I was really excited to see that Rachel Krall was coming back! I loved “The Night Swim” - books about true crime podcasters are at the top of my list right now. I was really excited to read this one, and it didn’t disappoint!

This one starts out with a social media influencer and a prison inmate asking for Rachel Krall’s help. Rachel hosts a very popular true crime podcast, and she has helped get justice in a few high profile cases. The FBI wants to know why Rachel is being asked for her help. This starts off a chain of events that at first seem unrelated. Rachel goes undercover at an influencer convention to see what she can find out when one of the main players in this story goes missing. This story is a slow burn that moves fast. Everything is connected, and I did not see the twist coming.

The thing I loved about this story were the chapters the reader gets that show how this story will be presented as a podcast. The author gives you just enough to keep you guessing and reading. I also love Rachel’s commitment to the victims. Great true crime podcasts tell all of the victims’ stories.

You do not have to read “The Night Swim” to read this one, but I recommend that you do as it is a great read, and really gives a great introduction to the character of Rachel Krall. You will not be sorry you did!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy of this book. I really hope to get more Rachel Krall stories. This book releases in August of 2023. Also, pick up this author’s stand alone book “Stay Awake” - it is excellent!

Oh this was good! I seriously was not lying on a review on one of her previous books that I would read anything she writes - this stands true.

With that said, the very beginning was confusing. I almost didn't continue, but I am glad I kept on trucking. Around 30% of the way through, everything started to click together. As the puzzle pieces fell into place, I could not put this down!

If you feel like you can't keep going - just keep going! Let those puzzle pieces fall into place. I promise you the end result is worth it!

I've been a huge fan of Megan Goldin since I reviewed her 1st book The Escape Room. Megan writes great books that keep you guessing till the end and her writing is hauntingly beautiful. This book pulled me in from the description and since page one I could not put it down. I absolutely loved it! This is a great imaginative read and I highly suggest it.

Despite really enjoying The Night Swim, I just didn’t love this one. Rachel’s character was a lot less likable in this story, the social media side wasn’t so interesting to me, and there were a few moments where I was yelling at the book because the twists were so obvious had Rachel just asked other characters the right questions or showed them a photo of the person she was asking about (since she knew they were using a fake name!!). A bit frustrating to read, but I’d considering another Megan Goldin book if it wasn’t centered around Rachel Krall.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin
Publishing Date - 08/08/23
Rating (4/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ebook arc. Podcaster Rachel Krall is back again in this second book of the series. She is helping FBI agent Joe , investigate the disappearance of an influencer Maddison , who disappears from her ban in the middle of the woods after meeting with prisoner Terrance Bailey. Plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end!

I won't repeat the book blurb here as the publisher does a fine job of describing what the book is about.

While I'm glad to see the Rachel Krall series continue, I didn't enjoy this read as much as Night Swim. The whole social media influencers aspect was a turn-off for me. Goldin continues to develop Rachel and her other characters well, and the pacing is good. A twist turns everything you've been led to believe upside down which was refreshing.

You'll have to decide whether you want to read this on your own, my friends. I will continue to look forward to Megan Goldin's books, but this was just a so-so read for me.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for permitting me to read a DRC via NetGalley. The novel is scheduled for publication on 8/8/23. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

Here, Rachel Krall finds herself in sunny Florida at the behest of the FBI to solve the recent disappearance of van-life social media influencer, Maddison Logan and her mysterious connection to a suspected serial killer behind bars. Here, she must wade through the facade of social media influencers to get to the real Maddison and skirt the FBI’s wishes that she extricate herself from the case. But if we know one thing about Rachel, it’s that she never backs away from what she’s started.

Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this e-arc, I couldn’t be happier to walk with Rachel Krall in her next leg of her story. Megan Goldin has once again, grabbed me hook line and sinker with the way she weaves her mysteries. I’m always left guessing until the last possible moment and I was even pleasantly surprised with the sprinkle of romance that played a part in this installment.

From the beginning, the atmosphere of the swampy marshes of Florida to the hot, unforgiving concrete of the prison, to the shiny welcoming city center drew me in. I knew the stories would collide at some point but I couldn’t begin to figure out how. Overall, this was a super entertaining read but I felt there were some pitfalls that I didn’t have with the Night Swim, which is what ultimately kept this from being a five star read for me. Namely, I feel like this felt rushed. There were some plot holes that I felt nearly brought me out of the story. I feel like the case could have been solved with just a little bit deeper digging or less vague clues left by Maddison at the very beginning. I’m not sure what made Rachel’s sources so willing to give up information with little to no prodding but it almost comes down to sheer luck and timing (and a way for the author to give you easily earned information with convenient timing). I couldn’t decide if Maddison and Terence actually wanted this to be solved or if they were looking for some sort of vigilante justice? But why be coy when you’re trying to catch a serial killer that you know is still out there and still hunting? It seems selfish to want to cover up your own motivations at that point. Once I had made up my mind that while there were indeed some frustrating plot holes that I felt could have easily been rewritten, I was willing to overlook and focus on my enjoyment of the story. Here is where Megan really shines at giving us the push and pull of the suspense and excitement and I began to feel the way I did when I couldn’t put down the Night Swim. Overall, I still can’t wait for the next Rachel Krall installment. What will she do next? Where will this lead? Only Megan Goldin can tell us.

4⭐️

This is a captivating mystery thriller that kept me guessing throughout the story. It was fast paced with multiple perspectives and timelines.

We follow again the main protagonist Rachel Krall, a crime investigative podcaster. This time however the crime she is trying to solve is not one she voluntarily first signed up for. She finds herself in the middle of a FBI investigation after a young Instagram influencer goes missing. The prime suspect is a man getting ready to be released from prison from a breaking and entering charge. But the FBI, actually suspect him to be one of a duo serial killer of young women.

This story instantly sucked me in. The writing is fantastic and I really enjoyed my time with this book. The characters have depth and I connected with the majority of them. One weakness was the killer of the story. The motivation was a bit weak for me and I wish we got more back ground. There was so some confusing points at the end of the story. However overall this was a really fun read. The short chapters was also a huge plus as it kept the tempo fast.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins press for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own,

I will be posting my review to my Instagram page the.floofs.booknook and retail sites close or on publication.

I enjoyed this book. The plot revealed itself pretty early on though, and it ended abruptly. I wasn’t sure if I was missing a page ?

Rachel Krall, a popular podcast journalist, is pulled into an FBI investigation for questioning after her name is mysteriously dropped by a suspected killer. When social media darling Maddison Logan suddenly goes missing, eerily similar to a case from years before, Rachel can’t seem to resist getting involved. She ignores the obvious dangers that arise and sets out incognito to hunt for answers.

I really enjoyed getting pulled into the tension of this ever-evolving puzzle . . . thrilling fiction that also reads like true crime . . . very entertaining! This was my first read by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last.

This title is scheduled to release on - August 8, 2023

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Dark Corners for my unbiased evaluation.  4 stars

This is my third Megan Goldin book, but it’s only after reading that I realized this was book 2 in a series – and I missed book 1. Oops! I’ll have to wait a few months to try to forget a few things before picking up “Night Swim.” But I didn’t like this as much as the two Megan Goldin books I did read; while it was certainly a gripping thriller, it wasn’t as thought provoking as those others. Maddison Logan, a popular Instagram influencer, has disappeared after visiting a suspected serial killer in prison two days before his release. Rachel is a true crime podcaster who’s asked by the FBI to come to Florida to help them with the case – and then she decides she wants to do some digging of her own and try to help. I really enjoyed the inside look at the influencer world, and really liked the main characters. The plot was a little bit confusing until about halfway through, when things started coming together, but I did love the ending – and read the second half of this book in one night because I couldn’t put it down. All in all, definitely recommended, even if it wasn’t quite as engaging as some of Goldin’s other books.

So much suspense and a thriller of a ride!!!
This book had it all police, FBI, missing girls, killings, murderers,
Jail. All the things that intrigue me I read this book
Pretty fast that's how good it was. As soon as you get
Into the storyline you can't stop.
Really enjoyed this one

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Rachel Krall, a famous true crime podcaster is back and this time helping the FBI in the search for a social media influencer who went missing. Terence Baily, a suspected serial in prison, is about to be released and is one of the last people to see Maddison. Why would she visit him? When a body is found, the officials wonder if Terence has an accomplice. For the most part, I liked this book but when not investigating, Rachel and the FBI agent are mooning over each other. That's the part that got on my nerves. If they focused more on the mystery rather than the romance, I would have liked this more. Rachel was ok, I like her character. The agent, though, got on my nerves. I just didn't like him and I could have done without his character.

A sequel to The Night Swim ♥️.. this is about true crime podcaster Rachel Krall—a character from The Night Swim—who feels responsible for finding a missing social media influencer, Maddison Logan, after she left Rachel an eerie voice message asking for her help.

Which then brings us to Florida where a man, Terence Bailey, is being released from prison after time served for a petty crime. He is suspected of killing several women. Maddison had visited + interviewed the suspected serial killer right before she disappeared. This was two days before his release.

So Terrence Bailey clearly had an accomplice.. right. Or is there something else at play here??

At the FBI’s request (enticing her with an exclusive story on the case), Rachel fly’s to Florida to meet one-on-one with the prisoner to help establish proof of his involvement in Maddison’s disappearance.. to find her + to keep him locked up. The FBI tells her Terence Bailey is a big fan of her now sensationalized podcast “Guilty or Not Guilty.” So with Rachel being there in person they’re hoping he will reveal something to her.

What happened to Maddison.. is she still alive.. and who was the mastermind behind her abduction??

If you’re looking for more of a podcast element in this book you won’t find that here.. but there is an influencer conference #BuzzCon that Rachel attends looking for info about Maddison. Let me just say that NOTHING is at it seems in this book. Red herrings are plentiful.

Rachel’s personality is not the same as in Dark Corners, but I still enjoyed her characterization just as much here + also the romance brewing behind the scenes. This can be read as a standalone but I also recommend Dark Corners too if you haven’t read it yet. 4 stars — Pub. 8/8/23

Much thanks to the publisher via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed The Night Swim by Megan Goldin and read it very quickly a few summers ago. I found Dark Corners to be similarly bingeable. The final reveals and untangling of the plot was clever and the action adventure climax came at the perfect time. I also found the killer to be perfectly creepy in a way that doesn't always come across for me in thrillers. That being said there were a few things that didn't deliver for me. Rachel and Joe's romance wasn't quite believable for me. I appreciated their tension but I needed a little bit more groundwork there between them. Also the whole 'influencer' subplot felt a little bit unnecessary and slightly mean, painting a large group with one brush. I think this will be a popular summer thriller since it delivers a lot of the things people want in a beach read. I do look forward to reading the rest of Goldin's backlist.

When a true crime podcaster finds herself in the center of a case involving a popular missing influencer who is connected to a suspected serial killer... and the possibility that there is a larger case at hand and that the real killer could still be outside. Rachel Krall is a true crime podcaster who actually helped solve real cases, but then she is suddenly called in by the FBI to help with a case involving Terence Bailey, a man who was put in prison for breaking and entering though he was long suspected of murdering six women.... Terence is about to be let out of prison soon but he got a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot young influencer with a huge following.... who disappears hours after visiting Terence. The FBI ask Rachel to come help because she somehow came up in the conversation between Maddison and Terence, and now Rachel is invested in finding out what exactly happened to Tessa and why she was brought into the conversation. Maddison might be a famous influencer, but there is no real information on her and who she really is outside of her curated social media. More questions begin to pile up as to why both Terence and Maddison have matching ouroboros tattoos and why said tattoo is also found on another victim that has just appeared despite the fact that Terrance is still in prison... which means there’s another killer on the outside. The real question is are Terence and the outside killer working together or is something else happening??? Rachel soon finds herself being the target of the killer, can she figure it out before its too late? This was a really fun mystery and it felt like an episode of Criminal Minds, with how we got the POVs between Rachel, The Killer, and Joe the FBI agent. I liked how the mystery played out and enjoyed that we got background info on the case in the format of Rachel’s podcast throughout the book. I’ve been a big fan of Megan Goldin’s books and this one did not disappoint!

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Full disclosure, I’ve not read Night Swim. I’ve been meaning to but never got around to reading it. I really like Goldin’s writing style and how even with so many plot lines they all converged together in the end. The social media angle was different, but I didn’t care for those chapters. The characters were too vain and unlikeable for me. Overall, if there is another book in this series I would read it.

This second book in the Rachel Krall series was even better than the first. I enjoy mystery/thriller novels, however, I don't want anything that's too graphic. Goldin's story-telling is perfect for my tastes. There is an intriguing mystery, that keeps me guessing, it is timely and relevant (this one delving into the world of "influencers"), and overall a delicious fast-paced mystery. As an IRL fan of true crime podcasts, I look forward to following our protagonist Rachel Krall on future cases!

I think I need to go find Night Swim because so many other reviewers have told me that I should have started with that one even if this one is a stand-alone with cross over characters.

Dark Corners was creepy AF. I wanted to puke with the snakes 🐍 (fear much) and legit this is the reason I stress about social media and influencers and whoever is on the other end of seeing my posts.

The author takes you into the influencer world but I feel like I guessed and knew who the bad guy was from the start so that took a bit of my interest away. But it was decent and I think thriller readers would like this. Just creepyyyyyy and makes me become slightly more stressed about being online 🤯

Megan Goldin has created a wonderful sequel in her Rachel Krall series! I loved the first novel, "The Night Swim", which is why I was so excited when I was granted an ARC copy by the publisher. What I appreciate most about this novel is its straight forward story telling. Goldin isn't trying to trick you with any half baked twists and turns. She does a masterful job of just weaving an interspersing plot along with interesting characters.
I really enjoyed the underlining commentary on influencer culture and what it takes to be a full time content creator. Is it really as glamorous as it truly appears? As the smallest scale book blogger even I can say that I can get carried away in trying to keep up on the social media game, comparing my books read per year, comparing my follower count, the stress of not knowing what to post... And I do this for fun!
Also as a big podcast junkie myself, I still love that our heroin is a true crime podcaster. The chapters that are Rachel talking to her audience are often my favorite. How her tone changes, how the story teller takes over. It is wonderful writing on Goldin's part truly.