Guys, this one was just… ok for me. I enjoyed reading it but just felt like the ending didn’t come together for me - it gets a meh vote. But Al always - everyone has different opinions and this MIGHT be your jam! That’s what’s so great about reading and books.

Dark Corners is a riveting page turning read that will have you holding your breath.

Rachel a true crime podcaster is back and this time trying to find the missing influencer Maddison who is somehow connected to who the police deem a serial killer.

The FBI have requested her help.

Terrence Bailey however is about to be released from prison ( he has not been prosecuted for the murders as of yet) and the last person to see Maddison was Terry.

Twists and turns and red herrings keep the lights on late at night.

Megan Goldin has brought us another great read in Book 2 of Rachel Krall and I cant wait to see where she takes Rachel and us next.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for a compelling read.

4.5⭐️

I loved Night Swim with true crime podcaster Rachel Krall, so was keen to try the murder mystery sequel. Here Rachel is summoned by the FBI to help with investigating the disappearance of a popular influencers not long after she met an incarcerated suspected serial killer.

Bullets points for Dark Corners
📕a sequel of Night Swim
📕enters the world of social media influencers
📕good plot complexity

The world of social media influencers was an interesting theme, the plot has good complexity and layers. There’s always plenty of interest with a good pace.
I found Rachel and Joe likeable, and enjoyed their chemistry.

It’s a book that I’d highly recommend.

Dark Corners is a serial killer mystery about a podcaster who is brought into an investigation and finds herself at the center of both the police investigation and the killer's sights. Technically, this is a sequel to The Night Swim (which was also good) but you can reach it as a stand alone in any order. I would definitely read another Rachel Krall book. Keep them coming, Megan Goldin.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the electronic advanced copy.

i have read a few books by this author and have liked most of them. i was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book since it doesnt come out until august. Dark Corners is the sequel to the Night Swim, and although it is not absolutely necessary, it is still recommended to read that book first since there are enough references to the first book and its storylines that it will make more sense if you know it. while this book is fiction, it is about a true crime podcaster who helps the police and FBI with unresolved cases.

the plot of this story wasnt quite as grueling as the previous book, though it was still kind of creepy at times. this time, our heroine is brought to Florida to help with a case, though the FBI only wants to selectively allow her to be involved. of course, that doesnt fly well with our true crime podcast host main character, and she becomes so involved that she uncovers way more than they did in no time. there are a few things that i had definitely figured out way before they were revealed, so maybe it is a little predictable, but it didnt take away from the story at all and at least everything was resolved rather than leaving things hanging like some books seem to. i cannot say much more without getting too spoilery, so i will end here saying thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. i really enjoyed this book and feel so privileged to already have been able to read it and will definitely be recommending this series.

Rachel Krall is my favorite fictional true crime podcaster. I’ve read other books with podcasters, but nobody holds a candle to Krall.

This book is quite the page turner! In true Goldin fashion there are multiple suspects and some very good twists. For a while I didn’t think all my questions were going to be answered, but no fear they were! So many thoughts while reading, but my #1 was why is Terrence Bailey obsessed with Maddison?! The answer to that question is so good!

If you loved Night Swim then don’t hesitate on this one!

This is a MUST. I devoured this one, and I mean DEVOURED! WIth such short chapters you will never want to quit turning the pages. There are missing girls, a serial killer that hasn’t been pinned down, a creeeeepy ride share driver, influencers. I swear this has it all. Obsessed.

4.5 rounded up!

I love this book! I plan to go back and read the first one. Rachel had such an interesting personality. I loved how we got little pieces along the way. The main killer was so crazy. The smell thing really was an extra bit that made him hate-able. Love the social media aspect of the book.

Megan Goldin is a master of suspenseful storytelling. From the opening page I was hooked and quickly trying to turn the pages to see what would happen next- the opposite of a slow burn.

The second book in the Rachel Krall series and wow has our main character grown. She has developed a stronger backbone and a sarcastic tongue that serves her well. In Night Swim Rachel was outside the action, observing and reporting on the drama. In Dark Corners she is inside the story and at the center of the drama. It was a bit jarring at first but so well done that it was believable.

We have a social media conference and a serial killer. This could have easily turned dark comedy but the exceptional writing made those two extremes plausible. The mystery had me guessing (incorrectly) the outcome but I was completely satisfied when it was finally revealed.

The format was the same, a dual storyline between a pressure filled mystery and an objective podcast that felt like a mini vacation from the suspense.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a chance to read an advance copy of Dark corners the 2nd book in the Rachel Krall by Megan Goldin. I really enjoyed the first book of the series, The night swim, and was looking forward to Dark corners. I found it a solid mystery, but I didn't like Rachel's character in this installment as I was in The night swim. The plot is fast paced, but the thread on the lifestyle of an Influencer just didn't thrill me. I missed Rachel's podcast which was featured in the 1st book. 31/2 stars rounded up.

I absolutely loved yet another one from Megan Goldin! I loved the dual perspectives, especially the bits and pieces we obtained from the podcast chapters. Rachel Krall is bad-ass and I can't wait to see what her next story holds....I liked the little bit of romance provided as well. Page turner...edge of my seat....trying to piece together who was hiding in plain sight!

This was a phenomenal follow up to The Night Swim and I have to say I enjoyed this one so much more! I was hooked right away and I enjoyed following along as Rachel and the FBI worked to solve a string of murders and disappearances and the focus on social media and influencer culture felt relevant and interesting. It was also kind of eerie that I read this at the same time there was a break in the Long Island serial killer/Gilgo Beach murders where sex workers were also some of the victims. I mostly listened to the audiobook which was great but would periodically switch to the e-book. Highly recommend if you enjoyed The Night Swim, true crime podcasts or just fast-paced, mysterious, unsettling thrillers. 4.5⭐️

Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star of Megan Goldin’s acclaimed The Night Swim, returns to search for a popular influencer who disappears after visiting a suspected serial killer.

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 release date 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? And why was she visiting him in the first place?

When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel Krall’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems to only 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 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—identical to a tattoo Rachel had seen on Bailey’s hand—the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krall herself. Suddenly the 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.

MY THOUGHTS:



Just when we begin to wonder about an inmate who has a connection to Rachel Krall and Maddison Logan, Dark Corners takes us into a very dark place. Rachel has been helping the FBI when she visits the inmate, and afterwards, she is drawn into the world of the Influencers, like Maddison.

In alternating narratives, we learn more about those who might have more to do with the events that are happening, and the connections that have led them to their actions. As I turned the pages, I couldn’t stop wondering about how events had taken shape and what would happen next.

A five star read!

My ARC came to me from the publisher via NetGalley.
***

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC.

I’ll start this by saying that this book would be fine as a stand alone, however, I read Night Swim before reading Dark Corners.

This is another adventure with Rachel Krall to help solve cases while recording for her podcast. This was not a new season of her podcast though. We get a story that seems to be entirely separate from her podcast, which was very prominent in book 1. There are only small mentions of the podcast and no chapters written as if you are hearing the podcast like previously.

This time, Rachel has been called by the FBI because her name was brought up to a man in prison that was suspected of murdering many women, but never convicted. We get to find out why through out the story.

If you like a mystery, and don’t care about how true to real life it would be, then this novel might be for you. It’s a fast paced thriller with people going missing and being found dead.

I just find that the FBI involvement with Rachel is not well executed and feels fake. If it doesn’t bother you that this would never happen in real life, then go for it and pick it up.

{3.5 stars}

We got to know podcaster Rachel Krall in 2020’s summer hit thriller Night Swim. She’s back in Dark Corners as she investigates a missing influencer. That search takes her into prison to meet an almost paroled, ex-con, and pairs her with an FBI agent hot on the case.

I was middle of the road on Night Swim, but I liked this novel a bit more. It uses many points of view and ways of communicating what is happening as it is happening. It also has us following the actual killer so we get some insight to their psyche. They are all the usual, red herrings, along the way and a bit of romance but this one has a nice pace and wraps everything up cleanly. Also, as a bookstagrammer, I enjoyed the influencer angle, that was a fun way to approach things.

Thanks to Macmillian Audio and St Martins Press for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

Review of Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

Thank you so much to @stmartinspress for a copy of this one. It was the perfect beach read and I really enjoyed it. I loved how the main character Rachel from Night Swim was brought back in this one. However this one can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I was just a few miles away from Daytona Beach when I read this and so that setting was really fun. I also loved the influencer and podcast angles. There was one big twist I never saw coming. I highly recommend this one!

Synopsis:
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 release date 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? And why was she visiting him in the first place?

When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel Krall’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems to only 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 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―identical to a tattoo Rachel had seen on Bailey’s hand―the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krall herself. Suddenly the 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.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin
Narrators: Andre’ Santana, January LaVoy, Samantha Desz
Rating: 4 stars
Pub Date: 8/8

This second book in the Rachel Krall series has the true crime podcaster searching for Maddison Logan, a missing social media influencer. She was last seen visiting suspected serial killer Terence Bailey in jail just days before his release. When the FBI hit a wall in the case, they called Rachel in to help.

This book was clever, fast paced, and full of twists and turns. When Rachel herself became a target and potential next victim, I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t put the book down! I loved learning about the darker side of the life of a social media influencer, and the multiple POV added depth to the story. The ending perfectly wrapped everything up and gave me hope that we’ll see Rachel Krall again.

I’ve always said that I’m not a big fan of true crime podcasts, but this audiobook may have proven me wrong! My favorite parts of this were the podcast portions and everytime they ended I wished there were more! The audiobook has elements that get lost on the page, which makes the listening experience even more enjoyable than the ebook, in my opinion.

This is my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last! I should mention that I didn’t read the first book in the series and it didn’t affect my reading experience at all.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced reader copy and to Macmillan Audio for my gifted ALC.

Read if you like:
*twisty thrillers
*true crime podcasts
*social media influencers
*romantic suspense
*multiple POV

Goldin doesn't disappoint with this one. A GREAT READ and I loved how real the characters felt. Definitely recommend it.

After a brief meeting with an inmate in a correctional facility in Florida, famous influencer Maddison Logan disappears without a trace. The soon-to-be-released inmate, Terence Bailey, though incarcerated for B&E, is a suspect in the murders of six women, though the FBI is yet to prove their case. When a meeting between Bailey and Rachel ends with Bailey’s veiled threats directed towards Rachel, the FBI, sensing that Bailey might target Rachel requests her to fly back home.. Rachel has no idea to get involved in influencers’ voyeuristic lifestyle may put her life in danger. Her firsthand experience may turn her into target of a nasty serial killer! This is my first book by Megan Goldin and she has gained herself a fan. #NETGALLEY #DARKCORNERS

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?

Another win from Megan Goldin! If the name Rachel Krall sounds familiar, you may remember her from Goldin’s previous book, The Night Swim. If you haven’t no worries! This one reads great as a stand alone.

The FBI turns to Rachel - a true crime podcast host - to try to solve a missing person case. She wasn’t able to get what they wanted out of her visit to Terence Bailey (who is about to be released from prison) and the FBI tries to send her home…. Only Rachel wanted to see the case through. She ends up undercover at a social media influencer conference.

I don’t listen to podcasts, but I always enjoy them in a book. The social media world was interesting from Rachel’s perspective. Good twists and interesting how it all came together in the end. Looking forward to more Rachel Krall mysteries!

I was able to read and listen to this story on audio. Great narration that kept the story moving!