I didn’t want this to end, but I flew through it.

I absolutely LOVED The Night Swim, so when I heard that Megan Goldin was bringing Rachel back I was so excited. This was another great mystery/thriller solved in large part by our resident podcaster.

I personally love the influencer dynamic in books of this genre. I find it so entertaining when people inevitably become cutthroat. And while that is only a small part of this story, the bigger picture is entirely more sinister.

A well known influencer goes missing just after visiting a prison inmate accused of killing multiple women. With only three days to go before the inmate is released, FBI agent Joe Martinez calls Rachel in to help.

With so many unanswered questions, Rachel must infiltrate a big influencer event while keeping her identity a secret in order to uncover what could have led this beautiful young influencer down this path to her disappearance.

I absolutely loved this book. I felt the big reveal was a teensey-bit rushed, and therefore lackluster, but I found so much more in this book to love. The bit of relationship development was great and actually just what I wanted to see in this second book.

I truly hope Goldin has more Rachel Krall in store for us!

Thanks so much for the ARC. I enjoyed this sequel almost as much as the first book. Look forward to reading more books by Goldin.

I went into this book not knowing that it was a sequel to Night Swim (which I didn't read). I honestly don't feel like I missed anything by going straight to the 2nd book in the series. It did well as a standalone novel. I don't usually read police type thrillers, but this book kept my interest from the first page. A quick overview: Rachel is a podcaster who is asked by the FBI (Joe Martinez) to come help talk to a prisoner (Terrance Bailey) who is about to be released from prison (he was in for breaking and entering). He has mentioned Rachel's name and the FBI want to see what the connection is between Rachel and Terrance. The police and FBI think that Terrance shouldn't be released from prison because they they believe beside the breaking and entering, that he's also murdered many young women. I found this book to be twisty and a fun ride. A solid 4 stars from me!

I struggled a bit with this one. It may be due to not having read the prior book. I was expecting a thriller, but that's not what I found. There were unanswered questions, and the "twists" weren't all that unexpected.

Love Rachel Krall! I was glad Megan Goldin did a second Rachel Krall book. Her character is a strong woman reporter who does very popular true crime podcast. She isn't just the voice behind it, she is the brains and investigative journalist behind it. She isn't interested in all the hoopla and fame. The FBI calls her in to help speak with a incarcerated man who is suspected of being a serial killer as he may have info about a missing woman. They suspect he may have a partner. He seems to be a fan of Krall's podcast so they asked for her help although this dragged her into the line of fire as well (of course) BUT part of the storyline is set at an influencers convention which her attitude towards this is entertaining as well. Long story short it intertwines old cases with the new and she is in the middle of it. Missing Girl, Murder, Serial Killers, Possible Romance and more. It was an intriguing and fast read. Definitely recommend. It can be read as a stand alone but I am glad I read The Night Swim first as it helps develop her character more.

Dark corners was a delight!!! Loved this authors first book and writing style. The twists and turns in this book were really good!
I didn’t know if this book would be too similar to the night swim but it wasn’t and I truly enjoyed.

This is a follow-up to The Night Swim by Goldin that features Rachel Krall, a true-crime podcaster. For me, this book didn't have the "wow factor" that the first one did--too much of this story focused on podcasters and social media influencers. I do hope the author keeps the series going, however.

Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

3.5 ⭐️

Dark Corners is the second novel following Rachel Krall, a journalist who runs a very successful true crime investigative podcast. In this story, Krall is called to a prison to meet Terrence Bailey, a prisoner who is getting out. She is somehow connected to this prisoner and the disappearance of a big social media influencer/content creator. Krall becomes involved in the investigation and goes somewhat undercover at Buzzcon, a huge event and competition for content creators. While at the event, Krall works closely with the FBI to try and solve the case.

This is probably my least favourite story from the author and The Night Swim is my favourite so I’m a bit disappointed. It did keep me reading and interested, I did enjoy it but it was really just okay. There was nothing special or thrilling about it, I found it very predictable. While the story in general is well written, I found the dialogue very awkward and unnatural sounding. It really got under my skin how up until the end of the story the author continued to use full names for each character. By the end of the story, I know that Rachel is Rachel and Joe is Joe I don’t need their full name each time they’re mentioned. I really liked that aspect of the story though, Rachel and Joe and how they worked together. I liked all the characters and they were well written. This story just kind of lacked all around, enough nuggets were given through the story that there wasn’t really a huge reveal or anything in the end. I also didn’t love the different point of views in the story, I liked Rachel and Joe, but not Thomas or the random chapters that I’m assuming were the podcast? Those should be labelled as such. Regardless, I would be excited to read a third book on Rachel and would love to find out where she goes next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 ⭐️

I was really looking forward to this book because I was a big fan of The Night Swim. And while this story had an interesting premise and was decently paced, it fell kind of flat for me.

I struggled to find much of a connection to the story or the case until about 70% of the way through the book. And at that point, we were just about at the twist and then it felt like the end was rushed in tying up loose ends.

If it didn’t have shorter chapters to keep things moving, I’m not sure how motivated I would have been to finish reading.

I still liked the story and think that it’s worth a read, but it lacked the punch that I look for from a thriller/suspense.

Thank you to #netgalley for the chance to read this!

I just finished reading "Dark Corners" by Megan Goldin. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, I didn't realize that this book was the second in a series featuring the main character Rachel Krall, who is a true crime podcaster. She tries to advocate for men and woman who have been unjustly put in prison for crimes that she did'nt commit. This time she is called to Florida to help solve the mystery of a soon to be released prisoner who is about to be released and who has talked about her to another young influences (Madison) who has disappeared. What follows is a series of events told in the past and in the present, includinng one section by a mystery character who is utterly evil and smells really bad (believe me when I say this is important)

Rachel decides to investigate Madison's disappearance at the same time as the FBI agent (Joe) and the two go through many hurdles and mysteries to uncover the truth which is very satisfying.

What I liked about this book was the grit and determination of Rachel Krall. She is a great character and i now wnat to read the first book in the series. I also liked the covergence of all the characters at the end. It was very well written and not confusing at all. The author did a great job of creating rootable characters who weren;t perfect but were intertesting and entertaining. I also liked the exposure of the world of influencers by the author. It was an interesting look into a world that I have no understanding of. I also loved how the main bad guy was
writen: methodically and deliberately as if the author was slowly pulling the reader into his madness.

Was there a part I didn't like? I feel like some of the questions I had while reading the story weren't answered. If I say anymore then I will ruin the story, So I will end with this...

A great book that I had a hard time putting down. It was filled with mysteries and revelations that kept coming until the very end. This is the second book that I have read by this author and it certainly won't be the last.

Happy Reading!

Megan Goldin is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!
Her writing keeps getting better and better! Although I did not think it was possible, I enjoyed Dark Corners even more than her last novel, Stay Awake. Goldin’s writing style pulls me into the world of her characters immediately and makes me want to continue reading until the very last page.

Her latest novel, Dark Corners, is a mystery/thriller set in Daytona Beach, Florida, during an influencer’s convention. I enjoyed learned about the life of an influencer as this is a world in which I am not familiar. Rachel Krall, a podcaster known for solving a cold case, is called to Florida by the FBI to meet with a prisoner set to be released within a couple days from prison. This book will keep you guessing as the story develops!

Admittedly, I did not realize this was a series before reading Dark Corners, and I did not read The Night Swim, the first book in this series.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

I really enjoyed The Night Swim & Stay Awake by Megan Goldin so I was very excited when I got the ARC for Dark Corners through NetGalley. Unfortunately I did not love this book as much.

It started off really good but then too much was happening and some of it felt unnecessary. The romance, the side characters, I eventually started losing interest.

Overall it was good thriller but compared to the other books by the author this was not my favorite.

Thank you Netgalley for thr ARC.

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump. I was hoping that this book would grab me and I wouldn’t be able to put it down. I was definitely looking forward to and I’m sure it’s on many must-read lists for summer 2023. What are my thoughts? 🤔

Dark Corners brings us back to Rachel Krall - the Podcaster we met in The Night Swim (a book I really enjoyed). Rachel’s called by the FBI to come to Florida when a suspected serial killer randomly mentions her name in a prison visit. When the FBI bring her in, it is to try and get the inmate to confess. As Rachel learns more about what has happened in this city, it’s not as clear cut as the police would like to believe. As the inmate gets ready for his release, the race is on to find out what really happened.😳

This book has a lot going on other than the murder mystery. There is a social media influencer conference, podcast episodes and other side stories. This one took me a while to read - I was interested to get to the end but found the side stories and the characters to be unlikeable. This author is a must read for me - but it was just OK. This book will be published on August 8, 2023. I’m grateful for an advanced copy to review and provide my feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dark Corners is a definite page turner. With great characters and a highly unpredictable plot I really had no idea how to put anything together until the last few pages when it was spelled out to me. I would recommend this book and would choose to read this author again!

Rachel Krall has established a successful true crime podcast, Guilty or Not Guilty, with her first season resulting in the exoneration of a man wrongfully convicted of killing his wife and her second season solving a cold case. However, the next season may end up being unexpectedly personal. FBI Agent Joe Martinez has arranged for Rachel to come to a prison in the Florida swamps. She believes the FBI is giving her exclusive access to an active case. In reality, the FBI is hoping she can provide them with information or help them obtain the information from a prisoner.

Terence Bailey has spent six years in prison and is due to be released soon, something the authorities hope to prevent, as Bailey is suspected in a string of unsolved murders in Daytona Beach, possibly with the aid of an accomplice. Only a few days before his release, Terence Bailey receives his first visitor in six years, influencer Maddison Logan, and gives her a message to bring Rachel Krall to him, whatever it takes. However, Rachel has never heard of Terence or Maddison and does not know why they are seeking her out. The FBI is particularly confused, because there is no apparent connection between Terence and Maddison, and Maddison seems to have appeared out of nowhere a few years ago, with a carefully curated social media presence but nothing before her social media accounts were launched. Maddison has since disappeared, presumed kidnapped by Bailey's accomplice.

In chapter 3, the author introduces Thomas McCoy, a rideshare driver with an unpleasant medical condition that causes him to give off a smell like rotting garbage, that is difficult to mask and becomes worse if he is nervous or sweaty. It is obvious that he is not a nice person (though he can temporarily maintain a good facade), and when he eventually comes to the attention of the authorities it is because he is assumed to be Bailey's accomplice, though how they are connected is unclear.

Bailey appears to be a threat to Rachel, and so Agent Martinez wants her to return home, but Rachel is hooked by the story, especially the disappearance of Maddison, and refuses to cooperate. Although she has a successful podcast, she relies on her producer, Pete, to manage the social media aspects, which do not interest her. However, to solve this mystery, she has to enmesh herself in the social media influencer community, which is holding a high-profile conference in Daytona Beach. That proves to be a very enlightening experience. Rachel also looks into the incident that got Bailey sent to prison, as well as some of the unsolved murders. She will manage to undercover some rather significant secrets, including the rather unexpected connections between Bailey, Rachel, and Thomas.

What I loved about this second story of Rachel Krall!
1. Great mystery that kept me turning the pages!
2. Lots of insights into the Influencer world - you may or may not like the view!


What I wished was different:
1. Better editing - could have been shorter - seemed like lots of filler.
2. Rachel was not the same Rachel from "The Night Swim" - she was darker ...didn't like the change.

Still love Megan Goldin as an author and will continue to read everything she publishes!!

Expected publication date: August 8, 2023.

Thank You to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for the chance to read.

I thoroughly enjoy Megan Goldin’s writing. This book is no exception. Her ability to weave a tale is top notch. Her characters have a depth not often found in mysteries or thrillers. She paints a picture as well as I’d imagine Bailey does.

When I began reading this book, I didn’t realize it was a second in the Rachel Krall series. I immediately felt a familiarity and quickly googled. Delighted to see Rachel again, I dove in.

What I love about a good thriller is the build. Goldin does this beautifully in Dark Corners. I also love knowing a bad guy/gal in the beginning but not knowing how s/he plays into the story. I like the guessing and contemplating but not fully getting it until the end when the author wants you to. That’s the fun in a thriller.

The whole influencer world is one I’m not at all familiar with. I’ve certainly seen influencers on social media but never a behind the scenes peek. This aspect of the novel was quite interesting to me. I found myself becoming annoyed with the influencers when Rachel and Joe discussed their distaste for the profession.

I’d definitely recommend this to folks who don’t want a lot of gore with their thriller but do want a double helping of suspense. I found myself, on more than one occasion, saying “just one more chapter” before bookmarking and putting it down.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital reviewer copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

After serving time for breaking and entering, suspected serial killer Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison. Days before his release, popular influencer Maddison Logan visits him in jail. During their short conversation, they mention true crime podcaster Rachel Krall. Hours later, Madison goes missing.

Rachel is about to take a break from her podcast when the FBI requests her help. In exchange for a podcast exclusive, she agrees to fly to Florida to meet with Terence Bailey. Rachel quickly finds herself thrown in the middle of the case, whether she likes it or not.

I liked The Night Swim and was excited to receive an ARC of this book, as it’s the second in the series. I enjoy reading the story through podcast transcripts mixed between chapters. It’s an easy read and I was interested to see what would happen next. However, there were some turnoffs in this book. Specifically, I didn’t like that the killer had that smelly issue, it was weird. I also didn’t like the excessive use of names in the book as it’s so repetitive.

Overall, I’m glad I read this one, but it didn’t pack as much of a punch as The Night Swim.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

WOW, this was an unexpected DELIGHT! I loved this book, I have read others by Megan , this might be a new fave! Additctive, and left me wanting MORE!

I was so excited for another Rachel Krall novel!! This one did not disappoint. I loved the combinations of being IN the investigation, romance and suspense. Beautifully written.