There’s nothing quite like a thriller that keeps you turning the page for more. I read The Night Swim in under 48 hours because I was so gripped by the story. If you like true crime podcasts (my personal favorites are My Favorite Murder and Up and Vanished), this is the book for you.
This thriller follows true crime podcaster Rachel Krall as she travels to a small town on the North Carolina coast to cover a rape trial. A local golden boy bound for the Olympics has been accused of raping the granddaughter of the police chief, tearing the small town apart.
Rachel has always been careful to keep her identity a secret, but someone named Hannah has tracked her down before she even arrives in Neapolis and left a note on her car asking her to help investigate the death of Hannah’s 16-year-old sister 20 years earlier. As Rachel attempts to cover the current trial and its twists and turns, she continues to receive notes and can’t help but get caught up in that mystery as well.
The current case going to trial might have been enough to make this book intriguing, but author Megan Goldin expertly wove in the second mysterious death. Goldin keeps you guessing all the way until the end about both crimes.
This is the perfect thriller for true crime podcast and documentary junkies, as it’s basically the same thing in book form. I liked it so much I’m going back to read her first novel, The Escape Room, next!
One side note: I’ve seen quite a few lawyers complaining that this book doesn’t accurately represent trial procedure. Although I’m a former practicing attorney, I was a transactional attorney so the trial procedure issues didn’t bother me. If you can watch legal dramas on television and not be distracted by the inaccuracies, then you’ll be fine with this portrayal.
Looking for more thrillers? Check out my other thriller reviews and recommendations.
