Do you ever feel burned out from posting on Instagram? Does it make you wonder about the influencer world? The folks that have millions of followers. And what their life would be like to always be trying to stay relevant, record everything and make the perfect post (though they get paid a ton to do a fraction of the work as a 9-5 person, so there is that).

Dark Corners is the chilling tale of Rachel Krall, a podcaster (remember her from Night Swim?), who gets caught up in the disappearance of an influencer after said influencer met with a prisoner and mentioned Rachel and her podcast. This book is dark dark dark. The characters range from creepy to creepier to obnoxious influencers. It so twisted with so many turns that when you think you understand, something comes out of left field. I was totally enthralled and terrified by all of it and I did yell at Rachel a few times for making stupid decisions.

I really enjoyed both the Night Swim and Stay Awake, but Dark Corners was not for me.

True crime podcaster Rachel Krall is back, this time assisting an FBI investigation into the disappearance of a social media influencer.

The podcast element added to the Night Swim, but seemed to take away from Dark Corners. It interrupted the narrative's flow more often than not, and also made for a lower-stakes situation later in the novel.

My biggest issue with this book is the plot. There were just two too many major plot points requiring me to forget what I already knew about these characters. And then some of the writing in the tail end of the novel drove me nuts, though it's possible I was extra sensitive after all the eye-rolling I did thanks to the plot. It's not often I feel this disappointed in a mystery/thriller - even when they're predictable, I can enjoy them - but this was a miss for me.

I read the first 37% prior to switching to the audiobook, which I thought might improve my reading experience (as the podcast chapters are edited to sound like they're podcast episodes, whereas in the text they kept interrupting my flow). I liked the tone of voice used for narration and Rachel, but to be honest wasn't a big fan of how the narrator voiced Joe. I'd have preferred another narrator for chapters from his perspective.

I half listened and half read this book. I definitely enjoyed this more as a book than an audio book. Part of the book was fascinating and kept me on the toes. I was intrigued by the influencer and prisoner aspect. I also found the book to drag on and be unrealistic and predictable in other parts. I found Rachel to be hard to like in the book and some of her decisions were very questionable. I also found it hard to keep track of all the victims and characters in the book at times. However, I was also into the book enough that I never considered putting it down or not reading it. 
Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison, despite being the suspect of murdering 6 women. He gets a visit from Maddison Logan, an influencer with many social media followers and she disappears shortly after.  Rachel is asked to help with the investigation by the FBI and she finds the influencer world to be lethal. Does Bailey have an accomplice on the outside? Is he obsessed with influencers, Rachel included?
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader (audio) copies!

In book #2 of the Rachel Krall series, the FBI reluctantly contacts Rachel, needing her help in a missing persons case. Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge following on her social media account @JustMaddie had come to Daytona for the influencer conference BuzzCon,. While in Daytona, she went to the prison there, and met with inmate Terence Bailey. Terrence was about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. Hours later, Maddison disappeared, and police suspect she’s been kidnapped—or worse. Is Maddison’s disappearance connected to her visit to Bailey? And why was she visiting him in the first place When they review the footage looking for any clues they can find, they discover Terrence wrote a cryptic note to Maddison telling her to get in touch with Rachel.

When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel Krall’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems to only exist on social media; she has no family, no friends, and other than in her posts, most people have never seen her.. Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel goes undercover to BuzzCon, where she discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal.

When police find the body of a woman with a tattoo of a snake eating its tail—identical to a tattoo Rachel had seen on Bailey’s hand—the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside. Suddenly the target of a monster hiding in plain sight, Rachel is forced to confront the very real dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the internet.

I am a big fan of this author's books and this is definitely my new favorite. It was psychological suspense at its best. You don't know for almost the entire book if Terrence Bailey is part of a serial killer duo, or if he was being framed, or what exactly. You do know who is currently doing the kidnappings and murders, and he will make you cringe. He is one of those that you think is harmless until it is too late. Throughout the book are snippets of the past. so you can slowly put the backstory together. Oh, and the relationship between Rachel and FBI Agent Joe Martinez was just the cherry on top. Yes, this book was gripping, and I didn't want to put it down. Now I want you to experience the same excitement I did. Go check it out!

I listed to this on audio but also had the E-Arc
I loved this follow up to The Night Swim. I loved the narrators and the story. I was truly invested I the characters of this one.
I thought this was a faced paced who done it. Criminal Minds esque book that was just really awesome.

Dark Corners follows Rachel Krall as she gets called down to Florida to help the FBI with a missing persons case. I really enjoyed this book. There was a slight twist but overall fairly predictable. I still was eager to read through this book and race towards the ending.

3.25⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Series ~ Rachel Krall #2
Others in the series ~ The Night Swim
Publication date ~ August 8, 2023
Page Count ~ 347
Audio length ~ 10 hours 45 minutes
Narrators ~ André Santana, January LaVoy, Samantha Desz
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ podcast, social media influencer, serial killer, police procedural

Rachel is a true crime podcaster asked to assist the FBI in the disappearance of a social media influencer, Maddison.

Rachel, doesn't follow the rules very well and she doesn't come across as particularly likable. The bad guy isn't a mystery as there are chapters told from his perspective, as well as some from Joe the FBI agent.

Overall, this was fine, with some nice twists, but blah with the influencer angle...not a fan.

Series notes:
I read The Night Swim quite a while ago, so I can't say I remember it enough to confirm, but I believe this would be fine as a standalone because there's a new set of side characters.

I was lucky enough to receive a kindle and an audio copy, but I primarily listened.
Narration notes: All narrators did a lovely job. I especially liked that there were sometimes 2 different narrators within the podcast chapters, and there were nice sound effects as well.

(I might come back and write more, but I wanted to get something out on pub day)

This is a story about perspective.

Megan Goldin never lets me down! I hope she writes a dozen books in this series, I will read them all. The suspense was expertly created, and the characters were compelling. This is also one of the few books I’ve really liked that focused in on influencer culture & explored the hope interwoven in the desperation for success.

Thank you so much @netgalley @macmillan.audio & @stmartinspress for the e & audio arcs!!

4.5 ⭐️ rounded to 5!

I really enjoyed “Dark Corners”. You are introduced to shady characters and a missing young woman at the outset and trying to figure out how they are all connected to our protagonist and favorite fictional podcaster, Rachel. This book, like all of them that I’ve read by Megan Goldin, kept my interest throughout. This is a suspenseful and entertaining read (without being too gory, which I very much appreciate)-one of my favorite thrillers of the year. I hope this series continues because I am really liking these books. 4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review.

Thank you @StMartinsPress and @MacMillan.Audio for the #gifted ALC/ARC of DARK CORNERS!

I really enjoyed Megan Goldin’s first book in the Rachel Krall series (THE NIGHT SWIM) so I was so excited to hear that she was bringing Rachel’s character back and creating a series. And while I enjoyed DARK CORNERS, it lacked that emotional gut punch that THE NIGHT SWIM left me with.

Maybe because DARK CORNERS felt more like a traditional thriller and less a commentary on the darker parts of society. While THE NIGHT SWIM still haunts me, I don’t think DARK CORNERS will stick with me. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, but part of me was expecting more from this book.

DARK CORNERS is out today!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5733595786
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvsRGKdxpAe/

This one was too good!!!! I loved book 1, and I had this feeling book 2 was going to be a winner. We have Rachel tapping into the Influencer world, and a felon who is personally asking for her. This opens up a whole can of worms, LITERALLY… The FBI ask for her and she’s intrigued by everything that’s going on around her, a suspected killer, a famous social media influencer gone missing, w web of secrets, everything unravels in the end in the most AMAZING way possible because I couldn’t stop reading. It was too good, Happy Pub day to Megan Goldin.

I loved the first book in this series, The Night Swim and was excited to read more about Rachel. Overall I did feel this sequel lacked what the first book brought. A great setting & two different mysteries to solve.
With this big mystery I didn't care much for the side characters and I did feel like the plot twists were very obvious.
I didn't dislike it by any means, it just didn't have the same oomph as the first book did in my opinion. That being said if Goldin wants to continue on with this series I would still read them as they are enjoyable and well written thrillers.

“Dark corners can be danger points.” So says FBI Agent Joe Martinez, and he’s right. Very dangerous indeed. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Megan Goldin’s books, but Night Swim was my favorite until this talented author’s latest release: Dark Corners. Podcaster Rachel Krall is such an interesting character and she’s back! Serious, but knows how to have a good time. Values her privacy but can make herself fit in anywhere. Dedicated to bringing out the truth through her podcasts. An excellent investigative report, clever and able to solve mysteries, able to connect with people to get answers to her questions.

Dark Corners is fast-paced, thrilling and just plain scary at times. Rachel agrees to help the FBI and by doing so puts herself in danger. What to make of Terence Bailey, scheduled to be released from prison in a couple of days, suspected to be but never proven as a serial killer. Claims he has never killed anyone, but he can be cold and frightening all the same. What about the rideshare driver, Thomas? Creepy, but does anything connect him to the disappearance of influencer Maddison Logan and disappearances of young women in the past? And murders? He has a distinctive body odor that people keep mentioning, but just what does that mean? Rachel is determined to find answers, to find Maddison if it’s not already too late. Her search takes her to dangerous places she should not be.

In addition to the non-stop action author Goldin treats us to an inside view of the life of an influencer. Glitzy and glamourous on the outside, cutthroat and competitive on the inside. Rachel goes undercover to see what she can find out, but they all wear phony faces for the public so how to tell who is who and what is what?

There is also a nice little simmering attraction between Joe and Rachel. He immediately regrets bringing her into the investigation when he realizes just how dangerous it is and how much he doesn’t know – and how stubborn she is and how hard it will be to convince her to go home. The slow build to a what-if relationship is sweet and leaves a tantalizing opening for another book in this wonderful series. Thanks to St. Martin's Publishing Group for providing an advance copy of Dark Corners via NetGalley for my reading pleasure and honest opinion. I hope there is another book in this series and many more Megan Goldin books to come. I leave this review voluntarily; all opinions are my own.

I was super excited to start this book. I Loved Night Swim. The beginning of this was really great and I was super intrigued around 40% is where it kind of lost me. I still look forward to reading her next books!!

I really enjoyed the style and format of the Night Swim, so hearing that there was a follow up, I was very excited. Overall, I did have a fun time reading this one. I liked the general idea of this story, and following the twists to see what happened. In some spots things felt a bit obvious or silly for me. I am not a fan of romance in my thrillers, so that was a bit of a negative for me. It was good to check back in with Rachel and see where she was at with her podcast and sleuthing.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy of this novel.

I just finished reading DARK CORNERS by MEGAN GOLDIN and had to chat about it.

This is the second book following Rachel Krall, a journalist & the host of the true crime podcast Guilty or Not Guilty. After only a few seasons her podcast has blown up, making Rachel a household name (think Serial). And while Rachel’s on the never-ending quest for truth and justice, she’s also happy to fly under the radar.

I absolutely loved THE NIGHT SWIM (aka Rachel Krall #1) and fell in love with Rachel's character. She's strong, determined, curious and intent on finding the truth. She also expresses empathy and a passion for solving the mysterious, while remaining impartial. Her mission is to remember the victims and be to be sure their stories are heard.

The book opens with Rachel getting a call from the FBI, who hope she can shed light on a missing person’s case in Florida. Rachel isn’t familiar with the victim, the super popular content creator/influencer Maddison Logan whose #vanlife Instagram has made her a star.

For reasons the FBI cannot figure out, Maddison paid a visit to inmate Terence Bailey, who was arrested six years earlier on a breaking and entering charge. She’s the first and only person to visit Terence and the FBI cannot find any connection between the two.

Terence is scheduled to get out of jail in a few days. But before he does, Maddison vanishes. The FBI is convinced her visit + disappearance are no coincidence. Rachel being Rachel, is committed to finding out the truth, as Maddison going missing is only the beginning in a series of unsolved cases and the catalyst for the next season of Rachel’s podcast.

The book explores the sometimes dark, and not altogether authentic side, of Influencer culture, as Rachel finds herself leveraging her podcast celebrity to help find out what happened to Maddison.

I’m such a huge fan of MEGAN GOLDIN’s writing and was so excited to jump into her latest. The book is told in alternating POVs with the podcast mixed in. I enjoyed the look at influencer culture and the found this to be a quick, page-turning read. For me Rachel did read as a slightly different character than the first book and while her mission remained the same, I did feel there were moments where she was a bit careless which felt out of character for her. In THE NIGHT SWIM she seemed to rely heavily on her gut and her instincts and those elements felt a little off in this book. That said, still a very enjoyable read and I hope to see more Rachel in the future.

DARK CORNERS picks up a few weeks after the conclusion of THE NIGHT SWIM, but for those asking, you can absolutely read this as a standalone. That said, if you haven’t already read THE NIGHT SWIM I highly recommend it as it’s one of my faves. I’ve read it twice!

Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book that features podcaster Rachel Krall is dark and delightfully sinister. Rachel is called in by the FBI to help find a missing social media influencer, Maddison Logan who disappeared after her visit with convicted felon Terence Bailey. When Rachel herself visits Bailey, she is thrown into a nightmare circle of murder involving influencers and those who stalk them. The action is fast paced and the story is chilling and compelling. I enjoyed that the author kept me guessing about who the bad guy was as well as the motivation behind their crimes. I especially enjoyed all of the research that went into the book, especially the insight into the dark web and how influencing works on social media. The characters were well-developed and dynamic, and the author did a superb job of presenting fascinating and believable characters. The story was well-crafted and multi-layered and ended up, in my opinion, being a brilliantly written and clever thriller. With some head-spinning twists and some deliberate misdirection, too, this may be my favorite thriller this year so far. I just could not put it down!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Convicted serial killer, cutthroat influencers, and a true crime podcast, oh my!

Wow, what a ride! My first read from Megan Goldin and I'm very impressed. It was just enough thriller/suspense that it kept me on my toes, but not so much that I was scared out of my mind. Dark Corners is the second book in the true crime podcaster series, but can absolutely be read as a stand-alone.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC, I really enjoyed this book!

I read The Night Swim back in 2020 and was not a fan. However, I have read most of Megan Goldin’s books and enjoyed more than I’ve disliked. I’m not sure if I just don’t like the characters in this series but this one was just fine. I did enjoy it more than the first book. Also, I feel like you could read this one without reading the first and still enjoy it.

Oh. My. Gosh.
Every once in whole a book comes along that makes you lie in bed and refuse to get up until you have read the very last page. This is one such book. I could not get enough of this book. Rachel Krall is back and better than ever. She was a little spicy in the beginning,
I don’t want to give too much away, but if you are looking for a twisty thriller, READ this book!
I have read ALL of Megan Gold in’s books and like fine wine, just just gets better and better.
Many thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.