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LOVED this story! Likable characters, a well-written plot with some unexpected twists and turns. I loved the investigative report sections and what they added to the story. I don't believe I've read from this author before, but will certainly seek out her work in the future! Well done!

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If you have not picked out your @bookofthemonth for July yet, I recommend choosing Dark Corners by @megangoldinauthor 🖤 You can’t go wrong with either the book or audiobook. I switched back and forth between the two. I loved how the audiobook made the podcast chapters sound like an actual podcast episode! Also, @januarylavoy is a narrator and I love everything she narrates. Seriously, she could narrate my cereal ingredients and I’m going to be entertained!

Dark Corners picks up where The Night Swim left off. Famous podcaster, Rachel Krall, is back helping the FBI figure out what happened to missing influencer, Maddison Logan. Maddison went missing after visiting a murderer in prison. The story has good plot twists, explores the dark side of social media, and has a small dash of romance.

Thank you @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress and @netgalley for allowing me to read and listen to this book/audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

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

Well, if I wasn’t terrified of rideshares before, I sure as hell am now!

What an addictive and fascinating sequel to The Night Swim! Rachel Krall is back as the scrappy and brilliant crime podcaster, being summoned by the FBI for help with a case in Florida.

This story focuses heavily on social media influencers, as Rachel goes undercover at an influencer conference called BuzzCon, to discover what may have happened to a missing influencer. The author gives the average person a glimpse into the world of the highly successful influencer, what successful actually means, what it costs, and significant downsides to that lifestyle.

“Being an influencer is the game of life, Rachel. Until someone finds out you’re a fraud. Then everything falls apart. Then you crash and burn”.

Although there weren’t detailed podcast “episodes” like there were in The Night Swim, there certainly were twists and turns as Rachel uncovers mystery after mystery in this detailed story. You don’t need to read The Night Swim to follow, but the background is very helpful! Overall a very engaging and fascinating read I would absolutely recommend.

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*Thank you NetGalley for the advance reading copy of this novel*

For the follow up to the Night Swim, there were a number of positives about the novel which I will start with the mystery. The set up of the novel is on the coattails of the previous story, having our main character only just wrapping up of the last case. Rachel is whisked away from her home at the request of the ominous FBI. Being thrown into an active investigation there is a number of settings such as a prison and an influencer convention. These led to some unique opportunities to make conflict but also led to where some of the plot drug on.

The side romance between Rachel and the main FBI investigator felt a bit shoe horned in plot line. Besides the odd comment here and there, there as not much to speak of to show the attraction especially with the FBI investigator has barely dealt with the loss of his wife a few years prior (to the point of having her still as his phone screen). Likewise there were a few parts that were a bit convoluted, such as the reason some people did not bring up past crimes, the motives of the killer, and so on. Rachel's character in this novel was also a lot less likable compared to previous story, I wanted to like her more.

There were a number of items I did like about the story but there are also some specific instances that I would like to be developed more or adjusted to make sure sense store-wise.

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Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

My rating:
4/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dark Corners is the second book in the Rachel Krall series. Rachel is a famous true crime podcaster and is requested by the FBI to fly to Florida immediately when Rachel’s name was brought to their attention by an inmate.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the short chapters with multiple perspectives / POVS. Megan Goldin is an auto read author for me! I think the book came together nicely in the end with no loose ends. I will say I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first book in the series, The Night Swim, but this was still very good!

This book has a little bit of everything, but is mostly a thriller. At times, the story was going in so many directions I was a little confused how it would all come together but by the end I had all my answers!

If you enjoyed The Night Swim, definitely give this one a read. I do think this could be read as a stand alone as nothing about the first book was revealed in this, but I would read the Night Swim anyway because I loved it!

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC! Add this to your TBR now!

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When Madisson Logan, an Instagram influencer, disappears after visiting suspected serial killer Terrence Bailey in prison, the FBI asks Rachel Krall for help. Rachel, a podcaster we first met in Goldin's Night Swim, was named by Bailey as someone Madisson should seek out.

I really enjoyed this story interspersed with bits of Rachel's podcast about the investigation into the disappearance. I really liked the character of agent Martinez. I'd like to see more of him in the future.

If you haven't read Night Swim yet, don't fret. This can 100% be read as a standalone.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and Megan Goldin for an advanced copy of this audiobook. I offer my review freely.

Publication date : 08 August 2023

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Dark Corners is the second in the Rachel Krall series, but the reader doesn't need to be familiar with the first book to read the second. In this story, the podcaster is brought down to Florida by Joe Martinez of the FBI after an influencer goes missing, after speaking to a prisoner due to be released in a matter of days. When a body is found nearby, law enforcement believes it's Maddison, the influencer, and that Terence Bailey, the prisoner, is an accomplice to someone on the outside. Instead of going home, Rachel decides to stick around during an influencer convention to learn more about Maddison and try to figure out who had motives for her disappearance. During her stay, she learns about two missing girls from years ago that may be the key to figuring out what happened to Maddison, and Bailey's involvement with her. The book is a solid mystery/suspense, as the reader follows Rachel and Joe trying to piece together what happened in the past as well as what's happening underneath their noses. It isn't a story with big plot twists, and the one in there is something that many readers will be likely to figure out on their own. A good solid beach read, but not necessarily one that captures the reader's attention and makes it a "can't put it down" page turner. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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ARC audiobook and book provided in exchange for an honest review.

I loved how the narration was performed on this book! The three narrators did a terrific job and with the music and sound effects, it made it engaging and fun to listen to! I really enjoyed the story as well! I really liked the plot of the true crime podcaster getting wrapped up in a missing person case and the story definitely takes you places along the way. It stays extremely relevant dealing with social media influencers and the lives they live behind their personas. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and mysteries!

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Thank you to St. Martin Press for the ARC and ALC.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin was on my 2023 most anticipated list and I'm so happy I was able to read and review this copy. The Night Swim was a 5 star read for me and to know that we will continue with more with Rachel Krall and the Guilty or Not Guilty Podcast was amazing news.

I am giving Dark Corners 4 stars. I loved that we got to continue with Rachel and her podcast as we got to learn about cases along with her. The audiobook is amazing and I highly recommend reading and listening if possible because of the full produced podcast with sound effects. I also appreciated that you don't have to read The Night Swim first in order to read this.

The reason why this wasn't a 5 star read for me is because although I loved getting back into the podcast, like a new season, I found this book to lack the "podcast" affect for me. The audiobook was full produced however it didn't have the same punch as the Night Swim. Also, I learned that the "influencer" parts were not something I personally cared for but some might.

I do hope Megan Goldin will continue to write for Rachel Krall because I do find her stories very interest and hard to put down.

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This was a great read!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio for my advanced copies of Dark Corners.

I was gifted the ebook and then later the audio version of this book by the publisher which I was not expecting.

I loved the audio for this.
Dark Corners is narrated by André Santana, January LaVoy and Samantha Desz. They did a phenomenal job. January Lavoy is one of my favorite voice actors so I was so excited to see her on this project.
This audio was very well produced and felt unique.

I also really loved the mystery. It was well written and Megan Goldin just continues to impress me. I've read 3 of her books so far and they've all been a solid 4 stars ✨

Overall- Highly Recommend . I look forward to reading more by this author.

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This book took me a while to get into but once it picked up I couldn't put it down. I liked Rachel's truecrime podcast and I was invested in figuring out what happened to Maddison. I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and I was still left with the question as to why the stinky killer was killing those girls. But overall I enjoyed this book.

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Dark Corners is well written. Crazy life of influencers, serial killers, FBI protocols and a podcast ‘wannabe detective’ all come into play. Megan Goldin’s descriptive writing and masterful use of literary devices make her novel a pleasure to read, despite some of the content being a little disheartening and/or gruesome at times.
I highly recommend Dark Corners.
Thank You to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Megan Goldin for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC.

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Dark Corners by Megan Goldin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Dark Corners is a follow-up to the popular Rachel Krall thriller " The night swim" ( which I highly enjoyed as well ) however, this book can be read as a standalone as it touches all the bases needed without much explanation needing from its predecessor.

" ᴬˡʷᵃʸˢ ᵏⁿᵒʷ ʷʰᵃᵗ ʸᵒᵘ'ʳᵉ ʷᵃˡᵏⁱⁿᵍ ⁱⁿᵗᵒ, ᴰᵃʳᵏ ᶜᵒʳⁿᵉʳˢ ᶜᵃⁿ ᵇᵉ ᵈᵃⁿᵍᵉʳ ᵖᵒⁱⁿᵗˢ"

Thank you to @netgalley & @stmartinspress for sending me an #earlycopy #arc #giftedcopy

I really enjoyed this book. The start seemed very slow. Almost DNF slow. But the little pieces were just enough to keep me reading. It does eventually pick up. It's not overly fast-paced but it's interesting- and I'm not sure I could have seen the twist coming if it had called me first and told me when to pick it up from the airport 🤣

Overall this book was very enjoyable and I can't wait to add my #botm copy to my shelf!

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Book review ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC

Dark Corners
Author: Megan Goldin @megangoldinauthor
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Read on e-book
Pub date: 8/8/23

Book description:
Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. As his release date approaches, Bailey gets a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge social media following. Hours later, Maddison disappears, 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 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. Who is she, really? Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, 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 and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krall herself. 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.

My review:
This was my first Megan Goldin book and wow, what a ride!!! This book was wonderful in many ways. It kept me engaged from beginning to end. Some parts were a bit slow but I always wanted to know what happened so I kept on reading. Also, I guessed in advance some of the twists by the end of the book.

I give this book a 4 1/2 stars
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Did you read a Megan Goldin book yet?

Did you read Dark Corners? What did you think about it?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuPLDrTLhFm/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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Rachel Krall is back! And I'm so here for it.

In the latest crime thriller by Goldin, we get a semi-sequel to The Night Swim. You don't have to read the first one to read her latest book, Dark Corners. There's no spoilers per se just vague references, but honestly if you haven't read The Night Swim yet, you really should. It's a great book and you won't be disappointed if you do pick it up.

With Dark Corners, we get a solid crime thriller. I think Goldin is teeing these books up perfectly to make a great detective series, but with a little twist since Rachel is a podcaster. Maybe a little Joe & Rachel crime solving team. I think Rachel is a strong main character and I really hope we get more in this universe in the future.

The pacing was good for this book. We get some nice twists and well thought out red herrings to throw us off the case. I think anyone who picks this book up, especially if you loved The Night Swim, will not be disappointed.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

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Dark Corners is the second installment of the Rachel Krall series. I loved the first book, and this one was as good as the first. I had access to both the Kindle and audiobook versions, and listening to the audiobook enhanced my enjoyment of the book. André Santana, January LaVoy, and Samantha Desz all did an excellent job narrating the book. It was easy to visualize what was happening, and I loved the extra details of the music and the dramatics for the podcast chapters.

This book setup was a little different than Night Swim. Rachel was the only person narrating, and the podcast chapters were more constructed as diction for future episodes than actual episodes of her Guilty Or Not Guilty podcast. I felt it was still easy to get hooked immediately, and I loved involving influencers and social media in the story. The story was fast-paced, and we felt we had enough suspense while our questions were answered. Also, Rachel Krall is still a badass in this book! She is fierce, but she also comes across as a very likable and trustworthy person. It was easy to love her strong and independent self as she was as determined to find answers in this book. I was disappointed that we did not get more of Agent Martinez, but I hope for more Rachel Krall books! This can be read as a standalone or part of the series, but a book that should be on your summer reading list!

Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martin Press, and Macmillian Audio for giving me a copy of the book.

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Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. I really liked this one and I am a fan of Megan Goldin's writing. Rachel is a podcaster who covers true crime and she has been contacted by the FBI to try and assist them with a missing person. The story line of how Rachel's initial meeting with an inmate in prison and the connection to the missing girl was a good one. I thought this story was going in a totally different direction and then it all started to come together. I enjoyed the writing and I liked the characters as well. This was a good ready. Enjoy!!

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Talk about a pageturner! I couldn't stop reading this! I was drawn into the story and pleased to read another book with podcast host/journalist Rachel. I like how this author writes true crime thrillers, but focuses on the victims more than her fictional serial killers.

I could have done without the romance bits, but I suppose they were relevant to the story. The MC flip flopping from "fuck the police I'm not helping them and lying for them" to a total undercover source was amusing, if a little annoying because like, where are her principals?!

If you like fast paced thrillers with action, multiple POV and the story told in a few different ways (podcast scripts) you'll enjoy this murder mystery! If you like reading about Influencer culture you'll also like this. It's a creepy good time!

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Having been on the fence about The Night Swim hit but enjoying other books from this author I wasn’t sure how this was going to land for me. I will say I enjoyed it more than The Night Swim, but less than the books by this author that are not connected with this series.

I’m going with 3.5 rounded up because it had its moments. There were definitely times that I was incredibly invested in the story but there were also times when I found myself rolling my eyes and waiting for it to end. It was back and forth for me on where it would land on my personal scale of enjoyability - which fits perfect with how I felt about the first book in the series.

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The timing of this book didn’t make sense to me. It was apparently a few weeks after the events in The Night Swim, but Rachel felt like a completely different and more evolved character. It felt more like this could have taken place years later. The whole influencer culture and characters were too over the top and just not believable. We all know that social media is fake and curated, but these people were just horrible.

I enjoyed the mystery and was eager to see how everything came together. I enjoyed the POV from the bad guy too and thought it added a fun element.

This is my least favorite book I’ve read from this author and I had really high hopes after The Night Swim was so well done.

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