The Night Swim grabbed me from page one, kept me firmly entranced throughout and completely floored me with how brilliant the plot and writing is!

Firstly, I LOVED the premise of this novel – Rachel is an investigative reporter who fronts a true crime podcast – the kind of thing I love listening to, so this immediately appealed to me! It’s nice to have a change from crime novels fronted by police or your usual private investigators – Rachel offers a different perspective, and one which I welcomed. There are actually two distinct storylines to this novel – one which focuses on the trial that Rachel is covering in her podcast, and one she is asked to investigate from many years ago by a mysterious woman called Hannah. I loved both storylines – although there were many parts that made for very difficult reading in both, due to the nature of the crimes (rape and murder).

I also really warmed to Rachel as our narrator, and also the voice of poor Hannah as she relays what happened to her sister Jenny more than 20 years ago. The story jumps between the present day, in which we follow Rachel and is told from a third person perspective, and the storyline which tells what happened to Jenny is told from Hannah’s perspective. Finally we also see chapters which are transcripts from Rachel’s podcast, ‘Guilty or Not Guilty’, written in the first person. I loved the mix of voices and POVs.

I was completely gripped throughout and only wish The Night Swim was longer as I’d happily have read more. I haven’t read anything else by Goldin but am now adding her other novels to my TBR list straight away!

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys well written crime, true crime podcasts, or both!

The Night Swim is an emotional rollercoaster that grips you from the first page with it's original and fast-paced plot which keeps you on your toes trying to guess the next twist. Very easy to get absorbed in and read in one or two sittings.

After reading Megan Goldin's pacey and intense 'The Escape Room', I was excited to read her new offering 'The Night Swim'. I am pleased to report Goldin absolutely delivers a thought-provoking and emotionally stirring narrative. Less of a psychological thriller, this novel is a fusion of crime, mystery and court-room drama, centred around a compelling story which raises some incredibly important issues.

Our protagonist Rachel is already well-known due to the first two seasons of her true-crime podcast. We join her story as she is back for season 3, this time reporting live from a rape trial in the small town of Neapolis. A future Olympic swimmer and local teenage hero is accused of rape in a highly contentious case being brought to trial, the citizens divided between praising the victim's bravery for reporting her horrendous experience and blaming her for lying and threatening this boy's bright future. To add intrigue, on Rachel's journey into town, a mysterious woman named Hannah starts leaving letters for her, begging her to solve the murder of her sister Jenny. Rachel is determined to uncover the secrecy and corruption of the town: who can be trusted? and what are these people hiding?

Goldin writes candidly and movingly about the experience of a rape victim when their case is brought to trial. Details ranging from the rape kit to the cross-examination of the victim shed a harsh light on the treatment of these vulnerable and traumatised people. Across the book, we also hear from the alleged-rapist's parents and friends, shining a light on the all too familiar narrative of the star-athlete threatened by the frivolous accusations and retrospective regret of sexual partners. Goldin does not shy away from her criticism of this prominent narrative of victim-blaming and the reader is left questioning their own prejudices and assumptions.

The narrative balances the voice of Rachel's present, her podcast and the letters of Hannah recounting her past. These are well plotted and the slow-burn mystery comes to a satisfying conclusion. The more of Hannah's story we hear, the more our heart breaks and we understand the reason for her desperate appeals to Rachel.

All in all, Goldin does not shy away from writing about heavy, emotional themes. Do not expect the fun thrill ride of 'The Escape Room'. This is a twisted mystery which will grip the reader but expect to be emotionally wrung out by the novel's close.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.