DARK CORNERS

4.5 stars out of 5

After having read and enjoyed The Night Swim, the first book in this series, I was delighted to snag a pre-release copy of this, the next installment. And if anything, I enjoyed it more.

In part, I suppose, that's because the focus is on social media influencers - a "job" that's fascinated me pretty much from the first time I learned that it not only existed, but can be quite financially lucrative. But as a writer and former journalist, I identified with - and liked - the star of the show, true crime podcaster Rachel Krall. As this one begins, she's called by the FBI to visit prisoner Terence Bailey, a suspect in the disappearance and presumed murders of six women, in hopes that she can get him to reveal something meaningful before he's released in a couple of days (he's incarcerated as a result of a different crime). Specifically, a popular influencer named Maddison Logan visited Bailey recently, only to go missing a few hours later.

Alas, Rachel's visit raises more questions than answers, so now the FBI, led by hunky agent Joe Martinez, turns to Plan B - which doesn't include Rachel. Now intrigued by the circumstances, though, Rachel refuses to go quietly; instead, she signs up - under a fake identity - for Daytona Beach's BuzzCon, a big convention for influencers. Figuring Maddison would have been there had she not disappeared, Rachel hopes she can get some scoops that will beef up her planned podcast (and perhaps help the FBI in the process).

All does not go well with that plan, though, and Martinez worries not only that Bailey may be in cahoots with a partner on the "outside" but that Rachel may become a target as well. Then, another body turns up with a mysterious snake tattoo - one that may provide the link they need. Through interspersed chapters, readers begin to see what's really going on - and begin to understand why Martinez may be spot on with his concerns for Rachel's life. From that point on, there's never a dull moment (and I learned enough about the life of an influencer that I decided to give up any notion of doing it myself). Very entertaining book with some possible carryovers to the next one, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin (St. Martin's Press, August 2023); 352 pp.

LAST GIRL GHOSTED

4 stars out of 5

Despite having a few issues with this story near the end - more on that later - I'm compelled to say this right up front: I do not recall the last time I read a book so thoroughly engrossing - mesmerizing, even - that except for a handful of chapters I started the night before, I polished off in one sitting even though it extended past my usual bedtime. For that alone, it gets a rousing WOW! from me.

Wren Greenwood is a successful advice columnist and blogger with a past that she's managed to hide from the rest of the world (she's created a whole new identity since her childhood years). For obvious reasons, she's a bit of a loner, and her best friend convinces her to sign up for an online dating app and dip her toes into the dating waters. When she does, she finds an intriguing guy named Adam; they meet, and for the first time in her life, Wren thinks she's in love. Heck, she even told him about her horrific past when he asked her to share with him something she's never told anyone else. Not long thereafter, the unthinkable happens. At their most recent arranged meeting, he's a no-show; his phone has been disconnected and all his online profiles have gone poof in the night. As young folks would say today, she's been ghosted.

To put it mildly, she's crushed. And determined to figure out why. Was he turned off by her past? Did something awful happen to him? Did he have a few secrets of his own? Then she gets a visit from private detective Bailey Kirk; his firm's client is the father of another young woman who went missing after hooking up with a guy online who's a dead ringer for her Adam. Could it be that he's a serial lover and leaver? Or, when a couple of other women met up with him turn out to be missing as well, maybe something worse?

The bulk of the story is told by Wren (and occasionally Bailey); some chapters flash back to scenes from Wren's frenetic childhood and a couple of the other victims. That's a bit confusing at first, but I didn't find it hard to follow. Plus, there's quite a bit of repetition as Wren and Bailey retell their experiences and conclusions with other characters - such as Bailey's boss and the man who helped Wren escape her horrific childhood and create a new life - so what's happened then and now gets reinforced throughout.

The conclusion, albeit nail-bitingly fast-paced, is where I lost some interest (not to mention respect for Wren, who up to that point had been a survivor with a sensible head on her shoulders in my view). Of course, I won't reveal what happened - so I'll just say that some parts (and characters) were very satisfying and others not so much. The epilogue, too, was a bit unsettling, bringing what I consider to be a surprising, and somewhat disappointing, turn of events.

But no matter; I base my reviews primarily on the quality of writing and plot originality, not on whether or not I agree with an author's perspective or don't "connect" with the characters. And trust me, that WOW! factor that struck me at the beginning was in place right to the end. Well done, and once again I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. 

Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger (Park Row, October 2021); 336 pp.

THE EVIDENCE

5 stars out of 5

Does having read six of the author's previous books qualify me as a die-hard fan? You bet. And here's another sure thing: This one is further evidence that she's still a winner in my book.

It begins as Esme Fox, a journalist who left a day job to start a podcasting company with her sister, Michelle, is recording a podcast session with Simone Fischer, a woman convicted of murdering her husband. During her years in prison - where she remains - she's never spoken to anyone the details of how (and more important, why) she committed the crime. But for whatever reason, she's agreed to open up to Esme.

During their relatively brief first conversation, Esme is won over; Simone, she believes, is speaking the truth and her case needs to be reviewed with fresh eyes. But while the first podcast goes viral - virtually guaranteeing that Simone's fledgling company will be successful - not everyone is delighted that the case may be rehashed, including Simone's brother and now-grown son.

Behind the scenes, Esme has a 9-year-old son, Zachary, who suffers physical and mental injuries sustained in an earlier hit-and-run incident. She's also parted ways with her husband Owen, who's moved to a flat but keeps trying to get back in Esme's good graces. Esme's sister has moved in to help with Zachary, and the future is looking bright.

Until somebody hits the dimmer switch. With no warning, Michelle bails on an important meeting with a company prominent in the podcasting field. When she's found brutally beaten and dumped in a wooded area, Esme is devastated. The only person she can rely on now - albeit reluctantly - is the controlling husband (and his equally controlling parents) who'd love nothing better than to get back to doing their thing in her life. More to the point, Esme suddenly sees parallels with her life and Simone's, making her question everything that's happened up to this point.

From here on, you'll have to read the book to find out more. There's plenty of action complete with twists and turns (although I must say they're coupled with a fair amount of predictability). All told, it makes for an entertaining, easy to read story I think will hold your attention throughout as it did mine. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Evidence by K.L. Slater (Bookouture, July 2021); 370 pp.

GIRL, 11

4 stars out of 5

Podcasting is all the rage now, and while I'm very much not a fan, this book description hooked me when I read it at NetGalley. Now that I've finished, I can't say I've developed an interest in podcasts, but I sure did enjoy the book. Ironically, the interspersed chapters that put into text the entries in Elle Castillo's popular true crime podcast, "Justice Delayed," was perhaps the most interesting feature.

Roughly two decades ago - after grotesquely murdering three girls over a period of a week - a person dubbed The Countdown Killer abruptly stopped his killing spree. His victims dropped a year in age each time, with the final girl being 11. The killer apparently dropped off the face of the earth, and the case no longer is an active police investigation. Elle, though, wants to change that; her newest podcast, in fact, takes a look at what happened, with an eye to unearthing more clues that she hopes will rekindle the investigation (and ideally, bring the case to closure).

On the home front, she lives with her husband, a medical examiner (often tapped as an expert source on her podcasts). They've become fast friends with Sash and her young daughter Natalie, whom they love as their own. Not long after the new podcast starts picking up steam, Elle gets a message from a man who claims to know the identity of TCK. When she follows up with a personal visit, though, her hopes are dashed - and so is her caller. In fact, he's quite dead.

A coincidence? Elle thinks not - and she sets out to prove it. With a little help from contacts in the small-town Minnesota police department (who, it should be noted, do not share her strong suspicion that TCK is still alive), she jacks up her podcast; but in general, she makes more enemies than friends, even landing in the crosshairs of her generally supportive cop friends. To be honest, several times I wanted to smack her upside the head as well for crashing headlong into potentially dangerous situations despite warnings from the police and everyone she loves. On the other hand, had she just sat back and let the cops do their thing, there wouldn't be a story.

The plot also ranks rather high in the predictability department; of course, there are more (new) victims, at least one of whom most readers will see coming a mile away, leading to more speculation on whether Elle's suspicion is on target. There is one big reveal that changes the character dynamics, and that in turn leads to a bang-up finish. All in all, it's a solid, entertaining story that held my attention throughout. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for approving my request for an advance copy to read and review.

Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April 2021); 353 pp.

MAKE NOISE

4 stars out of 5

The only radio I own is in my car, and it probably hasn't been turned on in a decade (which, for the record, is five fewer years than the age of said car). If you ever find me listening to an audiobook, start unzipping the body bag - I'm almost ready. Streaming, to me, means the fish are biting and an earbud is somebody's hearing aid. So for the love of all that's holy, why am I reading a book about podcasting and audio storytelling?

In a word, curiosity. Perhaps born of a childhood infused with party-line crank telephones and gearshifts on steering wheels, I'm enthralled by "newfangled" gizmos and gadgets and determined to learn all I can about them (at the rate technology is advancing these days, that keeps me plenty busy). Add in years as a journalist - an industry that might not even exist were it not for curiosity - and hey, bring it on.

Factor in also that while podcasts themselves aren't all that recent, they seem to be multiplying like bunnies of late. There are more than 700,000 of them in 100 languages, the author says, and I believe him. Every day, it seems, another dozen TV talking heads, business owners and (barf!) politicians are begging me to tune into their offerings. It's a trend that as far as I can see isn't going away anytime soon, and I want to find out more. Now that I've read this book, that goal has been achieved.

Years of interviewing hundreds of people has made me painfully aware that far more time is consumed in the preparation process than in the actual writing of my newspaper articles, so the author's insistence that the same is true for podcasts certainly didn't come as a surprise. But for those who are considering the possibility of starting one - and, hopefully, making a few bucks in the process - it's a full-on reality check. Put another way, if you think that sitting down in your garage and speaking your mind into a microphone you snagged for $20 at Amazon will make you an overnight millionaire, think again. If you need further evidence, consider this: According to the author, fully 40% of all podcasts are abandoned within a year. What's in this book can help ensure that yours isn't among them.

To be clear, this book is not a step-by-step outline of the specific equipment you'll need, how to edit your tapes (yes, that's a must) and other finer points of actual podcast production. Rather, it's a detailed and interestingly written overview - by one who clearly is an expert in the field - of what anyone who's thinking about starting a podcast needs to know before plunging ahead. The nucleus of the book, the author notes, is "finding a balance between confidence and humility, between being clear and focused while remaining open, and that there is always an opportunity to improve." Achieving success, he adds, requires compelling stories and ideas, engaging characters and a unique voice. Perhaps first and foremost is identifying your audience in almost minute detail, thus allowing you to "learn to think like they listen."

There's a good-size portion devoted to leading teams - and while it serves up excellent advice for anyone who is, or will be, in that position, I admit to speeding through this section simply because even if I ever were to attempt a podcast, I'm sure my production efforts never would reach the level of cubicles filled with worker bees and my motivational buzzwords. Moving on, I  thoroughly enjoyed the final section on the history of podcasting and learned a good bit more of what I'd hoped for when I picked up the book in the first place. The whole thing is wrapped up with a list of recommended reading and online resources - always a plus for a how-to book.

Beyond recommending the book to anyone who's interested in starting a podcast, or in the start-up stages, or simply wants to learn more about the process as I did, I won't spill any more bean pods and instead urge you to read it for yourself. I'm certainly glad I did, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Make Noise: A Creator's Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling by Eric Nuzum (Workman Publishing Co., December 2019); 264 pp.