Excellent book by Megan Goldin ! Very different that most books out there in this genre. This author is very clever in her story writing. Always extremely interesting characters. I usually pride myself on figuring out the plot before I finish the book but this one kept me guessing right up until the end. Highly recommend this book.

Having absolutely loved The Night Swim (Rachel Krall #1), I was so excited to pick up its sequel Dark Corners. Both books follow Rachel Krall, host of "Guilty or Not Guilty" as she investigates crimes and tries to unearth the truth, while putting herself in the middle of the action.

The Night Swim tackles the important and complicated topic of rape culture. In it, author Megan Goldin beautifully weaves together two stories separated by 25 years, shifting between POVs and Rachel's podcast transcript. The novel felt unique in both its subject matter and narrative style, flipping between a classic thriller tale and a courtroom drama. I was sucked into the seaside village where this all takes place and the cast of characters we met along the way.

I was hoping Dark Corners would continue to suck me in and that it would be another five star read for me. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Dark Corners takes place a few weeks after The Night Swim.

Maddison Logan, a popular social media influencer, visits inmate Terrance Bailey in a Daytona Beach prison. Bailey is a suspected serial killer arrested for petty theft. He only has two days left on his prison sentence.

During their visit, the name Rachel Krall comes up. Then Maddison disappears.

Rachel is then lured to Florida. Invited by FBI Special Agent Joe Martinez. Martinez promises Rachel exclusive access to the case if she agrees to help him by meeting with Bailey.

After her meeting with Bailey and being ignored by the FBI, Rachel sets to investigating Maddison's disappearance by herself. She easily infiltrates BuzzCon, a convention for the world's top influencers.

While I have long been a fan of Goldin's writing, this book didn't work for me for a few reasons.

1. I felt like it stepped away too drastically from the narrative structure of The Night Swim. The Night Swim covers a rape trial in seaside Neapolis, the topic for season three of Rachel's podcast "Guilty or Not Guilty". Rachel is an outsider and a journalist gathering facts for her audience. We get her POV of how she gathers the facts and then the actual story she tells her listeners. It doesn't feel like we get that in Dark Corners. There are exerts from a podcast transcript in the book; however, it isn't season four. But a special episode, I guess? I don't know, it didn't feel clear. The whole component of her being a podcaster felt like an after thought in Dark Corners whereas it was central to The Night Swim.

2. We went from something as heartbreaking and nuanced as rape culture in The Night Swim, to tackling the vapid world of influencers in Dark Corners. Imagine if Emily in Paris were a thriller and that would be 80% of this book. Rachel has somehow achieved 19,000 followers on a running Instagram account before she ever started the podcast, but still knows nothing about social media? This following allows her to go "under cover" at the Influencer podcast. When there, each person is as unlikable, shallow, and vapid as the next. While The Night Swim humanized each character especially the victims, Dark Corner paints many of its characters as cartoon characters chasing clout by using social media lingo from 2015.

3. Ultimately, so much of the book is wrapped up in this influencer culture but the actual story has little to nothing to do with it. It felt like a red herring turned into a chance for the author to get on a soap box about how destructive and toxic social media consumption and those who chase it for monetary gain are.

4. I saw the ending coming a mile away. Actually, I saw it coming about 300 pages away.

With all this being said, I still enjoyed a lot of the book because I enjoy Golidn's writing. She is able to paint a fictional world that (mostly) feels so reflective of ours. If there is a third book in the series, I will definitely pick it up as well as any other books Goldin releases.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC of this book in which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date: August 8, 2023.

I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series - I will absolutely be going back to read the first one! I didn’t feel I was missing too much context, as everything felt pretty well explained. Rachel is a true crime podcaster (I am obsessed with true crime podcasts so this is right up my alley) and she gets pulled in to a very convoluted, multi-layer missing persons/homicide investigation. I enjoyed the podcast sections breaking up the story, as well as the changes in points of view. I liked Joe and am curious how the next book will unravel. This felt interesting and like a new take on a detective novel and I really enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

For me, this was a slow-burn thriller with a huge social media focus, and I’m here for it.

Rachel is a true crime podcaster (I imagined Sarah Koenig), with an almost cult-like following. The FBI contacts her when a social media influencer goes missing after meeting with a prisoner thought to be a serial killer. Investigation and action follow. Including an influencer conference, which was endlessly entertaining.

The characters were well-written. They were likeable (or not, you’ll see), developed, neurotic, had their own personalities and demons, and seemed like people I would come across in real life.

Was this book predictable (to me, who reads entirely too many thrillers?) Yes.
Were there any moments where I was legitimately nervous for the MC? Also yes.
Did I love the ending of the main storyline? Also yes.

I didn’t love the final resolution of the side story, but it was as on-brand with an influencer conference as you can get, I imagine. That world seems absolutely nuts to me!

Overall, I was really happy with this read and would recommend it.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for a review copy!

The second story that follows true crime podcaster, Rachel Krall (of the Night Swim). This time she is sucked into the world of social media when an influencer goes missing, and it is suspected she may have fallen prey to a serial killer.

It is clear fairly early who the bad guy is. That works for me if there is some light-bulb moment involved in the big reveal - the big why behind the motives giving new layers to the story just read. This one fell flat. There was a lot going on and I didn't care about much of it. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. It was fine.

I LOVED this thriller so much; I'm so glad this author is here! The characters were amazing, the story was so unique, and I devoured this book in a sitting. I think Rachel Krall will be a recurring character; what about you?

📖 DARK CORNERS by Megan Goldin

🕵🏻 True crime podcaster and investigator, Rachel Kall, is back on a case immediately after the events in NIGHT SWIM. The FBI has called her to speak to Terry Bailey - a man who law enforcement suspects of slaying six women - and is getting out of prison in 3 days. A recent visitor of his, Maddison - a big time influencer on social media - has gone missing. Rachel can’t let go of needing to find the truth, even when the FBI sends her away, as she runs around Daytona Beach to find the missing girl and stop a predator before he can do more harm.

👩🏻‍💻 There’s no way to read this book and not think about Gabby Petito. Maddison, the missing girl, is a #vanlife influencer attending a conference for influencers in Daytona. The way she goes missing brings Gabby’s case to mind…sometimes fiction and real life are too close for comfort.

With that said, the book is well written for the first 75%. The last 25% felt rushed and not as strong as the first 3/4. All the ends were tied up and the reader isn’t left wondering “what happened to…” which is excellent and how I prefer my thrillers. I can’t put my finger on what didn’t work for me in the last 1/4 - this is where reading is subjective right?

Overall this was a solid read that kept me engaged throughout and I think that the strength of the first 3/4 is what made the last 1/4 feel disappointing. Despite that, I would still recommend this book to readers who love a good serial killer and/or true crime podcast adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Goldin, and MacMillan for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic!
The plot revolves around a podcaster who was pulled into a complicated cold case of abductions and murders with a link to an imprisoned individual. Pulled into this case by the FBI, she stubbornly refused to leave it and cracked the case wide open! Throw in a little influencer drama and podcaster/FBI romance and I was hooked on the suspense from the moment I picked it up! I liked the interspersed podcast chapters as well - they really helped explain some background.
There were several intriguing plot twists that I didn’t see coming.
I didn’t really find the little side story at the influencer convention necessary, but it was well thought out and added more suspense!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved some characters, got annoyed by others and disliked some. It always great when an author can make you feel like that about the characters!
I loved how this book came together, felt like it really wrapped things up in the end.

I accidentally read this book of the series first....with that being said the book was able to stand on its own. I wasn't terribly lost. It was a good thriller. Lots of misdirection with twists and turns . Definitely would recommend it.

This is the second book I've read by this author. I loved STAY AWAKE but found that, although this one was a very good thriller, it wasn't as great as that book. I guessed all the twists very early, but I enjoyed the descriptions of podcasters and social media influencers.

The story follows Rachel Krall, the popular podcaster of "Guilty or Not Guilty" a podcast that has helped wrongly accused criminals. The FB summons Rachel to Florida to meet with Terence Bailey, an inmate who has requested to see her. Bailey is due to be released shortly but was suspected of serial killings of young women which there wasn't enough proof to convict him. They sentenced him after a minor crime in the hope that they could find evidence to tie him into the murders. However, after they admitted him, the serial killings continued, which led the FBI to believe that Bailey was working with an accomplice.

The FBI agent working the case informs Rachel that the last person to visit Bailey in prison was Maddison Logan, a social media influencer. During that visit, Bailey asked Maddison to bring him Rachel Krall. Rachel has no idea why, but the FBI needs to know because Maddison disappeared after seeing Bailey and a body is found near her trailer that is thought to be hers.

Chapters alternate between Rachel's story and that of a strange rideshare driver with a condition that causes him to give off an unpleasant odor. Is this man somehow connected with Terence Bailey?

Against Agent Martinez' advice to head home when more bodies turn up and Bailey leaves Rachel a threatening message before his release, Rachel does her own investigation into Maddison's disappearance that leads her into attending a conference of social media influencers. I found this part humorous, as it showed how obsessed some people can be with social media.

There are several twists that follow along with a budding romantic relationship for Rachel, but I felt these were all obvious. I liked the book and recommend it but felt it didn't live up to STAY AWAKE. If you haven't read that, start with this one. .

Rachel Krall is back in this mystery. The FBI tempts Rachel with a new case. When an influencer goes missing after meeting with an inmate, the FBI wants to know how Rachel is involved . Rachel is pushed off the case when things get dangerous but that doesn’t stop her from investigating. Rachel participates in an influencer conference to track down the mystery of Maddison’s life, her connection to Bailey and her disappearance.

I thoroughly enjoy podcast elements in books. I find the true crime investigation adds a nice angle to a mystery.
For some reason, the mystery in this story left we underwhelmed.. Maybe the difference was this was an active mystery versus a cold case? One of the POV was a potential bad guy involved in the disappearance and murder of women. I prefer my villains to be less obvious. The reveals in this were mostly expected. This might be a mystery for readers who prefer seeing the work involved in finding the killer instead. I want more puzzle and suspense in my mystery.

OVerall, much of this is spent in the influencer world. I found myself very uninterested in these sections. The people and lifestyle presented were wasteful, superficial and obsessed with self image.

I really enjoy Megan Goldin’s writing and look forward to reading her next book. This one kept me entertained but didn’t’ wow me.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this Advanced Reader’s Copy. Another thriller from Megan Goldin, this time with a reprisal from Rachel Krall (podcaster from Goldin’s previous book: The Night Swim). I enjoyed this one a lot, plenty of twists (of varying predictability) and my one complaint was that the ending was very abrupt. Will we see a third Rachel Krall install in the future? I hope so!

This book is about Rachel Krall, a famous true crime podcaster helping the FBI search for Maddison Logan, The mystery has perfect pacing, slowly revealing clues and secrets as you read. It ends with everything wrapped up and there are no court scenes. If you love mysteries I recommend you read this one!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy.

Loved!!! I recently finished The Escape Room by Megan Gold in which earned 3 stars from me. It was a page turner but the plot crumbled for me by the last 50 pages or so. But Dark Corners was everything that I wanted it to be! A consistent story with a decent follow through, interesting characters, events that kept everything moving along at a steady pace, this wasn't missing anything for me. Except another book with Rachel. I will be picking up Night Swim and start the book which I hope was only the beginning of a long series.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this.

I love Rachel Krall!!! She is such an excellent character. She is well written and doesn't come off as "well I am a reporter so let me do all the stupid things" like some characters can be in mysteries and thrillers.
This book was amazing. The plot flowed and the different POVs intertwined with the podcast chapters helped with that flow.
You have a lot of questions as you read but everything gets answered in the end and there is a surprise twist.
The only thing negative I have to say is...the end felt a little rush. That's it.
I would recommend this and hope to see more Rachel Krall books.

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this book. This review is entirely my own.

Being sent a widget for one of my favourite authors was so thrilling and it makes this little bookworm's heart so happy when you receive these from publishers. I previously had enjoyed The Night Swim by Megan Goldin and I remember being very enthralled and immersed in the story and how it developed.

Dark Corners was no different and I was hooked immediately. I enjoyed having a continuation of Rachel Krall and would love to see a continuation and it turns into a regular series. The podcast timeline is one of my favourite parts of reading both of these books and I can just hear Rachel's voice doing the podcast. There is something about crime podcasts and documentaries that intrigue me so much. I am a die hard Dateline girl. This book was very much up my crime/thriller alley and I really can't wait to crack the next case with Rachel and hopefully more of Joe as well. Also can we just give a huge shoutout to the creepy serial killer with the very distinctive smell disorder. That was chef's kiss...

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to review Dark Corners.

My reviews can be found on Goodreads: Nikki- Hedwig's and Hopes
Instagram- @hedwigsandhopes

I love Megan Goldin books and was thrilled to be sent her new book to read before release. I enjoy the character Rachel Krall and was glad she made an appearance in another book.

Rachel, a famous true crime podcaster, is called in by the FBI to assist in an investigation. She gets pulled in and ends up helping in several different murder cases. I loved the touches of the influencer lifestyle from the conference Rachel attends to help get more information. A fast paced read, with several twists and turns. Loved the romance that was sprinkled in as well. I hope Rachel makes an appearance in future books!

Loved this one, you find out early on who the villain is, but it still kept me so engrossed and turning pages quickly.

This was my first Megan Goldin read and I will definitely be back for more!
While I thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters, I don’t feel like much really happened. Everything that did happen, I could see coming and it was like it finally started happening and then it was over. There were also a few spelling and grammatical errors that pulled me out of the story.
I enjoyed the character development and multiple POVs, it definitely added depth to the story.
Overall, I would recommend reading this one if you love slow burn crime thrillers!