Rachel Krall is back y'all!! I loved the Night Swim and was super excited to see that Goldin was featuring her famous podcaster again in this new novel. I don't know if I would classify this as a thriller...maybe. It was definitely a good mystery with a little bit of love thrown in the mix. The pacing of this book was a little slow and some of the dialogue felt a little robotic and choppy; however, this didn't affect my reading nor did it sway my interest in the story. I was hooked from the start and couldn't stop reading!!

In Dark Corners, Rachel finds herself immersed into the world of social media influencers at BuzzCon. One of the most popular influencers, Madisson, has gone missing. Prior to her disappearance, she paid a visit to Terrence Bailey. Bailey has been in prison for the last six years and is about to be released. The FBI and police believe that he is responsible for killing multiple young women, but they were never able to find enough evidence for a conviction. Rachel is there to assist the FBI with their investigations as well as to satisfy her own curiosities. Little by little, her discoveries will begin to unravel the truth and lead them to the "scent of a killer". (LOL, if you read it, you get it!)

I definitely recommend this book to one and all!! You do not have to read The Night Swim first, but I do recommend it in order to have more knowledge of Rachel's backstory. So, put this on our preorder list and TBRs now!!

Thank you to St. Martins Press for sending me the widget for early access!! And thank you as well to the author and NetGalley. My honest review has been submitted in exchange.

True crime podcaster, Rachel Krall, is back! This book is based not too far after Night Swim took place. Rachel is dragged into the investigation of missing social media influencer, Maddison Logan, after FBI agent, Joe Martinez, runs into a dead end with his investigation. Since time is of the essence, Rachel is quickly flown to Florida to meet with Terence Baily who was recently visited in prison by Maddison. Terence is soon to be released from prison after serving time for breaking and entering but investigators suspect he may also be involved in the murder of several young women. As Rachel dives into Maddison’s past, she finds that Maddison does not seem to exist outside of social media. How could Maddison be connected to Terence and why did Terence suggest that Maddison contact Rachel for help?

Rachel attends BuzzCon, a social media influencer conference, to try to gather intel and finds that in the world of influencing, anyone would be willing to stab you in the back for a few followers. When the body of a dead woman with a mysterious tattoo is found, the FBI begins to consider that Terence might have an accomplice outside of prison. As Terence begins to show signs that he may have ill will towards Rachel, she must decide if she should leave town or risk her life to finish her investigation.

The story is mainly told from the point of view of Rachel Krall, Joe Martinez, and Thomas McCoy. If I’m honest, I probably enjoyed Thomas’s point of view the most which must say something (not so good) about who I am as a person. I didn’t care for Joe at all in the beginning, but he grew on me throughout the book. The story was a little slow to get started for me mainly because I am not drawn to investigative stories but as I reached the later part of the book, I was anxious to find out what happened and committed to the ending. While I wasn’t surprised by the twists at the end, I found the book to be very climactic and I thought it had a great ending. It is always a pleasure to read a Megan Goldin book! I’ve been hooked since The Escape Room and will continue to read anything that she writes :)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read ALL of Megan's books and think any day now she will be going 'viral'. (Reminds me of Dark Corners - ha) I was excited to start a book with a character I was familiar with, Rachel Karll. After finishing the book, I would say I would be excited to read another Krall mystery.
This is a solid mystery/thriller. Solid drama. It was a little slow. Was a little confusing at first, but the pace picked up quickly and I got hooked.
The 'twist' was pretty predictable. Storytelling was repeated, which can be annoying as a reader. The social media world is annoying, so it was annoying to read about it. But I mean, the character Rachel is technically in that world, so it made sense.
Overall though - I am very impressed. There were too many 'annoying things' to make this a solid 5 star book, but it's up there. Again - ALL of Megan's books are awesome... so if you haven't read her back catalogue yet - you are missing out and should read her past books NOW. Start with 'Stay Awake' or 'Night Swim'.

I really enjoyed Megan Goldin's The Night Swim, and was excited to get the chance to read an advance copy of Dark Corners. In this novel, readers once again follow Rachel Krall (everyone's favorite true crime podcaster) on her suspenseful adventures. Set in and around Daytona, Florida, Dark Corners has something for everyone: an alleged serial killer, a missing woman, an FBI love interest, and even an entertaining cast of social media influencers. Perfect for mystery, suspense, and thriller lovers!

I've been a big fan of Megan Goldin's ever since I read The Night Swim, which to this day is one of my all-time favorite thrillers. So when I got the chance to read an ARC of Dark Corners, which would continue Rachel Krall's true crime podcast investigations, it took me about .2 seconds to download it and start reading.

Dark Corners, while it certainly lived up to its name, didn't feel as heavy as its precursor, but was still dark, twisty and action-packed. One of my favorite things about Goldin is that she always has unique plotlines, and I liked the premise of the book: an influencer, Maddison, disappears in the middle of a convention, and the police suspect her disappearance could be related to alleged serial killer Terence Bailey, who is to be released from prison in just a few days. At times I felt she hammered on a bit too much about the "vapid" nature of influencers (valid critique, but it was laid on pretty thick), but her characterization of Maddison throughout the book ended up being well-rounded and nuanced.

There were a LOT of red herrings - maybe one too many - that kept me guessing all throughout, and I thought the book was well-paced and never dull. I sometimes cringe at romantic storylines in thrillers, which can come across as forced, but the romantic sub-plot in Dark Corners fit in well and didn't distract from the overall story.

This didn't have as much of a wow factor for me as Night Swim, but it still lived up to my expectations and ended up being a great read! Fingers crossed we have a few more installments of Rachel's investigations on the way :)

A great story about a thriller that had a big surprise. The characters were realistic and draw me in. The writing was easy to read and kept me engrossing. I may want to read it again.

As much as I liked The Night Swim by Megan Goldin, I cannot say the same for Dark Corners. It did keep my interest and therefore am giving it three stars. Unfortunately, I found much to be implausible. A journalist helping an FBI agent solve a missing person investigation and a multiple murder investigation? Without getting political, with much being exposed by our FBI in the news lately, I’m sadly not surprised at anything the FBI is capable and incapable of doing. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #DarkCorners, #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress. .

Rachel Krall is back! If you loved Night Swim, you will devour this book. True crime podcaster is back with a new thrilling mystery in Florida. She visits the suspected murderer in prison, at the request of the police. She ends up in a lavish hotel during the buzz con convention, for influencers. Can she piece together this mystery? Will she be caught in the crosshairs of the killer? This amazing thriller gets released Aug 8/2023. The scariest monster is the one who hides in plain sight.

Thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I don't think I've ever been this excited to see an approved eARC as I was about this one!
I squealed, yelled and thanked the wonderful people at St. Martin's Press for this one!

If you enjoyed The Night Swim book #1 in the Rachel Krall series, you'll devour Dark Corners book #2
by Megan Goldin!
These can be read as a standalone.

There is something special about true crime podcasters and influencers in a story that just call to me.
I love them! And Goldin has just killed it with these two books here starring Rachel Krall.

But Dark Corners is no doubt one of my favorite crime thrillers!
She has created a wonderful female lead in Krall who just hooks me beyond words.
Very well written, cleverly crafted and massively entertaining.
With her latest page-turning and tense thriller she is once again at the top of her game.
Megan Goldin does what she does best, so much so that trying to put the book down is damn near impossible. Once you start reading, you won't want to stop!

Megan strikes again with this absolutely incredible page turner!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Megan Goldin delivers another heart-pounding, page-turning, tour de force! Step into the world of true-crime podcasts and the insatiable egos of social media influencers. What unfolds is a deeply disturbing and multi-layered thriller that will linger long after the final words are read.

Megan Goldin does not disappoint! The most recent of hers Stay Awake I read and could not get enough. I got my first taste of her books through BOTM The Night Swim and I loved it. I was excited to see Rachel Krall return in this fast paced story. In this tale, Rachel is summoned by the FBI to meet up with an inmate with very limited background information as to why. After the FBI does not receive the answers they were hoping for, they are quick to dismiss Rachel. However, if you know Rachel, she doesn’t back away from finding the truth. Rachel ends up subsequently teaming with the FBI to get to the bottom of a string of murders that are said to be the work of the inmate Rachel met with who is being shortly released from prison. Add into the mix the world of influencers and how they all fall into the puzzle…this tale kept me guessing until the end.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I was gifted this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the copy of Dark Corners. Goldin’s writing seems to just get better and better since I read her debut in 2019. I loved Stay Awake so I was excited to read this book. I was completely engrossed by the first chapter! This is the second Rachel Krall book, but you don’t have to read the first book (The Night Swim) first.
Rachel is contacted by the FBI because her name came up in an investigation about a soon to be released prisoner. In her search for Maddison Logan, Rachel is embroiled in the cutthroat world of Influencers, but will her search become deadly? Who is Maddison? This is a taut, well-paced book. The podcast gives us Rachel’s take on the events, and it doesn’t feel as clumsy as it did inThe Night Swim. If all you love is a huge twist ending, this book might not be for you. If you love a well-written book with an interesting cast of characters and an immersive story that you won't want to end, this is the book for you!

“ The scariest monster is the one that hides in plain sight.”

Personal Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second edition in the Rachel Krall series, starring the true crime podcast star from The Night Swim. I have not got my hands on The Night Swim, yet, but this novel acts as a stand-alone series that doesn’t require reading of the first book. I was hooked from the very first page! This book was thrilling, gripping, and unforgettable. Very relevant in todays social media centered society, and kept me guessing until the end. Told from alternating points of view, including two of the murderers victims, FBI agent, true crime podcaster, Rachel, and a man close to the incarcerated man, Terry Bailey. I was engaged with the plot the entire time as Goldin fed me piece by piece and kept me up wanting to know more! Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my honest review in exchange for an advanced review copy. Buckle your seatbelts, you are in for a wild ride in August!

Synopsis: Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star, returns to search for a popular social media influencer who disappeared after visiting a suspected serial killer. 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. The FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems only to exist on social media; she has no family, no friends, and other than in her posts, most people have never seen her. Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel Krall goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, When police find the body of a woman the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers. Suddenly a target of a monster hiding in plain sight, Rachel is forced to confront the very real dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the internet.

Another great Megan Goldin book I couldn't put down! I was so excited when I received an advanced copy of this novel (the highlight of my week) and it did not disappoint. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Fun novel exploring murder, fame and social media!

Rachel Krall goes undercover for the FBI to assist when an influencer goes missing at a large scale influencer conference. The timing coincides with the release of a potential murderer and the police cannot solve the crime. Some of the details necessitate you suspending disbelief, but the story is interesting and the conference itself is so intriguing that you forget about the details and can't stop turning the pages. If you like a good mystery, love novels that include popular culture, or just want to learn a bit more about influencers, Dark Corners is for you!
#StMartinsPress #DarkCorners #MeganGoldin

I enjoyed this book. I had previously read The Night Swim and was a big fan oh how that was written. I loved the podcast element and i like the character of Rachel. That being said, I did find it pretty predictable but i don't think it took away from her story telling, it just wasn't much of a mystery towards the end. I'm curious if this will end up being a series,

I was beyond excited to find out there was going to be another book following Rachel Krall from “The Night Swim.” I jumped right in when this one landed in my Kindle. It’s best to go into this one blind and enjoy the ride.

A solid thriller. A good combo of twists with some predictions that kept you on the edge of your seat. I loved the introduction of FBI agent Joe Martinez and to get a better understanding on Rachel. I’m hoping this series continues for a long time to come.

Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

over 24 hours later and I’m still struggling on how to rate and talk about this one …

after absolutely falling in love with megan goldin after I read THE NIGHT SWIM, I’ve been an avid reader of hers ever since, and I especially loved following up on the MC from the night swim, rachel krall!

this one, unlike rachel’s first story, was definitely not as intriguing, gut-wrenching, or heart-pounding. I still flew through it in two days, but I found myself wanting more and more depth to the characters and the story, which ended in a semi-predictable way for me.

and let’s not even discuss the random romance side story that was thrown in there because what the frick was that?! 🥴🥴🥴

the background for the plot, focusing on influencers and prison breaks, was so unique that I was expecting a flying out of left field finish with multiple plot twists. and … I didn’t get it … 🥲

the pace was quick and easy to follow, but I was disappointed that the direction of the ultimate plot ended in a stereotypical thriller trope. and maybe that’s on me for reading too many thrillers and expecting a new outcome each time 🫠

BUT I had a wild time reading this one, and I absolutely cannot wait to see where megan takes rachel krall next because boy, does this chick need therapy my goodness

and I want more of terrance and maddison pls make them sidekicks to her podcast I loved their stories!!! martinez, on the other hand, can just fade away into the wind 🫢🫢🫢

a huge thank you to st martins press and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! I can’t wait for y’all to read this one in august!!!

rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: south africa pinotage

I was very excited to get an early copy of Ms. Goldin’s new novel - since I really enjoyed the previous ones. And it was just like a run away train - I was pulled in and devoured this book in a day. Just couldn’t put it down. She is able to weave in all these narratives and story lines and keep us guessing and building the suspense - I just had to know what would happen.

The MC Rachel is just so genuine and it feels less like a true crime spectacle (obviously these are fiction) but its not focused on gore and shock and awe but more of the humanity and I really appreciate it as I am not into true crime or really crime type media. It had a great mix of that mystery/thriller but also keeping the reader grounded with Rachel’s focus on the people in the story. Also, I didn’t see that end coming at all!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy!

Megan Goldin books are always a ride. I received an early review copy of Dark Corners from the publisher and immediately blocked out hours of my weekend to devour it. Lovely to say I was not disappointed one little bit.

Dark Corners explores the world of influencers, as a true crime podcaster becomes involved in and investigates a past and potentially future crime. It kept me on the edge of my seat. At one point you definitely realize who is most likely the killer, and then it’s a suspense leading up to a slow reveal.

Recommend to all those true crime lovers out there.