Rachel Krall
Book 2
ABOUT THE BOOK
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 release date 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? And why was she visiting him in the first place?
When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel Krall’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems to only 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 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―identical to a tattoo Rachel had seen on Bailey’s hand―the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krall herself. Suddenly the 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.
- Publisher : St. Martin’s Press
- Pub Date : August 8, 2023
- Hardcover : 352 pages
My Thoughts
I’ve read The Escape Room by Megan Goldin, and the first book in this series The Night Swim, both excellent books. (Click to see my reviews.) Naturally, I was excited for the opportunity to read the next book in this series, Dark Corners.
This story doesn’t cover a lot about Rachel’s life as a podcaster but rather includes a missing person who is a social media influencer. For those who haven’t read the first book, Rachel Krall is the MC and host of a podcast called Guilty or Not Guilty.
When she is summoned by the FBI to join them in Florida, she has mixed feelings, but curiosity gets the best of her so she heads to Florida to see why she’s needed.
In Florida, we learn that an inmate had a visit from a social influencer right before she disappeared. One thing that the inmate said to the influencer is that he wanted to meet with Rachel. The FBI and Rachel are completely confused by the request but need Rachel there to see if they can learn anything.
Rachel and the FBI work to unravel the details of the connection between the missing girl and the inmate. But they need to hurry since the inmate is due to be released in a few days.
The chapters alternate between Rachel and a somewhat confusing story of an Uber-type of driver (Rideshare), which isn’t clear at first. To make it even more bizarre, the Rideshare driver has grown up with a condition that causes him to have a very unpleasant body odor.
Is this enough to catch your attention? I was certainly curious. But, unfortunately, I had some concerns.
Concerns
- I missed the podcast aspect that was so prominent in the first book.
- It didn’t hold my interest the way a five-star book would. I kept going back to the book but I wasn’t drawn to the story the way I’d like to have been.
- This book’s focus was more on the influencer culture.
- Much of the mystery was easy to solve, though there were definitely some twists and turns.
Final Thoughts
While this is a good book, Megan Goldin has some great books available. If you’re interested in podcasts and influencers, definitely start with the first book The Night Swim, though this is a standalone book.
Without a doubt, this is a series and author that you’ll want to keep up with.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a #gifted copy of this book. I was under no obligation to post a positive review.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MEGAN GOLDIN, author of THE ESCAPE ROOM and THE NIGHT SWIM, 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.
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