The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

This novel is a slow paced one with dual mysteries. Rachel has a successful investigative crime podcast. She investigates a rape case, submitting her daily insights from interviewing people and then sitting in on the trial. She has also been receiving notes from Hannah, a woman who claims her sister was murdered twenty-five years ago. The death of the young sister had been ruled accidental but Hannah wants Rachel to look into it and find the person she is convinced murdered her sister. Hannah remains out of sight and Rachel tries to find out more about her and eventually force a face to face meeting.

The narrative varies from Rachel's inquiries to the texts of the podcasts to the communications from Hannah. As the plot progresses, Goldin does a good job of keeping readers wondering if the current case is really rape or a false accusation. There is the same kind of wondering about the true circumstances of the death of Hannah's sister.

While this novel is a bit slow going, it is an interesting study on character and how our opinions about a person can change, depending on who is conveying opinions. It is also a reminder of the power of wealthy people or politically powerful people in affecting the outcome of a possible crime. It is also a challenge to stand up for the truth. The pace might have been slow but it did keep my interest, reading to the end.

You can read an excerpt here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Megan Goldin worked as a correspondent for Reuters and other media outlets where she covered war, peace, international terrorism and financial meltdowns in the Middle East and Asia. She is now based in Melbourne, Australia where she raises three sons and is a foster mum to Labrador puppies learning to be guide dogs. This is her second novel.

St. Martin's Press, 352 pp.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)