I liked the book as a whole, and it kept my interest as I was reading, but I never felt super attached to the characters, and I picked out the main suspect (who ended up being the killer) within the first couple of chapters. I hoped I was wrong but I wasn't. Overall it felt like a really disappointing ending to me. I liked how some of the sub-plots were tied up but mostly it fell flat, felt rushed, and was disappointing.

I was very excited to get an advanced copy of this book! There has been a lot of hype about the story. I have not read any other works by this author. The premise of the story is about some murders that took place on New Year's Eve, 1999 at a Blockbuster. Four employees are killed and one lone girl, Ella survives. Flash forward fifteen years later and in the same town, a similar incident occurs and three are killed and again one girl, Jessica survives. Ella, is now a therapist and is called in to talk to Jess, the latest survivor. The commonality is Mr. Steadman who calls Ella in to talk to Jess. The whole basic storyline with a few zigs and zags is finding out if the two crimes related? A large part of the story is finding out if the man who was arrested for the earlier crime. He wa arrested , released, and then disappeared. We learn about the family life of the man who was arrested for the crime and follow his father and brother. We also find out about Ella and her family as well as Jess's background. This book isn't a show stopper, but it is good enough to keep your attention. It has some unique problems and solutions pop up which adds to the storyline. The characters were ok, but not brillant. Overall an entertaining B movie type read. Thank you net galley and the publisher for an advanced copy. 3.5 stars

I loved reading Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay and was so happy to see this book! This one did not disappoint either. I read the book in one sitting. I enjoyed learning about the different characters and seeing how their lives intertwined. I enjoyed trying to put the pieces together about how the two crimes, years apart could have been related. No I didn't get it all right but guess some of it. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced ecopy of The Night Shift by Alex Finlay.

Last year I had read Finlay's first novel Every Last Fear, and was hooked on it from its first pages. Now, I am very used to authors having sophomore slumps so I never expect much with their second novels that almost always spun out a mere year (or less) later. However, Finlay did not experience any of that slump as it turns out. The Night Shift was equally as gripping right out of the gate as Every Last Fear was. Two mass-murders years apart with a lone survivor of each? It could have been over the top, but it was just thrilling.

I love that Finlay in both his books I have read has had a strong undercurrent of hopefulness through the terrifying and dark plots. Lots of characters to keep up with in The Night Shift, but for the most part, they all felt significant to the plot. I am not sure which of Finlay's two books I liked best, but I can say for certain I will be recommending them to all my thriller loving reading friends. What sets Finlay apart from many authors in this genre is that element of optimism that he brings. Many authors don't offer the balance of light and shade that he does.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay follows two cases 15 years apart that have very similar characteristics. In both crimes, three teenage girls are murdered with only one survivor. This story follows the survivor of the first massacre; the brother of the original suspect, who’s convinced the police have it wrong; and the FBI agent, who’s determined to solve both cases,

I've really enjoyed both of Alex Finlay's mysteries I've read thus far. This book was a very fast-paced enjoyable read. I was invested in every single character and was constantly second-guessing everyone's motives. Highly recommend.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was at totally enjoyable thriller and one that had me turning the pages quickly seeing if I could figure out who was the killer. It was propulsive and the short chapters made it more so.

A terrible occurrence in Linden New Jersey, in 1999, begins our story and the author takes us into the killings of young girls working in a Blockbuster store. There was one survivor and with the suspect on the run, we have no conclusion to this heinous killing of three young girls.

We just to the present, fifteen years from the original killings. This time the murders take place in an ice cream store, with once again a lone survivor. The parallels are undeniable and the non-apprehended suspect of the first murders is once again a suspect as a repeat killer.

The author introduces the characters of the past as well as the intermingling of the characters of an FBI agent, the brother of the suspect, and the girl who survived the current murders. This was a very clever technique of joining the old with the new and created a wonderful game of clue that kept on changing the players.

There is a lot going on as the reader's eyes are focused on one person after another. Along with that, there is the meetings of the families, the people who lost children, the father of the suspect, and the lives that were tragically upended because of the craze of the killer.

I enjoyed this story read with my friend, Jan. We were looking for a well-done thriller and in this story our hopes were recognized. Definitely one I recommend and am glad Alex Finlay has written another book that maintained my interest from start to finish.

Thank you to Alex Findlay, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this riveting story, published on March 1, 2022

THE NIGHT SHIFT was one of my most highly anticipated reads of 2022 and it ended up being my favorite read of February. The story pulled me in from the very beginning and kept my interest throughout. This one definitely kept me guessing until the very end, although one of my initial suspicions was spot on. I found this to be a fast-paced read with some unexpected twists, which I always love. I’d absolutely recommend this one to thriller lovers.

4 stars!

This was a fun, fast-paced, entertaining thriller! I actually enjoyed this one more than Every Last Fear (I read that last year and was perplexed at the hype...) but this one was worth it!

It reminded me of a 90's teen slasher movie. It wasn't too dark, deep, or thought provoking, just simply entertaining.

Looking forward to reading more by this author!

BOOK REVIEW: The Night Shift by Alex Finlay
2022 Publication Date: March 1

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

T.I.M.E. Recommended Books By Genre | Thriller
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books of 2022

CONNECT WITH THIS BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes... ✨😎✨

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW: In the category of "clear your schedule" as you will not be able to put this book down once you start reading!... Multiple timelines and flashback narrative keeps the tension taut as the characters weave in and out of memories. Wonderful storytelling that hides and reveals plot points at a breathtaking pace... And provides great insight into the far-reaching consequences of the legacy of trauma... ✨😎✨

Pages: 312
Genre: Thriller
Sub-Genre: Crime Fiction
Time Period: 1999 | 2015
Location: Linden, New Jersey

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Last Seen Alive by Joanna Schaffhausen (Ellery Hathaway Mystery Series | Book 5)
TV: Mare Of Easttown

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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Thank you Net Galley for the arc of this book.
The short chapters and different timelines make this enjoyable. I also love the mention of blockbuster and being a 90's kid brings back nostalgia.

Two timelines and two murders fifteen years difference. One same saying uttered, " Goodnight Pretty Girl" is this a coincidence? or a copycat? It's hard for me to write this review without giving much away. The different POVs are what made this story. I especially liked the detective and think she is pretty badass for trying to solve the case when she is 8 months pregnant.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"Every Last Fear" by Alex Finlay
was 1 of my favorite books that I read in 2020 & I patiently waited until he would release another book.
When I discovered "Night Shift" was available to review, I jumped at the chance to request a copy.
This book is another winner by Mr. Finlay.
After I read the prologue, I was totally hooked.
Everything about this book was amazing, the storyline, the time period & the characters.
The twists kept on coming & I loved the ending.
I can't wait to read what Mr. Finlay decides to write next.

This is my first Alex Finlay book, and I have to say it just really wasn't for me.

I think this is the PERFECT book for someone that doesn't like scary thrillers. It talked about the murders in a round-about-way and although it was a horrific topic, they really didn't dive into the description in any way.

For someone like me who loves a gory thriller, I felt this absolutely mind numbingly slow. The exciting and dramatic parts were often times glazed over, and this book had so much filler information. I feel like I would read 10 pages and not get anything new and then they would drop a major bomb and move on. Even the ending felt rushed and glazed over. The dramatic parts were often a "fade to black" moment.

I think the twists and turns were so exciting, and I loved the premise of this. I think it tied up beautifully, but the writing style was not for me.

If this gets optioned, it will 10/10 will make an amazing TV show, but I absolutely do not recommend reading this book.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A big thank you to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the ARC! This one is out now!

This was my first Finlay book, and it won’t be my last. I found this thriller to be a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat read.

Told from several different POVs, this story examined all sides of a crime: victim, family member, police, lawyer. The different angles kept me engaged in the story. I found it to be very humanizing and not the typical “kill the bad guy” type of thriller.

Also, I can’t go without mentioning the nostalgia that comes with this book. A murder at a video store - does anyone not have memories at a Blockbuster? It brought me right back to high school.

The slightest disappointment was I suspected who the killer was pretty early on, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to continue reading to confirm my suspicions.

All in all, this is a exciting read that blends thriller and nostalgia. Check it out if you haven’t!

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.