Wow, this is the best thing I have read in a while. I DEVOURED this book. It sucks you in from the first page and keeps you hooked until the very last. It starts with the Blockbuster murders in 1999 and fast forwards 15 years later to the ice cream shop murders. Could the same suspect be responsible for both, or could it be a copycat killer?

I loved that the chapters were short and alternated between a few characters' POVs. It built suspense, kept it fast-paced, and showed various facets of this case and how it impacted so many lives. The plot was twisty but made total sense by the end.

The Night Shift is absolutely riveting, and I HIGHLY recommend it.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars ( I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

I had heard good things about the author's first book and the plot of this book intrigued me. There are three main point of view's with occasional random characters having a short chapter. Ella is a therapist called to the scene of the crime to help a lone survivor but she is also a survivor of a crime identical to the modern day one. Chris is a public defender who was a young kid when the original crime took place and has a connection to it, which he has hidden from almost everyone. Then we have a badass FBI agent Sara (aka Keller) who is researching the connection between the two crimes while being 7 months pregnant. There is also the teenage girl Jesse who is the lone survivor who Ella is asked to help, and who's situation is vastly different from what Ella's. One my favourite characters is Atticus who is a relatively new FBI agent who has an interest in the Blockbuster crime (the original crime) and Keller's partner while working on the Ice Cream Shop Murders. We go back and forth in the time from 1999 to the present day in Ella and Chris's chapters. There are quite a few reveals, which did surprise me and I did predict one of the main reveals but most of them were interesting. This was also the first time in a while that I read the last half of the book in one sitting, this is one of favourite books of this year and a contender for top mystery thriller.

Thoughts ~

Alex Finlay has done it again! His first book Every Last Fear was so good that he became an auto read author for me. The Night Shift was everything you could possibly want in a thriller! The teenage employees at both a Blockbuster Video and a Dairy Cream in the same town are slaughtered 15 years apart. The thing that both of these have in common is a female managed to survive both attacks, but they are not witnesses because both were attacked from behind.

There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about this book! From the creepy words the killer whispered in the survivors ear before stabbing them to the investigation. Looking back I should have picked up on the killer's identity sooner, but it wasn’t until a clue was repeated that all the pieces fell together. Duh!

You don’t want to miss this!

The Night Shift is a 2 timeline, multiple POV mystery/thriller that will keep you flipping the pages. It did take me a bit to get really caught up, especially in the more current timeline, but you will be going down memory lane in the past. It is New Year's Eve, Y2k and 3 teenage girls and a manager are brutally murdered in a Blockbuster video store - there is one survivor. The prime suspect, another teen, disappears. 15 years later, another brutal murder, this time in an ice cream shop. Is it possible the original suspect is back to strike again? And if so, why? I especially loved Agent Keller and hope we will have additional stories with her. Parts were a bit predictable, other parts a total surprise. The one thing that I struggled with a teeny bit is there are so many characters - so many! I found myself flipping around much more than usual for a quick refresh of who is who. Otherwise, great read. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Night Shift will be available on 3/1/22.

What’s it about (in a nutshell):
The Night Shift by Alex Finlay is a compelling tale of two mass murders that occurred 15 years apart in the same town. Both events left only one survivor who remembers the murderer whispering, “Good night, sweet girl,” before they left the scene. The story focuses on discovering the truth behind what happened 15 years ago and the identity of the murderer in both cases.

What I Enjoyed:
Every once in a while, the ending is just so perfect that I have to start my review by talking about the end. And The Night Shift has just that ending - I found it clever, unexpected, and wholly satisfying. It added such a surprising twist that it will stay with me for a while to come.

I loved that this story is not solely a police procedural as all stakeholders seek to discover the truth. This led to a combination of police procedural and soft-boiled mystery that held me entranced with all of the twists and turns and secrets uncovered. There are so many jaw-dropping revelations that I never saw coming, and the only one I did notice from early on was the identity of the murderer they were trying to find.

I also enjoyed the YouTube traveler channel that was interspersed throughout the story. I find little bits of current-day media in a novel always work to add interest and ground that story in this period, as well as helping to maintain the suspended disbelief from page 1 until the end.

The narration is third-person but switches focus between the main characters. The switching is never confusing, and all pov’s are just as interesting as the other. This style of narration, coupled with the novel genre, would have typically been seen in a plot-driven story. Still, the characters are so well-developed by the switches in pov that the story is equally as character-driven as it is plot-driven and arguably solely character-driven.

Characters:
The characters are amazingly well-developed and layered with flaws and scars that bring them to life. I think I loved Jesse the most. Spunky, clever teens always grab my heart, and Jesse is just that and more.

Ella is the survivor of the first mass murder and has since become a counselor. She is called to help Jesse because she is uniquely qualified to understand what the girl is going through. Ella is thoughtful, accepting, and determined to figure out the truth behind these two horrible events.

Sarah Keller is an FBI agent, and I would happily follow into a series with her as the main character. She is incredibly clever and unapologetically tough and courageous, which I could not help but love and admire. Even pregnant with twins, she does not hesitate to do what is right even when dangerous.

Chris is a young lawyer who volunteered to help with Jesse’s case. He has secrets of his own that threaten to come out unless he is cautious. He comes across as someone who wants to do good in the world and doesn’t care about money or fame.

What I Wish:
Technically, I can think of no wish to improve my reading experience. The Night Shift is masterfully crafted, well-developed, and, generally, a read that is impossible to put down once you start.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you enjoy lots of twists, turns, and jaw-dropping surprises in a story with strong, well-developed characters and a perfect ending, then The Night Sift by Alex Finlay should be at the top of your list.

OK I've just gotta say if you ever rented a movie at Blockbuster you are going to love this book. There was a really good mix of nostalgic 1990s mixed in with present day. There was a pretty big cast in this book who sometimes went by their first names and sometimes by their last names, so I recommend having a piece of paper handy to write everyone down. If you're not opposed to defacing books - I like to do this in the back cover personally. I like how our characters are deliciously flawed. Everyone has a little secret and some of them are more disturbing than others. This was a good old-fashioned page-turning time.

On the Eve of Y2K, there was the The Blockbuster Murders of 1999. Police believe they found the killer. But then he disappeared, never to be seen again. He was a teenage boy - where could he have gone?

Fifteen years later, an almost identical incident at an ice cream shop. But it can't be the same murderer. Or could it?

Add in a very pregnant with twins FBI agent brought in to help the local police force, who doesn't really want her help; lots of secrets and lies; and so many twists and turns you don't know what to think and you have a book that's hard to put down.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Published: March 1, 2022
Minotaur Books
Pages: 312
Genre: Small Town & Rural Fiction
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Alex Finlay is the pseudonym of an author who lives in Washington, D.C. His 2021 breakout thriller, EVERY LAST FEAR, was an Indie Next pick, a LibraryReads selection, an Amazon Editor’s Best Thriller, as well as a CNN, Newsweek, E!, BuzzFeed, Business Week, Goodreads, Parade, PopSugar, and Reader’s Digest best or most anticipated thriller of the year. Alex’s work has been translated into more than a dozen languages and optioned for film and television.

“But the beast is back.”

After a tragic crime that leaves a single survivor in 1999, a small town is shaken yet again 15 years later. A nearly identical crime scene and a lone survivor. Now it’s a rush to try and find the guilty party and find any connection between the two scenes.

I loved how this story was told. Between alternating narrators and dual timelines, the plot unfolds in a brilliant albeit terrifyingly tragic way.

The characters were so dynamic and defined. Keller is an absolute rockstar and incredible leading character. I enjoyed her narratives and her thought process. Her husband was a fantastic comedic relief, and their relationship is a beautiful example of a true partnership.

Ella is a tough but damaged character. I loved how the mix of strength and chaos was woven into her narrative. She has a lot of baggage and a lot of questions.

Chris was so well done. He was the perfect balance to Ella, and his perspective was such a powerful addition to the plot. I enjoyed his inner dilemma and his desire to help.

Jesse and Atticus were great characters. I enjoyed how they added to the story and the ability to adapt. Both are very necessary for different reasons.

There were some twists in this book that I did not see coming until they smacked me in the face. Holy buckets. The hits kept coming! This is such a well-written journey.

I enjoyed the synchronized chaos throughout the plot. This was a well-choreographed tango. As things explode, pieces fall together, and the writing on the wall becomes clear.

The themes in this novel were painful and beautiful. I loved the development throughout. This was a fast-paced thrill ride that kept me guessing until the very end.

Fifteen years ago a tragedy happened at closing time at a Blockbuster Video. All were killed except one lone survivor. Inconclusive evidence pointed to a student who hasn’t been seen since. When another killing using the same MO happens at the Dairy Creamery it’s quickly questioned if the two cases are connected. The case is twisty involving local cops as well as the FBI and flows effortlessly as the pages turn. Told in three distinct voices, this is a fast paced, read in one sitting book.

Talk about a quick read!! I really enjoyed this one! It was super fasted paced and full of action. I liked all the different POVs & I actually really liked all of the characters. I felt like there were a lot of good twists throughout the story, & everything came together nicely at the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : thriller
Alright, I loved this one.
NYE 1999 at Blockbuster Video - 4 people are murdered, only one person surviving the night.
Fifteen years later…it happens again, this time at an ice cream shop.
The chapters bounce between the lone survivor of the Blockbuster murders, Ella. FBI agent Sarah Keller. And, the brother of the accused Blockbuster killer, Chris.
It’s got enough twists & turns to give you whiplash and kept me hooked to the end.
Check this one out March 1st! Thanks @Netgalley !

This multiple person POV book is told from Keller, the very pregnant FBI agent, Chris, the brother of the accursed murderer, and Ella, the sole survivor of a horrific crime. Ella survives when everyone else she worked with at Blockbuster is brutally murdered. She becomes a therapist in order to try and help others with trauma. She is called in 15 years after her trauma to talk to another sole survivor of a very similar crime. This is where things get interesting…has the young man who was the primary suspect in the first mass murder, but disappeared before knowing for sure, come back and repeated the crime? Is it a copycat murder? There are so. Many twists and turns I’m this book! While I predicted a few, there were many others that took me by surprise! The character development is fantastic and the storytelling even better!

15 years apart, two girls are left for dead after a murder at a restaurant, only being left with the words "Good night, pretty girl."

Jumping between 15 years and the events leading up to the murders, THE NIGHT SHIFT focuses on Ella, Chris and Keller. Ella, the girl left for dead 15 years ago. Chris, the boy whose brother was suspected of the murder, and Keller, the FBI agent who was stuck on the case. Their lives intersect for three days after the murder, each playing an integral part in solving the case.

Ugh. I just want a good thriller. While I absolutely loved the premise of this book, it was disappointing to watch it slowly unravel. Each reveal was mediocre and it left me wishing there were more twists and turns to the final reveal. I did appreciate how it all came together, but the end scene could have been much more heightened in my opinion. Finlay writes a good thriller, but I just wish there were more thrill. 3.7 stars from me.
A special thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for this e-ARC of THE NIGHT SHIFT in exchange for an honest review.

Like Alex Findlay’s previous novel, The Night Shift had a lot of promise but fell short. The premise is great, a 90’s video store setting with a serial killer on the loose sounds like a great slasher film of the same era. The Night Shift was a quick read but I was left wanting more and felt let down by the ending and epilogue. I also didn’t buy that an eight months pregnant with twins Agent Keller would be allowed to do all the things she did or act the way she did. This part stretched credibility and took me out of the story a little. I would recommend this book for fans of Riley Sager or slasher films.

The Night Shift starts with a flashback to New Years 1999, when four teenagers are murdered at the local Blockbuster. One is brutally attacked but somehow survives. The police believe the killer escaped and is in hiding, 15 years later, three teenagers are murdered at a local ice cream shop in the same way. One girl survives again. Is it the same killer? Has he returned? And why?
While an interesting premise, this thriller was just okay for me. Much of the story takes place in 2015 in the alternating perspectives of the three main characters; pregnant FBI agent, Keller; Chris, a prosecutor who has a connection to the suspected killer and Ella, the survivor of the Blockbuster murders. Although the author made this work, the characters all made several terrible decisions, which made them hard to like. I enjoyed the 1999 story and wished that was a bigger part of the book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital arc of this book.

So, I loved the whole vibe of the book but that wasn’t enough to save it in my opinion. I found it very repetitive that 3 people were all trying to solve the same case which made it seem to drag.

The therapist is a literal whore who needs damn therapy as well so I personally couldn’t give over that either. 🙄

Didn’t love it but didn’t hate.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy of The Night Shift.

Alex Finlay is an auto buy author for me. I really enjoyed Every Last Fear so I figured I would love The Night Shift. This was a fast paced read about girls that are attached in a Blockbuster back in 1999. A seemingly similar crime happens 20 years later in an ice cream shop. The lone survivor from the 1999 attack becomes the therapist for the lone survivor of the ice cream shop attack. Secrets are slowly revealed!

Definitely loved this book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my e-arc of THE NIGHT SHIFT in exchange for an honest review. This one publishes next Tuesday, March 1!

Where are all my friends who grew up going to your towns movie rental store, to rent a movie for the weekend?! I loved browsing the selection and choosing which one I wanted to watch!

I really enjoyed this one! I found it to be very fast paced, which made it a fast read for me. I loved the plot of this story, and how it kept me guessing right to the very end. There were a few surprises that I didn’t see coming, but those really added to the overall enjoyment of the book. I didn’t figure out who did the crime until it was revealed, so kudos to the author for that! I also really liked the whole YouTube channel aspect thrown into the book, and what the author did with it at the very end!

TW: Murder, death of a parent, grief, child death, addiction, drug use, gun violence, adult/minor relationship

The Night Shift follows 2 mass murders among a group of teens 15 years a part. Both murders have a lone survivor. The first on NYE at a Blockbuster in 1999. Lone survivor Ella becomes a trauma therapist who helps the recent survivor Jesse, who survives a similar gruesome murder at a local ice cream shop. We also follow FBI agent Sara Keller.
Chris is the brother of the Blockbuster murder’s suspect Vincent who disappeared after being bonded out. As the story plays out, all of their lives become intertwined trying to solve both cases. I enjoyed the multiple POVs from each main character and the fast paced story telling that let to huge revelations. It felt like the reader was along the ride and I had a hard time putting this down! The mention of Blockbuster and 1999 gave me all of the nostalgic feels!
This was an overall 5* read and I really enjoyed it. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the EArc and the chance to review it!

THIS BOOK. Honestly I had to sleep on it to see if when I woke up I still had the same thoughts and feelings. The setting, the characters and the multiple perspectives *chefs kiss* are what I keep coming back too.

The synopsis of this book is everything. 1999 Blockbuster, a seemingly copycat murder, and a killer on the loose? What more do you need to suck you into this story?

There were so many characters in this story, yet I never had trouble keeping up or getting confused with the characters storyline. I thought this book showed great character growth and I genuinely liked and cared about what would happen to almost every person in the story. Agent Keller was my absolute favorite character, she's such a badass, didn't take anyone's crap, never let anyone stop her from what she needed and did I mention she's pregnant with TWINS!?

Please believe me when I tell you I was 50% in and I started to read this book like i was in the last few pages of a horror novel finding out the juicy ending. I couldn't put this book down, each storyline had something that literally shocked me and I couldn't wait to find out more. This isn't a one more chapter kind of book, it's a finish the entire story in one sitting book.

Pick up this book, you won't regret it. 5/5! Out March 1, 2022

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.