Who do you believe?

A huge shift in the world today is how we handle rape allegations and the movements behind them. The Night Swim by Megan Goldin is a great example of this. Nowadays it is guilty until proven innocent with just about every crime we see. I am not saying that rapists should be treated fairly, or women should not be believed, but there needs to be a line. Someone who shares their story should be believed and everything should be investigated to the full extent of the law. On the other hand should the person being charged with this lose their entire future before it is even proven that they did it? It is hard to say and there are passionate people on both sides of this. This book brings it to the forefront of your mind, so warning it may trigger a few people. There is a mystery within a mystery in this book that is so capturing you don’t know which one you’re more taken by. It is also a very modern book with our main character, Rachel Krall, having a crime podcast where she digs into past crimes to see if they were rightfully convicted or not. As she is on her way to North Carolina to a rape case that has shaken a small town, she receives a mysterious note on her car. A woman named Hannah has been trying to reach out and ask for Rachel’s help in solving her sister’s murder that happened 25 years ago, but it was ruled as a tragic drowning accident. Hannah is convinced someone killed her sister and thinks Rachel can help solve the case. No matter how much Rachel tries to put Hannah and her mysterious sister out of her mind and focus on her show the mystery keeps resurfacing with every strange encounter Rachel has. This book takes you through the ins and outs of a rape case, including what a nurse goes through with the rape kit. It also walks you through the court system, jury selection, and the theatrics that will make you question the justice system. Now not only is Rachel trying to record her podcast and decide herself if Scott Blair is innocent, but also if Jenny Stills had something much more tragic befall her all those years ago. This book is a little more on the predictable side and doesn’t give me that good jaw drop that I read thrillers for. It is still well written and captivating. It does make you think about who did what and if the justice system is really as just as it is supposed to be. It will also show you the dark side of small towns and what happens when bad people have power.

Favorite Quotes – “Yes, I have been a victim of a sexual assault. Well, probably several really. Funny how we were conditioned to accept these situations as unpleasant instead of outrageous.” 

“When school kids are shot by a random shooter, nobody asks whether the victims should have taken more precautions. Nobody suggests that maybe the victims should have skipped school that day. Nobody ever blames the victims. So why is it that when women are attacked, the onus is on them? “If only she hadn’t walked home alone.” “If only she hadn’t cut through the park.” “If only she’d taken a cab.” When it comes to rape, it seems to me “if only” is used all the time. Never about the man. Nobody ever says “if only” he hadn’t raped her. It’s always about the woman. If only …”