Audiobook Review: Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

 

Dark Corners (Rachel Krall #2) by Megan Goldin

Publication Date: August 8th 2023 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 45min

Narrator: January LaVoy, Samantha Desz, André Santa

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Rachel Krall, the investigative podcaster of Guilty or Not Guilty, is brought in by the FBI to interview a prison inmate, Terrance Bailey, who is about to be released in just a few days. He was convicted of breaking and entering but suspected in the killings of six women. More puzzling is that Terrance just had a visit from a popular influencer, Maddison Logan, and she’s now gone missing, which makes them think Bailey has an accomplice on the outside.

Much to the dismay of the FBI, Rachel decides to stay in town to help find Maddison who was in town to attend BuzzCon an influencer gathering. Rachel goes undercover to see if anyone knew Maddison, and any information that might help track her down. I loved the addition of Joe Martinez, the sexy FBI Agent! Rachel and Joe butt heads initially but end up working together. Rachel is adept at getting information where Joe’s guys haven’t had success, and the clock is ticking for Maddison. Rachel’s efforts don’t go unnoticed, which puts her in danger, as well.

The story was told from Rachel and Joe’s POV, but also the killer’s which was a chilling addition! I was on the edge of my seat worried about the characters and ended up listening to this exciting story in one day!

I read and loved Megan Goldin’s The Night Swim back in 2021. I hoped the author would bring back Rachel Krall and her investigative podcast in more installments. I got my wish here with Dark Corners and it did not disappoint! She’s a smart cookie and a determined investigator. I’m hoping for more Rachel Krall mysteries!

I listened to the story and the audio was fantastic! It’s narrated by January LaVoy and Samantha Desz, a combo from the last Rachel Krall story and narrators I’ve enjoyed from the past. January LaVoy performs Rachel in her “Special Reports” and has a rich, sexy voice, and Samantha Desz performs Rachel and all other characters as the story goes along. She has smooth, serious voice, one that I really enjoyed, as well!  André Santa performs voices in the interviews in Rachel’s podcast chapters. There were sound effects as well, making it feel like a real crime podcast. I liked the additional feature! I highly recommend the audio version! I listened at my usual 1.5x-1.75x normal speed. I’d speed up if things were getting intense!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star of Megan Goldin’s acclaimed Night Swim returns to search for a popular social media influencer who disappeared after visiting a suspected serial killer.

Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. As his freedom approaches, Bailey gets a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge social media following. Hours later, Maddison disappears, and police suspect she’s been kidnapped—or worse. Is Maddison’s disappearance connected to her visit to Bailey? Why was she visiting him in the first place?

When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems only to exist on social media; she has no family, no friends, and other than in her posts, most people have never seen her. Who is she, really? Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel Krall goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, where she discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal.

When police find the body of a woman with a tattoo of a snake eating its tail, the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krell herself. Suddenly a target of a monster hiding in plain sight, Rachel is forced to confront the very real dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the internet.