I read this book on audio and I found it to be a compelling reading of the story.

This is the second book in the Rachel Krall series, but you don't need to read the first book to read this one. It's a standalone and doesn't contain spoilers. I loved the first Rachel Krall story, The Night Swim, so I was super excited for this one. While I enjoyed this one, it didn't quite compare to the first one for me.

The story was more generic than the last book - this made it less traumatic and dark, but it also made it less compelling. The characters weren't as well fleshed out as the last book, which made it harder to feel strongly about their fates. I found the lack of character development especially frustrating since many sections of the book are from the killer's perspective. That being said, I was definitely engaged with the story and didn't want it to end. I had to know what happened next!

This was a solid thriller and it kept me reading which was exactly what I needed on a long road trip. I think I would have loved it more if I hadn't read The Night Swim first.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Dark Corners had an interesting premise, but the journey was too long and uneventful to make it worthwhile. I felt the same way about the first book in the series, The Night Swim, but loved her other books, so I was hoping for a winner. This thriller did not deliver the pulse-pounding suspense that was promised.

Truthfully, books involving podcasters and influencers aren't on the top of my reading list so this title had a lot of convincing to do to persuade me. I enjoyed the book despite my reluctance. I haven't read the first in this series, but I feel inspired to give it a try.

Rachel Krall hosts the popular true crime podcast, Guilty or Not Guilty. Based on her success in finding new evidence in other criminal cases, the FBI reaches out to Rachel for help in finding Maddison Logan, a missing social media influencer who disappeared shortly after visiting a soon-to-be released prison inmate. Rachel infiltrates the BuzzCon social media convention in an effort to get closer to other influencers who may have known Maddison and help find a girl who doesn’t seem to exist anywhere except Instagram.

Megan Goldin sure knows how to capture my attention with her twisty thrillers! I’m loving social media thrillers at the moment, and this novel really delivers on that angle, giving the reader a glimpse at the cutthroat underbelly of a vapid industry where image is everything. I enjoyed the heck out of this dual POV story that gives us Rachel’s perspective along with insight into a potential serial killer with a very distinctive personal characteristic. As a true crime lover, I really liked how episodes of the podcast were woven into the story. Although Rachel has a bit of an abrasive exterior in her real life, the episodes show her compassion and commitment to getting justice for crime victims.

This is Megan Goldin’s second book about Rachel Krall, but they are basically stand-alones and you don’t need to read The Night Swim in order to enjoy Dark Corners. That said, The Night Swim is amazing and you absolutely should read it! Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an advance copy of this book.

This sequel to The Night Swim was absolutely fantastic! Megan Goldin brilliantly crafted a unique storyline that didn't rely on replicating the success of the first book. The buzz of an influencer-centric plot combined with the exciting disappearance/murder mystery made this an excellent read.

The sections exploring the world of influencers were incredibly entertaining and were realistic (and a bit over-the-top which was fun). Additionally, the chilling perspective from the serial killer added a creepy and distinct element.

While there was a touch of romance, it was tastefully integrated, and personally, I found it enjoyable. Despite some complaints about Rachel's snarky personality, I adored her sass, which felt necessary in many scenes. I would have been sassy too!

The unexpected twists in this book truly caught me off guard, and the fast-paced narratives made it a captivating and engrossing read. It felt like solving a thrilling puzzle, and the inclusion of criminal procedure added another layer of excitement.

I must mention that the podcast element in both books is simply the best, especially as audiobooks. I highly recommend giving them a listen! The pacing, flow, and extra sound effects make these audiobooks so fantastic.

Overall, the pace of the story was excellent, and from the very first page, I was hooked. This true crime psychological thriller was an absolute delight to read!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Megan Goldin for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

4.5 stars, actually.

After having read and enjoyed "The Night Swim," the first book in this series, I was delighted to snag a pre-release copy of this, the next installment. And if anything, I enjoyed it more.

In part, I suppose, that's because the focus is on social media influencers - a "job" that's fascinated me pretty much from the first time I learned that it not only existed, but can be quite financially lucrative. But as a writer and former journalist, I identified with - and liked - the star of the show, true crime podcaster Rachel Krall. As this one begins, she's called by the FBI to visit prisoner Terence Bailey, a suspect in the disappearance and presumed murders of six women, in hopes that she can get him to reveal something meaningful before he's released in a couple of days (he's incarcerated as a result of a different crime). Specifically, a popular influencer named Maddison Logan visited Bailey recently, only to go missing a few hours later.

Alas, Rachel's visit raises more questions than answers, so now the FBI, led by hunky agent Joe Martinez, turns to Plan B - which doesn't include Rachel. Now intrigued by the circumstances, though, Rachel refuses to go quietly; instead, she signs up - under a fake identity - for Daytona Beach's BuzzCon, a big convention for influencers. Figuring Maddison would have been there had she not disappeared, Rachel hopes she can get some scoops that will beef up her planned podcast (and perhaps help the FBI in the process).

All does not go well with that plan, though, and Martinez worries not only that Bailey may be in cahoots with a partner on the "outside" but that Rachel may become a target as well. Then, another body turns up with a mysterious snake tattoo - one that may provide the link they need. Through interspersed chapters, readers begin to see what's really going on - and begin to understand why Martinez may be spot on with his concerns for Rachel's life. From that point on, there's never a dull moment (and I learned enough about the life of an influencer that I decided to give up any notion of doing it myself). Very entertaining book with some possible carryovers to the next one, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

Megan Golden keeps me guessing!! The Night Swim was one of the first thrillers that really got me hooked into the genre, so I knew I had to pick up Dark Corners.

I'd give this 4.5 as some parts were confusing/hard to follow.

Rachel Krall is back to help solve another crime, and hopefully get a good story for her podcast. Terrance Bailey is in prison for an "armed burglary" and had his sentence extended after beating up another inmate. His sentence is up shortly and he's only ever had 2 visitors come see him, Madison, a social media influencer, and Rachel Krall.

Madison disappears shortly after visiting Bailey. The FBI are suspicious, as they think Bailey is a serial killer who has killed many young women before. Rachel is brought in to help solve the case.

There are so many different aspects to this story, so you don't know what actually happened. Short chapters that change POV and to transcripts of the podcast make it interesting to see what will happen. At some points, I was really creeped out!

Though this is book 2, you could read this without reading The Night Swim. But, if you're like me and have to read any book labeled a series in order, then read the Night Swim first.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! Can't wait for Rachel Krall #3.

This was a great audiobook production. However, the book itself fell a little flat. I was really enjoying most of it, then we added unnecessary romantic entanglements and the ending left MUCH to be desired. There was no closure or explanation, which baffled me. I loved THE NIGHT SWIM and this was similar in a lot of ways but didn't quite have the same magic.

This was a good, solid suspenseful story that kept me engrossed all the way through to the end. I didn't find anything especially surprising here, but it was still entertaining, and should have wide audience appeal. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was a little skeptical of this book based on the synopsis, I feel like I’ve read many where the main character is a true crime podcaster. But, this one lives up to the hype!
Since this a now a Book of the Month there is a lot of buzz and for good reason. Twisty storyline without being scary. Additional storylines to throw you off track. A little romance- it had it all! I would have loved a little more wrap at the end but maybe that’s how it was intended. Overall this is one of the best thrillers I have read in 2023!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press(Erica Martirano) for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

True Crime podcaster, Rachel Krall returns as she is summoned by the FBI to a prison where inmate Terence Bailey will soon be released. Although Terence has done time for breaking and entering, the FBI believes him to also be the serial killer they have been hunting. Although confused as to why the FBI believes that she can be helpful, Rachel soon learns that Terence's last visitor, a missing social media influencer, Maddison Logan, has gone missing. Intrigued, Rachel decides that she wants to help out with the case. But the person who has Maddison is also watching Rachel and the FBI and this case might just get bigger before it is solved.


What I thought
Admittedly, this one took a few chapters before I felt that it held me in its talons. I think I desired more on the solving of the case rather than chapters devoted to Rachel Krall's dalliance with an FBI agent. The story is told from multi-character perspectives and sometimes transitions weren't always that smooth. I liked Rachel Krall very much in Book 1( The Night Swim) but there were parts of her personality that shone through in this one that I didn't like as much.

I guess you could say this one fits into the 3.0-star category.


Expected Publication Date 08/08/23
Goodreads Review Published 05/07/23

I did not know that was second in a series surrounding Rachel Krall. However, that did not impact my ability to remain engaged! This was so great! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The way the characters and POVs intersected was flawless

The sequel to Megan Goldin's "The Night Swim" but not be as great of a story, but it's still a compelling book. Rachel is back again with another season of her acclaimed podcast — this time trying to find out if Terrence Bailey really did kill all the people that the cops think he did. Unlike the first book, the podcast isn't as big in "Dark Corners," you only get a few chapter snippets and I don't feel like you got a good ending on it. The book has some decent twists, but most that you saw coming (i.e. the killer). Overall, a good 4-star read, especially if you liked The NIght Swim.

I was so very privileged to have been given the opportunity to read and review this book prior to release by NetGalley! Megan Goldin is an amazing writer and while Night Swim was not my favorite, I thoroughly enjoyed Escape Room and was thrilled to get an advanced copy of this novel.

While the storyline kept me engaged and I enjoyed how she tied many pieces to the puzzle/case into different storylines at the end, not allowing her story to be too predictable, I did feel like the writing style and the composition of the sentences was a bit juvenile at times. I don't claim to be any better myself but I was surprised by it coming from this author, not remembering her writing being this way previously. It often read like a YA novel, many phrases repeating and the ending chapter felt like a let down after such a fast moving climax.

I loved the short chapters and I liked the incorporation of social media.

I did feel like some of what occurred in the storyline was just a little TOO convenient...

All in all I rate this book 3/5 because, while I have many good things to say, there are just as many draw backs. I wanted to love it, but in the end I was just able to finish it, which is a win.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! What a great mystery/thriller!
Character development was spot on. Felt they were all so real.
Highly recommend!

3.5 stars-I had such high expectations for this book after reading The Night Swim….I liked the mystery part of the story and the way it unfolded was interesting. Also the inspiration for the title, the most dangerous spot is around a dark corner. Now I am going to get a little tangenty here with the I did not likes. First, I AM SO OVER the hot FBI agent with demons falling for the hot (fill in the blank.) I like my thrillers without the complications of hot people always having sex. Personal opinion. I also couldn’t handle the social media influencer aspect to this book. I know way too much about the influencer world, again, my opinion. I am not big on social media so for me this was just an annoyance. The story was ok, but it felt very formulaic. I’m not giving up on the author, but this was not a favorite of mine. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc. As mentioned all opinions are my own.

I loved this book! Even better than the first one and the ending I didn’t see coming. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

I've been a Megan Goldin fan since her debut book The Escape Room. She weaves a story that is equal parts twisted and captivating and Dark Corners was no different.

Dark Corners is the return of famed character, Rachel Krall from The Night Swim. Although this is the second book in what they are deeming a series, they are both total standalones. Rachel is the famous podcaster that investigates true crimes. She is now brought into Daytona after a very high profile social influencer goes missing and Rachel's name is brought up. With short chapters and multiple POVs, this story keeps you glued to the pages from the beginning to the end.

With all the characters, initially it was a little difficult to keep some of the names straight, but the characters were all so vividly ALIVE in the story that it didn't take long to differentiate between them. They all carried important pieces to the puzzle of solving the missing person case and intertwining it with social media influencers, evil lurking in plain site, the release of a prisoner and Rachel and her developing relationship with her FBI contact.

Overall this was an engaging and dark book that held my attention throughout. I loved being back in Rachel Krall's world and having her still be a strong and confident woman. I hope we get more of her and perhaps see her relationship with Joe grow. What case will she take us on next??

"We're so desensitized to evil, so obsessed with finding out what makes the likes of...tick, that we forget about the victims. Not just those they kill, but those they leave behind."

I really enjoyed the Night Swim, but I would say this is a semi-sequel and you don't have to read the Night Swim in order to read Dark Corners. Very little was mentioned about the first book and doesn't ruin anything about this book as it is really a separate storyline. I enjoyed the "influencer" storyline and thought that this story was great. I do wish there would have been more podcast feel like the first book but still enjoyed it and maybe even more than the Night Swim but for different reasons. I enjoy Rachel Krall as a character and would love her story to continue on. Would recommend. Thanks Netgalley for ARC!
4.25*

Dark Corners was my first read of my vacation week, and I’m not sure how my next read can possibly measure up. Megan Goldin brings back podcaster Rachel Krall from book one in her series, and I’m already hoping she returns in a book three. In Dark Corners, Rachel is recruited by Joe Martinez to help solve the disappearance of a missing influencer, and it’s non-stop twists and reveals that left me frantically flipping wondering how things would tie together. When Megan even tied in the influencer swag, it wrapped it all together in a way that is just oh so entertaining, and I’m left hoping that Joe and Rachel join forces again.