THE NIGHT SWIM is raw and real. It felt like something we’d hear about on the news today, specifically the trial scenes. The writing and the pacing were great. I felt it was a little slow to start, but the result was well worth it.

Night Swim is a tough review to write as it blends the most heartless, ugliest, damaging, atrocity, with a compelling mystery to investigate crimes committed in both the present and the past. An unsettling novel that illuminates the very deep sense of blame, depravity, vicious physical and psychological damage, horror, and loss, that crimes of rape causes.

Podcast host Rachel Krall’s latest project in her true-crime series is to cover the rape case of the popular Olympic swimming hopeful, Scott Blair, as he is accused of raping a sixteen-year-old girl, K.
“I'm Rachel Krall and this is ‘Guilty or Not Guilty’, the podcast that puts you in the jury box.”
Rachel travels to the small town of Neapolis in North Carolina, where feelings are mixed and news passes through the community in a way every close-knit community experiences. While in Neapolis, another woman, Hannah Stiles, starts secretly leaving packages with information about her sister Jenny, who she believes was raped and murdered, twenty-five years ago. Gradually Rachel feels compelled to investigate this murder and drag up old stories and suspicions. The heart-breaking aspect of this investigation is the reputational damage to Jenny as a licentious girl who accidentally drowns at sea. As Rachel and Hannah provide the narrative throughout the novel flipping back and forward over the twenty-five-year period the plot thickens, the suspense rises, the suspicions increase, the truth becomes clear and always there is this sin that hangs over the town that evil lurks. This is especially difficult for Jenny riddled with guilt and sorrow who can’t really move on with her own life when her older sister’s was taken away so brutally.

Megan Goldin approaches the crime of rape very sensitively but ensures that she paints an authentic portrayal of the emotional impact on the victim in terms of both the offence and the courtroom trial to be endured. In another, he said she said situation the uncovering of new information and evidence as the trial progresses seems to only way to achieve justice. A difficult task considering the Blair family has financial resources and power to pay for the best legal representation and manipulate support within the community.

Rachel plays a wonderful role in covering the current courtroom trial with K and the investigation into the old rape case of Jenny. Night Swim is a fascinating and absorbing story that manages a wonderful balance between sensitivity and faithfulness to the crime of rape, while also delivering an intriguing mystery that unearths secrets that the perpetrators hoped to keep hidden.

A truly unforgettable story that is one of the best this year. I would like to thank Megan Goldin, St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book!

The book alternates between the main character Rachel Krall, letters from a woman named Hannah, and episodes of Rachel’s true-crime podcast. The podcast really set the tone for the book and provided such a unique recap of facts and opinions that I found myself eagerly looking forward to those sections and wishing they were longer. I loved the idea of Hannah’s letters, which were retellings of past events, but I found that they weren’t as compelling as the current-day sections of the book. It also bugged me a little that no-one ever saw Hannah but she always showed up at exactly the right time to leave a letter for Rachel to find, which seemed impossible.

Overall, this book was hugely entertaining and I didn’t want to put it down. I ended up binging the entire thing in a weekend, and my husband got so sick of me talking about it that he decided to read it too. I will say it is more of an unfolding mystery (almost a procedural) more than a thriller. But like I said, I found it so compelling I couldn’t put it down and I’m already feeling jealous of people that still get to read it for the first time.

The Night Swim follows Rachel, the host of a popular True Crime podcast, Guilty or Not Guilty. Rachel is headed to the small coastal town of Neapolis, NC to cover a controversial trial. The town’s golden boy, Olympic swimmer Scott Blair is accused of raping a high school student, referred to only as K. While investigating, Rachel comes across a series of letters addressed to her from a mysterious girl named Hannah. Hannah wants Rachel’s help to find out what happened to her sister Jenny Stills, who drowned in Neapolis under mysterious circumstances twenty-five years ago. As Rachel investigates, she starts to find alarming similarities between the two cases, similarities that will change the lives of everyone involved.

Told in alternating perspectives between Rachel in the present, and Hannah as a combination of letters and flashbacks, The Night Swim tackles America’s fascination with true crime and the often polarizing subject of sexual assault. Part true crime, part legal thriller, The Night Swim largely takes place in a courtroom. If not evident by the synopsis, this book should have a massive trigger warning. The entire book deals with the topics of rape and sexual assault, often delving into graphic details the way a typical trial would.

At times I found this book incredibly challenging and infuriating, in the same way, a typical sexual assault trial would be. Overall I loved it and could not put it down. I loved Rachel as a character, and the premise of her podcast is so interesting. I think Rachel and her podcast would make an excellent series if Megan Goldin was willing to return to her story.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

While the premise of the book was interesting the book was ultimately just disjointed and awkward. It was just missing that added "umpf" from one of the storylines.

5 stars

I am fast becoming a #fangirl of Megan Goldin. Last year, I read Escape Room and was immediately hooked. So when I saw she had a new book out, The Night Swim, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

While, written in a completely different vein than Escape Room, The Night Swim is equally compelling and a total page turner. Exploring the shades of gray of rape is nothing new in the literary world, but Goldin puts a new, current twist on it by telling the story partially through a podcast.

The story explores the present day rape trial of Kelly Moore and a 25 year old suspected rape and murder of Jenny Stills. Told in alternating viewpoints of the podcast journalist covering the present day rape trial and the memories of Jenny’s sister, this story weaves together the past and present bringing the ending to a crescendo that will leave you speechless.

I don’t want to say anything more because well, this book is just one of those books that you just keep thinking about even after you finish it. And might I say that there is definitely a tee up for this to become a “Rachel” series, which I really, really, really am hoping happens.

This book is about power and what the people who have it can try to get away with.

Rachel is on her way to a small town to cover a rape trial for her true crime podcast. On her way there, she receives a letter stuck to her car at a rest stop (how creepy is that?) asking her to investigate the murder of a teenage girl from 25 years ago. You know, since she was going to be in town anyway. Maybe in her spare time. The rape trial is important to the book, but the murder mystery is what really stands out.

I need to go find this author's other book(s).

It's part murder mystery part psychological thriller. If you like either of those things and you haven't read this yet, I definitely recommend it.

Review:

I've had The Night Swim on my radar since I saw the cover and it was picked as a Book of the Month pick in 2020. I finally decided to dive into my neglected NetGalley ARC and found myself really enjoying the well-crafted thriller.

I struggled with the rating, it went between a 4 and 5 because I had a hard time connecting with the courtroom thriller aspects of the novel. However, the writing, the characters, and the twists made this closer to a 5-star thriller for me. I will be reading more from Megan Goldin soon!

The novel follows two different mysteries, a current rape trial and a cold case both from the same small town. I found each of the storylines interesting and felt that Goldin did a good job of fleshing out both of them. I was more interested in the cold case storyline but still enjoyed both of them.

The novel was really hard to read because of the subject matter. It deals with rape, the trauma of it, and discusses rape culture and blaming the victim. While it was hard to read I think it was an important topic to talk about and Goldin tackles the hard-to-read-about issue in a respectful and informative way.

I recommend checking out this well-done 2020 thriller. It was a good and intense read.


Rating

4.5 Stars Out of 5 Stars.

Oh what a great read about a sad and often hidden subject. You read the title and might think it could be about that very romantic moonlight swim! Read this great book to find out if the moon is shining or not. Thank you for writing such a great book!

Although I’ve been a huge fan of crime thrillers and mysteries since I picked up my first Agatha Christie at age 10, I’ve never really gotten into the true crime genre. To me, it just seems a little ghoulish to follow along on a story centered around a real dead woman (and they are almost always women). I feel the same way about crime podcasts, even though many of those are geared toward freeing a person unjustly accused. Megan Goldin has followed up her breathless debut thriller, The Escape Room, with The Night Swim, a novel that centers around a true crime podcast, and while the story it covers is strong, I found it had many of the same issues that keep me from enjoying podcasts in real life.

To read the rest of the review, click on the link below.

Summary:

Rachel Krall’s true crime podcast has risen to stardom quickly. Many people who are seeking justice for loved ones contact her in hopes that she will investigate to find answers.

When Rachel travels to Neopolis to cover a rape trial, someone is following her leaving notes. The person stalking her wants help with a murder that occurred 25 years ago to a young girl named Jenny Stills. Originally the outcome was declared drowning, but the person following Rachel insists it was a murder.

Rachel begins to investigate the murder of Jenny Stiles while attending the rape trial and begins to see connections between these two cases in this small town.

My Thoughts:

This was my second book by Megan Goldin. I was a big fan of The Escape Room. The Night Swim was well written and had an intriguing and intricate plot, but the content matter was extremely hard to read at times.

I have hopes for another book about Rachel Krall and her podcast investigation. I enjoyed her character and desire to solve cold cases.

This book was pretty disturbing at points. If you have a trigger for sexual assault, I don’t recommend you read this book due to the graphic content.

I received a free copy of The Night Swim from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this opportunity!

( Sorry I posted this on Goodreads Publication Day but forgot to post here.)

Happy Publication Day : Today, Tuesday 08/04/2020!! NOW AVAILABLE!!

Debilitating; Gut-Wrenching.

This reads like a True Crime. HIGHLY recommend the audio version in addition to the print. Hearing the podcast adds an extra element.

Powerful; bold. I’m emotionally shook. I have a major book hangover after this one.

“The Night Swim” gave me “Sadie” by Courtney Summers vibes but EVEN better! Also much more graphic.

“...We make constant calculations in life, [considering] convenience vs. safety. Most of the time things work out fine, occasionally something terrible happens.”

“If every woman who felt afraid called 9-1-1 the switchboard would melt.”

Rachel Krall, co- partner of the radio show
“ Guilty or Not Guilty- The podcast that puts YOU in the jury box,” has been known to help police solve crimes before . During her very first season on air, she assisted a man that had been falsely accused, to get acquitted and released from jail. Now, for season 3, she has taken it upon herself to take a closer look into Neapolis’s largest trial involving the town’s “Golden Boy” and expert swimmer Scott Blair. The Blair family, one of the richest in a neighborhood where everyone knows everyone, cannot fathom that their son could possibly be guilty of such behavior. He’s only 18 years old, and has such a bright future ahead of him, and while he may be “ immature” this hardly seems like Scott’s etiquette.

But, what is he guilty of you ask? The rape and sexual assault of “K” ( name withheld for privacy reasons), after she left a party at her friends house, visibly intoxicated. K ,our 16 year old “alleged victim,” claims that she drank several cups of soda while trying to sober up and was not aware that they had been spiked. Witnesses of the party, and video footage on social media show K losing her balance and bumping into people shortly before Lexie, the party host, throws her out of the house. She is forced to walk home. Before she leaves, a male friend Harris Wilson, is seen offering to walk her home. But, the two decide to make a pit stop at his house along the way. After he runs in his house to get a few “ things” he returns to find K missing. He yells for her, but she’s nowhere to be found.

“Rape is devisive.”

“Everyone seems to have an opinion, but no one has facts.”

“Rarely are there witnesses other than the parties themselves.”

Rachel, tries to maintain anonymity due to the nature of her job, but is shocked when she stops at a truck stop for breakfast and returns to her vehicle with a note on the windshield. How could anyone have known that she was going to stop here? The letter is from a woman named Hannah who claims that she is the sister of Jenny Stills, a 16- year old girl that drowned in the jetty after hitting her head on jagged rocks 25 years ago, in 1992. But Hannah stresses that Jenny’s death was not an accident and that Rachel is her last resort and the only one that can help to avenge her sister’s murder. But, how can Rachel help Hannah when she has such a big story already on her plate? She tries to ignore the letters but they continue to come, in the most surprising of places; even in her locked hotel room.

What do K and a Jenny have in common? How does what happened to one teenage girl relate to a car accident that killed two boys that were just as young? Why is it that when a girl is raped, that many turn a blind eye or suddenly recall that she had a salacious “reputation?” What could the homeless man who lives in the boat shed know ?

“I screamed, but not a sound came out.”

“I was shocked how he went from being nice to aggressive.”

“He told me that I’d go home when he was ready for me to go home.”

“The only way to keep my good girl reputation was to shut up.”

“It was more convenient for people if that girl’s death was put down as an accident.”

“This girl was met with extreme violence before her death.”

Before Chapter 39, take a deep breath in and prepare yourself because you’ll need it.

“She was hyperventilating on the stand. Then she made a primal sound that I’ve only heard once before, at a slaughterhouse. It was a deep, wrenching howl of pain that sent chills up the spine.”

Right up up until the shocking conclusion you will have no clue what is going on in this town. My mind has officially been blown.

😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱 5 stars !


This book will hit you all the way to the core.

A VERY difficult read at times 💔💔💔

👏 👏 👏👏👏👏👏👏 A new fave!

I own “The Escape Room” and now I am FLOORED to read it.

Thank you to Megan Goldin, Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

TRIGGER WARNINGS : rape, sexual misconduct, sexual abuse of a minor, child abuse, graphic content.

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.