I am loving this series and this one is even better than the first one! This one is super twisty and has so many layers. It centers around the relevant theme of influencers and social media. It is told from multiple perspectives, one of which is quite dark and chilling. Goldin writes the most perfect short chapters, full of foreshadowing. She is a master at crafting ominous suspense and building tension. I love trying to solve the mysteries and put the pieces together along the way. I love the characters, especially our main girl, Rachel. And I enjoyed the romantic subplot. This story was compelling and truly kept me turning the pages. It’s a different enough story from the first book that I felt fully engaged in something new and fresh, while still giving us the writing and narrative style that we loved so much from the first book. (You could honestly read this one as a standalone if you wanted to.) It was just everything I was hoping for and totally lived up to my expectations. I enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it to all thriller readers! I really hope there will be more in this series in the future! Guilty or Not Guilty podcast season four, please!?

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

I’m not going to lie - I struggled with this one a bit. And I think my main issue is that this is so different from the first book in the series, and that really threw me off. I found The Night Swim to be an unflinching and raw exploration of a sexual assault case, and the tension of the mystery aspects of the book to be very unsettling. And I wanted more of that type of story.

This, however, kind of took a character I really enjoyed and flipped her story into a run-of-the-mill police procedural. The mystery was interesting enough, but the format felt generic. It was much more of your boring action thriller instead of the nuanced look at the criminal justice system that the first had.

I don’t dislike those types of books. And I might have liked this more if I had expected that going in. But I also can’t help but wish that, if Goldin wanted to write that type of book, she didn’t tie it to a book that is very much not that. It kind of soured the series for me, which is very disappointing.

Megan Goldin is back with another Rachel Krall novel. Rachel is a podcaster and has been contacted by the FBI to help find a missing girl. The missing girl is a popular influencer who is supposed to be at the big Influencer awards ceremony in Florida. Anyone who is anybody important is at this ceremony and everyone continues to post their best reels and photos to get ahead of the competition. The FBI continues to pull Rachel in. Why is Terence Bailey being linked to the influencers disappearance? Rachel has so many unanswered questions. Can she manage to go undercover and solve this missing persons case before it is too late? There is way too many clues turning up to just be coincidence.

This is my second novel I have read by Megan Goldin and it won't be the last. I like her procedural crime investigation and how she brings current event right into the story line. Her writing is great, easy to read, and flows perfectly. I can see her Rachel Krall series becoming a television series in the future. I will always look for Megan Goldin's future works and will always recommend her work to other readers in my life. Special thanks to NetGalley, Megan Goldin, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 4 stars for me #NetGalley

Dark Corners is one of the best thrillers I have read this year! I loved that scripts from the podcast were included in the narrative, I appreciated the ending, and I really liked the characters. This was a suspenseful read and while I had successfully predicted one of the twists, there were several others that took me by surprise. This was a super enjoyable read!

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

Published: August 8, 2023
St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Serial Killer Thrillers
Pages: 347
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

MEGAN GOLDIN worked as a correspondent for Reuters and other media outlets where she covered war, peace, international terrorism and financial meltdowns in the Middle East and Asia. She is now based in Melbourne, Australia where she raises three sons and is a foster mum to Labrador puppies learning to be guide dogs.

“Dark corners can be danger points.”

Rachel gets an unexpected invitation that brings her to Florida and puts her in the middle of an influencers convention. With curiosity getting the better of her, Rachel quickly finds herself the target of a killer.

I enjoyed this storyline. The pacing was comfortable, and it was fantastic having Rachel Krall back!

I like Rachel so much. She is such a great character. I love her intelligence, kindness, drive, and sass. We meet many new characters in this book, and their personalities clash!

This was a nicely paced read. Things moved steadily enough to keep me engaged but not so quickly that I missed anything. I love how Megan writes her twists; they come out so smoothly!

Fabulous. Blown away. No loose ends. Tied up so nicely. Not as violent on the page as The Night Swim. So much better than The Night Swim, in fact. Rachel really gets into it but also finds some romance along the way. I loved that things were not quite what they seemed, which was huge for the whole influencer plotline and how the life you see online may not be the life that person actually leads. Can't wait for the next Rachel Krall book!

This second in the series could also be read as a standalone. It’s been a while since I read the first book and I still enjoyed this one a lot. The plot kept me guessing how everything was connected and after a while it felt like it would just become more and more tangled. Believable wrap up was mush appreciated. Great read.

I've really enjoyed each Megan Goldin book I've read, so I was thrilled to get a copy of this one - and to see Rachel back! I thought the unfolding of this case was really well done and was completely engaged as I rode along to see what happened next. I actually really enjoyed the influencer slant of this book and found it to be a perfect summer read. I didn't love it quuuuuuite as much as The Night Swim and found the romance a little random, but overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to what the author has in store for us next!

I enjoyed this fast paced sequel to The Night Swim . The story was unique and I really enjoyed the social media connection and the influencer convention . I’m not sure if it’s because my copy is an earc but I found it a bit confusing trying to figure out what was going on at first between chapters - as some were podcast chapters and some was following the story more linearly …. That has not impacted my rating

I really enjoyed this one and liked that it was the same genre as [book:The Night Swim|51169341] while still being pretty unique. The story moved along at a good pace and I was invested in knowing how everything would come together. The podcast chapters do a good job of giving nuggets of information to keep you intrigued without giving anything away. I've seen some other reviews say Rachel was unlikeable - I disagree. I found it refreshing to see her stick up for herself and be her own advocate. My one downside is the influencer onslaught got old and repetitive.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early read.

I love Megan Goldin...I picked up her first book on a bargain shelf at Ollie's and I've been hooked since. This is a continuation of a character from Night Swim but you don't need to have read that prior to reading this one. It is another homerun for me.

I loved The Night Swim when it came out in 2020 (I gave it 5 stars!). While I still enjoyed this second book, it wasn't as riveting to me. Rachel seemed more abrasive than I remembered, it was sometimes repetitive, the podcast wasn't featured as much, and I found myself figuring out things well before the FBI agent. I would still give the next book in the series a chance, though.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of this book was 5 stars and I'm giving the end 3, so I averaged it out. But since the beginning started out so strong I couldn't help being left with a feeling of disappointment. The mystery plot wraps up fine but I think it just got too far-fetched for me.

Popular true crime podcaster Rachel Krall is suddenly called down to Florida by the FBI with the hope she can help find a missing influencer, Maddison Logan. Maddison disappeared a couple hours after visiting Terence Bailey in prison. He was convicted of breaking and entering but is also a suspected serial killer. So, Maddison's disappearance doesn't seem to be a coincidence. Rachel and the FBI must rush to find Maddison as Terence is set to be released from prison in two days.

Rachel goes undercover at BuzzCon, a social media conference that Maddison was attending. While there she discovers the world of influencing is full of rivalries, jealousy, and finds a whole new set of possible suspects.

Overall, I liked but didn't love this one. I really enjoyed the podcast aspect so I'll be adding more podcast-related thriller/mysteries to my TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me access to the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book in the Racheal Krall series and they just keep getting better. I loved this one, Its like an episode of Criminal Minds and listing to a pod cast, two of my favorite things. Told in three povs, its really easy to keep track of who's who. Racheal gets a call from the FBI in the middle of the night to come out to be interviewed about a prisoner named Terrance Bailey. i was sucked into immediately because of Racheal, she's fierce and determined and relatable. The mystery how Terrance knew Racheal's name and how she gets involved with the case was so interesting. She has to under cover in the BuzCon conference with the top influencers and figure out what they know. That part was so fun, seeing all the influencers doing there thing and the drama that comes with it. The little bit of romance was nice and I'm hoping that continues! I'm looking forward to seeing what Racheal gets into next!

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

4.5 stars

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgally for my gifted copy.

DARK CORNERS had a lot going on with some small twists throughout. The suspense wasn’t immediate but the characters hooked me right away. I love a book with podcast elements and true crime vibes. This one also gives a voice to the victims when a lot of thrillers talk about the criminals and crimes themselves. A perfect read for the beach.

Terence Bailey has been accused of breaking and entering, but the police believe he is guilty of murdering six women. Shortly before his release, he is visited by a young, attractive influencer named Maddison Logan. Maddison goes missing shortly thereafter, and police want to understand her connection to Terence. However, he will only communicate with Rachel Krall, the infamous true crime podcaster who has a knack for solving crimes.

I loved the return of the badass Rachel Krall! I did like Night Swim more, but still really enjoyed this one. If you like true crime podcasts, this is a good one for you. I loved how the reader got the POV of the murderer and all of his twisted thoughts. I also liked the setting of the influencer conference as it added a very modern twist. There was also a touch of romance which I enjoyed. Rachel was kind of irresponsible and stubborn, but that is what makes her, her (imo). The audiobook was phenomenal with a cast of narrators.

Megan Goldin is on my must-read list. Dark Corners does not disappoint. This tense page-turner is packed with exquisite suspense and a touch of romance.

Rachel Krall is back and in fine form. This novel will keep you on the edge of your seat, just when you think you can relax, Goldin ramps things up to the next level.

Loved both the eBook and the audio.
Run, don’t walk for this one.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the copy of this book and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook!

This is the perfect series to listen to on audio - the podcast episodes strewn throughout the book really elevate the experience of this thriller while listening.

Dark Corners revisits Rachel Krall, journalist and podcaster from Night Swim. With a new case, Rachel finds herself in the middle once again, and this time in the middle of a bunch of influencers. I do have to say, influencer storylines are something that I tend to struggle with. While this didn't hold my attention as well as The Night Swim, I do still love Megan Goldin as a thriller author!

This is the second book featuring the character of Rachel Krall and what an intense one it was! It was told through different perspectives and I was unsure of the timeline and the connection, but with each switch things were revealed. It was an exciting and fast paced read, but not as dark as the first one in the series. There were some twists that I did not see coming and the ending was satisfying. The story was complete, but it is apparent that there will be another book coming with Rachel Krall and I can't wait. A definite recommended read for psychological suspense readers.

Not my favorite by this author. I loved the premise - and Rachel from Night Swim. Such an amazing book - highly recommend.
I did the audiobook for this one - I loved the creep factors, such as male voices during Rachel's podcast and the music. Otherwise, this one just fell flat for me. It lacked the anger and obsession.
Rachel becomes determined to feature the victims - rather than giving anymore energy to the killer, which I hope the author continues.