I received this book for free from Publisher, Library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin Narrator: Bailey Carr, January LaVoy, Samantha Desz
Length: 9 Hours 59 Minutes
Also by this author: Dark Corners, Stay Awake
Published by St. Martin's Publishing Group on August 4, 2020
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Psychological, Crime
Pages: 352
Format: eARC, Audiobook
Source: Publisher, Library
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
“A blistering plot and crisp writing make The Night Swim an unputdownable read.†–Sarah Pekkanen, bestselling author of The Wife Between UsIn 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?
Why Did I Listen To The Night Swim by Megan Goldin?
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin was pitched to me as a book that explores rape culture. To me, that topic is interesting and tragic. And well, something that I think a lot of women can relate to unfortunately. So, I decided that I would absolutely give The Night Swim a chance, even though I don’t really read a lot of adult books in this genre. Seeing the audiobook show up on Libby made me prioritize this all the more and I am so glad I listened to the audiobook.
What’s The Story Here?
Rachel Krall is a podcaster whose show went viral in the first season. She’s a household name and recognizable by her voice, not so much by her face. When she stops at a diner, she goes back out to her car and sees a note addressed to her on the windshield. It freaks Rachel out because she’s been so private about her appearance. Rachel has come to the small town of Neapolis to base her podcast around a small town rape trial. This trial is about the town golden boy who has been accused of sexual assault by the granddaughter of the police chief. While Rachel is investigating and podcasting, she receives these letters asking her to find out who murdered Jenny Stills, twenty five years ago. You see, Jenny’s death had been written off as an accident due to her taking a night swim. But the letter writer, Jenny’s sister, believes it was murder and wants to find justice for her sister.
What Did I Think of The Night Swim?
The Night Swim was different from how I expected. It ended up being really engaging and making me think. Obviously, the theme of the book is a big issue in our society today. The whole golden boy swimmer thing could be ripped from headlines, right? I thought that Goldin handled the topic with sensitivity and was really thoughtful in her writing. It didn’t feel like she was sensationalizing sexual assault.
How’s The Narration?
The format of The Night Swim was perfect for audio. It’s a story told using podcast format for some chapters, others are told by Rachel, and others are essentially narrated from the past. Now, the audiobook does the podcast portions like a real podcast which was really cool. It also utilizes three narrators – Bailey Carr, January LaVoy, and Samantha Desz. The three narrators do an excellent job. This audiobook is 9 hours and 59 minutes long – yet the ten hours goes by so quickly and it is absolutely due to the audiobook production and narration. If you are going to read The Night Swim be sure it is in audiobook format.
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