The Night Swim

Starred review from June 8, 2020
At the start of this outstanding thriller from Goldin (The Escape Room), Rachel Krall, the producer of the popular true crime podcast Guilty or Not Guilty, stops after a long drive at a diner near Neapolis, N.C., where she’s planning to cover the high-profile trial of Scott Blair, an Olympic swimming contender accused of raping 16-year-old Kelly Moore. After leaving the diner, Rachel finds a note on her car from a woman named Hannah, who wants her help in proving that Hannah’s older sister, Jenny Stiles, then 16, didn’t accidently drown 25 years ago, as was ruled, but was murdered. Despite the time-consuming Blair trial, Rachel is intrigued by the cold case. Hannah continues to leave Rachel cryptic notes, but refuses to meet in person. Rachel’s suspenseful and insightful investigation into Scott and Kelly’s families eventually leads to answers about Jenny’s fate. Goldin casts a searing light on small-town politics and how bias can affect the way people view rape victims and their alleged assailants. 150,000-copy announced first printing. Agent: David Gernert, Gernert Co.