I really liked this book. Not 5 stars though because it was a little too much back and forth and confusing at times. I like Rachel Krall as a character but I thought this book was much better than the first one. That was a tad boring and took a while to get through but this one I read faster. Would love to see this series be continued.

@megangoldinauthor I really hope you’re working another Rachel Krall because I’m not sure I can wait 😍 Dark Corners kept me entertained from the very beginning - it was a quick , 5 star read that I D E V O U R E D in a weekend . If you loved The Night Swim then you will not be disappointed with this one ! It’s due for publication in August 2023 so make sure it’s on your TBR !
@netgalley and @stmartinspress THANK YOU for the opportunity to read and review prior to publication . I LOVED IT .

From @goodreads :: 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 freedom 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? Why was she visiting him in the first place?
When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems only to 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 Krall 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, 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 a 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.

#arc #rachelkrall #crimepodcast #netgalley #stmartinspress #darkcorners #thenightswim #megangoldin #iamnevergettinginarideshareagain #bookstagram #tbr #booktok #booklover #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookworm #influencer

"The Scariest Monster is the One Hiding in Plain Sight." Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster from Goldin's previous novel The Night Swim is back and the quote is a message she receives from a man she is asked to visit in a Florida prison. The prisoner is named Terrance Bailey, and Rachel is requested to meet with him by the FBI in connection with the disappearance of a video blogger named Maddison Logan . Rachel doesn't understand why the FBI contacted her, but when she is asked to return home she refuses and starts to investigate Maddison's disappearance on her own. She finds out that a serial killer has been kidnapping and killing women and the man sitting in prison may be the key to finding the killer.

Krall is a podcaster with a popular show called "Guilty or Not-Guilty" and when she finds out that the prisoner Bailey mentioned her name, she is intrigued. There also happens to be a big influencer convention in town where Maddison was supposed to appear and Rachel plans to attend and find out what she can about the missing young woman. There are a lot of characters in this book but the author does a great job of providing enough information so we can keep them straight. In addition to Rachel's chapters we see chapters from the viewpoint of a ride share driver who has some terrible secrets and other chapters from a future transcript from Rachel's podcast. .

Fast paced and exciting, this book lives up to the first one and I look forward to seeing Rachel Krall in future novels. Thank You to NetGalley and the publisher for a ARC in exchange for my review.

I consider myself a Megan Goldin FAN so I was beyond excited when I got an email to review Dark Corners, the sequel to the FIVE STAR thriller, The Night Swim.

Similarly to The Night Swim, Dark Corners is a page-turning thriller that follows a couple of different POVs and a podcast episode.

Unlike The Night Swim, Dark Corners:
is much more police/FBI procedural, which doesn't fall in my wheelhouse. I know that's just me, someone who enjoys a more investigative plot, you may enjoy this more than I did.
left me feeling unsatisfied by the end and with the way everything comes to a head and wraps up in the last 10%. There was so much ramp up so the "final confrontation" is a pretty major let down.
I saw most twists coming very early on in the book; where The Night Swim shocked me, there were only a couple of things that came as a surprise in Dark Corners.

I'm giving it a rating of about 3.5 stars - Megan Goldin is a great author and her stories are always addictive. I can't help but wonder if Dark Corners suffers because it can't help but be compared to The Night Swim, and, for me, it just doesn't measure up.

But I definitely recommend fans of The Night Swim continue Rachel's story and check this one out!

I was so excited to receive a copy of this book. The premise sounded compelling and creepy, so much so that I started this book even though I had two other books to read with earlier review deadlines. On top of that, I thought this author’s previous book, Stay Awake, was excellent. So maybe my expectations were too high, I don’t know. What I do know is I really didn’t like this.

The story got off to a promising start, giving me a good balance of questions I wanted answered combined with creepiness. I was intrigued. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there.

At first it took a while to get used to the multiple points of view. You get the perspective of three different characters, plus sections of the main character’s podcast about the case. This might’ve been fine, except chapters had a way of ending in the middle of something that seemed like it might be important, so you had to read your way through a chapter or two of someone else’s perspective before looping back around to what you were wondering about to begin with. This was compelling at first, but as the book continued it started to become frustrating. The perspective of reading back Rachel’s podcast also kills some of the suspense. The podcast is told in past tense, so you know that whatever happens in the story there’s no question that she’ll be fine since she obviously lived to tell the story.

The suspense was also lacking in that it was too easy. I loved the author’s previous book because I didn’t have the mystery figured out and kept questioning things all the way through. In this story, I quickly developed theories, enough information was given early enough in the story for me to feel confident I was right (in addition to the fact that the main character was obviously going to live), and the rest was just plodding forward to get through it.

I feel like I know what the author was going for with the villain as well. She really seemed like she was trying to press the point that the scariest people can seem so ordinary on the surface, but what started off as subtle and suspenseful eventually became plain boring. I’ve honestly never fallen asleep so much while reading a mystery/thriller.

All in all, if you want a compelling read and a great story, try the author’s previous work, Stay Awake. This one just doesn’t measure up to its predecessor.

Dark Corners is the first book I’ve read by Megan Goldin, but it definitely won’t be my last. As soon as I wrapped up reading this book I headed to my local library with a quickness to pick up two more of Goldins books including the prequel to Dark Corners, The Night Swim.

Rachel Krall is a true crime podcaster who has been summoned to Florida by the FBI at short notice. The reason why? Because a very popular and beautiful social media influencer named Maddison Logan has disappeared into thin air leaving behind nothing but her blood smeared camper van.

How does Rachel fit into the equation? One of the last people to have spoken to Maddison before she vanished was an inmate at a local prison named Terrance Bailey and the FBI have uncovered that during an inmate visitation with Maddison, Bailey had requested that she needed to summon Rachel Krall immediately. Now Rachel is determined to get answers and interviews Bailey, who is due for release in two days, only to receive a death threat from him, but Rachel isn’t easily shaken and she is determined to find Maddison.

Goldin presents a real page-turner of mystery/thriller and I recommend this book! My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Megan Goldin’s last book “Stay Awake” and this one was also good. Internet influencer Maddison goes missing and the FBI are called in to solve the case. I loved Rachel, a famous podcaster who the FBI called to help them solve the case. I enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book but then I found the book slowed way down and found myself bored. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review. To be published August 2023.

An amazing read

It was educational, intriguing and a bit romantic. Rachel and Joe made a great team, not even meaning to. I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I was excited to receive this ARC since I enjoyed The Night Swim and getting to know the character of Rachel Krall. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and I read it in two sittings. It definitely kept me engaged and kept my attention, however, it was predictable. I guessed the plot twist almost immediately when certain characters were introduced. I do love the addition of a love interest for Rachel, I'm excited to see where that goes if the series continues. I would definitely recommend this book, but because I was not surprised by any of it, I'm giving it 3.5 stars. I really want to be shocked with a thriller and this just didn't do that for me, but again it was a quick and entertaining read. I would definitely read future Rachel Krall novels. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Dark Corners is the sequel to Megan Goldin’s highly acclaimed book, The Night Swim. This book has our lead, Rachel Krall in the swamps of Florida as she has become a person of interest in a missing person investigation. This book is full of twists and turns as Rachel tries to get to the bottom of the case, if for no other reason than it would make an interesting podcast episode.

I am a huge fan of Megan Goldin. I read The Night Swim shortly after it was released and was blown away by how different it was compared to so many other thrillers of that time. Fast forward to a few years later and the podcast element has become almost a trope in thrillers. So this book adds the layer of following around influencers which I think was very smart. As someone who is not an influencer, I enjoyed reading about the peak behind the curtain that this book offered. I know it will probably annoy some people but I really enjoyed it. This also has Goldin’s classic use of different perspectives that are used in such a way that nothing feels out of place or unimportant. I was engaged with all the perspectives throughout the story and they helped keep the pace up.

I don’t think the bigger reveals in this were anything spectacular but the tiny reveals that came up throughout the second half of the book were fantastic. The thing with both of the books in this series is that they have a very episodic feel. Like these two stories could be two podcast episodes. You aren’t left wondering about any loose threads and everything wraps up nicely. I think Goldin could easily keep writing books featuring this character of Rachel and people would keep reading them. They are almost like…cozy suspense? They are definitely higher stakes than a cozy mystery would be but there is also something comforting about being with the same character through more than one book. I think if you enjoyed The Night Swim, you would enjoy this one as well.

Megan Goldin knows how to write thrillers. She will always be an auto buy/read for me.
This follows Rachel Krall, however it’s not as focused on the podcast in this book, but there is still all of the adventure, with small snippets of podcasting! I enjoyed the storyline, which goes a little heavy in the influencer world. Part of this was a little predictable, but still overall enjoyable and would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good, fast paced & flip the pages to find out more thriller.

“Always know what you’re walking into. Dark corners can be danger points.”
4/5 ★
Rachel Krall is a true crime podcaster. She is summoned at the request of the FBI to Florida with very little information as to why. When she gets there, she is informed that her name came up in an investigation and she’s asked whether she knows a prisoner, Terry Bailey, who is scheduled to get out in a few days. She does not know him, nor does she know why her name would be coming up in this investigation. A young influencer, Maddison Logan, had visited Terry and Rachel’s name came up during their conversation. She doesn’t know Maddison either; but later discovers that Maddison had reached out to Rachel requesting she investigate the disappearance of her friend….and then Maddison disappeared.
Rachel and the FBI decide to work together to try to solve this mystery. The FBI gets Rachel into an influencer event, BuzzCon, to see if she can get any information out of the attendees. Rachel can gather information from other attendees that the FBI won’t be able to get. While she’s pursuing leads on her own, and including the FBI, when she can, she discovers that there may be other victims of disappearance. When one of the BuzzCon attendees is murdered, Rachel finds herself as a suspect.
Rachel first appeared in Night Swim, which is written mostly as a podcast. This book is not written as a podcast, although we do get a few chapters done in that style. The author did a very good job describing what could be the life of an influencer – narcissism, cliques, and influencer rivalries. While it was interesting to read all of this, I found it unrelatable as a non-influencer but it was relevant to the story.

I received this advanced copy of Dark Corners by Megan Goldin. It was a this thriller! This is my second book by her and I love the guessing game of who it is through out the book. Recommend!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Rachel Krall is back! I enjoyed returning to this character after being introduced to her in The Night Swim. I would say you don’t have to read that before diving into Dark Corners but it’s a good book too!

Rachel Krall is a true crime podcaster that doesn’t just tell people’s stories. She gets involved in her own investigations! In The Night Swim, she covered a trial in real time while also investigating a cold case. Dark Corners is completely different but just as interesting.

The FBI drags Rachel to Florida. A suspected serial killer met with a social media influencer and Rachel was brought up during their conversation. Then the woman that met with him disappeared. So they need Rachel to talk to the inmate. Try to get him to reveal something that could help them find Maddison.

Rachel is understandably miffed but agrees to help. I don’t blame her at all for the attitude other reviewers were bothered by. They’ve put her in contact with a possible serial killer that’s getting out of prison in a few days! Then they expect her to just go home knowing she’s on his radar and the missing woman tried to contact her. Of course she wants to stay and help find her.

Her investigating leads to her having to infiltrate the influencer world. You learn all about what goes into the seemingly effortless glamorous lives social media influencers pretend to have. Once again, Rachel is willing to take risks to help someone. But is she in way over her head?

I love this series, I hope it continues. There’s plenty of time to read The Night Swim before Dark Corners comes out. I highly recommend you give them both a try!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

As a huge fan of Megan Goldin's Night Swim, reading a continuation of Rachel Krall's story in Dark Corners was fantastic! Another 5 star read that I didn't realize I needed!

Terence Bailey is in prison for breaking and entering but the police always suspected him in the murders of 6 women. He is not even on Rachel's horizon when she receives word from the FBI that her name has come up in the case related to Terence. She hops a flight down to Florida and starts investigating why this man who she has never even heard of would be wanting to speak to her. As she is pulled into the world of influencers/pods/micro influencers, she begins to piece together a sick and twisted story. But with Terence about to be released and a potential accomplice on her tail, will she survive long enough to tell the story on her podcast?

Rachel is such a well fleshed out character and I love her determination and tenacity. Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Did I know The Night Swim was going to be turned into a series? Absolutely Not. Am I mad about it? SHOOT NO. Get those sleuth hats back on and let's get ready to investigate.🔍
Technically this is a sequel but you can totally pick up Dark Corners as a standalone because Goldin does an amazing job at sprinkling information about Rachel Kralls previous mystery solving skills but I HIGHLY discourage it because The Night Swim will give you such a better understanding to why Rachel is quickly pulled into the twisted fate that awaits her in Dark Corners.
MAN OH MAN Goldin can write a mystery.👏👏👏 I am OBSESSED. This has major crime show vibes. FOR REAL, I can't even tell you how many times the Crimanal minds jingle played in my mind while reading this. Goldin's atmospheric descriptions added SOOO much more to the story I was quickly transported into this investigation as if I was actually behind the police tape watching everything unfold right before my eyes. And The.Characters. YOU GUYS, once that second inconspicuous POV was thrown in there I KNEW this was going to be a nail bitter all the way to the end. ALSO the romance subplot. SAY WHAT?!?! Okay detective McHOTTIE I see youuu. No Doubt I will defenitly be here patiently waiting for the next installment in this series.

Find out what could be hiding in Dark Corners 8/8/2023

Thank you St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the gifted eGalley.

This is my favorite Megan Goldin book so far.

I liked the continuation of Rachel's story. Working on a true crime podcast gives her opportunities to investigate many different cases. My favorite part of this book was when Rachel attended the BuzzCon conference for internet influencers. I am always fascinated by that topic, and getting a behind the scenes look is so much fun.

The hunt for missing podcaster Maddison was very interesting and didn't end the way I thought it would. Terence Bailey was a great menacing character, and you never know where you stand with him. The rideshare driver was very creepy and another good character. I hope that this series continues.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dark corners is an expertly crafted thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page. The story follows a successful crime podcaster who was invited by the FBI to help finding a missing influencer who just visited a prisoners about to be released.

The author weaves together two different storylines with a satisfying ending that ties together all the loose ends. I am definitely interested in reading The Night Swim to catch up on Rachel Krall's storyline.

A suspected killer is about to be released from jail on unrelated charges, can the FBI with the help of podcaster Rachel Krall connect him to a new missing persons case to keep him incarcerated?

Terence Bailey has been in jail serving time for aggravated breaking and entering waiting to be released. The local police believed he was involved in several deaths of local woman but could never find the evidence connecting him to their murders.

The FBI also thinks he is a killer and has brought Rachel Krall down to see if she knows why he would request to meet her and what happened to the last person who visited him in jail before she went missing.

When the FBI realize that Rachel can't connect the pieces they urge her to go home but she decides to stay in Florida and see what she can find to help find the killer and figure out why Terence Bailey wanted to meet her. While there she gets caught deep in the case and finds herself in trouble, possibly fighting for her life.

Who is Terence Bailey and what is his connection to the murders and the missing woman who was the only person to visit him in jail?

While parts of the story seemed to be a little long the book was a page turner for sure and hard to put down. The ending brings it all together in a shocking way that leaves the reader wanting more.

Looking forward to the next Rachel Krall installment!