Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - The Night Swim

Really strong writing which kept me reading as much as I could but eventually had to take a break on because the content was too heartbreaking and difficult to get through. After sitting in my to-read shelf for over a year, I have decided I will not be reading until the ending, and I just do not have the heart, stomach, or mind to make it to the ending.

Content Warnings

karajreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

neville_lvr_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I picked up The Night Swim after winning a @goodreads giveaway for the sequel, Dark Corners. It was definitely a solid read and I highly recommend the audiobook!

The Night Swim follows Rachel, a true crime reporter and podcaster covering an active trial for the rape and sexual assault of a teenage girl in a small town in North Carolina. While there, she learns about a similar rape and murder that happened 25 years prior and jumps right in to try to solve it.

I’ve been getting a little burnt out on thrillers lately, so I was pleasantly surprised to get fully sucked into this one. There’s mystery and intrigue, but also very real world topics and concerns. I liked how well the author handled those sensitive topics through Rachel and her podcast as she covered the trial. I also loved how all the pieces clicked into place in the end - I found the ending very satisfying to the story as a whole!

It also definitely gave me some Good Girl’s Guide to Murder vibes, but adult instead of YA. If you enjoyed GGGM, you should check this one out!

Overall would recommend The Night Swim to folks who like a good true crime-esque mystery, but take note of the trigger warnings. If you read this, I definitely recommend the audiobook version! In addition to the full cast narration, we also get to actually hear Rachel’s podcast episodes, with music and background noises at times that made it very immersive.

Content Warnings

drauer14's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Really enjoyed this book! It definitely capitalized on the podcast craze, and felt a bit “Only Murders In The Building”-esque. It tactfully covered rape culture, the revictimization that occurs in our justice system and how privilege and power (especially in a small town) truly pull the strings. There are tough portions to get through, but overall the novel was well-written, intriguing and a variation on an often overdone theme.

Content Warnings

courtneypaigea's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense

5.0

Content Warnings

readersmultiverse's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

• It’s not so much a thriller; it’s more of a mystery with a very important focal point and focus: rape and what victims of it must endure to try to get their rapists convicted.
• There are dual mysteries with similarities since both are dealing with victims of horrid sexual crimes. Both were interesting to follow, especially through our strong and investigative main character, Rachel Krall. Her podcasts episodes were scripted out for readers and was entertaining to read. Rachel was perceptive, brave and intelligent. The writing throughout the book was brilliant and cleverly worded.
• The twists aren’t shocking, nor do I think they were meant to be. The point was clearly more about the story of what happened and the difficult journey of trying to obtain justice.

Content Warnings

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

juleemhuy's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional informative mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

Content Warnings

More...