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MY REVIEW
The woman in me writhed, the child in me cried out at the way the town of Neapolis hid its crimes with biased judgements. Welcome to Shalini’s Books & Reviews and this is my first attempt at a podcast.
This was supposed to be Rachel’s podcast Guilty or Not Guilty where the listeners got to sit in the jury and decide if the crime had occurred. Having had successes in the past 2 seasons Rachel decided to cover a rape trial in the third season. You know how a sensational case usually goes. An Olympic athlete accused of rape and it was He says, she says henceforth with both lawyers raking it in.
But what I saw was the second hidden case that happened 25 years ago where Jenny Stills was said to have accidently drowned. A letter on the windshield from sister Hannah, left for Rachel, asked her to investigate.
I saw the two stories playing parallel to each other with the author Megan Goldin’s writing adding an atmosphere imbibed in secrets. There was almost a pervasive pleasure in the witnesses and townsfolk to gossip, judge, give their two cents in. Brush the earlier death as if the girl amounted to nothing and gobble the new case for the notoriety it brought in.
I heard the lawyers plugging their statements and Rachel looking behind the scenes. The author wrote this thriller where the suspense and mystery sang a clear note, brining with it a fresh round of adrenaline in my blood.
Both the voices of Rachel and Hannah managed to pop off the page with the strength of their truth. There were so many similarities in the two cases that I hoped and prayed for the two cases to be linked.
It was sizzling, exciting, provocative. It zipped and zapped me by the power of the prose. The author’s ability to get into the darkness of the human psyche had been seen now in both her books. This touched me and shot me out of my comfort zone, where I wanted to show the people their real faces.
If you have read the book and would like to discuss it, join me in the comments
MY RATING
BOOK LINKS
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BOOK BLURB
After the first season of her true crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall is now a household name―and the last hope for thousands of 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 small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town’s golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping a high school student, the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating―but the mysterious letters keep showing up in unexpected places. 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 insists she was murdered―and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody seems to want to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases 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?
BOOK DETAILS
Publication Date: August 2020
I downloaded the digital version of the book from an online retail store, and this is my journey down its pages, straight from the heart. STRICTLY HONEST and UNBIASED.
All my reviews can be found here.
15 Responses
This book broke my heart. What happened to the young characters was terrible and the secrets and cover up make it so much worse. Great review Shalini.
I agree. I think this author is soon getting to be my favorite.
I’m glad you loved the book, too! The format of the book is one of my favorites and I love how you adapted it for your review! ❤️
You think so? OMG Tessa, I don’t know what is happening to me, but healthwise I am feeling very down, almost fatigued. This was the review I wrote as soon as I read the book, but my eyes couldn’t stay open and I had to dictate it. Post getting up, I am still feeling very off.
Thank you so much. This was soooo encouraging on the day when my energy level is NIL
I hope you feel better soon. ❤️
It’s great to see you loved this book as well. Amazing review!
Ah, you Liked it!! So happy. Been very exhausted since a week, almost like narcolepsy. Just dropping off to sleep almost every couple of hours.
You must be tired. Take rest.
I’m so glad you loved this too. Wonderful review Shalini!
Thank you so much Kim. I am glad you liked it. I wrote it when I was half-drowsy.
I was enthralled with this one
love that amazing, enthusiastic review, Shalini.
Thank you so much ❤️ GIN. I was just so affected by this book
I haven’t read this, but I share your opinions on lawyers. I hope you get some really good rest.
I’m going to have to check this out! Wonderful job thank you for posting!