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

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!

Macmillan Audio does incredible justice to any book that has a podcast. Just like the previous book in the series, the audio was absolutely fantastic. As for the story, I felt less invested to it than The Night Swim, but I still very much like the characters. I think this can easily be read as a standalone if you haven't read The Night Swim yet.

Thanks so much for this arc!!

Megan Goldin does it again! I loved The Night Swim and requested this instantly when I saw the author!

Rachel Krall is back in Dark Corners. The FBI contacts her as a last resort. A prisoner (due to be released) who may have kidnapped 6 woman may have struck again. He was visited by a social media influencer & now she has disappeared. Rachel is called in to see what info she can get out of him, as her name was brought up.

This story goes back and forth through the investigation & Rachel’s podcasts. She ends up infiltrating a social media conference to see what the influencers know. Even more strange things happen then! Rachel turns out to be a better detective than most on the force. She uncovers so much through her journeys.

I loved the social media aspect- it made this book feel so up to date. I’m sure Goldin is on point with the kinds of things that go on with influencers. I could not get enough of this story. I had to keep going to see what would happen! It was hard to put down. Even though I figured out a big twist it didn’t bug me. I loved Rachel’s relationship with the main detective- a nice add on to this mystery.

I hope she keeps up with this series. The podcast aspect is so well done! What a fun way to read a mystery/thriller! The narrator was perfect! I loved Rachel’s podcast voice & music. This is a perfect audio book! It made my heart race & I couldn’t get enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advance audio copy of Dark Corners! This is the 2nd Rachel Krall book. So for the crime podcast fans out there, this hits home. Rachel is a true crime podcaster who is known for helping prisoners who have been wrongly prosecuted. The FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel's help again when a well known influencer goes missing after visiting a suspected serial killer in prison. There are extenuating circumstances surrounding his release and it has everyone's attention. This book ties current events like Buzzcon and people like social media influencers and current technology into events from the past while solving a crime that is 6 plus years old.
This is a fast paced and exciting book that will leave you waiting for the next book in the series. I have to know what happens to Rachel and Joe!
There were multiple voices for this audio presentation. I am not a huge fan of audio books, but this cast did a great job and kept me listening even when I needed to pay attention outside of the book!

3.5/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

Moments after Rachel Krall finishes covering a rape trial in Annapolis, she's called to Florida for her unexpected involvement in an FBI case. Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison, much to the FBI's chagrin. Arrested for breaking and entering, Bailey is thought to be responsible for six unsolved killings of young women. After being visited by young, hot and famous influencer, Maddison Logan, and her sudden disappearance, the FBI is doing everything to investigate as quickly as possible to avoid Bailey's release from prison. When Rachel gets involved through her own investigation, suddenly she's at risk, too.

One of my biggest complaints about this one was the choice in narration. Like Rachel Krall #1, THE NIGHT SWIM, January LaVoy did a fantastic job narrating for "podcast Rachel," and Samantha Desz did a great job from Rachel's main POV. However, unlike in the first book, there was no third narrator for our other main character and this got super confusing to me at times. I think an additional narrator for FBI Agent Joe Martinez would have made this book stand out like the first one did.

Other than that, I mostly enjoyed this one. Like the first book, I enjoyed the inclusion of podcasts and the unique layout, though I felt this one was a little more clunky thank the first. I was still drawn in from the very beginning and enjoyed the journey through this story. There were some great twists, big and small, but on the whole slightly less shocking than in THE NIGHT SWIM. DARK CORNERS was definitely more slow-burn, so if that's your thing, this is a great one for you! Even though I was ~slightly~ disappointed by this one, I would still pick up anything by Megan Goldin, especially if it was in the Rachel Krall series.

Dark Corners is the highly anticipated follow up to The Night Swim by Megan Goldin. In this sequel Rachel Krall is pulled into another mystery and once again finds herself in a fight for her life. When her name comes up in an FBI investigation Rachel is called to consult. The ensuing investigation proves that not everyone is what they seem and that some monsters hide in plain sight.

This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and I enjoyed the way the story unfolded. I did not read The Night Swim before this one but I was able to follow this as if it was a stand alone since the references to the first book were explained. The mystery in this novel is compelling and I thought that the majority of the twists were interesting and unexpected. I liked Rachel as a main character and thought that she was strong and independent. I also enjoyed the parts of her special report that were included in the story.

I did not love the romance aspect of this book. I liked her love interest but the relationship happened so fast that it just felt random and out of place. I also didn't love the parts that focused on the influencers. They are narcissistic and unlikeable, however, they turned out to be important to the plot.

The audio version of Dark Corners is narrated by Andre Santana, January LaVoy and Samantha Desz. All three narrators did an amazing job!

I love this series so much! And the audio really just makes it even better. Listening on audio you get the real feel of the podcast interludes. I love the little music included to make it feel like a real podcast. Dark Corners lacks some of the visceral uncomfortableness of The Night Swim because of the mystery being a serial killer/missing person versus sexual assault but does give us the perspective of a killer which was new. These are neither good nor bad things, just differences between the books in this series. I feel like you could definitely read Dark Corners without having read the Night Swim and not be lost. Dark Corners does seem to be setting up a potentially more broad world for the series and introduces characters that might be coming back (Looking at you Martinez) I really enjoy how Megan manages to always include multiple narratives and mysteries whether they all tie together or not in the end. While Dark Corners is more of a standard mystery than the cultural indictment The Night Swim was, I still thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and Megan Goldin for the complimentary advance readers’ edition of DARK CORNERS for an honest review.

DARK CORNERS is the second book in the Rachel Krall series following THE NIGHT SWIM. Rachel is an investigative reporter and the star of a true crime podcast Guilty or Not Guilty. In this novel she is drawn into the world of social media influencers. Popular influencer Maddison pays a visit to a man in prison. In the hours afterward she goes missing without a trace. The main clue the FBI has is Rachel’s name.

Rachel is brought in to help with the investigation, meeting with the prisoner and using her own influence to connect into Maddison’s world. With potential dangers on multiple fronts, Rachel winds up in the crosshairs.

I really loved THE NIGHT SWIM so was thrilled to learn there would be another book following Rachel. I think I still liked the first book more, but this was a fantastic read and great on audio as well! In this case there wasn’t an initial intent to make a podcast so the podcast elements naturally felt a little less at the center of the story, but I still enjoyed the way it was incorporated.

Rachel is a smart and interesting character to follow. I certainly wouldn’t have put myself into her shoes, but I did think she made a lot of sense in her decisions given her character and the situation. There were multiple questions overlapping as well which kept things interesting. The BuzzCon influencer conference was an interesting backdrop as well. The rivalries and the money on the line with such a thing were wild!

I really enjoy Megan Goldin’s books and I am glad that this lived up to my hopes! I look forward to more from her in the future!

Wow! How is it possible that Dark Corners is even better than Night Swim??? Well it is.
Rachel gets summoned by the FBI to Florida because an inmate named Tarrence writes her name on a table to someone named Maddison then Maddison goes missing. The FBI wants to know what Rachel knows. Maddison is an influencer, while Tarrence is convinced for breaking and entering with a suspicion of being a murder, they just don’t have solid proof.
When the FBI finds out Rachel doesn’t know Maddison, they try to send Rachel home. Rachel hangs out in town and starts investigating on her own. This story has mystery, drama, humor and even a little romance.
I thought the influencer aspect was fun, the ride share aspect was interesting and it wouldn’t be a Rachel book without the podcasts. I listened to the audiobook version and it was very well done. I enjoyed the full cast of narrators and the music on the podcast chapters. I felt like I was actually listening to a podcast.
The story itself was very intriguing. I kept wanting more. I would throw out my own predictions and I liked how I had to keep guessing.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This audiobook was hands down amazingly done! I gave it 4.5 stars!!!

Another great read!! Well...listen. I think these books are best via the audiobook but that's just my opinion. I am loving this series and hoping for many more. The book hooked me from the beginning yet again and kept me interested throughout the entire book. I wanted to know what was going to happen and who connected to who. I love the chapters that sound like podcasts. It just gives it a fun twist from a regular audiobook. I loved how I could tell right away who the bad guy was but I couldn't tell how he connected to the story being told until the end. It kept me interested and wanting more. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

I love Goldin’s books - especially on audio. This one was as good as I hoped. The plot was interesting and I never expected the ending. Megan is for sure an auto buy/auto listen for me now.

▷ Synopsis
Rachel Krall, host of a popular true crime podcast "Guilty or Not Guilty," is back. Instead of following & reporting on a court case, this time Rachel is summoned by the FBI to Daytona Beach, where she finds herself in the middle of an active missing-persons investigation. A woman has disappeared after visiting an alleged murderer in prison.

Social media influencers, murdered & missing women, a suspicious ride-share driver, & a dangerous inmate who is about to be released. Rachel begins to wonder which is worse, the monsters hiding in dark corners, or the ones who hide in plain sight?

▷ My Thoughts
Just like The Night Swim, this sequel had me invested from the very beginning. I enjoyed the serial killer storyline, the fast pacing, cleverly planted red herrings & how the seemingly unrelated pieces came together for a satisfying ending.

I must say, some of the things that made me love The Night Swim - the in depth podcast episodes & courtroom scenes - were missing from this story. I was honestly disappointed that the podcast wasn’t at the forefront of this installment. Also, the villain's never felt totally explained. I would’ve liked more backstory on the perpetrator.

That being said, i still enjoyed this twisty, suspenseful thriller. I definitely hope we get more from Rachel Krall (& especially more of “Guilty or Not Guilty”) in the future. Goldin’s writing style paired with the stellar audiobook production & talented narrators makes for the best listening experience.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Megan Goldin for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This was sooo good!! I had never read Night Swim before so as soon as I got approved for this ARC I immediately listened to Noght Swim and then Dark Corners. This is going to be a new favorite series for sure! I loved the audiobook and how there was a podcast within a book. So fun! I really enjoyed the setting of this one and the mysteries Rachel was trying to solve. And the influencer convention was a great setting!! This was just all around a great mystery/suspense book! The characters, the setting, the story…and a tiny bit of a romance! My fave!!

Not gonna lie here, I didn't think that The Night Swim felt like it needed a sequel or running series and after listening through Dark Corners I still feel the same way. I feel like Rachel's character development was rolled back a bit and left much to be desired as she was very ~one note~ for the whole book. I ALSO feel like this had the same issue as the first book with the fact that the ending/climax was rushed and could have used another 50 pages to flesh it out.

Rachell Krall is back. She is unexpectedly swept into the search for a missing influencer and attending a convention for content creators. Intermingled with the current events are the podcast episodes later released about the crimes that were committed near Daytona Beach. I was impressed with the audio production and read my digital ARC in tandem with that format so I could find out what was up. I am an outlier with my five stars, but this really was a winner for me. Loved all the ways the title was worked into the narrative (as it was with The Night Swim and the many ways this differed from the first book while still featuring a character we wanted to see more of with some red herrings to toss back into the ocean.

Always know what you're walking into. Dark corners can be danger points.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

YES YES YES! Loved everything about this book, so glad to be back in Rachel Krall's world.

I need a 3rd installment ASAP!!

This was one of my anticipated reads of 2023 - I read The Night Swim with my book club, loved it and was excited to hear a second book was coming out featuring the crime podcaster Rachel Krall.

I ate this book up - I went between the ebook and audiobook at first but in the end opted for the audio because of the podcast element. The podcast wasn't as present in this one but I still liked that it was included. The narration of this book was also excellent!

I always get sucked into Goldin's books and I like how her books are all very different (well the ones I've read are so far anyways lol). Here we get to experience how social media fame isn't always as glamorous as it seems and I think the influencers were a fun touch to this book. We definitely have some stereotypical behaviour there but it brings up a lot of good discussion points about the impact social media has on our lives and the idea of image versus identity.

I've been seeing several reviews mentioning how rude/grumpy Rachel is in this book versus The Night Swim but I didn't feel this way. There is also a romance aspect to to this book, which I didn't hate but also didn't feel like it was entirely necessary.

All in all the story is fast paced, twisty and a good read. I'm definitely hoping there's going to be another book in this series but if not, looking forward to what Goldin will write next!

Content warnings: Murder, kidnapping, drug abuse, stalking, confinement, suicidal thoughts, grief.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio, St-Martin's Press and Netgalley for the audio and ARC copy for review. All opinions are my own.

⭐⭐⭐/5

• influencer thriller
• unlikable FMC
• fun misdirection

I'll preface this by saying: I wasn't the biggest fan of Stay Awake (⭐⭐) and I haven't read The Night Swim (the first book in this series). It was an intriguing premise but I felt it was repetitive at times. I switched between the digital copy and the audio - I enjoyed the audio, especially the podcast chapters. They felt so real!

🗣️ Thank you to @netgalley, St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this book via both gifted eARC and audio! All opinions are honest and my own.

Madison Logan, a travel blogger, has gone missing and true crime podcaster Rachel Krall has been called by the FBI to come to Florida to help. Soon it becomes clear to the reader, a serial killer is at large and while the FBI’s focus is on Terrance Bailey, a felon being released imminently from prison (and someone Madison visited right before she went missing), the reader has the perspective of an additional narrator, a sociopathic Uber driver with an odd affliction - body odor that smells like rotting garbage.

I went back and forth between the audio and the book and really enjoyed it since this book was based on a podcaster and the “special reports” were much more fun on audio. That being said, I was glad I had both since there were a lot of details that I think would have been lost if I just had the audio. I enjoyed the investigative aspect of the book and thought the pace was right on track. I did not realize this was the second in a series (I don’t think they need to be read in order) and I will definitely be reading the first book.

This was a 3.75 star book for me, rounded to 4

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review