Dark Corners by Megan Goldin
In this mystery thriller, the FBI enlists the help of true-crime podcaster Rachel Krall, to help solve the potential disappearance of an influencer. Instagram-famous Maddison has not been seen since she visited Terrance Bailey in jail. Terrance was thought to have been connected with several other missing women.

I wasn’t going to read this one as it is the second in a series and I hadn’t read the first. When I started it I was immediately disappointed as I felt I was missing critical information about Rachel and the FBI agent. However, this passed as I became more interested and engaged with the story.

There is a good amount of pressure and pace, twists and turns in this story. There were some niggly things for me though.
-There was this unusual podcaster good and righteous vs influencer bad and frivolous theme going on.
-The romance seemed to have developed out of nowhere and did not add to the story at all.

That said I enjoyed the book, it can be read as a stand-alone story.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for an opportunity to read this ARC!
IG review to be posted soon.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Genre: mystery thriller
Format: ebook
Length: 352 pages


✨Read this if you enjoy: ✨
🔪Twists and Turns
📱Social Media
🎙️True Crime

I read The Night Swim back in 2021 and I could not put it down. So naturally when I saw that Dark Corners was going to be a continuation I knew that I had to pick it up.

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martins Press and Megan Golden for an e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts about the book.

Dark Corners is about Terence Bailey, a man who is set to release from prison in a couple days. The last and only person to visit Terence in prison has gone missing. Rachel Krall finds herself in the middle of the investigation but she discovers quickly that no one in this town is exactly who they seem.

I really enjoyed this book, even though it was a very different tone from The Night Swim. This book isn’t quite so dark. I loved unravelling the mystery, some parts I was able to piece together and others definitely surprised me. I really liked Joe and I hope he’ll appear in another book with Rachel.

Megan Goldin just proves again why she is an auto buy author for me. I always have the best time reading her books.

I've been a Megan Goldin fan since her first book, and I'm so glad she brought back Rachel Krall for this book! I really loved that this one took so many different threads and wove together a connected, fascinating story. A significant amount of action takes place in the last 20% of the book. That's not to say that the rest is slow- the entire book is generally well plotted and paced, but definitely be prepared to read that last bit in one sitting. Rachel Krall is a great character, and I'm hoping this isn't the end of her stories.

WHILE I ENJOYED THIS ONE INITIALLY MORE THAN THE NIGHT SWIM THE CONTINUOUS CRINGE DIALOGUE BETWEEN RACHEL AND JOE GRATED ON MY LAST NERVE AND THE WHOLE THING STARTED TO FEEL CLICHE.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy all opinions are my own.

Did not finish @ 46%. Wasn’t engaged by any of the characters or the central mystery, and I thought the content creator angle was done without much depth or complexity.

SYNOPSIS:
- Shortly after meeting with Terence Bailey, an inmate in a Florida prison, Maddison Logan, a popular #vanlife influencer, disappears. In the meeting, Rachel Krall’s name came up, so the FBI flies Rachel to Florida.
- Rachel is a popular true-crime podcaster, and she has made a name for herself in the podcasting world.
- Terence Bailey will be released in a few days. He is a suspected serial killer, but there’s no evidence to tie him to any of the killings. He went to jail when he was twenty-one years old, and now, he’s twenty-seven years old.

MY THOUGHTS
- I hadn’t read book 1 (Night Swim) before, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. It was good as a stand-alone book.
- I read this one in less than 24 hours, and I found myself thinking about it in the moments I put the book down.
- Really enjoyed the character development. Rachel is a capable, strong-willed, smart character.
- Multiple POVs, including Rachel’s, one scary dude, & a podcast transcript.
- Loved the ending and the many twists throughout that kept me in suspense
- I liked the romantic aspect in the book, but felt the chemistry between the characters.
- Excellent writing. Complex plot, but well-plotted and easy to follow.
- Short chapters, which I love.
- The commentary on influencers throughout was timely, observant, and interesting.


TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4.5 stars rounded to 5, as I finished in less than 24 hours. Solid thriller with a well-written, capable woman as the MC.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It will be published on August 8, 2023.

True crime podcaster Rachel Krall is back and I am SO HAPPY about it!

After reading Night Swim in 2020 I was really hoping it wouldn't be a one off but haven't really thought much about it since, and then after reading Stay Awake (which I didn't love), I was anxiously awaiting Goldins next book to see if it was a hit for me like Escape Room and Night Swim were, or not.

5 star hit.

When true Crime podcaster Rachel Krall is called upon by the FBI as the only lead in a missing persons case, she is convinced to pay a visit to prisoner Terrance Bailey - arrested for B&E, but suspected of killing many women 6 years prior. The weird visit causes a chain of events that leads her to the middle of Buzzcon, a conference for influencers that was being attended by the missing girl, Maddison, that she's looking for. Did the fierce competitiveness of Buzzcon turn lethal? Is it Terrance pulling strings from within the prison to make Maddison disappear? We shall see.

There's so many wins for this book. The plot is easy to follow but still complex enough, the characters extremely likeable, and the multiple POVs (podcast transcript after the fact, Rachel herself, and anonymous man who gives off baaaad vibes) make the storytelling so interesting.

I'm looking forward to Rachel Krall #3 (especially if Joe Martinez makes an appearance!!)

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC, and for giving me the chance to read and review it honestly.

In this second book in the series, Rachel Krall, who is a true crime podcaster, is asked by FBI Special Agent Joe Martinez to fly down to Daytona Beach, FL, to help with a case. A man named Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison after serving time for breaking and entering and they want Krall to interview him. A detail in the crime he committed set off alarm bells that he could possibly be a serial killer the FBI has been looking for but there's no real proof.

And now it seems a social media influencer named Maddison Logan has gone missing after visiting him the day before. He is seen on the video recording of the visit scribbling a note to Logan, asking her to contact Rachel Krall. Why?? Rachel gets no answers from Bailey but his parting warning is: 'The scariest monster is the one that hides in plain sight.'

BuzzCon, a popular social media influencers convention, is being held in Daytona Beach and Rachel decides to infiltrate it to see if she can find any answers. No one really cares that Maddison is missing--it just means there is less competition for the big prize. They are all so vacuous, narcissist and self-indulgent, it's pretty sickening.

Meanwhile, there's a chemistry developing between Rachel and Joe Martinez that is hot, hot, hot. He's worried that her life might be in danger and regrets having asked her to involve herself in the case.

The story is filled with action and tension and bodies piling up. We see a killer at work behind the scenes. Is he Bailey's partner? Some of the details of the crimes he has committed are filled in with excerpts from the podcast Rachel will someday do. My one quibble is that I'm not sure that the FBI would involve a member of the public in a case like this, but it sure made for an exciting story.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own. Can't wait to see what happens next in the series!

Wow! I have been totally absorbed into this book. I feel as though I have slipped into the pages of this book and lived for the day. I missed the first Rachel Krall book, but I will be going back to read it now. This was suspense filled, mysterious and was a multi-layered mystery which you solve as you peel back each layer one by one until the thrilling ending.

Terrence Bailey is about to be released from prison. Local authorities are not happy about his release because they feel certain he is responsible for the death of at least six women, but they do not have the evidence to back up their suspicions. When he is visited by a social media influencer, Maddison Logan, the puzzle grows even more puzzling as they try to figure out why she visited Terrence. When Maddison disappears hours after her prison visit, the FBI is in a panic. Reluctantly they call the famous crime podcaster, Rachel Krall. Under very mysterious instructions, they ask her to visit Terrence. Rachel gets pulled into this mystery after her visit. Maddison is an influencer on social media only. She does not exist in the real world. Rachel goes undercover to a social media influencer convention, Buzzcon, to investigate this mystery further. This is whole different world where rivalry runs rampant and everyone wants to be #1. This part of the story was very interesting.

Rachel Krall is not your average female character. She is a fearless woman with a sharp mind and her observation skills are off the charts. The deception is deep and the mystery is brilliant. Megan Goldin does a superb job of lining everything up and tying it up with a nice, neat bow with an ending that will blow your mind. I am still reeling from this story. I could not put this book down. The menace lurking just below the surface will give you chills even as you try to figure out how it all works out. Mystery readers and lovers of serial killer thrillers will inhale this book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Megan Goldin's latest book could easily be ripped from today's headlines. It really brought out the downsides of being a social media influencer. Despite the contemporary nature of this story, I couldn't help but be reminded of the character Norman Bates from Psycho. I enjoyed the way that the author presented alternating perspectives. Hopefully, she will continue to write more books featuring Rachel Krall. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy to read and review.

I finished this book in one day. Started it with my morning cappuccino and finished it by dinner. I could not put this book down. The Night Swim had me hooked on Rachel Krall and her podcast to help prove someone was incorrectly charged with murder. This breaks into the crazy world of influencers and how one could be the victim of a serial killer. I liked the pacing of this story, I loved the flow and the build to the finale. It was a great read. I am looking forward to more Rachel Krall books.

True crime podcaster Rachel Krall is summoned to Florida by the FBI. A prisoner is due to be released in a few days and he requested a visitor he had to contact her, but no one knows why as Rachel has never heard of him. Also, the prison visitor has been abducted by an unknown person. The prisoner is suspected by local police of having committed multiple murders so the FBI hopes Rachel can help them prove it. Rachel helps, but what she finds leads to so much more.

A very popular social media influencer, Maddison Logan, has gone missing. The FBI has run out of leads, so they fly in Rachel Krall to speak to a suspected serial killer, Terence Bailey, who was visited by Maddison right before she disappeared. Rachel infiltrates Buzz Con, a popular social media influencer conference, where she discovers some fierce rivalry amongst influencers. Could this rivalry have turned deadly? Rachel is determined to find out.

I really enjoyed The Night Swim, so I was excited to read another book featuring Rachel Krall. However, I was a little disappointed in how Rachel appears in this book. Rachel comes across as an arrogant know-it-all here. I also found it to be a little heavy on social media influencers. I know that is something that is big right now so many may find it more interesting than I did. Overall, it was a decent story so I give it 3/5 stars.

I switched off listening to the audiobook and reading the story. I found myself much more interested in the audiobook version. January LaVoy and the rest of the full cast really pulled me into the story. I especially enjoyed the podcast parts of the audiobook version.

I was so excited to see that there would be a Book Two for Rachel Krall in Night Swim.

This time she is on a mission to find the missing influencer Maddison. She finds herself on a risky investigation on her own.

I was never fully invested in the storyline and the whole missing influencer has been popping it's head a lot in books lately. This isn't something that I've been invested in and we see SO much of this like overboard.

I also thought the police procedural aspects were also pretty fake. Just stuff that there is no way would happen in investigating a missing person.

I think this one fell extremely flat and was disappointed. The first book was amazing and this one just lost all talent in my opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 8/8/23
Published to GR: 8/5/23

2.5/5 stars

Megan is an auto-buy author for me. My favorite book of hers was probably Stay Awake which was released last year. That book was off the charts amazing to me. I read the eARC and bought the hardcover to keep on my shelves. I loved it so much. This book, Dark Corners, is book 2 in the series. It can be read as a standalone so you don't need to read Stay Awake but I 100% recommend reading it. Rachel is back in this book and she is as strong and awesome as I remember her being in the first book.

I love the pages that were written like the transcript from Rachel's hit podcast. I thought it was unique and fit this book perfectly.

There were a few moving parts to this story. Terrance was in jail for murder!ng women but the evidence isn't solid. Maddison disappears just a few hours after going to see Terrance in prison. Thomas is in the story but not quite sure how he fit into it until about half way through. I knew I had an idea of what part he played in the story but the fine details were a surprise to me at the end.

On my Scale of Buy, Bargain, Borrow, Bud or Bust I'm rating this one a Bargain. I'm glad I read this book but not sure it is a re-read for most people. I am glad it is on my shelf right next to book One. If Megan writes a third book I will definitely read that one as well!!


(Review will be posted to IG 8/16)

While I enjoyed reading 'The Night Swim' and 'Stay Awake', I found myself able to put this book down and walk away. I didn't connect to the story or the characters and fond myself bored at times. I also found one of the points of view creepy. I ended up skimming the book and I wasn't surprised by the ending. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher. This is my honest and voluntarily given review.

I really enjoyed The Night Swim. In fact, I think it was one of the first novels I have read that included the Podcast element. Dark Corners is the second book in the Rachel Krall series although, I don’t think you NEED to read Night Swim in order to read this one.

This is very much a police procedural type of novel. I personally enjoy those, so I liked this one. We get Rachel’s POV, the POV of Tommy and transcripts of an upcoming podcast. I liked the different changes throughout the novel, and I appreciated the twists at the end. Goldin gives us some red herrings throughout to help with the mystery. I did guess a few of the twists but ultimately, I enjoyed the suspense. I also like Rachel’s character. She’s more of a bad ass which I always appreciate!

The suspense and the pacing were well done and I am curious to see if Rachel Krall and Detective Martinez come back for a third?! Thank you @netgalley for my advance copy!

My first read by this author and I really enjoyed this one!! I highly rec listening to the audiobook version. It really immerses you into the story! This book is told in three pov one of those being the main characters podcast on the case. I loved that these parts had a short musical intro and background sounds at appropriate times, ie: water and forest sounds when she was in the woods ect. I wish the digital/print version had a small heading to know the chapter was a Special Report Podcast chapter. I think knowing that would help make the print version as immersive as the audio felt. The chapters are super short which I find helps move the story along faster. The pacing was good and with the number of different characters I found the ending to be a complete surprise! I was a little weary at police/fbi involvement at first, I find I’m just not a fan of police procedural type reads. I'm glad this wasn't!! The main character is an investigative researcher of sorts and although another main character is FBI it didn’t feel the way most police procedurals do! The different pov were very well written and blended the timeline perfectly! I like the recurring clues that kept you guessing as to what they truly are/mean right until the end! After the wrap up of the case the actual book ending seemed so sudden but left it open for these characters to return on perhaps another case!? Will definitely be looking at the authors' other books!

I had read the first book about Rachel Krall and was not a fan. But since i liked the authors last book so much I decided to give this a try. It was so good I want a third one. Really great mystery that had you guessing all the time.

I didn't realize when I read The Night Swim, that I had met a new favorite mystery series. I think Rachel is a fantastic character because she may be "famous" for her podcast series but doesn't come off like many of the "influencer" characters in this novel. I have never seen the appeal of being an influencer and now that I have a better understanding and it sounds like torture. Great twists and turns. I look forward to reading the next in the series. Also, I don't know what was so attractive about Terry, but I never not liked him.

Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking, 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. 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.

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.