Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

153 reviews

mroth's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

Ok so this kept me engaged enough but it was definitely the type of thriller where you wonder if the author has ever met another human being. Very little character development, hard to discern motivation or get too invested in the case, and a little too tidy. But I’d say it was only 50% obvious what would happen and that kept me engaged. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Murder

cryptidonwheels's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty and Stalking

zianna_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

The Details:
Narrated by Bailey Carr, January LaVoy, Samantha Desz
Unabridged 

One of my late netgalley arcs, I decided to listen to via my library app.

This was riveting and harrowing read following a dual sexual assault case, one in the present day and one set in the mystery of a cover up that happened some years before. 

We follow a podcast presenter investigating both cases and it was interesting to see the perspective of varying characters of what, to me, is an obviously awful crime.

The acts done to the body was so graphic and really hard to read, so please bear that in mind.

Overall, I'm glad to have finally read this, but it was a heavy, difficult read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

chelseyas's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

It wasn't a bad book, per se, but there were a couple things I found unsettling/bothersome. The first was the heralding of Rachel as some sort of investigative genius. Not to say that the cops can't mess up, but in light of the Idaho murders (specifically the mob mentality towards the living roommates and the boyfriend) the idea that cold cases can be solved by a random person on the internet is iffy. Secondly, the book threw me off from the start by describing Rachel's podcast as "sultry" and stating that it "makes murder sexy." I'm paraphrasing here, but I couldn't get past this exploitive, romanticizing view of true crime. This is also problematic as the story is basically a fictionalized version of the Brock Turner/Chanel Miller case. Lastly, the writing itself is very meh. I predicted the reveal about halfway through the book. The author also has a large vocabulary that shows up throughout the book. This is justified when characters like Rachel and the lawyers are speaking, but sounds disingenuous on the rest of the cast. The characters are very underdeveloped, and all have similar voices. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty

kxc319's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

lpdx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Car accident

Minor: Cancer, Gun violence, and Blood

cursed_sapphire's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

What I have learned by reading this book: I really hate reading about trials. I already knew that, unless this book was going to have either a seriously questionable or very pessimistic ending, the defendant would get charged. But I had hoped the mystery would still pull me in. It didn't. 

In better news, I did like the murder mystery half. The twists were interesting, and the flashbacks were by far the best written segments of the story. 

But sadly, overall my enjoyment of this book was hampered by a trial plot I did not feel invested in. If you like watching lawyer shows or otherwise just don't mind court stories, this would probably be a pretty good book for you. But I guess I just came for the murder mystery thriller and left disappointed by the legal case.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment

leebeeloves's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Gun violence and Vomit

aleigh1390's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Murder

Minor: Self harm