Thank you Net Galley for an audiobook copy of The Night Swim. I have seen recommendations about this book and now I see what all the fuss is about. This is a dual mystery and keeps you on your toes the entire book. Highly recommend!

This is probably one of my favorite books read in 2020. I listened to The Night Swim in two days and only stopped listening because I had to (for work and other responsibilities). This book was fast paced and clever, weaving in two apparently unrelated but parallel mysteries from the past and present. Fans of true crime pod casts will particularly enjoy this story.

Riveting and raw. Bold and brutal. Disturbing and demanding. Megan Golden! Bravo! This book was so. Damn. Good. Not sure what I was expecting, but I do know what I got was so much more. Part mystery... part courtroom drama... part social commentary... all tied together by a brilliant podcast. Rachel Kral is in a small town in North Carolina for the third season of her popular crime podcast, GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY. Rachel is covering live, a polarizing rape trial. Rachel is known for her voice not her appearance, so it is unsettling when she finds a note on the windshield of her car. The note is from a girl named Hannah asking Rachel to help her Saul the 25-year-old murder of her sister Jenny. Jenny’s murder was over two decades ago, but it happened in the same small town Rachel finds herself presently. Rachel gets lots of requests and is hesitant at first, but the more she hears from Hannah the more Rachel is drawn into the past.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Rachel and Hannah with podcast episodes seamlessly woven in. With short chapters that leave you wanting more. Both Rachel and Hannah were compelling and sympathetic characters. I was completely invested in both the present day rape trial and the past murder mystery. Rape and murder are ugly subject matter but I thought it was handled thoughtfully in this story, never graphic or gratuitous. Bailey Carr and January LeVoy two of my favorite audiobook narrators skillfully narrated this book. The podcast snippets lended well to the audio format giving the story even more authenticity. I cannot wait to see what is next from Megan Goldin, would love to read about Rachel Krall’s next podcast season. You know in case she’s looking for ideas, LOL

This book in emojis ✉️ 📱 🔦 ⚖️ 🎤

*** Big thank you to St. Martin’s Press & Macmillan Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This book took me completely by surprise. The way the author was able to weave two mysteries together in one book was flawless. It kept me turning pages (metaphorically--since I was listening to an audiobook) and kept me so engrossed in the thought provoking and emotional story. The audiobook is so well done, and the podcast chapters are incredible! A must-read for podcast and thriller lovers alike!

Rachel is a famous podcaster who uses her journalism background to investigate past crimes and find the truth, sometimes proving the guilty was really innocent. She has decided to do something different for her current season and that is to follow the active court case of a rape in a small town that is very divided in their views, making for her most controversial case yet. But someone else needs Rachel's help, someone who is looking to get truths for a death that occurred 20 years in the past.

After reading this book it became apparent that there were three people who were very much the victims of crimes and circumstances. While justice may not come in the form they were hoping for, or during their lifetime, this story did a great job of bringing to light the crimes. And yes, I know this was fiction, but it really made me think of how many times this is a true story and all the victims out there who will never get justice/revenge/apology... I really wish the topic for this book was just fiction, but that is not the world we live in.

Keep in mind that this book dealt with some pretty awful subject matter (rape, physical abuse, blackmail, murder) and had some scenes in general that were hard.

All that being said, the audiobook was fantastic and I highly recommend you choose to listen to this book. There were two narrators for the different characters' viewpoints and there was also a postcast feel to it for the delivery on certain chapters. It made for a great (if at times realistically cringe-worthy with the sad details) experience that I can't imagine reading the book alone could provide. If you like audiobooks and true crime feeling mysteries, this should be your next listen.

PS I would love another book featuring Rachel and whatever her next case will be!

** Review **

Told through multiple POV and following two stories, this book will keep you on your toes!

You get most of one of the stories through podcast host Rachel Krall who is covering a rape case of a teen girl. Through her research and interviews with people involved, it was a great way to hear the story!

The second story, which takes place in the same small town only years prior, is mostly told through letters to Rachel about Jenny Stills who was murdred, the murderer never found. These letters are written from her sister and in an almost "stalking" manner, as Hannah is nervous to meet Rachel but really needs her help to solve the case that no one ever cared about.

These two stories are both shocking and heartbreaking. I really loved that this book takes the time to talk about rape as the crime that it is, making sure to hit on key points that so many deem "the woman's fault"!

Both stories were well thought out and held my interest. The writing was absolutely fantastic and there were parts in both of them I didn't see cooming. My only complaint is that I figured out who the killer was all those years ago, but that was a small price to pay for this fantastic read.

** Audiobook Review **

The audiobook was fantastic from start to finish! I don't know which narrator played what part, but they were all amazing. I've been a fan of January LaVoy (The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Diviners) for a while.

The three of them together completely brought this story to life. This audiobook was done so well that there was never a point that I didn't know who was talking or what was going on. The narrators were cast perfectly for the characters.

I will absolutely be checking into other titles from these three amazing narrators!

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Very sad. I did not listen to this title before it was archived. With the new NetGalley, I truly didn't understand I needed to download. Sad. Very Sad.

I still plan on reading this book as I am very interested in the topic.

Great book that was made even better by listening to it on audio! I really loved the podcast element in the story. I enjoyed the dual timeline and did not guess the ending ahead of time. Definitely a page-turner! Hoping to read more by Megan Goldin!

Wow. Wow. Wow. This is probably one of my favorite adult thrillers.

Rachel hosts a podcast similar to the real life podcast Serial. She's in a small town covering the trial of the town's golden boy who has been accused of rape. Once she gets there she starts receiving mysterious notes on her car and in her hotel room. The person wants her to look into the death of her sister Jenny. Things start to take some crazy turns during Rachel's research of Jenny's death while covering the current trial. You'll get each piece of the puzzle as the two cases intertwine in the most surprising ways.

I listened to the audiobook and to be honest it is probably the best way to read this one. You get Rachel's point of view, audio clips of the podcast she's putting together of the trial, and flashbacks from Hannah's experiences 25 years earlier through letters, emails, and messages.

This book is full of twists and turns you won't see coming and will leave you wanting more! I 100% recommend this one to anyone looking for their next thrilling read!

Trigger warning: sexual assault

Wow. This book blew me away! I so greatly appreciate the way Goldin speaks out about many of the horrors of sexual assault and abuse. This book is filled with so much excellent commentary about the way our society and justice system further traumatize survivors. Goldin made interesting narrative choices to tell this story, all of which are compelling and successful at driving the message home.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Swim was an interesting mystery thriller to dive into. In it, you will meet Rachel who produces her own crime podcast. Now I've never listened to a podcast in my life but I've heard good things about crime ones. SO I might have to dive into one sometime in my life.

Rachel's podcast is about the rape of a sixteen high school girl by a local and popular swimmer. Besides that, we do get to dive into another mystery that is eventually linked to the current one. Talk about a bunch of twists and turns guys.

Honestly, this book was way too easy to devour. Not sure if I could ever do what Rachel did if I was in her shoes. Mostly because I'm the worst detective ever. Other than that, I did like Rachel as well. She was a very strong character to be able to do this and be emotionally invested. Not sure how anyone deals with a rape trial - let alone covering it.

In the end, the emotional rollercoaster that this book took me on was well freaking worth it.

Wow, this book was amazing! I was 100% invested in the characters and plot. It’s part podcast, part court room drama, and dual mystery investigation. It felt like true crime and I loved the podcast and the dual mysteries! This was the type of book I couldn’t put down!

Rachel Krall has a popular true crime podcast. Many people know her voice. So one day it shakes her up when she finds a note on her car. It was a listener asking her to investigate a twenty five year old case of which an older sister of theirs had died. Rachel is interested in the story and starts to ask questions and learns that the small town has secrets and many would like to keep it that way.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This was an excellent, unputdownable thrillers! The audio book was excellent because the format altered between story and actual “podcast”- love it! Five stars and can’t recommend enough

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy (as well as an audiobook) of this book in exchange for an honest review***

I both listened to and read this book and was happily surprised by the quickness with which I became enthralled in the story. The flashbacks usually annoy me, but I was surprised at how much I wanted to learn more.

*Trigger alert*
There is a lot of rape and sexual assault that may be too much for some readers.

One of the best thrillers I’ve read in awhile and the audio version is fantastic. This book goes on my favorites list for the year.

I received an ARC of this audiobook through NetGalley and grabbed my headphones right away!! I’ve never heard of this author but the synopsis was intriguing.

I could not stop listening. It felt like I was a bystander in the novel which made it feel so real. I wanted to find out the truth just as much as Rachel and Hannah did. Highly recommended!!

I look forward to more from this author.

The narration was great and kept my interest.

A solid story involving the trial of a teenage boy for rape that divides the town of Neapolis, while resurrecting the death of a high school girl twenty years earlier.

The writing flows easily between the time frames and POVs. Bits of correlating evidence between the cases are dropped here and there, interspersed between the trial, Rachel’s experiences and Hannah’s story. Adding Rachel’s podcast to the mix is genius. It pulls together the facts for the reader, forcing them to contemplate the guilty or innocence of Scott Blair several times along the way. With evidence being disclosed throughout the story, the readers opinion may change in the same way as the residents of Neapolis.

The narrators of the audio version were superb. Each was able to become their own character while also blending with the others into a seamless telling of this highly enjoyable novel. I was fortunate enough to receive both the digital and audio copies. When the audio version stopped working, the words from the narrators continued to be read in their voices in my head. It simply couldn’t read any other way.

One of my favorite books of 2019 was Escape Room. Megan Goldin has continued her superior writing with The Night Swim which is now one of my favorites of 2020.


I received a digital ARC from St. Martin Press and an audio version from McMillan Audio through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

Great read! The author draws you in with detail that makes you want to read on. I love when books making you feel like you are part of the story.