twisted journey and begins to question everything she thought she knew about the case. While not quite as good as nightswimming, this is still a good read that proves that Rachel krall will be an entertaining protagonist if the series continues. The story is dark and twisted and there are some fun twists at the end. Something about this one reads like an early Lincoln rhyme novel by Jeffery deaver, which is a high compliment! I would recommend any thriller or mystery fans give this one a go! (It is not necessary to start with nightswimming to enjoy this one!)

Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The follow-up to Megan Goldin's The Night Swim continued true crime podcaster/investigative journalist Rachel Krall's adventures as she gets involved in a missing social media influencer and uncovering of a serial killer. Unlike The Night Swim, Dark Corners lacked the complexity of storyline and overall whodunnit. We know who the really bad guy is right from the beginning and just have a question if there is a second. The concept of a monster hiding in plain sight is chilling though considering the recent high-profile capture in Long Island that has been on the news. Wondering how many times we may encounter such a being throughout our lives within our everyday activities is unsettling. The guy who loads your mulch at the local garden center, the mechanic who changes your oil, your last Uber driver, the bartender at the local dive, and many other chance encounters may put your life in danger if you act the wrong way or catch a killer's fancy. It could happen, and it actually does.

3.5 stars rounded up as I am overall enjoying the series and looking forward to the next installment.

Thank you to #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I LOVED Night Swim so I had to read this !
The 2 books don't go together & can be read as a stand alone .

This was a bit of a slow burn for me . I didn't feel it really picked up til about 30% ish .
This was a good read but not my fave , imo Night Swim was miles better but #DarkCorners is def worth a read . I'll admit some of the story didn't come together for me & I was surprised.

Thanks #netgalley for the Arc 🤘

I loved The Night Swim so I was a bit nervous this second book to feature investigative podcaster Rachel Krall wouldn’t be able to meet my expectations. However, I am thrilled to report that I ended up loving Dark Corners!

I loved how the POVs alternated between the serial killer, Rachel, and the FBI agent working the case. The book includes everything I need in a thriller: surprise twists, page-turning suspense, a realistically terrifying bad guy, and a protagonist worth rooting for. While reading, I couldn’t imagine how all the storylines connected but at the end everything was woven together seamlessly. Because of the podcast elements, I highly recommend the audio version!

I read Dark Corners in 2 days as it was one of those books you simply can't put down. Dark Corners is book 2 in the Rachel Krall series and I loved it! I hope that Megan Golden will be continuing this series as it is just getting better and better with each book! The FBI contacts Rachel because an Instagram Influencer has gone missing. Maddison Logan, the influencer, had wanted to get in touch with Rachel before she disappeared. Maddison had gone to visit a presumed serial killer that was in prison for breaking and entering. The police didn't have enough to convict him of the murders of prostiutes even though he was suspected. Just after Maddison visited Terence Bailey, she disappeared. Maddison had been in town attending BuzzCon, a conference, for social media influencers. She was huge on social media but the FBI can't find out anything real about Maddison. No family, no friends, it's like she made up her name and persona.

Rachel helps the FBI and finds out way more than they do by attending BuzzCon using an old Instagram account called runningrach. She doesn't want anyone to know that she's the Rachel Krall with the famous podcast that has blown up since her last case. As Rachel enters the world of social media influencers she quickly finds out that it's a cutthroat way to make a living and most will do anything to gain more followers. Will Rachel be found out as a fake? Will she be safe in Daytona Beach at the conference? When she visits Terence Bailey for the FBI to get information on Maddison will he give up any information? Will Rachel make out better than Maddison did after her visit to Bailey?

As more bodies are found with the same tattoo of a snake eating its own tail, will Rachel and the FBI be able to figure out who's doing it before Rachel or someone else disappears? This is a fantastic book that I rate 5 stars and give my highest recommendation! Dark Corners is available on August 8 so don't wait to get it! I hope that Megan Golden is working on Rachel Krall Book 3 because when you finish this one you'll want to read the next one soon! I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of Dark Corners in exchange for a fair review.

Investigators have suspected Terence Bailey of multiple murders, but could only arrest him of breaking and entering. Just when he's about to be released, he gets a visit from a popular social media influencer. Then she disappears. Rachel Krall runs a true crime podcast and has so far avoided the influencer conference Buzzcon. But when she's brought in to interview Terence, she decides to attend to help with the investigation. Terence seems to have an accomplice that's obsessed with influences... and she might be next.
I thought this book had plenty of suspense, the characters are solidly described, Rachel is just as fascinating as I found her in Night Swim. There are lots of twists to the story to keep the reader engaged. This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone although Night Swim was really good and I recommend reading it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Having loved Goldin’s first book, NIGHT SWIM, and the introduction of podcaster Rachel Krall, I was excited to read DARK CORNERS, the second Rachel Krall book. The book was off and running as Rachel is called by FBI Detective Joe Martinez for help in solving a missing social influencer and a suspected serial killer. The first fifteen percent of the book was good but then the more I read I found the plot moving slowly, so many characters to try to remember, and too much about social influencers that I had to go back and take some notes. I did enjoy the last fifteen percent as the story wrapped up with a fairly satisfying ending. I do hope to see Joe Martinez as a regular in the next Rachel Kroll book. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own. 3.5 stars raised to 4 stars.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin is an entertaining mystery/thriller. It is the second entry in her Rachel Krall series, this time featuring the true crime podcaster searching for a social influencer who has disappeared.
The missing woman, Maddison Logan, has recently visited Terence Bailey, a convict on the cusp of his release from a Florida prison. He is suspected of murdering several women, but the authorities have not gathered enough proof to keep him incarcerated. When he hands the influencer, Maddison, a note saying “Bring Rachel Krall to me,” the FBI reluctantly asks Rachel to get involved with their investigation.
The chapters are arranged in alternating POVs of Rachel Krall; Thomas McCoy, an oddball rideshare driver; and excerpts from episodes of Rachel’s podcasts about the case. These multiple viewpoints are skillfully interwoven and move the plot forward dynamically, enhancing the dramatic tension. The segments set at a social influencers’ convention are meant to portray their world as vapid and self-centered, but were certainly interesting. There are enough red herrings and twists to make this a good mystery and unique case, and it held my interest up to the surprising conclusion of the investigation.
Rachel’s character is more confident and written as a stronger voice for women in this book—as she observes, “Killers receive so much oxygen in the media. It’s time to a voice to the victim.”
Agent Joe Martinez of the FBI is a welcome addition to the cast of characters and provides a bit of romance for Rachel.
I recommend Dark Corners to readers who like a well-plotted, contemporary crime novel and investigative procedural. While I was fortunate enough to read the digital ARC and listen to the audiobook advance file, I found the audiobook version particularly enjoyable, with excellent narration by Samantha Desz, January Lavoy and Andre Santana. The sound effects and music also really enhanced the story, especially the podcast excerpts.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced copies. All opinions are my own.

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

Megan Goldin is back with book 2 in the Rachel Krall series. I know people loved The Night Swim, but it wasn’t a favorite of mine because I was a little confused with the podcast aspect. With Dark Corners, I decided to read along with the audiobook, and I enjoyed it much more.

My favorite part of this book was the influencer conference that Rachel attends under cover. Working with the FBI, she’s trying to figure out what happened to a missing influencer, Maddison Logan, who was abducted while recording a video for her social media. Rachel meets with a prison inmate who was accused of murdering some teenage girls, and now she’s trying to find his connection to Maddison.

If I had just read the eARC, I would have been really confused about what parts were Rachel’s podcast. The chapters aren’t labeled and the font wasn’t different so I can see this taking away from the story. It’s clear with the audiobook so I highly recommend listening to this one. I enjoyed the multiple narrators for this one, André Santana, January LaVoy, and Samantha Desz, and felt they did a great job bringing the story to life.

I found the mystery intriguing and didn’t put the ending together which is always a plus for me. There were some issues with the writing (constant use of both first and last names for example), but overall I was entertained by this book.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.