Review: The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

In this new thriller from the author of The Escape Room, a podcast host covering a controversial trial in a small town becomes obsessed with a brutal crime that took place there years before.

After the first season of her true crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall is now a household name—and the last hope for thousands of 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 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. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating—but the mysterious letters keep showing up in unexpected places. 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 insists she was murdered—and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody seems to want to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases 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?

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Expected publication: August 4th 2020

by St. Martin's Press

4.5/5 stars

I knew going into The Night Swim that there were triggers but not to the extent it was, definitely a book that will stay with me.

To say this is an emotional story doesn't really give it the extreme it is due. It's one thing to have the current day story but to add the 25-year- old one really adds that extra punch.  Told mainly with 2 points of view, a current day with podcaster (is that a word?) Rachel, she hides behind a face that is unknown even though her voice is.  The mysterious notes and what they reveal goes back 25 years where things aren't as they appeared. I’ll admit that the podcast angle isn’t a favorite but with this story I get the role it played making it a good fit.

The Night Swim is a sad, disturbing and emotional story that had me frustrated, angry, heartbroken and out for justice. There is some serious subject matter that the author handled authentically with feeling and respect. It is well written with characters that I couldn't help feeling for.  I think I read the last 70% in like a day, not only did I need to know what was going to happen but was curious as to the author's direction, I didn't know what to expect with the ending.  Maybe I will stop right there before I reveal too much.

Megan Goldin is a new author to me, her novel The Escape Room is getting rave reviews, so that is now added to my TBR pile.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for a digital arc (via Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.