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The Night Swim: A Novel (Rachel Krall, 1)

“A blistering plot and crisp writing make The Night Swim an unputdownable read.” –Sarah Pekkanen, bestselling author of The Wife Between Us

In The Night Swim, a new thriller from Megan Goldin, author of the “gripping and unforgettable” (Harlan Coben) The Escape Room, a true crime podcast host covering a controversial trial finds herself drawn deep into a small town’s dark past and a brutal crime that took place there years before.

Ever since her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall has become a household name—and the last hope for people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The new season of Rachel's podcast has brought her to a small town being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. A local golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season 3 a success, Rachel throws herself into her investigation—but the mysterious letters keep coming. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered—and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody in town wants to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases—and a revelation that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?

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352 pages

Average rating: 7.67

27 RATINGS

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4 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

thebooktroup
Jan 30, 2025
8/10 stars
Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for a galley of The Night Swim in exchange for my honest review. I was incredibly stoked to receive a copy of Megan Goldin's latest after enjoying The Escape Room so much. I find it very clever that the author made the main character, Rachel, a true-crime podcaster and used letters and podcast episodes to unfold the past in an otherwise chronologically written story. TW: The author tackles difficult subjects of sexual assault and rape and touches on the harsh realities of how the victims can be torn apart on the stand, in the media, and by a community. I found a surprising (yet appreciated) depth to this suspenseful whodunit that you just don't find in a lot of thrillers. Two homeruns in a row have made me a Megan Goldin fan and I look forward to reading what she puts out next.
Anonymous
Jan 14, 2025
8/10 stars
This novel would make a fabulous book club read! The author explores rape culture and how difficult it is to bring these cases to trial. At the same time the plot is fast moving and intriguing. I particularly enjoyed the court scenes. I agree with other reviewers who didn’t think this was as much a thriller as a crime novel/mystery. Highly recommend.
4IIs&pages
Dec 23, 2024
10/10 stars
After the Escape Room, I wanted more of Ms. Golden. I loved the podcast theme, characters and mystery buildup throughout the plot.
HoneyChild
Aug 23, 2024
8/10 stars
Though this book has a couple predicated moments towards the end it mostly kept me on my toes. The format of switching between POVs and podcast transcript made it exciting. As an avid true crime podcast listener and reader this was the best of both worlds. However, The Night Swim is a heavy and emotional read with trauma, abuse, and the court system thrown in.

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