Rachel Krall is the host of a successful true crime podcast, 'Guilty or Not Guilty'. Her first two seasons have uncovered new evidence that overturned a conviction of murder and solved a cold case. Now her third season takes her to the small North Carolina coastal town of Neapolis where she will be following the trial of Scott Blair, a college student arrested for raping a sixteen year old girl.

The case has divided the small town. Scott was an outstanding swimming star of the local high school and is almost certainly on his way to the Olympic swim team ..... unless he is convicted of rape. However, his wealthy parents can afford a top lawyer and publicity to put Scott in a good light. Unfortunately the girl he allegedly raped has been forbidden by the court to speak about the case and so is unable to defend herself publicly. Despite being called only 'K' to protect her anonymity, everyone knows who she is and she has been vilified and bullied at school and on social media.

The novel is written in two voices. That of Rachel as she attends the trail and records her daily thoughts for her podcast and that of Hannah, a woman looking for Rachel's help in finding the truth about her sister Jenny's death 25 years before. Hannah contacts Rachel via notes left for her to find, that will draw her in until she becomes obsessed with finding out more about Jenny's death with it's obvious parallels to the trial she is attending. Rachel's pursuit of the truth behind Jenny's death before and after her days in court serves to provide most of the tension in the book as she uncovers long held secrets that have been buried deep by the town.

Rachel is well written by Goldin as a journalist who is acting as an impartial observer to the trial, reporting the facts but also discussing the ethics and difficulties of such a trial where it basically comes down to his word against hers and who the jury can most be persuaded to believe. Through Rachel's voice Goldin also highlights how traumatic it is for a woman to have to relive every detail of her rape on the witness stand and to then have the defence lawyer try to prove her a liar. She asks why any woman would want to go through that unless she had been raped. Whatever the outcome, K's life will never be the same happy and carefree one she had before the meeting Scott.

There is a hint that Goldin might be back with another season of Rachel's podcast and I for one would welcome that.

I expected a lot from author Megan Goldin, especially after reading her previous book, “The Escape Room.” Ms. Goldin used a similar method in this book, weaving two stories together and causing the reader to race back and forth between both of them to try to find the truth.

Rachel is a podcaster, one who combines her skill at investigative journalism with interesting shows that catch her audience’s interest. After two seasons, though, the pressure is on for her to top her previous efforts. The Scott Blair/Kelly Moore rape trial is the perfect vehicle for Rachel, and she heads for Neapolis to witness and report.

Neapolis is a town that has its secrets, and a second rape from decades ago comes to Rachel’s attention through the mysterious Hannah. Rachel begins to work on this second case at the same time, and the author slowly reveals how the past meshes with the present.

Two major storylines compete for our attention, making this book a quick read. Much of Hannah’s story is told through emails and letters while a portion of the Blair/Moore trial is related to us through Rachel’s podcast. It was very satisfying to see the author construct two individual characters through this method of storytelling. Hannah is very descriptive while Rachel is quick and to the point. Ms. Goldin draws the mysteries out almost to the last page, and the clever scattering of clues throughout eliminates the need for an extensive data dump in the final chapter. Highly recommended. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this title.

You know when you read that book that you just can’t wait to tell everyone about- well, I couldn’t wait to tell you all about The Night Swim by Megan Goldin!!!! Read it, love it, tell others about it!
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This is a courtroom drama and a psychological thriller all rolled into one. While telling one story, we get a second story just as powerful. I loved Rachel, the main character of this book, and I really hope there are more books to come involving her and her podcast. Please, Megan!!
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Rachel is a journalist who comes to this seaside town to report on a rape trial for her next podcast season. Everyone has an opinion in this case and Rachel’s podcast puts the listener metaphorically in the jury seat. While reporting on this case she receives a plea for help in the form of notes and letters from a woman who lost her sister suspiciously more than two decades earlier.
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There were some twists, some a little predictable,but most not so much. I was surprised by them, anyway, and I can usually get a good guess in most of the time.
The writing was excellent and had me turning the page quickly, anxious to see what happened next. It was a great binge read! I went through all the emotions and got so angry at one point I had to remind myself this was fiction. It also made me think about the justice system and rape culture and I love books that make me think!!
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I read Megan Goldin's first book, The Escape Room, and wondered if she would be able to hold a reader with the gripping turn of events that is laid out in The Night Swim.  She did it and had me on the edge of my seat with my heart racing and in my throat at times.

This book covers a very controversial topic, rape.  These two quotes from the book capture how rape is looked at as a crime.

"When school kids are shot by a random shooter, nobody asks whether the victims should have taken more precautions. Nobody suggests that maybe the victims should have skipped school that day. Nobody ever blames the victims."

"I don't get how we can almost unanimously agree that murder is wrong, yet when it comes to rape some people still see shades of gray."

This story weaves together two tragic crimes, one from 25 years ago and one from the present.  Both are rape crimes and the manner in which the victims are treated is appalling. The crazy part is how these stories are tied together in a remote manner.  I can't say much to not spoil the book, but what I thought had happened and who was involved from 25 years ago was off the mark.  I was quite surprised at the turn of events.

The author tells relates this tale from two points of view - Rachel and Hannah.  Rachel has a true crime podcast and has decided to take this next season in a slightly different direction, she is going to follow an actual trial vs following up on a case that has convicted an innocent person.  What she doesn't expect is to receive letters from Hannah who is the younger sister of a young woman that died 25 years ago, also a victim of rape and potentially murder.  We don't actually meet Hannah until the end except through letters to Rachel retelling what she remembers from that time.  It is Rachel's investigation that helps to uncover the truth.  For two similar crimes to happen in this small coastal town seems extraordinary.  As the truth comes to light, there is more at play than just some teenage boys hurting Hannah's sister.

I think I read this book in a day and had it not been for work I would have probably read it straight through until I finished it within a few hours. I was amazed at the emotions the author was able to draw from me as I read about these young women and what they endured.

If you enjoy thrillers then definitely pick up this book. I think this will be another hit for the author. We give it 5 paws up.

I'm sorry but this book was not my cup of tea. According to reviews on Goodread's I might be in the minority on this one but it is a very slow build up and bored me. I haven't read Megan Goldwin's first novel Escape Room and decided to give this one a try because there was so much hype for it so I'm sure other ppl will enjoy it. Thank you to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for my honest review

Woah - The Night Swim hits HARD! It's extremely raw and real. Centered around a rape trial in a small town Neapolis, Rachel Krall - host of a true crime podcast, is in town to dig up information surrounding the trial. After finding a note on her car windshield asking for help, Rachel is unnerved and finds herself on the search for the answers of not one crime, but two.

This book is excellent! Really well written and definitely very thought provoking. I enjoyed the short, engrossing chapters and the layout between the podcasts, letters and Rachel's point of view.

Huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my review copy!

This is probably my favorite thriller of 2020 because it actually has some depth! Goldin knows what she is doing and I can't wait to read more by her.

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin is a remarkable and tense thriller that could easily be real life, right now. It's a story of young girls, betrayal and denial and unforgettable and unforgivable hurt. It's is one the edge of your seat story. It is also a story of very strong women; women with determination, fortitude and persistence fighting against a small town with small people. I devoured it in day. I loved Ms Goldin's The Escape Room and was eager to read this new book, no disappointment, it's another good one! Thank you! #NetGalley#TheNightSwim#StMartinsPress

I received this book from netgalley. I really loved this book.
I loved the characters and the cover this 2nd book I've read by this author. I hope there will be more.

I absolutely adored this book! I loved that the podcasts episodes were included as separate chapters. The criminal trial was very explosive. Rachel's investigation was never boring as there was always a new facet to discover. The seaside setting really help set the tone for the novel. I can't wait to read more books by this excellent author!

Constantly on the lookout for a thriller that actually satisfied, this one is IT. If you liked the podcast, Serial, on This American Life, you will recognize the style. The main character, Rachel, is back for a third season after hitting it big solving crimes in her first two podcasts. This time around, she is covering a live trial, as a young college student (Olympic-level swimmer, sound familiar?) from a well-to-do-family has been accused of raping a high school girl in a small North Carolina town. Juxtaposed with this trial, is the story of twenty-five years ago when a high school girl was found dead. The sister still wants answers and believes Rachel's podcast can give her those. This book explores the troubling state of rape culture in society, as well as the question of who to believe when an accusation is made, how society treats the accuser, and how to actually mete out justice. This book kept me up way too late, trying to not only find out whodunnit, but to question how society goes so wrong in dealing with these crimes. Tough read, but well done.

4.5 out of 5 stars. Megan Goldin's latest thriller is very culturally relevant this summer & will not disappoint!

Rachel Krall is a true-crime podcast host whose first two seasons gained her a strong following. She is now covering a controversial rape trial in a small town where folks have already chose sides. While in town for the trial, Rachel begins receiving mysterious notes prompting her to look into a 25 year old tragedy that occurred in this same town. As she uncovers connections between the two cases, Rachel needs to get to the bottom of both before it's too late.

I really enjoyed this book and it was a perfect read for my socially distanced trips to the park! Megan Goldin was able to weave together a story with twists & turns that kept me on my toes with an engaging story that keeps you flipping page after page!

Thank you to Megan Goldin, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #TheNightSwim

Rachel Krall has finally made it as a true crime podcaster. She helps those who seek justice, and her success at getting a man freed from prison skyrocketed her into fame. Now she's looking to make the 3rd season of her show, Guilty or Not Guilty, even bigger....she heads to Neapolis. A town in turmoil. A local athlete is on trial for raping the daughter of the local police chief.As Rachel starts asking questions and researching for her show, she discovers that there might be a link between this case and the death of a 16-year old girl years before. Someone is following her....leaving notes on her car....begging for her to solve the cold case. What happened to Jenny?

I enjoyed Megan Goldin's earlier book, The Escape Room, and looked forward to similar twisted, suspenseful awesomeness from this new book. I was not disappointed. OMG....this story is unsettling, disturbing, suspenseful.....and incredibly entertaining! I was glued to every word from start to finish.

Every small town has....That Case. A death, a disappearance, a secret. Something that never got solved, but nobody talks about. In Neapolis, it was Jenny. All it takes is one person willing to talk....wanting it solved....and someone willing to dig into the past.

Another great suspenseful story! I can't wait for the next book by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Escape Room, I was very interested in seeing what this author would serve me up next. I wasn't disappointed!
Rachel Krall is a true crime podcaster famed for her investigation which righted a miscarriage of justice, and got a wrongly convicted man free. That said, she's famed for her voice rather than her face so she is unsettled when, on her way to cover a high profile rape trial, she finds a note on the windscreen of her car from someone begging her to look into an unsolved case. This piques her interest, not just for the tenacity of the writer, but she's got a job to do. The case in question being of the town's golden boy being accused of rape, protesting his innocence at every turn, painting his victim in a bad light. But there's room to do both...
This grabbed my attention right from page one and held it tight throughout, spitting me out at the end exhausted but satisfied. We see the action as it plays out in the one case, with the other - the rape - being documented in the form of the daily podcasts. I found this method of storytelling very effective as it managed to keep the two threads separate throughout. Blending where necessary as they share quite heinous similarities.
Characterisation was excellent. This shone through and evoked all sorts of emotional responses from me as a reader. I really invested in the characters and, as with some, sought the truth, desperate to cut through the secrets and lies that the characters and town had been hiding. As you would expect, there's a lot about the crime of rape contained herein. Motivation, suspicion, blame, and how victim and perp are both treated. How testimony is skewed. All very powerful stuff delivered in a very sensitive way, leading to a very emotional, and wholly satisfying ending.
All in all, a cracking, albeit hard hitting, read that I have no hesitation in recommending. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

‘That’s the thing about mistakes. Not all of them can be fixed.’

Rachel Krall ‘s true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation after it resulted in an innocent man being set free. And plenty of people would like Rachel’s help. But it is her voice people recognise usually, not her face, which makes it unsettling when she finds a note addressed to her on her car windscreen begging for help. Rachel is heading to the small North Carolina town of Neapolis where an upcoming rape trial will be the subject of the third season of her podcast Guilty or Not Guilty.

The people in the town of Neapolis are polarised by the case. A local boy, destined to be an Olympic swimmer, has been accused of raping the granddaughter of the former police chief. Rachel is determined to report the case objectively, but she keeps receiving letters from a woman called Hannah. Hannah wants Rachel’s help to find out what happened to her sister Jenny Stills in the town of Neapolis 25 years earlier. Officially, Jenny drowned but Hannah is sure that she was murdered.

‘It was Jenny’s death that killed my mother.’

The story alternates between Hannah and Rachel, between past and present. While focussed on the present-day case, Rachel is drawn to Jenny’s case. She starts asking questions and runs into a wall of resistance. Hannah’s letters, Rachel’s narrative and parts of her podcast keep the story moving. A number of those who were young when Jenny died hold positions of power in Neapolis now. And almost no-one seems to have a kind word (or memory) of Jenny. She has been judged and dismissed. Rachel keeps investigating. In both cases there are inconsistencies. There are also similarities. What is the truth? Is the swimmer guilty of rape? Was Jenny murdered?

This novel held my attention from beginning to end. I worked out some aspects before the end but was pleased, overall, with the conclusion. To say more might spoil the story.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Wow. What a tough but incredible read. Goldin really kept me on my toes with her writing- switching formats between podcasts and modern investigating, letters and memories from a victim’s past- I was always engaged and guessing.
This book is graphic and heartbreaking but so important. The topic of rape is always difficult to read and think about, but - now more than ever - victims need to know that that can and should speak out. It won’t be easy, as this book clearly portrays, but justice is necessary.
“Yes, I have been the victim of a sexual assault. Well, probably several really. Funny how we were conditioned to accept these situations as unpleasant instead of outrageous.” ...but now really “funny” more like disturbingly accurate. It’s time for everyone to take victims more seriously. It shouldn’t be a vicious rape and multiple witnesses that finally gets a sexual predator in trouble. Sexual assault, no matter how seemingly small, needs to become commonly accepted as UNacceptable.
I also thought Goldin pun an interesting and different spin on “small town coastal life” by certainly not painting it as all picturesque and roses.
A very, very well-written and with-the-times book.
I’d recommend this one to ALL women, victims advocates, lovers of true crime, and podcasts junkies.
Major trigger warning for rape.

Every once in a while a book will come along that is impossible to put down. Megan Goldin’s The. Night Swim is one of them. The book involves a blogger whose Guilty or Not Guilty blog allows the listeners to feel involved as she not only follows the trial but also interviews participants and investigates the events leading to the trial. This is Rachel Krall’s third season and she has chosen a rape trial in the town of Neapolis. Because her blog is often controversial, she shuns publicity and guards her privacy. At a rest stop before reaching Neapolis it is disconcerting to find a note on her windshield addressed directly to her, asking for help on a twenty-five year old case.

Hannah’s sister Jenny’s death was ruled an accidental drowning, but Hannah never accepted that. Hannah was ten at the time and events that she didn’t fully understand left Jenny listless and detached. As Hannah leaves additional notes for Rachel, she reveals the story of her sister’s abuse at the hands of some of the local boys. The stories lead up to a heartbreaking conclusion. It is one that Hannah has not been able to confront until now. Rachel resists Hannah’s efforts at first but finds herself unable to resist bringing justice for Jenny.

This is also the story of “K”, who accused Scott Blain of rape. Scott is a champion swimmer with a shining future ahead of him. His parents stand by him and support his claim of innocence. While K’s family deals with her trauma, Scott’s parents use social media to their advantage. Rachel’s podcast is also finding a very divided audience on such an important and timely subject. As she interviews the citizens of Neapolis she also realizes that there is a connection between these cases. This is an emotional read and I can not recommend it highly enough. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at NerdGirlLovesBooks.

This is a quick and enjoyable mystery/thriller that has a story within a story. Rachel has a true crime podcast (think "Serial") that grew in popularity after her first season when she investigated a murder trial and found evidence that set the defendant free. Now in her third season, she is following a rape trial in real-time in the small town of Neapolis. The town is being torn apart by the rape trial of a young teenage girl by a popular teenage boy training for the Olympics.

Rachel is focused on prepping her trial coverage, but starts getting mysterious letters from a woman named Hannah asking her to investigate the death of her 16 year old sister Jenny in Neapolis many years ago. The official cause of death was drowning, but Hannah believes that her sister was murdered and that the culprits will be attending the rape trial Rachel is covering. Intrigued, Rachel starts to look into Jenny's death, but no one wants to answer her questions and people are clearly hiding things. When Rachel realizes that the two cases may be connected, she jumps into danger to find the truth.

I really liked this book. It is well-written and very easy to read. The chapters alternate between Rachel and Hannah's perspectives, which helps build tension. The short chapters makes the book easy to read, but they also suck you in because you figure you'll read "just one more chapter" and before you know it, it's 1am. LOL While I was able to figure out some of the mystery before the ending, other aspects caught me by surprise. I enjoyed reading how the story played out and was satisfied with the ending. Will this be a book that you'll want to read over and over again? No, but it's an entertaining book that you will be glad you read. I recommend you do so.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall has become a household name—and the last hope for people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The new season of Rachel’s podcast has brought her to a small town being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. A local golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season 3 a success, Rachel throws herself into her investigation—but the mysterious letters keep coming.

Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered—and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody in town wants to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases—and a revelation that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

My Thoughts: A small town in North Carolina is the centerpiece of The Night Swim, focused on a current rape trial and a possible murder twenty-five years before.

As the story sweeps back and forth in time, we are led along by Rachel’s narrative, Hannah’s mysterious letters, and bits of Rachel’s podcast as she documents the current trial.

It doesn’t take long to see that many characters are interwoven into both stories, reminding us that the past can follow us into the present, as the secrets and crimes are untangled and revealed.

With an intensity that is enhanced by the short chapters and the fast pace, I sometimes felt confused by how many similarities existed between the separate events. Were these facts coincidental, or were many of the players repeating their bad behavior in the present?

One thing I’ve learned about small town life is how desperately the people depend on friends, and even enemies over whom they have leverage, and as a result, they sometimes escape justice. 5 stars.

***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley

I had a brilliant time with The Escape Room last year, and I have been looking forward to read more of Megan Goldin‘s writing ever since. I couldn’t resist joining the blog tour for The Night Swim, as I had a feeling I was going to enjoy my time with this story… And my instincts turned out to be right, as I had a brilliant time the second time around as well. In fact, I might have enjoyed this one even better, although both stories are very different and it’s probably not fair to compare the two. Dark, harrowing as well as powerful: The Night Swim talks about the very difficult topic of rape and helps show just how hard it is for victims to find justice and peace of mind.

First of all, I have to say that I loved the podcast element in The Night Swim. While the whole podcast element has been done before, I really liked how this element was incorporated into the plot here. Our main character Rachel is the crime podcast host and for her third season she decided to cover a rape trial in a small town live. The plot includes transcripts of those podcast episodes called Guilty or Not Guilty, in which Rachel talks about what happens during the trial and gives background about the participants, always trying to be objective of course. This story includes controversial and strong opinions and is used to talk about rape and show just how much a victim struggles and how they are often judged unfairly. On top of that, this story also shows that as a consequence victims often prefer not going to trial to avoid having to relive their trauma over and over again. Especially since it is very hard to get a conviction in the first place as it is the classic ‘he said/she said’ scenario. Even today, there is a lot of stigma around rape and victim blaming; I thought The Night Swim did a great job showing the different issues in play.

The story uses a dual POV structure in between the different podcast episodes. We switch between podcast host and journalist Rachel and Hannah, who is less present but basically key to the cold case investigation part of the plot. Because The Night Swim isn’t just about the upcoming rape trial which will be covered in the third podcast season, but it’s also about what happened to Hannah’s sister 25 years ago. Back then her death was ruled an accidental drowning, but Hannah claims that her sister was actually murdered and Rachel cannot help but feel intrigued. She is determined to try her best to find out more, especially after Hannah’s unusual way of contacting her. This cold case part of the plot is used both to take a break from the harrowing rape case as well as to add suspense and mystery to the plot. It was intriguing to slowly discover more about the past and the story definitely had some surprises in store along the way.

While the pace is slower in points, it didn’t bother me as much as I liked the balance between the present, the podcast episodes and the investigation into the past. The mystery around Hannah and her not wanting to meet Rachel in person to discuss her sister’s death had me fully intrigued. Why not come forward sooner? Was it a cover up, was it really a drowning, what happened exactly and who was involved? What does Hannah know? There were a lot of questions to keep me busy, and I always like it when a plot keeps me on my toes. The characters weren’t all that likeable, but their development was solid and felt realistic. It’s an interesting cast to shoulder both the past and present storyline, and they fit their different roles very well.

The Night Swim is a well written, dark and harrowing read that divides its attention between an upcoming rape trial and a death that happened 25 years ago. Both storylines are equally fascinating, and I ended up having a brilliant time with this story. The rape element can be hard to stomach, but I thought it was well done and the story definitely helps to shine a light on the issues rape victims still encounter while trying to find justice. Without doubt a powerful read!