This book was everything I was hoping it would be. It's the story of a podcast host who visits a small town to cover a rape trial and while she's there she receives a mysterious note asking her to look into a decades old murder that was ruled an accident.
The author tells the story of the rape trial from the perspective of the podcast host, Rachel, while the murder case is told from the victim's sister's perspective. Each chapter was titled so it was easy to keep track of where we were in the story.
I found both stories to be really interesting and I liked how the author wove everything together. I must say that I was really surprised by the reveal in the murder case. I liked how the author wrapped up both situations, I felt that there were no loose ends. Also without revealing anything I was thrilled by the last sentence and love that the author included that detail.
Definitely check this book out! This was my first book by this author and definitely will not be my last.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings for rape and sexual assault.

Oof. This book is a tough one. A tough one to read, a tough one to rate.

The Night Swim is my first book by Megan Goldin and it's expertly crafted. You are following a true crime podcaster who heads to a small town to cover a rape trial. In her podcasting life, she is careful to hide her identity and her face, but someone in this small town knows who she is and needs her help.

The main plot, the subplots, the narrative - they all deal with rape and sexual assault. At one point it literally broke me.

In the beginning of the book, I honestly thought I would give it 2 stars. It's just not subject matter that I want in my entertainment, but as the book went on I got further hooked into Goldin's writing and the way she pieced together the multiple timelines of the rape trial, what happened in the case, and the cold case she's looking into on the side.

I wound up really liking The Night Swim in the end. I give you strong warnings going into this. The rape victims are teenagers and there's a lot of narrative surrounding women, sexual assault, and our legal system.

I will start this review with a question. Would you listen to a Podcast that opens with the following statement? - “I’m Rachel Krall. This is Guilty or Not Guilty, the podcast that puts you in the jury box.” I know I would! This fictional podcast is right up my alley and features heavily in Megan Goldin’s newest release, The Night Swim. Goldin brilliantly merges the worlds of true crime and crime fiction creating a haunting and suspenseful tale of tragedy, the search for justice, and hope.

Now in its third season, Guilty or Not Guilty has become a phenomenon. During season 2, host Rachel Krall uncovered evidence which set an innocent man free. Since then she has been sought out by convicted criminals, family members, and victims begging for her assistance.

Guilty Or Not Guilty acts as co-main character of The Night Swim. Goldin gives readers an insider view of what it takes to put together a Podcast. The production, interviews, and research all feature heavily in The Night Swim. I am a huge fan of Podcasts, but I must admit, I had no idea how much time goes into creating just one episode. The addition of a Podcast into the plot gave the story more depth and intrigue as well as a dual storyline. Fans of Podcasts and crime fiction will find an ideal match in The Night Swim.

For season 3 Rachel takes a slightly different approach; traveling to Neapoli, North Carolina to cover the rape trial of Scott Blair in real time. Scott is a beloved town hero on the fast track to Olympic glory. Scott’s local celebrity and influential family have caused a divide within the small beachside town. Some believe he is an innocent man while others have no doubt of his guilt. As tensions rise in the community, Scott’s trial begins. As the end of the trial approaches lives are torn apart as old secrets come to light. Rachel only seeks the truth, but she finds herself being torn between both sides.

While Rachel is passionate about justice, she is just as passionate about remaining anonymous. The more successful Rachel and Guilty Or Not Guilty become, the more difficult it will be for Rachel to be anonymous. I would love to read more of Rachel as well as Guilty Or Not Guilty. There will come a point when Rachel will have to choose between justice and privacy, and I would love to read her final decision.

The Night Swim discusses a sexual assault. While the story does not delve into graphic details, some portions of the story are disturbing, and readers should be prepared. However, The Night Swim is also a story of resilience and courage. I felt such pride while reading The Night Swim. Several times I wanted to shout “YES!!!” when a character defied the odds; telling their story and demanding justice. Although at times difficult to read, The Night Swim is tragic yet uplifting and relevant.

Murder and Moore Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

I have been reading reviews of this one and wanted to listen to the audiobook, hence, I am a bit late to the game. I absolutely loved this story and the narration put it over the top for me. Rachel Krall is a former newspaper reporter whose true-crime podcast "Guilty or Not Guilty" became an overnight sensation in her first season. For her second season, she is in Neapolis, where she will be broadcasting about the sensational rape trial of a young teen by the town's golden boy. The town is split down the middle whether of not he is guilty as he claims it was consensual. It is a typical "he said, she said" situation. While she is there, she begins to investigate the drowning of 16 year old Jenny Sills, twenty-five years earlier. Her sister has contacted Rachel to investigate as she knows it is murder, and no one was ever charged, in fact, there was absolutely no investigation.

The stories are told in alternating chapters with Rachel, Hannah, and an unknown male. Hannah's memories are heartbreaking, full of emotion, and raw at times. This might be a tough story for many to read or listen to as there are a few scenes where Jenny is raped and beaten. The act is not described, but the effect and feelings after the fact let us know exactly what she went through. No one else would take Hannah seriously over the years, but Rachel is curious, and that is all she needs to do some investigating on her own. Trying to do her podcast and follow up on the old case has her burning the candle at both ends and she becomes a bit vulnerable. I am not a big podcast fan but I enjoyed the inclusion of them in this story. This story was part legal thriller, part mystery and full of suspense. I loved the short chapters as it made the pace move quickly. The lawyers were fantastic and I enjoyed the courtroom scenes. The scenes from the past were sad, and gut-wrenching. There was so much about this book that hooked me and I found myself stopping everything so I could listen to this one. The characters and plot were well-developed and the twist at the end took me by surprise. I definitely recommend this one.

Great read! Megan Goldin writes a new novel very different than The Escape Room but no less compelling.

The Night Swim is my first read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Rachel Krall is doing very well with her true crime podcast. Season three takes a turn she didn’t expect when Hannah starts leaving her notes. Hannah’s sister was murdered and she wants Rachel to investigate.

I don’t think I’ve read a story with a podcast so this was nice and different. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

This is the first book I have read by Meagan Goldin. I thoroughly enjoyed “The Night Swim”. Ms. Goldin has done a wonderful job of mingling two stories together, one a current rape trial, and one a rape/murder from twenty-five years ago. All taking place in a fictional North Carolina sea coast town called Neopolis. Her charters are well developed and the storyline is engaging. I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Night Swim. I will definitely read other writings by Ms. Goldin.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing house for providing a review copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thrillers tend to follow the same formulas and are, rarely if ever, meaty enough for a book club discussion. That is not the case at all with this phenomenal read.

Rachel Krall runs a true-crime podcast, very similar to Serial, where she explores a case each season to help seek rectify injustices that may have occurred. This makes her a target of fandom, but also a target of frustration, for those who may be involved in these cases.

In the new season, Rachel is investigating a rape trial, where an Olympic-hopeful athlete has been accused of committing this crime. The family is well-known, wealthy, and connected in the town so he has the best people involved to represent him.

As Rachel settles into this town, for her investigation, she begins to receive letters from a woman who is begging her to reopen an investigation into the death of hers sister.

As these cases share many parallels, Rachel learns more about the dark side of this town and the people in it.

Goldin does an incredible job building out sympathy for these women, in each case, and exploring really important themes about these #metoo stories and how wealth and power allow men to not be punished for their crimes.

I want to say, this one comes with major trigger warnings and I would not recommend it, if sexual assault is triggering to you. 

It’s graphic and disturbing, in these scenes, but also does a good job of not glossing over the crimes.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel!

I really found it enjoyable and twisty, another solid thriller by Goldin. I have definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoyed her first novel. I love the podcast feel and the regular old person looking into a crime that was commited.

Megan Goldin's debut psychological thriller, The Escape Room, established her as a clever and creative suspense writer. Her second novel, The Night Swim, is equally compelling and, indeed, haunting.

The Night Swim focuses on two crimes committed twenty-five years apart. Both female victims, Kelly and Jenny, were just teenagers when they were targets of heinous behavior. The story focuses on them, along with Rachel and Hannah. Jenny's sister, who insists that Jenny did not drown after jumping off a jetty and hitting the rocks below, but was, rather, murdered.

Goldin relates that her goal in writing The Night Swim was to illustrate the "many parallels between these types of cases, and they repeat themselves over and over again throughout history, effectively." At its core, The Night Swim is an indictment of a justice system that treats victims differently, depending upon their socioeconomic status and connections to power.

Jenny and Hannah were the daughters of a single mother struggling to raise her daughters in a small town where everyone knows everybody else, and money equates with the power to dictate who will succeed and who will fail. who will be given opportunities, and who will continue struggling and dreaming about a better life. At sixteen, Jenny becomes the target of local rough boys, initially due to their mother's reputation but earning her own, as Hannah, six years younger and powerless to help, watches. They claimed that Jenny went night swimming, joined by local boys. And one night she got drunk, jumped off the jetty, and hit her head. Accidentally drowned. Case closed.

In present-day Neopolis, Kelly left a party, opting to walk home alone. But she never made it there. Were it not for her grandfather's stature in the small town, her case would probably have been given as little attention as Jenny's. Instead, Scott Blair, the son of the wealthiest family in town is about to stand trial. His college scholarship has been revoked and he is suspended from the state swim team, prohibited from participating in the national competition that could lead him to a shot at Olympic gold. Scott will always be known as the boy who was accused from rape, whether or not he is convicted.

Goldin says she sought to explore how both girls were "marginalized due to sexual assault. They were marginalized socially . . ." Goldin effectively depicts how the citizens form alliances, as Kelly is subjected to victim-shaming and her parents are ostracized. She demonstrates just how much has changed in the past twenty-five years, as well as how much things have remained the same. In Jenny's case, her family's status and reputation ensured that the case was never properly investigated. In Kelly's case, a thorough investigation can't protect her and her family from suffering because she came forward.

At the heart of it all is Rachel, the reporter who knows she should be focused on the trial that is taking place, but cannot turn her attention away from Jenny's case. "Curiosity was Rachel's kryptonite. Always had been. Always would be." She is determined to learn whether the elusive Hannah, who continues pushing her to look into the case, but refuses to meet in person, is just a grieving sister who cannot come to terms with the truth about Jenny died or if she is right when she insists that Jenny was denied justice.

How the story plays out is far less important than the themes Goldin explores. But she delivers a fast-paced, engrossing, and disturbing narrative that seamlessly alternates between two time periods. Goldin never flinches as she explores the two crimes with sometimes brutal frankness and raw honesty. Rachel proves herself a competent investigator and reporter, dedicated to finding the truth and determined to help Hannah, herself a victim of what actually happened on the night twenty-five years ago when Jenny's life ended. As Rachel inches closer to discovering what really happened and the manner in which the two crimes are connected, she and Hannah find themselves in grave danger. Goldin ramps up the dramatic tension until the story's explosive conclusion. And leaves the door open for possible sequels featuring Rachel.

This is truly an excellent thriller. I was expecting a solid thriller based on Goldin's first book, The Escape Room, but this one was SO good. The two timelines between the trial happening in present day and the letters from Hannah about the past only makes readers want to keep reading to figure out what happens. There were parts that were hard to read and I wouldn't recommend this to people who want to avoid triggers related to rape and assault. Megan Goldin is definitely a must-read author for me now.

What an interesting concept for a book! This is the first of it's kind I've read, a book based on a podcast, but it was great! I really enjoyed the format and loved the alternating podcast chapters.

Rachel travels to a small town to cover a rape trial for her podcast. What she isn't expecting is an anonymous letter attached to her windshield, begging her to look into an accidental drowning case believed to be a murder. The past and the present intertwine to create the history and present of the mystery letter writer's story about her murdered sister. Will she be able to cover the trial for her podcast and solve the unsolved murder?

There was a lot of hype and mixed reviews on this book, so I was a bit hesitant to dive in. I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed quite a few of the characters and I really enjoyed the progression of the story. I think it was full of really important messages too, talking about the taboo subject of rape cases and 'unbelieved women'. This book kept me on my toes and wondering what happened then and what happens now, with both cases. Highly recommend this one for any psychological thriller lovers.

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin was a great read. It was a little slower initially, but about midway, I did not want to put it down. It reminded me of one of the few podcasts that I have listened to. The book was 4.5/5 for me.

Rachel Krall has a famous podcast and decided to take the current season to the courtroom. While she is engrossed in the case, a fan, Hannah, presented another case from 25 years prior. The story is told from dual points of view and it helps the reader gain a deeper understanding of the cases.

Thank you. NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the copy of The Night Swim. All opinions are my own.
#TheNightSwim #NetGalley

3.5 stars

I really loved Megan Goldin’s The Escape Room and was excited to read her next novel, The Night Swim.

If you’re a fan of the podcast Serial, then you may be intrigued by this book’s main character, who is shooting her true crime podcast week by week while following an ongoing rape trial in a small town.

This book held my interest for the most part but i did find myself not entirely loving the ending. Overall it was entertaining but didn’t knock my socks off.

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Goldin, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review.-

Wow! This is one of the best crime mystery books I have ever read. I stayed up late reading every night until I finished. I loved this book and will definitely be reading more by this author. I hope this becomes a series. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

What a great book! I loved the podcast episodes within it and the mystery had me guessing the whole time. Goldin did a great job at weaving it all together.

I've been in the mood for a mystery/thriller, so I was glad when I had quite a few on queue on Netgalley. However, four chapters in to The Night Swim and I just couldn't get into this one. I feel like it has potential but I just don't have the time or patience to continue reading something I can't connect with.

This book is an example of the podcast world colliding with the literary world and I am here for it! I ended up picking this up on audio and it really intensified the story so I'd highly recommend you give it a listen. The author did a great job of combining two different stories and timelines without making it too confusing. I was totally invested in both storylines. I only had one main issue that made me take it down a half a star in my final rating, but I can't really talk about it without spoiling it. While I am seeing a trend of podcasts in books, as long as they continue to be this good I'll keep on reading them.

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress and the author for this ARC...The Night Swim published in August, so you know...go get it anytime.

The Night Swim is such a timely suspense, centering on themes of the Me Too movement. Also you’ll for sure pick up on the similarities between this fictional story and the real life monster Brock Turner. I know I’ve seen some reviews turn up their nose at this, but I really appreciated the author taking a real-life event and basically smacking us in the face with it. Like, pay attention, damnit.

I also enjoyed the podcast element since I’m one that is obsessed with serial crime pods, and I know that they really can make a huge difference (ahem, Curtis Flowers).

If you enjoy a good suspense that keeps you guessing and appreciate when fiction is timely and relevant, The Night Swim is for you!

I loved this. Fan of real crime podcasts this was a really clever way to treat a courtroom drama. Full of twists and a great ending fully recommend