I'm struggling a little with how to rate/review this book. It took me two and a half weeks to read - and for me, that's a long time - especially for a thriller and is generally a sign it didn't work for me. However at this time, I'm just in a deep reading slump and almost nothing is working for me - so that is evened out by the fact that I finished it.

Overall - I would recommend this to fans of the genre. Fifteen years ago, there was a murder at Blockbuster at closing time - all of the employees but one were killed. The main suspect was arrested but released because they didn't have enough evidence - and then he vanished before they could arrest him again. Now - there was a very similar crime that occurred at a local ice cream store, again everyone in the store was closed except for one person.

The story was told from multiple perspectives and the different timelines. While I saw some things coming from very early on, there were still some twists that I found surprising. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

Two similar murders. Copycat? The same murderer, years later? Those are the questions we get answered and then some in this quick paced thriller.

I loved the story being told in different voices. One is the FBI agent sent to aid with the investigation of the latest murders at an ice cream shop. She is tasked in figuring out if it is the same as the murders years before at a Blockbuster. She is also heavily pregnant with twins. Another voice is that of the brother of the accused murderer who has been missing for years. He was adopted and his name is changed but he is also the public defender on the new case. There is also the one survivor from the first murder. She is trying to help the lone survivor of the latest murder who knows a lot about both.

I loved the back and forth and how things were brought to the surface, slowly but quickly, if that makes sense. I had no idea where it was going and who was responsible for what but boy, was it a great surprise! I love that I had no idea until the very end when everything was laid bare. Very relatable characters, who you so want to get to the truth safely. Highly enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the copy for review.

THE NIGHT SHIFT by Alex Finlay.

Reading this book is like watching an action movie. The tension and pacing were high and quick. If you like that sort of thing.

The story, although set in the 90’s, is not immersive. I’ve heard some compare it to SURVIVE THE NIGHT and although I see the similarities and the proposed readers are similar, I’d suggest this thriller is a bit rougher around the edges and straight to the point.

Which may be its intention.

It comes across as very masculine. And what I mean by that is in the efficiency of the plot. There’s not a lot of explaining going on. Motives are not pondered, it’s declarative and concise. There’s not a lot of conjecture.

The thrilling part is not necessarily peeling back each character like an onion, it’s more following a case. It’s really more of a procedural and it’s similar to thrillers like those written by James Patterson, Lee Childs, and Jonathan Kellerman.

A crime thriller.

Maybe I was in the mood for something else when I picked it up.

I would recommend it to readers who don’t need finessing or nuance.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press Minotaur for this advanced copy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

New Year’s Eve, 1999, in a Blockbuster in Linden, NJ three girls and their manager were murdered. There was only one survivor, and the prime suspect is on the run. 15 years later, a similar massacre takes place in an ice cream parlor in the same town, and again there is only one survivor. The question is, are these two mass murders related.

I loved the short chapters and multiple points of view in this book! There are a lot of possible suspects and many red herrings thrown in to keep the reader guessing. I did not see the end coming which always makes for a great thriller.

There were some bad ass female characters trying to figure out what happened during the first murders and how the two cases could be related. I enjoyed how the story all came together and how the two timelines intertwined.

I absolutely loved the synopsis of this book and was really excited for some 90’s nostalgia, but the majority of the book takes place in 2014. I enjoyed the flashbacks, but I really wanted more of a 90’s vibe, which is why my rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

After reading Finlay’s debut last year, I knew I had to get my hands on this one, too. And I’m so glad I did. This book pulls you in from the first page and I never wanted to put it down. The suspense level was high, and each character was presented with their own flaws as well as their own attributes worthy of developing care for them from readers.

A few things bugged me as I read: 1) without any spoilers, there was a main question that was never asked by law enforcement despite how obvious it would have been to ask it from the start. It would have given things away by the end, and I get that, but it was such an obvious thing to leave out that it led to me figuring out part of the end early; 2) one of the main detectives is pregnant – over eight months pregnant, and with twins – but it doesn’t seem to add anything to the story. She charges into dangerous situations without seeming to consider the danger she puts herself and her kids into, and she has nearly no symptoms of an eight-month pregnant woman. I’m all for showing female strength – especially during pregnancy, but there are some physical things that are just bound to happen and there was no mention of it; 3) The ending was a bit abrupt. I loved the entire book, but then ending, while it provided answers to the whodunnit component of the story, led to other questions about the surviving characters and what actually happened to them between when the story ended and the epilogue.

If you’re into thrillers, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this book. You won’t want to put it down – even with the minor faults I found (and I was being picky!!), I still loved this book and couldn’t get it out of my head for weeks.

After reading Every Last Fear last year and not being able to forget the Pines, I requested this book in a nanosecond when it was available.

The Night Shift has 4 main characters:

Ella is the sole survivor of the Blookbluster attack. Ella was a teenager working at Blockbuster on 1999's New Year's Eve. Everyone else was worried about Y2K but the teenagers working with her were just putting the videos away (Be Kind and Rewind, anyone?) and ready to go home when at closing time, someone enters the store and murders them. The only thing Ella recalls is a shadow leaning forward and whispering "Goodnight, pretty girl". Ella is now a therapist but with demons of her own. She uses little blue pills and sleeps around despite having a fiancee.

Chris Whitaker is a public defender. He is the brother of the assumed Blockbuster killer. He knows his brother is innocent and would like to prove it but he is not sure where his brother is. He disappeared after the murders.

Fifteen years later, after the Blockbuster attack, Jessica Duvall, a high school teenager, is the sole survivor of the Ice Cream murders. Ella is called to the hospital to help her after the traumatic experience. Ella's blood freezes when Jessica tells her that the only thing she remembers is the perp saying "Goodnight, pretty girl".

And my favorite character, FBI Agent Keller. She was part of the first book and in this one, she is pregnant with twins ready for delivery when she is asked to check if there is a relationship between both murders. She is assigned a temporary partner, Atticus Singh. Together, they would go back and question everyone who was involved during the 1999 attack. They would retrace the steps and try to find a link.

Alex Finlay is a master at getting these characters to interconnect. We get to get surprised by certain events and twists that were not jaw-dropping but that were interesting nonetheless making the story more believable.

Although, I would say the killer is not a mystery. You can tell who he/she is from the get-go which only made me worried for the innocent ones.

With this sophomore book, Alex Finlay solidifies my conviction that he is a must-read for me.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Finlay has gone from strength to strength with this one. True to the style of his last effort, Every Last Fear, he starts with an emotionally engaging tragedy - in this one the New Year’s Eve 1999 murder of 4 young employees at a small-town Blockbuster Video store that left one survivor. Jump ahead 15 years, and history nearly mirrors itself with the murder of 4 more teenage employees at the Dairy Creamery that leaves one survivor. Is the fugitive suspect that fled 15 years ago responsible for the new murders, or is this a copycat? That’s the question and it was a page-turning pleasure getting to those answers!

Something else I liked? Finlay’s characters. He manages to make likable and unlikable characters equally compelling. I adored Atticus Singh, the young, eager agent that shadows Special Agent Sarah Keller, who’s returned from the first book - now 8 ½ months pregnant with twins. The chapters alternate between her, public defender Chris Ford, and the two female survivors of the murders, counselor Ella Monroe from the Blockbuster case, and precocious teen, Jessie Duvall, from the Dairy Creamery case. The latter three are all wounded people, each carrying scars both literal and figurative from their pasts, but each fascinating in their own way. Keller is amazing once again, and can we all just acknowledge the awesomeness that is her husband, Bob? I love that guy.

A tight, compelling story with short suspense-filled chapters - it’s an excellent follow-up to his last book, and the bonus: no dreaded villain confessional - THANK YOU! No, seriously. Thank you. That almost took his last book down a notch for me, but it’s blissfully absent this time around.

This brings me to my one tiny quibble: What’s up with the “-ad” names for guys in this book? There’s Brad, Thad and Chad at various points in the story, and none of them are particularly likable. It’s not a big deal, but it did stand out! Minor issue. Go read this book! It’s worth it.

★★★★ ½ (rounded to 5) ❤️

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, NetGalley and author Alex Finlay for this ARC. All opinions are given honestly and freely. This is now available.

The Night Shift
by Alex Finlay
Pub Date: March 1, 2022
Minotaur
Thanks to the author, Minataur, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Twisty, poignant, and redemptive, The Night Shift is a story about the legacy of trauma and how the broken can come out on the other side, and it solidifies Alex Finlay as one of the new leading voices in the world of thrillers.
This is a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller. I guessed the killer very early on. There were some surprises along the way of the dots being connected. I had a few issues with the plot and some of the characters. Night Shift is a gripping thriller that kept me turning the pages.
4 stars

This past weekend, I read one of my most anticipated 2022 reads…. And I loved it! I couldn’t put it down! Have you read the Night Shift yet?

The book starts out on New Year’s Eve in 1999 at a Blockbuster video in NJ. 4 teens are brutally attacked and only one survives. The police name a suspect, but he flees the country before he can be prosecuted. 15 years later, a similar situation happened again, this time at a nearby ice cream shop and again, one person survives. These situations are so similar… is it the same killer?

This book has it all! Dual timelines, multiple points of view, non stop twists and turns! There’s a few red herrings to through the reader off the trail and it was just really well written. One of the best thrillers I’ve read recently. I also love that it takes place in my home state of New Jersey.

Thank you to @minotaur_books and @alexfinlayauthor for my gifted ebook. The Night Shift is out now!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

// Content Warnings: murder, violence, teen pregnancy, sexual relationship between an adult and a minor, drug deals, gun violence // – Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this book before reading, as I may have missed some here.

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// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 4/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5 Stars
Writing: 4/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 3/5 Stars

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// Quick Review //
Fast-paced and thought-inducing, The Night Shift features a spectacular mystery that keeps one yearning for answers. Filled with fascinating twists and turns, Finlay’s latest thriller presents a vast cast of characters that will connect you to an outstanding whodunit.

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// Other Information //
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Page Count: 368 pages
Release Date: March 1, 2022
Series: None
Tags: Adult, Contemporary, Crime, Fiction, Horror, Murder mystery, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

---

// Characters //
Though filled with a plethora of magnificent characters, the novel is split between three main characters with various circumstances and backgrounds. The way this story unfolded between its characters reminded me of Stranger Things (I’ve been rewatching the series in preparation for Season 4, of course); how all the characters deal with different pieces of the puzzle but eventually come together to form the whole picture.

Ella is the sole survivor of the New Years’ Eve 1999 attack on the Blockbuster Video in Linden, New Jersey. It was hard to understand Ella’s character at first. It is not until later in the novel that the book begins to unveil the reality behind Ella’s character and I began to understand her better. Ella is very obviously traumatized from the attack on her and her friends in 1999. She carries the survivor’s guilt from that night and finds it difficult to navigate adult life in 2015. Agent Keller is helping to investigate the murders of workers in an ice cream shop; a murder eerily similar to that of the Blockbuster murders. Chris is a lawyer with deep connections to the Blockbuster murder. Back in the day, his brother was the prime suspect in the Blockbuster murders. Chris now lives under a different name but becomes entangled in defending the suspect of the ice cream shop murders.

All three of these characters eventually cross paths, but their journey to their meeting is what really makes the book interesting. It took me a while to become truly interested in this novel and its characters, but after reading half of the novel I began to care for Ella, Chris, Keller, and others.

---

// Writing and Setting //
I love media of the mystery genre that starts off with a bunch of little mysteries that need to be untangled in order to see the entire truth of the story. They typically keep my interest, just as this book did.

The secrets contained in this novel span from 1999 to 2015. The past never seems far from the present, as murders similar to that of the ones on New Years’ Eve 1999 continue to occur as the characters race against the clock to find the culprit.

---

// Plot //
The plot, since this is a thriller/mystery, was my favorite part of The Night Shift. Though I’ve seen many people saying they thought this story was very predictable, I found it to be the complete opposite. I was completely entranced by how in the dark I was. Perhaps it was because it took me longer to read this novel that I wasn’t immediately struck with suspicions of who the killer could be. Regardless, I thought that this book was filled with surprises and twists and turns.

As I’ve mentioned various times, the characters deal with their own sub-plots that contribute meaning to the overarching question of the novel: Who is the killer who struck in 1999 and 2015?

---

// Wrap Up //
Usually, when I am in a reading slump I do not finish the novel I am reading. However, The Night Shift was able to hold my attention and I’m so glad it did. Otherwise, I would have missed out on a chilling story containing betrayal, murder, and chaos.

A true page turner, had me guessing until the very end.

Ella is the sole survivor of a multiple murder that occurred during her night shift at Blockbuster in 1999. Fast forward 15 years, a similar case happens at an ice cream store and Ella becomes involved with the team trying to solve the case.

There’s a great cast of characters and each chapter is told from one of their perspectives.

It’s the perfect mixture of an unsolved mystery, action packed thriller, and suspenseful horror. It felt like a 90’s slasher movie combined with today’s true crime obsession.

I will say I could’ve done without the epilogue. When things are wrapped up too perfectly in a bow at the end, it doesn’t do it for me.

—t h e n i g h t s h i f t—⁣
What is your favorite decade or era to read books set in? For me - it’s the 90s baby⁣
—⁣
The Night Shift explores two murders set decades apart but eerily similar - young people (mostly women) closing up a business for the night are murdered brutally and one girl is left alive for reasons unknown. The first murder, at Blockbuster on NYE 1999 and the second at a present day yogurt shop are more than just similar but directly connected when Blockbuster survivor Ella, now a therapist, is called to support the newest survivor. Set largely in present day, chapters alternate between Ella (including some flashbacks), a public defender who is the brother of the accused perpetrator of the Blockbuster murder, and an FBI agent investigating the original case. ⁣
—⁣
The book is well paced and thrilling. I was invested in the plot but more importantly, I cared about the characters and their outcomes which is somewhat unique for a thriller like this. The twists and turns are plentiful and kept me guessing (though I spotted one big twist straight away). In all, a satisfying, well plotted and well written thriller with a side of 90s nostalgia. Recommended if you enjoy thrillers and murder-y books. ⁣
—⁣
Thank you @netgalley and @minitaurbooks for the eARC. This one is out now!⁣
—⁣
#bookreview #thenightshift

This is another shocking tale. Fifteen years ago, four teenagers working the night shift at the Blockbuster video were attacked and only one survived. Now, history has repeated itself and there is a similar attack on an ice cream shop and again only one survivor. However, Jesse, the sole survivor of the most recent attack may not be as innocent as she seems, and the only one she'll talk to is Ella, the sole survivor of the first attack. There are an awful lot of characters in this book to keep track of and not all of them are as well delineated to be able to differentiate and keep track of them as you might like. However, the story is exciting, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting to read and find out what is going to happen next. Plus the payoff is worth it as all the different parts of the story come together nicely in the end.

A quick, suspenseful read. Not a lot of emotional depth, but plenty of action.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Truth, manipulation of facts, outright lies

“The Night Shift” opens on New Year’s Eve 1999 at Blockbuster Video in Linden, NJ. The night shift workers consist of four sweet, albeit mischievous, teenage girls, Mandy, Ella, Katie, and Candy.
At closing time, a terrible tragedy strikes. The narrative advances fifteen years; the present tense structure makes everything more urgent, more compelling. Ella Monroe, therapist with a little side hustle in NYC hotels, receives a frantic call; a young girl needs help. It is the same town, different people, another tragedy, and Jesse Duvall is the sole survivor. Monroe is uniquely qualified to help; she knows what it is like to be the only one who made it out alive.
The story unfolds in alternating points of view and goes back and forth in time to describe, to clarify, and to expose. People are introduced with detailed backgrounds so readers immediately get to know them. Characters are diverse in age and experience; they are focused and personable in their own way. These are separate people with separate stories, but ones that are inseparably intertwined. Each travels a separate road that leads to a common intersection and ends in a colossal collision.
The town needs all the help it can get to solve this horrible crime. Atticus Singh and Joe Arpeggio are part of the local police department. Sarah Keller, pregnant with twins, is a data person called in from the FBI. She is someone who can find something missing, overlooked, or deliberately hidden. Chris Ford is the public-defender representing people who hate him. The town is filled with people who have secrets, significant secrets, secrets that that must be reconciled, resolved, and released.
The case is like a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle with pieces spread all over the table. One or two look like they should go together, but on closer examination; they do not. Then, slowly, a little color here, a shape there, and the pieces start to match up; the startling picture falls into place.
The pace is fast, unfolding over just a few days with days numbered and identified. The line between good and evil is blurred; truth is hidden by manipulation of facts and outright lies. I received a review copy of “The Night Shift” from Alex Finlay, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Publishing.
“The sheep spends its life worried about the wolf, only to be eaten by the farmer.”
Ready for a book with twists, turns and twists again? This is the one.

I enjoyed reading this book very much especially the last 25% of the book. The author does a very good job of setting up the story and building the characters. This book had me guessing up into the last few chapters. I really enjoyed this book and the author did an amazing job with this crime novel.

To say I am disappointed may be harsh but it is not an understatement. This book was sub par at best. I thought this was going to be a Y2K thrasher. But it was more a detective book. The synopsis was very misleading. With that being said it was an okay book. It kept me engaged with its short chapters and suspense. I definitely didn’t see the twists coming. I was not very interested in the characters. I didn’t feel like I could connect to them. I gave it 3 stars because it was a decent book but the synopsis needs rewritten and the characters need more depth. I’d be interested in reading more form this author in the future because I feel like there is potential for a good story.
Thank you to Minotaur, the author & netgalley for my advanced readers copy.

"The sheep spends it life worried about the wolf, only to be eaten by the farmer."

While most of us were literally partying like it was 1999 on the last day of 1999, five Blockbuster employees were awaiting the end of their shift in a small town in Jersey only to be brutally attacked by a knife-wielding murderer. Only one of them manages to see the year 2000. Fast forward to fifteen years later and an eerily similar incident happens at an ice cream shop in the same wee town. Yet again there's only one survivor. Is it the same murderer, a copycat, or unrelated/coincidental events? What's the motive in both cases? This mystery is unraveled via several perspectives: Chris, a public defender and the brother of the suspected murderer in the Blockbuster case who subsequently ran off and was never seen again, Ella, the surviving Blockbuster employee turned social worker, and Keller, the FBI agent looking to solve All The Things.

I usually don't gravitate towards murder mysteries, but holy guacamole this one was well done. Given that all but the first chapter happen in the immediate aftermath of Murder Bunch #2, we got to see the aftermath of how living through Murder Bunch #1 impacted the lives of both Ella and Chris. Spoiler (not really): living through something like that as a teenager gives you PTSD as an adult. But the way Finlay writes about Ella and Chris, the reader sees they're both flawed but likable. I dug it. But my fave character was by far Sarah "Badass" Keller. She asked the tough questions. She followed the questionable leads. She put the time in to figure out what really happened. And she did it all while 8 months pregnant... with twins. I'll be honest, I don't think I could do half of what she did while my belly's full of a big burrito, let alone with two tiny humans. Finlay wrote Keller in such a way that I truly thought the author was a female. It was refreshing to read about such a powerful lady protagonist and have her be penned by a gentleman. Well done.

Not only was the character development superb, but the plot was well done too. I'll admit that I usually can't figure out murder mysteries before the big reveal, and The Night Shift was no exception. However, Finlay did an excellent job of throwing in red herrings, multiple twists and turns, and unexpected course changes. Not only that, but he also wrapped up every question and loose end by the time the book came to a close. I'm not a big fan of books that answer the big questions but leave the reader hanging on more minor plot points when the book wraps up. Well folks, I will conclude by saying I am a big fan of The Night Shift. Looks like I'll be adding his other book Every Last Fear to my every growing To-Read pile.

Ella must be the luckiest girl alive, right?! After all she was the sole survivor of an after hours massacre at her local Blockbuster in 1999. The alleged killer absconded before trial and hasn't been heard from since. Fast forward fifteen years, Ella (now a therapist) is called in to speak with Jesse, the single female survivor, of another late night local massacre at an ice cream shop. Given that this murderer whispered the exact same thing to Jesse as was told to Ella all those years ago, is the killer back? How are these events connected?

Two for two when it comes to books written by Alex Finlay that I've enjoyed! It was fun to see Agent Keller again; she was also in Every Last Fear, and is back to being a bad ass FBI Agent in this book..... though doing so at 9 months pregnant with twins seemed a bit of a stretch. I love a fast paced thriller and this was certainly that with all of the multiple POVs constantly changing. It was a fun ride to see how they all came together at the end. The Night Shift gave me some 90s nostalgia, which I always love. I remember vividly going to Blockbuster with the fam to pick out which movie we were going to watch over the weekend. Be Kind, Rewind. I'll definitely check out Alex Finlay's next thriller....let the wait begin!

Thankful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

This story begins at the end of 1999, when four employees of a Blockbuster Video are attacked. Only one survives. Fifteen years later in the same neighborhood, four employees of an ice cream shop are attacked. Again, only one survives.

The police had a suspect in the first murder, but he disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. Has he returned to town, or is there a copycat murderer? Three characters are pivotal in solving the crimes: the Blockbuster survivor, now a psychologist; the brother of the suspected perpetrator, now a criminal defense attorney; and FBI agent Sarah Keller.

Holy wow, this one kept me on the edge of my seat! I would have enjoyed it simply for the nostalgia it invokes, but the characters and story played out in living color in my mind and it was all I could do to hang on for the ride. The chapter-ending cliffies and jump to a different POV only served to keep me reading this one late into the night. Riveting, suspenseful, and rife with surprising twists, it’s one that is sure to give any lover of thrillers an exciting, unparalleled reading escape.