Megan Goldin's main character Rachel Krall takes the readers to the courtroom of a rape case, where she is about to discover there is also a murder within their midst:

Rachel Krall has created a successful podcast, Guilty or Not Guilty, in which she reopens cases to find new evidence to find a new suspect or to free an innocent person. When she able to free an innocent man in her first season there is an outpouring of people wanting her to take on their case, it can be disheartening to have so many people needing help, but she is now on season three and making her way to her new case. However, one note left on her windshield as she was heading to the place for her next podcast gets her attention. Her name is Hannah and she is sure her sister was murdered 25 years ago, and the murderer will be in the courtroom rape trial that Rachel is attending. Rachel as first does not take Hannah's case but with more notes and information emerges Rachel finds herself investigating and finds out that Jenny Stills tragically drowned in a swimming accident. But things are not adding up the more she looks and the rape case Rachel is creating her podcast for has polarized a town. The questions remains will there be justice for all the victims? 

Wow, I truly enjoyed this book, I did not want to put it down. I think that Goldin does a great job of creating the two story lines that are equally interesting and one does not take away from the other. This may be as book really is part mystery and part courtroom drama, as each day Rachel sits in on the rape case so she can create her podcast. The other interesting thing is that Hannah believes that her sister's killer will be in the courtroom as well, so that has to Rachel analyzing everyone who is there as well from Judge to jury. This creates two interesting plot bu also intersect the crimes that are 25 years apart, which is not only creative but a really smart idea.

I'm a sucker for a book that takes place in a small town as there are always secrets and typically the socioeconomic divide that occurs in this towns. And both are well on display within this book, both the rape case and Rachel's investigation into Hannah's sister's death, there may be 20 years between them, but some things never change. I will applaud Rachel when she does her podcast that she tries to stay neutral on all fronts of the trial that she is covering, as the town of Neapolis shows, there is nothing more polarizing it seems than a rape case (well maybe mask wearing).

When I started reading this book, I realized that it would be a perfect audio book listen because of the different point of views as well as the podcast that Rachel creates. The chapters tend to alter from Rachel to Hannah to Rachel's podcast, so the story is well rounded with the information that the reader is receiving. So if you are able to, I would recommend to read this one through an audio book format, you will not be disappointed with it.

I love a surprise and I will say that I did not see the twist or who the killer is coming, so that always gets an extra point from. Make sure you have nothing planned when you start this book you're going to want to read it in one sitting. I know I'm going to be checking out Goldin's other books.

Enjoy!!!

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Megan Goldin received acclaim for her last novel Escape Room (2019) and is now releasing another mystery thriller: The Night Swim this summer. This time, Goldin capitalizes on the surging popularity of true crime podcasts and our insatiable consumption of media relating to notorious unsolved cases. She also uses her book to address the woeful lack of progress in our judicial system has made in the handling and prosecution of rape cases. The Night Swim introduces main protagonist Rachel Krall, a podcaster who has developed a large following due to her personalized layman’s approach to investigative journalism. The reader meets Krall as she is embarking on the third season of her show, this time focusing on a controversial rape case coming to trial in the small coastal town of Neapolis. The accused is a wunderkind swimmer with a promising future whose Olympic hopes are shared by the town. The victim is a younger girl whose necessary anonymity means that her version of events has been occluded in order to preserve her case. Despite the immersive experience of the impending trial, Krall is distracted by another case that has piqued her interest. Upon entering the town, she receives numerous cryptic notes left in places where she would have not expected to be recognized. The elusive fan begs Rachel to delve into a 25-year-old mystery regarding her sister, whose death she believes was a murder—not a suicide as it was assumed to be and thereby dismissed by the authorities at the time. Although seemingly unrelated, the cases are revealed to be overlapping reflections of each other. Goldin does an admirable job of character development and tight plotting, and the issues she addresses are done in an entertaining but respectful way. Through Rachel, the author can demonstrate the unfortunate truth that not much has changed in the way that victims of rape are treated and highlights the unbearable costs they bear when coming forward. Despite attempts at reform, credibility and the burden of proof can be insurmountable for women seeking justice in a system that is still swayed by gender bias, wealth and privilege. Although Rachel attempts to remain objective, her position is apparent, and she is increasingly drawn into exposing the corruption she discovers in both the past and present. The Night Swim is a fast-paced, interwoven tale that will satisfy both the traditional mystery-lover and the socially conscious reader as well.

Thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle

Another wonderful Judy Moody adventure. I loved these books growing up and I still love them today. They are nice, easy reads that still incorporate great messages and entertaining stories. This one focuses on balancing new friends and old friends, a topic that is very relatable. The story does a good job presenting the excitement of forming relationships with new people and the resulting struggle of keeping previous friendships in your life with very good messages along the way.

There is also bonus content at the end including "10 Things You May Not Know About Megan McDonald" (which includes a little anecdote about the real-life inspiration to that traumatic newt storyline from Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid) and "10 Things You May Not Know About Peter H. Reynolds" as well as how to say "Hello" and "Later" in various languages as featured in Judy Moody's Way Wacky Uber Awesome Book of More Fun Stuff to Do.

A great book about friendship, class projects, and problem solving told in perfect Judy Moody fashion.

And I'm off!

First book finished and it was a great first one to get things started.  Review to follow once I collect my thoughts but I think it's a worthy 5 stars.

Finished Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin and rolled 5 with so I should be on to square #6 and spent a good hour going all over my audible, kindle and paper books about a half dozen times to find one that fit with Title has a colour word in it.  All good and I finally picked one I thought I'd enjoy, only to go to put my counter on the board and find that #6 has a ladder on it so up I go to #27!.  Back to the shelves.....Set during WWI or WWII.  I don't really have a lot to choose from to fill that square but I decided on One Summer at Deer's Leap by Elizabeth Elgin.  I think it's a a dual timeline story with perhaps a bit of time travel or ghosty going's on but the dude is from Wartime RAF in 1944 so that's okay, right?

.

RULES OF THE GAME:

Everyone starts on 1. There are two alternative ways to move forward.

1. Read a book that fits the description on the space number as listed below and you can roll two dice to move forward more quickly.

2. However, if you can't find a book to fit the square, don't worry about it. You can read any book, and roll one dice on random.org.  This is to ensure that if a reader cannot find a book to fill the square, no one gets bogged down and can't move on.

All books must be at least 200 pages long. Short stories count, so long as you read enough of them from a collection to equal 200 pages. 

You do not need to hit space 100 with an exact roll. In order to win, you must complete space 100 as written.

Spaces:

1. Author is a woman - Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin

2. Genre: mystery

3. Set in the twentieth century

4. Published in 2019

5. Published in 2018

6. Title has a color word in it

7. Author's last name begins with the letters A, B, C, or D.

8. Author's last name begins with the letters E, F, G, or H.

9. Author's last name begins with the letters H, I, J, or K

10. Author's last name begins with the letters L, M, N or O

11. Author's last name begins with the letters P, Q, R, or S

12. Author's last name begins with the letters T, U, V, W, X, Y, or Z

13. Author is a man

14. Author is dead

15. Genre: romance

16. Genre: fantasy

17. Genre: horror

18. Set in a school

19. Set in the UK

20. Set in a country that is not your country of residence

21. Set in Europe

22. Set in Asia

23. Set in Australia/Oceania

24. Set in Africa

25. Snake - go back to 5

26. Part of a series that is more than 5 books long

27. Set during WWI or WWII - One Summer at Deer's Leap by Elizabeth Elgin

28. Written between 1900 and 1999

29. Someone travels by plane

30. Someone travels by train

31. Road trip

32. Genre: thriller

33. Set in North America

34. Snake - go back to 1

35. Has been adapted as a movie

36. Set in Central or South America

37. Has won an award

38. Newest release by a favorite author

39. A reread

40. Characters involved in the entertainment industry

41. Characters involved in politics

42. Characters involved in sports/sports industry

43. Characters involved in the law

44. Characters involved in cooking/baking

43. Characters involved in medicine

44. Characters involved in science/technology

45. A book that has been on your tbr for more than one year

46. A book that has been on your tbr for more than two years

47. Snake - go back to 19

48. A book you acquired in February, 2019.

49. Recommended by a friend

50. Has a domestic animal on the cover

51. Has a wild animal on the cover

52. Has a tree or flower on the cover

53. Has something that can be used as a weapon on the cover

54. Is more than 400 pages long

55. Is more than 500 pages long

56. Was published more than 100 years ago

57. Was published more than 50 years ago

58. Was published more than 25 years ago

59. Was published more than 10 years ago

60. Was published last year

61. Cover is more than 50% red

62. Cover is more than 50% green

63. Cover is more than 50% blue

64. Cover is more than 50% yellow

65. Snake - go back to 52

66. Part of a series that is more than 10 books long

67. Set in a city with a population of greater than 5 million people (link)

68. Something related to weddings on the cover

69. Something related to travel on the cover

70. Something related to fall/autumn on the cover

71. Involves the beach/ocean/lake 

72. Involves the mountains/forests 

73. Categorized as YA

74. Categorized as Middle Grade

75. Set in a fantasy world

76. Set in a world with magic

77. Has a "food" word in the title

78. Set in a small town (fictional or real)

79. Main character is a woman

80. Main character is a man

81. Ghost story

82. Genre: urban fantasy

83. Genre: cozy mystery

84. Genre: police procedural

85. Written by an author who has published more than 10 books

86. Author's debut book

87. Snake - go back to 57

88. Comic/graphic novel

89. Published between 2000 and 2017

90. A new-to-you author

91. Snake - go back to 61

92. Reread of a childhood favorite

93. Author's first/last initial same as yours (real or BL handle)

94. Non-fiction

95. Memoir

96. From your favorite genre

97. Title starts with any of the letters in SNAKE

98. Title starts with any of the letters in LADDERS

99. Snake - go back to 69

100. Let BL pick it for you: post 4 choices and read the one that gets the most votes