Joelle's Bibliofile

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.