Cover Image: The Night Swim

The Night Swim

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Member Reviews

I could not get into this book, ultimately it was not form me and I could not finish it. It may be one for other readers

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<b> The Details: </b>
<i> Narrated by Bailey Carr, January LaVoy, Samantha Desz
Unabridged </i>

One of my late netgalley arcs, I decided to listen to via my library app.

This was riveting and harrowing read following a dual sexual assault case, one in the present day and one set in the mystery of a cover up that happened some years before.

We follow a podcast presenter investigating both cases and it was interesting to see the perspective of varying characters of what, to me, is an obviously awful crime.

The acts done to the body was so graphic and really hard to read, so please bear that in mind.

Overall, I'm glad to have finally read this, but it was a heavy, difficult read.

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After owning the physical book for ages and not picking it up I came across it on my libraries audiobook app and decided to listen to it and I am so glad I decided on that format.
We follow a true crime podcaster called Rachel who is following an ongoing rape trial for her new season. Because she's gained fame through her show she is often contacted by people wanting her to look into cases and she is now being left messages from a woman called Hannah whose sister was murdered 25 years ago.
The book weaves both stories alongside each other and the connections in the small town. While it does make uncomfortable reading at times it really makes you think.

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Enjoyed this book and the mixture of the current case and past crime. I've read a few books lately with the true-crime podcast angle and I felt that looking into what happened to Jenny added a fresh angle to this concept. I'd like to see more of Rachel - a series maybe?

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Exciting book to read. Had me hooked from the first page. It was great to read.Had me on the edge of my seat more than once, Can see this being a real hit. It was well written

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Thanks to #NetGalley, the publisher Mirror Books and the author Megan Goldin
for providing me with a digital ARC of #TheNightSwim in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. This book was so hard to put down. The characters were so well written and I loved hearing the story from different points of view I also liked the podcast being used in the book and look forward to reading more from this author . I really think this book is 4.5 stars from me.

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A harrowing and compelling tale. I found this one so brilliant and adored the writing. The plot hooked me from the start.

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This was a very tense and gripping read. It had me hooked from the very start.

It was very well written and I loved Rachel's character.

Thank you to NetGalley and Megan for the chance to read this book.

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I really like Goldins work so I really wanted to try this one out. It was definitely tense and the story line progressed really naturally. I wish there was more depth into the characters but understand that it’s not all about characters in a thriller. I will definitely be reading more of her work in the future

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Amazing book.
I highly recommend for everyone
It's a Amazing thriller. Very interesting.
Thanks netgalley

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Oh wow! Wow wow WOW! I loved this. 2 stories interweaving. Set against a modern tale of social media and podcasts. I’m about to buy her first book. 5/5.

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A taut, compelling thriller that kept me turning the pages. Harrowing at times but recommended! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC

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3.5 stars.

Rachel is the host of a popular podcast that focuses on true crime. Now its third season, she's taking the podcast to the road and reporting live from a rape trial in a small southern town. The casensoea not come without its controversies - the accused is a popular swim star from a rich and influencial family. However, a note left on Rachel's windscreen from an enigmatic woman known only as Hannah leads her to another mystery surrounding the small town. One that might be connected to the current ongoing trial...

I found myself getting utterly gripped by this court room mystery. Rachel is a likeable character, inquisitive and sympathetic yet pushy when she needs to be. You know she's a capable character, who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth - regardless of the consequences. Her voice of reason, producer Pete, is often on the end of the phone to talk her down from being rash - yet his lack of presence means she's often got nothing to stop her from being reckless, or asking difficult questions. I liked that side of her personality. Her podcast chapters also shed a bit of light into her backstory and reasons for doing what she does - although I admit I still don't think we know enough about Rachel and her motives.

The letters from Hannah that form some of the chapters sprinkle in this older mystery that just feels very melanncholic and stormy. It's atmospheric, which contrasts well with the current day, high tension filled court room chapters. The two scenarios work well together, and intertwine to form a satisfactory conclusion that connects all the dots. There's also plenty of discussion into rape culture, victim blaming and trauma which I thought were handled sensitively. Most of the harder scenes are described through the eyes of a child, which help to lessen the graphic detail without necessarily taking away the emotional impact.

I suppose my main negative is that I found the ending a little bit too neat. For a novel that feels so dark and bleak in tone at times, some conclusions came far too easily (although I admit they were very satisfying to read). I suppose to me personally it just didn't feel that realistic after the trauma that came before.

The ending sets this up very well for a sequel following another season of the podcast with Rachel, and it's one I would be very eager to read about. A great small town murder mystery.

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TRIGGER WARNING - This book discusses sexual abuse in graphic detail.

I really enjoyed this book, it was really refreshing to have a new and modern twist in a slightly overdone genre. Having a true crime podcast as the thread that looped the story together was a brilliant strategy that I haven't come across before.

The story follows Rachel who is visiting a small town to cover a rape case. While she is there, she starts getting letters from someone urging them to look into their sisters death. As the trial takes place and we follow that storyline, we start to learn more about the dead sister.

The plot weaves in and out of both storylines, and they're both fascinating.

I found the book to be well written, detailed and it had me on my toes. I thought the ending wrapped up the storyline beautifully. There were plenty of twists for those twist hungry readers among us!

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I had a fantastic time with this book, and it's so much improved over The Escape Room that I have to give it five stars.

Trigger Warning: It's about the rape of two girls and the murder of one of them. It's not a passing scene, the rapes are described throughout the book, though not graphically.

The Night Swim is a fast paced thriller with a lot of characters with very dark pasts. It takes place in a small town where everyone knows everyone, they all grow up together, and residents rarely leave. It's about class and sexism and misogyny, and the very slight differences in how we treat rape victims now versus in decades past. In truth, there are not a lot of differences, but there are some.

The main character, Rachel, is the narrator of a famous true crime podcast, and I love these books when they are done well. This one does it well. Our secondary character is Hannah, the younger sister of a girl who was raped and killed as a teen 25 years before. Rachel is currently reporting on the trial of a college swimmer accused of raping a teenage girl in current times.

[In real life, the Stanford swimmer rape case was local for me. I knew the locations involved, I was able to vote to recall the judge in the case, I read the victim's memoir and because it was a local case, it all felt very personal to me. If you have any desire either to read about that case or to hear exactly what happens after a rape, Know My Name by Chanel Miller is invaluable. The Night Swim does not take its main details from that case, but does appear to report the aftermath of a rape accurately.]

The primary plot of this book is Rachel and her investigations into the crimes against both women, and it is a gripping ride. There were a lot of characters who were intertwined but I was able to imagine each of them and remember who was whom. I didn't find any glaring plot holes in this complicated story, and I felt it was for the most part believable.

It was so good I had to forgive it when one of the rapists decides to just confess everything for no apparent reason at all. Honestly, I was mad at this part, and maybe not too happy with how that particular story was wrapped up. But it wasn't the main focus of the book, nor was it the main ending, and I did love everything else.

I thought The Escape Room was an enjoyable mess. I hated that I enjoyed that book as much as I did. The Night Swim is a Not Guilty Pleasure, and I hope Rachel Krall appears in upcoming books by Goldin. Thoroughly enjoyable!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror Books for the ARC (which I received after publication). I was slightly hesitant because of my ambivalence over Escape Room, but Goldin has upped her game here and definitely earned five stars!

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The small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town’s golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping a high school student, the beloved granddaughter of the police chief.

For anyone who likes or has read the work of Holly Jackson, then this is the book for you. It is so different from your usual, psychological thriller, it is so much more and so gripping. This is the type of book you read in one sitting by a cosy fire on a cold, winters night. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

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This book kept me reading and guessing to the very end....an absolute page turner.

The Night Swim is a thought-provoking and captivating read. A story that deals with issues such as victim blaming, shaming and guilt. It was an incredibly emotional read for me, each chapter had me experiencing different emotions from anger, to sadness, to utter hopelessness and when we finally discover the truth about what happened to Jenny, I just had to sit for a while in total silence to take that in.

A completely gripping read...I would highly recommend.

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The Night Swim is a captivating double-story that leaves you wanting more with every chapter. You experience an ongoing trial, famous crime podcaster, Rachel Krall's follow-up podcast episodes, mysterious letters that keep showing up for her, and Rachel's daily experiences. This is a book you WILL NOT be able to put down!

I thoroughly enjoyed the parallel storylines that ran throughout this book---after figuring out an occurrence from the past, it was impossible to put it down before reading the following present-day happenings. The podcast episodes were riveting! Coming from an avid true crime/suspense podcast listener, I felt like I was listening to a real podcast and hearing the nuances in Rachel's storytelling firsthand. This book delves into some tough subjects but in such a delicate & respectful way. It emphasizes that popularity is not a redeeming quality and eventually, people will have to answer for their actions.

Goldin's writing is captivating, thrilling, and un-put-down-able. The ending will leave you speechless and amazed at how all the events we were slowly watching unfold transpired together. I thoroughly enjoyed The Night Swim and can't wait to read it again!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Mirror Books, and Megan Goldin for the ARC of The Night Swim!

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This is quite a slow burn to start with and I was surprised to find myself really enjoying the read the further I got into it. Overall, a very good thriller and definitely worth the read.

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4.75* Highly recommended. I found this really gripping. I loved the way it was intricately woven and then unfurled like a fern leaf for the truth to be revealed.
An Australian best selling author, who is new to me.
Rachel Krall has broadcast her true crime podcast and has become well known for managing to set a wrongly imprisoned man free. Trying to maintain the podcasts popularity in the face of budding competition she investigating 2 cases, one that she had intended to look into, the topical controversial rape trial of a small towns golden boy and potential Olympic standard swimmer accused of raping the chief of Police’s grand daughter.
She is also stalked and pushed into investigating a cold case that was attributed to drowning, but her sister is insistent that she was murdered.
Story is told by Hannah ( whose sister drowned) and Rachel (the podcaster)
Rachel comes across as a very likeable character who desperately wants to do the right thing for justice to prevail, but also trying to present an unbiased view. She is caring and compassionate.
There’s a bit of repetition regarding testimony and interview statements. This is the only reason for the 4.75*
The suspense and tension really builds up between both the stories as the book draws to a conclusion.
It’s quite emotional too.
I hope that her 4th podcast series makes it to another book.

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