“This is Rachel Krall on Guilty or Not Guilty, the podcast that puts YOU in the jury box.”

Known for her sultry voice, but not her face, Rachel is troubled when she finds a handwritten letter on her windshield, outside a diner at a remote stop, as she is on her way to Neapolis, the town of her season three podcast.

The letter is written intimately, and is asking for help in solving the case of a sixteen year old girl named Jenny Stills, who died in Neapolis decades earlier, and is signed by her sister Hannah, who believes the “drowning” was actually a murder...

But, Rachel gets requests from desperate people all the time.

She needs to focus on the current case.

For the first time her Podcast is following a trial LIVE, and it is the first RAPE she is covering- A Future Olympian, and the town’s golden boy has been accused of raping a high school student, referred to as “K”.

But, Hannah does not give up easily.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Hannah, Rachel, and the Season Three Podcast episode transcripts, the three narratives, and the two cases, will eventually intersect in many unexpected ways.

I love when a suspense story can surprise me, while remaining plausible, and this one managed to do just that, with the short chapters I love which allow you to say “just one more chapter”...

I am hoping that Rachel Krall, and her podcast may make another appearance in a future book...any chance of that happening, Ms. Goldin??

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review! This book will be released Aug 4, 2020!

Addictive and haunting! Megan Goldin has again masterfully captured my imagination, and yet this is so different from her other work. The plot is truly unsettling, and as someone who loves true crime podcasts, I loved that component of the book. The weaving together of two narratives was done so seamlessly, and I can honestly say I was completely surprised by the ending. Truly compelling! (This book deals with rape and the treatment of rape victims, and may be triggering.)

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Rape. A four letter word that can destroy a person and those around them. How do we see it and what has changed since social media and podcasts have taken over the world? Why is the court of public opinion allowed to make or break someone? Why are women judged more harshly than men for their actions?
Megan Goldin covers this and more in 'The Night Swim'. A small town ripped apart by a rape accusation against one of their chosen. A podcast host coming to cover the trial and is waylaid by Hannah who has ulterior motives to going back to that small town.

The town wants to protect their secrets and their chosen. What will it cost Rachel Krall as she tries to cover the trial objectively AND figure out what happened to Hannah's family member? Hannah hides behind letters written to Rachel for most of the book. This leads to some detective work by Rachel and her crew. Detective work that could cost Rachel not just her career but her life.

The points of view alternate between Rachel, Hannah, and transcripts of Rachel's podcast. This helps you see and understand but the same time leaves you guessing.

This book definitely was high on commentary of how we treat rape victims and I must say it is NEEDED even in fiction.

I would say this is 4.5 stars but alas only 1-5. Why can't we got to 10?
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Raw, impactful, and thought-provoking!

The Night Swim is a slow-burning, intense mystery that introduces us to the tenacious, driven, podcast-host Rachel Krall as she heads to Neapolis, North Carolina to cover the rape trial of a sixteen-year-old teen by the local superstar athlete and ends up in turn also unexpectedly investigating a twenty-five-year-old murder.

The writing is sharp and edgy. The characters are intelligent, relentless, and determined. And the complex plot told from alternating POVs and through a mixture of narration and podcast-style musings subtly unfolds into a chilling tale of scandal, consent, deception, reputation, coercion, injustice, class division, violence, and murder.

Overall, The Night Swim is a dark, gripping, sensitive tale by Goldin that packs a real emotional punch and does an exceptional job of highlighting the psychological and emotional devastation caused by rape and the cultural stigmatization that regrettably still surrounds it.

Stayed up late to finish this one! Good suspense that kept me guessing. Most of the story deals with the legal process of a current rape case which becomes intertwined with a past rape in the same community. It brings up some good discussion points regarding the issue of rape. I normally do not get into trigger warnings but if rape is an issue I would proceed with caution if not pick up this book, you will not be sorry!

While in a small North Carolina town covering the rape trial of a teenage girl for her podcast, journalist Rachel Krall becomes preoccupied with the death of another teenage girl that occurred 25 years earlier. Told from the perspectives of Rachel and the dead girl’s sister, Hannah, two mysteries of sexual assault unfold. What makes this story unique is the inclusion of Rachel’s podcasts, which cover the rape trial itself. The book is well written, with characters you come to feel you know. And, although Rachel isn’t exactly impartial, I feel her podcasts at least attempt impartiality.

There are times when this is not an easy book to read. This is a book about sexual abuse against young women and it’s aftermath and, to put it mildly, it is very uncomfortable at times. It is a book about how a small community reacts to violence, both in the present and in the past, and how the town’s memories continue to simmer below the surface. But, finally, this is a book about the search for justice.

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

I had previously read a book by this same author to review, and I really enjoyed her writing style. However, this book is very different from the other book which I read by her. This book is told through two different characters, one through letters to the main character, and the main character through her personal narrative and her podcast transcripts. It is a very interesting and engaging format to learn the story and I really enjoyed the different dialogues that occurred between the characters through this way of storytelling.
The story follows a podcaster who goes to cover a rape trial in a small town but is drawn in (by the secondary character) to figure out a cold case that happened dozens of years ago.
It is a novel idea and the author did a very masterful job of keeping me engaged, of creating memorable characters and making an impression on me enough so that I was drawn back into the book after setting it down more than a few times!
I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers by people such as Megan Miranda or Gillian Flynn. This is perhaps not quite as dark but definitely somewhat chilling.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and how it flowed from the present to the past. The ending was a surprise, I didn't expect the murderer to be who it was.
Great writing and we'll developed characters. I will read books by this author again

Can secrets remain hidden in a small town? “This is Rachel Krall on Guilty or not Guilty, the podcast that puts You in the jury box”. Two rapes in a small town decades apart but yet somehow disturbingly connected. Rachel is in town covering a rape of a sixteen year old girl, who has accused the son of a well known local business man and who happens to be the towns star athlete, she’s covering the trial for her podcast. When she arrives in town she starts receiving anonymous letters, from a woman named Hannah whose begging her to investigate her sister Jenny’s murder that happened twenty five years ago but was labeled a drowning. Rachel takes a chance and begins investigating following the evidence that Hannah puts in the letters and soon she finds herself uncovering evidence and coverups all while covering the trial. Soon small town secrets are uncovered and victim blaming begins and the current case and past case overlap. This was amazing! I loved the alternating chapters between past and present and the podcast chapters! At times some of the past chapters got heavy and emotional for me when it came to what happened to Jenny and the current rape case Rachel was covering so please be aware readers there are parts that include rape and victim shaming. I enjoyed this book especially the way the author shows how our society treats rape victims especially when the accused comes from a wealthy family. I give this five stars!

The way this novel intertwined two different cases of rape was so intriguing. I loved the idea of incorporating modern times with the podcast. At first I was unable to see the possibility of a connection. The twist at the end where the antagonist was revealed was shocking. I would definitely recommend this novel. On Goodreads, I rated this a 4.5/5. My only complaint is that I felt the novel dragged a bit in the beginning.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. WOW! I had a hard time putting this book down. Twenty-five years a young girl named Jenny committed suicide, but her sister believes that it is murder. Twenty-five years later, Rachel, a podcaster is in the same town to cover a rape trial when she discovers a note on her car from someone that wants her to look into Jenny's case. This book is back and forth between Rachel, Jenny's sister, Hannah, and the podcast. As the story goes on Rachel believes that these cases might be connected, but are they? This is an excellent book. I can't wait to read more by this author.

Rachel does a podcast of murders. She is doing her season three podcast on a current case that is in trial about a rapist.
When sh finds the first letter from someone named Hannah she's not sure what to make of it. As she's watching the trial of one rapust for her podcast she's also investigating the rape and murder of Hannah's sister that happened twenty five years before. Somewhere along the line all the information on the murder has been lost. There is no autopsy report, no forensic evidence not even a police report. It's like it never happened.
This is an enjoyable story. It's suspenseful and intriguing. I recommend this book!

Intriguing and captivating. A podcast host covers a rape trial and in a small town and is enticed into investigating a death that had occurred years before. Two generations and two crimes make for a roller coaster of a read.

I’ve never listened to podcasts so I wasn’t sure if I’d like this. I loved it. The story is told from two points of view Rachel and Hannah it’s also told in Rachel’s pod cast. Rachel goes to a small town to cover a rape case and uncovers a second crime in the small town. This is definitely a must read. I feel like I was blindsided by the end in such a good way. Usually I can figure out who did it. This had a twist i wasn’t expecting. I’m hoping that Rachel’s podcasts continue.

A little gimmicky for my taste. I felt the same about The Escape Room but thought I’d at least try it.

I felt all the emotions while reading this book. It may be hard for some to read this novel based on the topic of rape and death but I loved the fight for honesty and the justice sought after in this novel.

"The Night Swim" deals with chasing truth and the desire for a victim to be heard. Something that is so real these days. Both past and present events detailed in this book push you out of your (reader) comfort zone.

I loved ever part of this novel. The hard parts made the good parts that much more enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy of this novel.

Oh. My. Gosh. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book since "The Escape Room" was one of my top reads of 2019.... and I'm just as BLOWN AWAY.

Rachel is a famous true crime podcast creator who's divorced and married to her job. One day, she travels to a small town of Neapolis, North Carolina, to do research on a famous rape case which may or may not have been fabricated; the victim was the granddaughter of a police chief and was allegedly raped by the Olympic swimmer Scott Blair. But after she comes back to her from a diner, Rachel finds a note begging for help uncovering the truth about the drowning of Jenny Stills whose case is filled with so many holes that it looks like a possible murder. While Rachel is indifferent to the note at first, her innate curiosity takes the better of her and the investigation begins... Only it looks like the two Neapolis cases may actually have more in common than it seems.

I am shaken, unsettled and very emotional after reading this. "The Night Swim" is not a light psychological thriller you could pick up for your beach read; rather, it is a serious exploration of the topic of rape, which is certainly a potential trigger. However, Goldin tackles this difficult topic with a sensitive and objective outlook. There is also a strong theme of guilt associated with rape, which is heavy but well presented.

Overall, I'd HIGHLY recommend this book not only for its quality thriller value, but also the literary exploration of our society's rape culture. Its not easy, but it pulls you in from the beginning. 5 stars.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Are you, like me, one of those readers who loves a book that keeps you guessing and that challenges every one of your “little grey cells” as you try to figure out who’s the good guy and who’s just masquerading as a good guy before the author’s seemingly straightforward takes a sharp turn before the final reveal? If that scenario is your cup of tea then THE NIGHT SWIM by Megan Goldin is the book for you. I had read a previous book by this author, The Escape Room, and thoroughly enjoyed it so I decides to give this one a try. Let me tell you I was not disappointed.

The Night Swim tells the story Rachel Krall whose podcasts re-examines true crimes and, in at least one instance, has led to an innocent man being set free. Now Rachel is in the small, insular town of Neopolis covering the story of the town “golden boy” who has been accused of raping the grand-daughter of the well respected and now deceased police chief. In addition, Rachel has been receiving letters from a woman named Hannah begging her to investigate the death of her sister Jenny who was raped and murdered in the very same town 25 years earlier and whose death was ruled accidental and never investigated.

Told by Rachel and Hannah in alternating chapters, The Night Swim is chilling, nasty, intelligent and shocking………a clever and dark confection that hinges on not one but two crimes as it examines the horror of rape and its consequences for not only the perpetrator but also surviving victims, who are forced to relive the traumatic event multiple times.

Unraveling this smart psychological thriller will provide you with hours of enjoyment and diversion as well as providing your tired brain cells with the workout they deserve during the boring hours of this “pandemic”.

Slow paced with tight tension and a haunting tale. I absolutely loved this book- I think because I am a bit addicted to True Crime Podcasts but regardless, I thought this was well written

A podcast journalist with a case to present gets mixed up with a 25-year-old mystery, and all sorts of secrets are uncovered. Bringing in threads from other cases, and leaning heavily on the themes of rape, harassment, and victimization of rape victims, Golden not only tells a story but keeps in the spotlight this ongoing societal issue. The plot is interned with both the past and present, and when everything comes together in the end, you’ll think you know what’s coming, but you won’t. A well-done trial mystery that will leave you a bit heartsore and re-examining your convictions.