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

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// 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.

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// 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.

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// 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?

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// 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⁣
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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. ⁣
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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. ⁣
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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.

This book sounded super promising. I was excited to read a book that was about a 1999 killing in a Blockbuster-esque small-town setting. What I received, unfortunately, was a story with a couple of brief flashbacks rooted in a 2015 setting. This book was a very boring read.

Christopher Pike meets Mare in Easttown. Two murders, two separate sole survivors. How are they connected? One FBI Agent Badass 8 months pregnant, one troubled survivor turned therapist, one uber-smart foster kid dead set on solving the first murder, one brother of alleged missing murder turned District Attorney, mix with small town of connections. Throw in a mysterious Vlogger who may or may not be one of the killers. Could not put this book down and can't recommend it enough.

I was SO excited to see that Alex Finlay had another book coming out. I loved Every Last Fear, last years offering, and so was excited to read the follow-up effort.

The Night Shift follows two murders, about 20 years apart. The first was at a Blockbuster video, where Ella, the only survivor, still feels the effects of the trauma she went through. Ella is called in to help counsel Jesse, the lone survivor 20 years later, when all were killed (except her) at an ice cream shoppe. Ella is now a licensed therapist, and she and Jesse form a precarious bond over their shared experiences.

Also told from the perspective of Chris, the main suspect of the first Blockbuster murder, turned public defense lawyer, and Keller, the very pregnant FBI agent, sent to bridge between the local and federal sides of these investigations.

As with Alex Finlay's books, there were a lot of moving pieces to this book. Despite loving Every Last Fear, I had a very hard time getting into this book. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy it, or that I didn't like it.... I just had trouble really connecting to the book and the characters. I think, because of that, I had trouble really enjoying this to the fullest.

I really enjoyed the concept and the ending was unpredictable (in a good way). I just had trouble reading this book in a "longer" stretch. It was one that I read in small stretches, and it was hard for me to get truly into.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The 1990 references and fast pace of Alex Finlay’s new novel drew me in right away. This is an author I will be adding to my must read list!

On New Year’s Eve 1999, four teenagers and their manager are working the late shift at Blockbuster Video when a horrible tragedy occurs. Only one will survive. Fast forward fifteen years, an ice cream store in the same town is the site of another tragedy with four teenagers. Sarah Keller, an FBI agent, must solve the mystery of this new case while diving into the secrets of the Blockbuster case.

Finlay tells a story of secrets and trauma with sensitivity and authenticity. Night Shift has unexpected plot twists expertly woven together. The result is a thriller that illustrates the power of survival. Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to review this novel in return for an honest review.

What a ride!

So many twists and turns none of which I was expecting! There were a bunch of different plot points that blended and merged so well together.

The book follows Ella, Chris and Keller and focuses on their specific story lines (which are intertwined) while maintaining the same third person narration which I really liked! It felt like multiple perspectives but without the confusion of ok who is talking right now? It was so smartly written!

Highly recommend checking this one out!

Thank you so much to Minotaur Books & St. Martin’s publishing group for the advanced readers copy! (Though the book is in sale now)

The Night Shift is another compelling thriller by Alex Finlay that hooked me immediately. The story begins on New Year’s Eve 1999. A night crew of a Blockbuster Video are all brutally murdered except for one lone survivor. Fifteen years later a similar crime is committed at an ice cream shop, leaving again one survivor. The story is told from multiple POVs: Ella the survivor of the Blockbuster murders, Chris a public defender and FBI Agent Keller. Their lives become entangled as they try to unravel the truth behind the murders and the unsettling connection between the two tragedies. Just like Every Last Fear, this thriller was fast paced with characters I cared about and was interested in how their lives would intersect as the mystery unfolded. This thriller was original, entertaining and had me racing to the conclusion. Alex Finlay has become an auto read author. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy.

Alex us an auto buy for me at this point! I love that I can’t figure out what’s going on… I could see where that would be frustrating for some readers and it would be for me if the twists/endings didn’t make sense but they do! Will be recommending! Thank you for letting me read early!