I really enjoyed Rachel Krall in her first adventure, The Night Swim, so I was very interested in reading her second. It definitely did not disappoint. A well-recognized podcaster, Rachel get herself involved in the disappearances and presumed murders of a few young women and in the life of Terrence Bradley, a man who has been imprisoned for breaking and entering but who is suspected in the murders and disappearances. His imminent release from prison is a focal point for Rachel and the FBI investigator with whom she is working chiefly because one of the missing women, Madison, an extremely popular influencer, has recently visited Bradley in prison.

This is a well-written, tightly plotted novel with plenty of twists and turns (the ending, part of which you probably will see coming, is quite fitting), and it is interesting to see how Rachel’s character is developing. All in all, this was a very good read, and I look forward to the next in this series!

4.5 stars. I was sucked in from the opening chapter (so much so that even though I had just picked up a book from the library I'd had on hold for months, I kept reading this one). Also of note, I have not read Night Swim but this books reads as a stand alone (other than mentioning the case from the first book), so I had no preconceived notions as to how Rachel should act. I liked the character of Rachel, she is tenacious. The plot is fast-paced with plenty of twists.

"Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, 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. Maddison seems only to exist on social media; she has no family, no friends, and other than in her posts, most people have never seen her. Who is she, really? 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.

When police find the body of a woman with a tattoo of a snake eating its tail, the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krell herself. Suddenly a target of a monster hiding in plain sight, Rachel is forced to confront the very real dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the internet."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

This was an entertaining read, more so in the second half where it really picks up a lot. Rachel is pulled into a missing person investigation, has to talk to a prisoner about to get out, and tries to get to the bottom of things herself. And yeah, she's way better at it than the cops. Even with the slow unravelling of information, I was still surprised by the end.

I think I would follow Rachel Krall anywhere. This book felt fast paced and engaging. The multiple perspectives between the detective, podcaster and accomplice was well done. The creepiness of the accomplice really came out clearly in the text for me. The plot was really engaging and I found myself flying through this!

Also, dabbling in the “influencer” business phenomena? Nice touch, Megan!

Give me another Rachel Krall podcasting book!

Megan Goldin does a very good job of capturing her readers attention and holding it until the book is complete. This is technically the second book featuring Rachel Krall, but it absolutely can be read as a standalone. Even though the killer is known from the beginning, - or if you aren’t totally sure, it doesn’t take long to pinpoint the likely culprit- this knowledge doesn’t diminish the suspense or the enjoyment of watching the investigation into his crimes unfold. The snippets of the podcast that showcases the victims adds a human interest element and gives a voice to the victims as their stories are revealed. Megan Goldin has once again written a well crafted story that’s hard to put aside once you start reading!

The first Megan Goldin book I read was The Night Swim. I've read every book of hers I can get my hands on since. So I was very excited when I heard she was brining Rachel Krall back for another book. I hope Megan continues the series in the future. Social media influencers and true crime podcasts have been popular elements in thrillers recently to the point where they're almost overdone, but Dark Corners wasn't overly focused on either topic. The story is very engrossing and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Podcaster, Rachel Krall, is contacted by the FBI to help with a case after a top social media influencer disappears in Datona Beach, Florida. This area has been plagued with quite a few murders and disappearances over the years, but they thought the murderer was in prison. Was there an accomplice? Rachel is sucked into a race against time undercover at an influencer convention.

Dark Corners picks up right after the events of The Night Swim. So no rest for Rachel. She is immediately consumed by another case. There is a romantic side plot, but it is not a large part of the story. This fast paced thriller is perfect for summer with many beach scenes and vacation vibes. Plus, it has great tension throughout including really creepy scenes from the murderer's perspective.

I highly recommend the Rachel Krall series to fans of investigative thrillers. If you think you would enjoy the podcaster amateur sleuth angle.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC.

This book follows our girl Rachel Krall as she’s brought to Florida to investigate the disappearance of an influencer. The book for sure kept my attention but I just didn’t love it. I am unsure of the romance plot overall but my favorite character did seem to get their redemption at the end so that’s good.

I’ll continue to read new releases by Megan Goldin and look forward to seeing what’s next for Krall.

Rachel Krall returns to assist the FBI in investigating a case. A true crime podcaster is missing & the main suspect is a suspected serial killer about to be released from prison. The victim was his last visitor and the FBI is confident he has help on the outside.

I really enjoyed this book! The twists, the suspense, bad ass characters, social media influencers, true crime podcasters & a bit of romance.

Megan Goldin returns following The Night Swim (5 stars) with the second installment in her popular Rachel Krall series, DARK CORNERS —a crime podcaster gets caught up in the search and mystery surrounding a famous social media influencer who disappears after visiting a suspected serial killer in this riveting 'thrills by the minute' electrifying masterful suspense!

Rachel Krall is back better than ever—My Top Thrillers of 2023!

Terence (Terry) Bailey is about to be released from prison; however, investigators have suspected him in the murders of six women.

However, right before his release, he gets a visit from Maddison Logan, a young popular social media influencer. Hours later, she disappears. Was she kidnapped, and what went down with her visit with Bailey? Are the two events connected? Do they know one another? What is going on at the gas station?

After the FBI does not turn up anything, they turn to Rachel for help. Who is Maddison? She is only known by her social media. Is she for real? Rachel realizes too late Maddison left her a voicemail. Rachel is determined to find Maddison.

Rachel goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference in Daytona Beach, FL. (so good). What a world of highly competitive rivals. Here she learns a lot!

The cops find a woman's body with a tattoo of a snake eating its tail. Does Bailey have an accomplice on the outside? Is there a monster hiding in plain sight and the dark corners of the internet? Or is it someone else?

Who receives the most oxygen (voice) in the media— Killers or victims? Are we so obsessed with the likes of monsters we forget about the victims? Not just those they kill but those they leave behind. Eleven victims.

Nothing is as it appears! Twisty, Gripping, Unputdownable!

Gosh, I LOVED this book! Brilliant! Oh, and the audiobook was dynamite! Narrated by André Santana, January LaVoy (fav), and Samantha Desz for a highly entertaining listening experience. I was glued to my iPhone.

I loved The Night Swim, and DARK CORNERS is even better. Complex and multi-layered, I love the way everything unraveled. I adore Rachel and hope we see her again for #3! She is too good to end. She is sharp and tenacious, and a pro.

Goldin is ON FIRE and at the TOP of her game! Her best yet. I cannot wait to see what comes next.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley for an honest opinion.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars ++
Pub Date: Aug 8, 2023
Aug 2023 Must-Read Books

My MG My Reviews (see blog):
STAY AWAKE
NIGHT SWIM
THE ESCAPE ROOM
THE GIRL IN KELLER'S WAY

#AuthorElevatorSeries Interview:
Q&A with Megan THE ESCAPE ROOM

First of all, although this is the second of Goldin's books that features podcaster Rachel Krall, you definitely don't need to have read The Night Swim before reading this one as it completely stands alone.

This is a decent read, don't let my 3-stars sway you. It means that I liked it, I just didn't love it and want to gush about it. I listened to the audiobook and January LaVoy does an amazing job with her narration as usual. She kept me invested in the story more than I probably would have been otherwise.
This is a full cast audiobook with other narrators, but LaVoy was the prominent and best one. The podcast segments, while there weren't very many of them, were enhanced by listening to the audio version.

The main premise of this story is that Rachel is flown to Florida by the FBI because they want her to interview a prisoner about a missing woman who had come to visit him shortly before her disappearance. She is a social media influencer involved with a huge event called BuzzCon. Rachel decides to attend (she's really famous you know, they wanted her to come to the conference but until now she has refused) so she can investigate the disappearance and try to figure out what is going on.

Overall this book turned out to be okay, but there's nothing very surprising about what happens. The reader knows the identity of the villain throughout, we get his POV and backstory revealed as the tale progresses. I honestly didn't really like Rachel very much either. She comes across as a know-it-all daredevil who feels way above everyone else.

While I thought the parts about social media influencers (ahem, I mean content creators) was interesting and enlightening, it got old after a while. I don't think the general fans who fawn over these people will get the sarcasm and snark and eye rolling the author is trying to convey when talking about them, those of us who are reading the book already know what she's saying.

I'm glad I read this one, but I probably won't remember much about it after a while.

The follow-up to Night Swim, Rachel Krall gets brought into an FBI investigation when an influencer goes missing after visiting an incarcerated man about to be released, Terence Bailey. Bailey mentioned Rachel, so the FBI isn't sure if she's involved, or possibly at risk once he's out.
*
This was a fun read! Multiple POVs, very quick moving, and an interesting investigative process, as Rachel ends up going kind-of undercover at an influencer conference. I didn't necessarily love it as much as Night Swim, but it kept me very engaged.
*
Right from the start, it's very clear that something more sinister is going on, with the POV of a really creepy rideshare driver. So the question isn't so much who is responsible for certain things, but how are all the suspicious people connected? It came together in a way that I didn't expect and also had a twist I did not see coming, so really enjoyed that!
*
It did lose a few points for me for the romance, which felt kind of forced, and there were a few things about the ending that don't quite make sense to me. So maybe didn't exceed Night Swim, but still a very fun and engaging thriller!

I really enjoyed The Night Swim, so when I saw this I knew I had to get it. This one was a bit of a slow burn for me. I wanted to know what was going to happen but I wasn't fully invested in the story. I did enjoy the ending though. I highly suggest listening to the book if you want to read it. It helps with the podcast parts.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies of this book.

A thrilling page turner about a social media influencer that goes missing. Could there be a connection to a serial killer that is in prison?
Rachel Krall is asked by the FBI to help them out figuring out what is going on.
The ending makes everything come together and make sense.
Recommended reading for fans of psychological thrillers.

A missing influencer, the prisoner she visited before she disappeared, and the social media conference she was attending take center stage in this second novel in the Rachel Krall series. Full disclosure: I haven’t read the first book in this series, but I had no trouble mentally hopping on the plane to Florida and joining true crime podcaster Rachel on the case.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. There are multiple points-of-view, twists and turns, an underlying creepiness factor, and some heart-pumping moments. There’s even a hint of attraction between Rachel and another character that was enough to satisfy my inner romance reader.

I received an advance copy of the book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

I have to admit, up front, that The Night Swim (Rachel Krall #1) has been languishing on my TBR since it was new, and I have yet to get to it. After reading Dark Corners, the second in the Rachel Krall series by Megan Goldin, it has leaped to the top of my list...now, to get to it!

I love Megan Goldin's writing, and Dark Corners is like many of my favorite mystery/thriller series--strong female lead with an interesting occupation, a romantic interest with closed door intimacy, and a really evil bad guy along with a slew of interesting side characters. Goldin masterfully pulls in red herrings and mixes in a heaping dose of suspense. I really enjoyed this novel as well as Stay Awake, and will be working on Goldin's backlist ASAP.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of Dark Corners by Megan Goldin. The opinions in this review are my own.

This one just wasn't for me. I think the true crime podcaster premise is becoming a little bit tired, and the pacing of this in terms of plot just wasn't where I wanted it to be. I've seen this done better, unfortunately.

An incredibly interesting and dark storyline that I found myself eager to know what happened and whodunnit.

I had high hopes for this one after reading and loving Stay Awake. I desperately wanted to love this one because it had so many things I enjoy in a thriller but I found myself bored, and skimming at times.

What I enjoyed:
✨True Crime Vibes
✨Strong Female Lead
✨Influencer Plot
✨Justice For The Victims

What I disliked:
✨The Pacing (it’s a quick read with short chapters, but it took so long for any sort of twist)
✨Romance Subplot (felt unrealistic and forced, wrapped up very quick)
✨True Crime Podcast (I LOVED the idea of it, but wanted more of it involved in the storyline)

I am still very eager to read The Night Swim, and The Escape Room.

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Dark Corners is expected to be published August 8/2023.

Read if you like:
🎙️ Podcasts
🚫 True Crime
🔍 Playing Detective
🔀 Twists and Turns
#️⃣ Multiple POV

I just have to say, I really love the way the Rachel Krall books are written! I love how they jump back and forth between the ‘present day’ pov and the podcast pov to tell the stories. The way the two elements of present day with various perspectives and the podcast come together absolutely hooks me and makes me not want to stop reading the books in this series.

This one was extra fun to follow as this second installment is surrounding an influencer conference when one of them goes missing, old unsolved Murder cases, a suspect in jail, and a very creepy POV from a serial killer.

I personally am fascinated by the connections that big name influencer make with each other and the podding they do to build themselves up, so using that element for this book was juicy, fun, and just the right amount of drama filled to help along the plot.

All in all, this was another phenomenal thriller and I really hope we get more Rachel Krall because I’m obsessed and want to see where she goes next!

Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

After reading The Night Swim and absolutely loving it (along with having an elevated heart rate the entire time) I was extremely excited to read the follow up with Rachel Krall, Dark Corners.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins press for the ARC!

As mentioned, Dark Corners follows podcaster Rachel Krall as she sets out to investigate another case following a missing influencer, Maddison Logan and the #1 suspect, Terrance Bailey.

I was extremely excited to read this, and while I did enjoy it, it fell flat for me for a few reasons. I personally didn't enjoy the look inside of an influencer life. While I do love social media, I think in some ways the book would have been better with out that perspective. Maybe because the first book was so heart wrenching to me, this felt a bit shallow. I also could have done without the romance storyline that played out. I personally don't go for thrillers to read a love story.

For me, this wasn't my favorite, but I could see others enjoying it!