This is #2 in a series and even though I haven't read the first one yet I didn't feel like it took anything away. Rachel is summoned by the FBI to talk to a prisoner in Florida. Maddie is a van life influencer who comes to visit Terry in prison just before he is released where he asks her to contact Rachel Krall. Shortly after Maddie disappears and the question is whether or not Terry is responsible and working with someone on the outside. I really enjoyed this. I liked the characters of Rachel and Joe Martinez. Rachel works somewhat undercover at a conference for influencers and the superficiality were so well depicted I could really see them flitting around, creating content and making sure their pictures were just right. The last 100 pages were pretty intense and I enjoyed the way it all came together.

I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Unputdownable!! It's not the suspense of who is the murderer, because we all know, but the storyline is so well written, that you must keep on reading to find out how everything resolves itself.

I really enjoyed this book. Thank you so much to Megan Goldin, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC

Thank you to @stmartinspress for letting me read DARK CORNERS early. This one publishes on August 8.

I loved THE NIGHT SWIM and was super pumped to continue on with Rachel Krall’s podcast and story. This one was quite different but definitely kept me super interested the whole time. I really enjoyed these new characters and getting to know Rachel more. I’m super pumped for more of her series!!

I am a big fan of the Megan Goldin books I've read; all four books have been a 4 or 5 star for me and the second book about true crime podcaster Rachel Krall did not disappoint. The alternating points of narration move the story forward and kept things interesting. With an hour left, I was starting to wonder how everything was going to come together and if all my questions would be answered. The slow build up was worth the high paced ending. Fans of The Night Swim, or Goldin's other works should not miss out on Dark Corners!
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Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I want to say Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I cannot say that I loved this. I was disappointed. I guess I also came in with high expectations since I really enjoyed The Night Swim and The Escape Room by Megan. I did consume those via audiobook and I physically read Dark Corners, which could've contributed to my disappointment. I do believe I would've enjoyed this just a little bit more if it was via audiobook.

This is book 2 in the Rachel Kralls investigation-looking at a whole new case than in book 1.

You see multiple perspectives, Rachel, the killer, and the FBI investigator Joe. I personally was not a fan of the execution of this. It felt a bit all over the place for me.

I do think the story had potential but I couldn't get into the writing or the story...it just fell flat for me..

I also felt like Rachel was more unlikeable in this book. I didn't have that issue in The Night Swim but for some reason her interactions with people and how she spoke and carried herself, didn't make me a fan.

I also did not enjoy reading about the influencer world and unfortunately I felt like it was brought up a lot. Which I understand but I didn't enjoy it.

The romance in here just felt out of place and I felt like it was completely unnecessary. I didn't care for it at all.

I didn't guess the ending. However, the ending and all the "action" seemed so rush. Finally, some tension and everything came to a halt and in a blink of an eye, it was done. Overall I was left disappointed.

However, this won't deter me from her other backlist and potential future books. I thoroughly enjoyed 2 of the 3 books I read by her. Just not this one...

‘Dark Corners’ is a follow-up to ‘The Night Swim’ but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. This book focuses mainly on missing people and murder.

This book was so much fun. A little slow in the beginning but quickly picks up; not a dull moment. I loved the MC, Rachel Krall. Some people commented she is snarkier in this book than TNS but I found her reactions to be justified.

To be honest, I do not care one bit about the influencer world, which is a heavy topic within this plot, but the author made it pretty entertaining and I found myself not minding it at all.

The different POVs was a great touch. This was unexpectedly a fun, fast, and entertaining book. I was hooked the whole time and will definitely be reading more from this author.

Thank you so much Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for this ARC!
Pub date: 08/08/23

*I was also approved for the audiobook prior*


Find me on IG: coffeebreakwithrachel

I really enjoyed the first Rachel Krall book and was really excited for Megan Goldin's follow up. For this book, Krall heads to Florida to chase a new story after being summoned by the FBI to meet with a prisoner. Like the first book, Goldin weaves multiple storylines together with a masterful attention to atmosphere and place. This book adds some new fun: a side mystery that occurs within the timeline of the book, a tiny bit of romance, and all the messiness of influencer culture. A quick, twisty, and engaging read. Five stars.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61884922-dark-corners

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

This is the second in a series about true crime podcaster Rachel Krall. I really enjoyed the Night Swim and will definitely continue reading these books if there are more coming! This one is about a missing influencer named Madison who is somehow connected to a potential serial killer who is set to be released form prison in a matter of days.

Although I found some of this one far fetched (is the FBI really allowed to disclose that much detail of a case with a reporter?) and some big coincidences that seemed unrealistic, overall I was still sucked in to the story. I was surprised with the ending and found it to be unique and interesting. The narrators were captivating and helped with the pace of the story. I was definitely on the edge of my seat in some moments!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the audiobook and @stmartinspress for the ebook! This one is out on August 8th!

I really enjoyed The Night Swim, so I had high hopes for this second book featuring the same main character, podcaster Rachel Krall. I love books that feature true crime podcasts and this plot, in theory, should have created a lot of suspense. Unfortunately, Rachel felt like a completely different character this time around, and Dark Corners lacked the depth that made me appreciate The Night Swim. I know many others are really enjoying this summer thriller, but it just didn’t work for me.

This second installment of the Rachel Krall series does not disappoint. In fact, many new elements are introduced which keeps this novel fresh and different from the previous book which is nice. The fact that the protagonist is embroiled in a multifaceted investigation allows the reader to glimpse parts of her that we had not seen before. The pacing of the novel is fast but never feels rushed. The fleshing out of the main character is one of the best parts of this book and I hope the series continues for a long time.

I didn't read the Night Swim, didn't realize this character was introduced in that book. Having finished, I don't think it's necessary, as I feel like this is written as a standalone, but I will go back and read it cause I enjoyed this book.

Rachel Krall is a former investigative journalist turned podcaster and this was written in a style similar to police procedural just from a journalist/podcaster POV instead of a cop. She's been brought in by the FBI to talk to an inmate who mentioned her name while visiting with the only visitor he's had in 6 years and that visitor mysteriously has now gone missing. This leads to Rachel knocking heads with almost everyone as people try to tell her what to do but she insists on doing her own thing, lol. When she decides to try an infiltrate the influencer world at a nearby conference to get more answers I feel like we are left with even more questions! What's connected and what isn't?

Overall I enjoyed the story, the mystery sleuthing that was done, and the twists till the mystery was solved. My only complaint is that if Rachel is a main character and possibly a series character I really wish the author would flesh her out more. Other than a slight romantic connection, I don't have any insight to her character, much of her past, or what makes her tick. Maybe that was covered in The Night Swim, but if so, I would expect the author to continue to expound on her character and personality and not leave her so flat and emotionless. I want to like Rachel but this book left me feeling indifferent to her. It's the mystery solving that would have me going back to reading The Night Swim, not the character herself.

Good - a smidge too many characters to keep track of but overall I enjoyed this. Definitely didn’t have it all figured out.

*ARC provided via netgalley

Thank you, St. Martin'e Press and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up

I read The Night Swim by Megan Golding a couple of years ago and loved it. I was super excited to get my hands on an early copy of Dark Corners. I loved this book even more! The chapters were short and concise. It made the flow of the book perfect. I like how chapters jumped from different perspectives and storylines. I think there was the perfect amount of suspense leading up to the end where some readers may have guessed it, but others might take longer to get the twist. The only complaint I have was that the podcast aspect felt glanced over. There were about 5 chapters where she was filming the podcast. I would have loved that incorporated more. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to any mystery fans.

A famous podcaster is on the trail of a serial killer after the FBI reaches out for her help finding a missing influencer.

“The scariest monster is the one that hides in plain sight.”

I loved it! Dark Corners kept me hooked from the very first page!

Honestly, I'm a big fan of True Crime podcasts myself so a book about a famous podcaster of True Crime was sure to be a hit for me!

A famous influencer goes missing after she visits an inmate who is suspected of a string of murders from a few years ago, but not convicted. Rachel is asked to step in by Special Agent Joe Martinez from the FBI, as the inmate, maybe the last person to have seen the missing woman, will only to speak to Rachel.

I really enjoyed Rachel's investigation and her infiltration of the big influencer event, BuzzCon. The drama, the possible suspects, the behind the scenes of social media, everything kept me interested!

I also loved working the investigation as Special Agent Joe Martinez from the FBI, following him to the crime scene and working the case.

All in all, this had the perfect amount of mystery and unease, suspects and murders, questions and clues! I really recommend this book for fans of mystery/thrillers!

This book is number 2 in the Rachel Krall series, though it can be read as a stand-alone. The Night Swim is book 1 and follows a different case completely. I read The Night Swim in the past and also gave it five stars!

Rachel Krall is back in action when she’s pulled into an active suspected murder investigation in Florida. When an influencer goes missing while in town for BuzzCon, a huge influencer conference, Krall blends into the group to get the answers that could lead to the FBI finally IDing a serial killer.

DARK CORNERS by Megan Goldin was one of my most anticipated books of the year after absolutely loving the first book set in this universe, THE NIGHT SWIM.

I found the mystery to be intriguing and loved seeing Rachel interact with Agent Martinez! The influencer element was also just such a fun addition.

However, Rachel’s character seemed much more naive in this one and even boy crazy(?), which made me roll my eyes at some of her decision-making. The story also felt extremely repetitive and the podcast element felt really flat in this one.

Not my favorite, but I’m hoping if we get another Rachel Krall book, she’ll be back to who she once was!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: August 8

I was so excited to read this one after loving THE NIGHT SWIM! There’s so much to love about this one: Rachel Krall is back and she isn’t taking anything from anyone. The storyline is different from what I’ve read recently. And there’s enough mystery to keep you on your toes.

While all of that was great, I didn’t feel overwhelmingly compelled by the storyline and I guessed pretty much everything that would happen, so the shock factor wasn’t there. That’s usually okay for me, but for some reason it bummed me with this one. I also don’t looove the influencer storyline, so it was hard for me to become invested.

I also felt the romance was one dimensional and it didn’t really add anything to the story for me, but I appreciated each character as individuals and what they brought to the story.

However this was a solid read and I think anyone who enjoys a good psychological thriller would enjoy it!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for this lovely E-ARC in exchange for my completely honest review!! This comes out 08.08.23

This book was so wild!! I loved it! I didn’t find that this book had too many twists and turns as much as it was just Rachel & Joe unraveling the crimes. I loved the Ouroboros aspect and my heart ached for the fictional victims. This felt like a real documentary to me—especially in light of the Long Island serial killer being caught recently. I also enjoyed the multiple POVs. It did take about 40% for it to really hook me.

I own but have yet to read “The Night Swim” and I can say I’m definitely more excited to read that now! I’m eager to see what Goldin comes out with next!

When podcaster Rachel Krall is asked to help the FBI find a missing influencer she is hesitant. She doesn’t know anything about this influencer or the prisoner she visited before she went missing.

I really enjoyed this story. It’s got a lot to it: a creepy bad guy, a podcast investigator, influencers and an influencer conference. There was a lot going on and I was super curious as to how it would all come together. I predicted a few of the conclusions, but not all of them and I was very pleased with the story and the ending.

“Always know when you’re walking into. Dark corners can be danger points.”

Dark Corners comes out 8/8.

4.5 rounded up!

Dark Corners was a great follow up to the author's previous book, The Night Swim. While I found some parts to be a bit rushed and the social media aspect of the story to be a bit preachy, it still really held my attention and made the story an engrossing read.

It picks up right where it left off (without needing to have read the first book) and does a really fabulous job of not being a repeat of the previous novel. I really loved how we get multiple perspectives here from a variety of characters, not just Rachel, the FMC. It felt like the story was new and different, instead of being too similar to the first book, introducing some new secondary characters that were important and gave Rachel more depth. Instead of being an outsider who is navigating a small town sexual assault case, I learned more about Rachel as a person removed from her identity as a podcaster, which was nice and different. I also thought the story kept me guessing and entertained, which is all anyone really wants from their thrillers!

Once again, like with The Night Swim, I felt the book wrapped up a bit too quickly, which seems to be this author's style now that this is my second book by her. If that is ok with you, then this book was great. For me, it just removed me out of the experience a bit, especially after the reveal. Additionally, the social media influencer aspect of the story, while interesting, felt a bit too preachy in some places, which isn't necessarily bad, but it just felt a bit preachy and on the nose for me.

Overall, I felt this was a really solid thriller and I really enjoyed reading it, especially as someone who hasn't read many thrillers this year!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this review in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 stars!

Another great thriller by Goldin! I really enjoyed The Night Swim and was excited to read the second book in the Rachel Krall series. I really enjoyed the direction this book went. I thought it was interesting to get a “behind the scenes” look at the lives of influencers. I really liked the chemistry and relationship between Rachel and Joe. The short chapters were perfect and really helped keep this book fast-paced for me. I loved the chapters that were written as if they were taken from Rachel’s podcast. I thought the end felt slightly rushed, but I also couldn’t wait to see what happened once Bailey got out of prison. There were some twists in this one, including one that took me by complete surprise. I had a lot of fun with this one. Hoping we get more Rachel Krall books in the future!