Dark Corners by Megan Goldin ~ A Review

by Susan Roberts

"There's an old rule of thumb in prisons.  Actually it's more of a life lesson.  Always know what you're walking into.  Dark corners can be danger points." (p 49)

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

August 2023; St. Martin's Press; 978-1250280688
audio, ebook, print (352 pages); psychological thriller

It's been a while since a book kept me up way past my bedtime and then kept me from sleeping because I was worried about the characters.  Dark Corners was one of those books that built up slowly but made sure that you knew that terrible things were going to happen.  It dropped clues throughout the book but I was still very surprised by the ending.  Looking back at the clues, it all made sense but I was just amazed at the perfect and unexpected ending.

Rachel Krall does a podcast about crime.  In the previous year, she managed to uncover information that got a man released from prison which made her very well known.  When the FBI is struggling with a case, they ask her to come to Florida and meet with Terrance Bailey who is about to be released from prison.  Even though he was only accused of breaking and entering, the FBI and local police are sure the he is a serial killer.  They hope that Rachel talking to him may get them some additional information but all it appears to do is to get her into danger.  The FBI tries to send her home but she is really curious about the case and wants to get some additional information.  She decides to attend BuzzCon, a convention for internet influencers to try to find out more about a missing girl who was an influencer and tied to the case with Bailey.  BuzzCon is full of fierce rivalry between the influencers but is it tied to the deadly disappearance of one of its members?

The FBI decides that Bailey must have an accomplice on the outside and realize that Rachel is in danger but she continues her undercover work without their approval.  It's interesting that she is able to get more information and more people to talk to her than the police could.  She shares her information with the FBI and they finally realize how much help she really is but also know how much danger she's in.  Will her false identity at the conference keep her under the killer's radar or will he find out who she really is?

This is a twisty, psychological suspense story that kept me guessing.  Rachel was a great main character.  Her empathy helped her get a lot of information that other people were unable to get.  It was also a nice break in her tumultuous life to have a romance with an FBI agent (who I hope shows up in future books about Rachel).

My review for Night Swim said that I felt Megan Goldin would become a major force in this genre.  Dark Corners solidified that feeling.  This book was a roller coaster ride that kept me turning the pages.  I look forward to future books by this author!

NOTE:  Rachel Krall was also the main character of Night Swim but both books can be read as standalones. 

Buy Dark Corners at Amazon

Susan Roberts grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is two hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west.  She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction.  You can connect with her on Facebook.

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