New Years Eve 1999
A man enters a Blockbuster video and mercilessly slaughters 3 teenage girls and the night manager. Leaving one girl alive he whispers in her ear
“Goodnight pretty girl”
15 years later the lone survivor is now a therapist and is called to speak to a patient, who like herself, is the lone survivor of a brutal attack eerily similar to her own. But when she hears the phrase whispered in the girls ear, the past and present collide and she finds herself at the center of a mystery she thought long solved.

Well written, the right amount of creep, with a twist I didn't really see coming.

New Year’s Eve 1999 - four teenage girls are attacked at a New Jersey Blockbuster store at closing time - three are killed and one survives. Vince Whitaker is quickly arrested but is released on a technicality and has not been seen for the past 15 years. New Year’s Eve 2014 - four teenage girls are attacked at the local ice cream store, again at closing time, and again three are killed and one survives. Ella Monroe was the survivor of the first attack and is now a psychological therapist. She is called to the hospital when Jesse Duvall, the survivor of the second attack asks for her. When Jesse is arrested for the second crime, Chris Ford, a public defender, becomes part of the defense team. What isn’t known to many is that Chris was adopted and changed his last name - he is actually Vince’s brother and has been searching for him since he disappeared along with trying to prove that he was not responsible for the murders. Then there is FBI agent Sarah Keller, working with a young local detective, who is hellbent on solving the case. Pregnant with twins, she wants to solve the case before she delivers and before the older detectives who have tried to push her to the side of the investigation. So all of these complications and interrelationships result in a complex story with excellent character development and tons of story twists, most of which come at the end of the relatively short chapters. I love books with relatively short chapters because it’s easy to put the book down and go about my life, but I soon found myself rushing to pick up the book and find out what surprise was next. Finlay has really hit a home run with this book. My thanks to Minotaur Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC of this book.

The Night Shift is a fabulous twisty turny thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat! New Year's Eve 1999 there is a horrible murder scene in the Blockbuster. Only 1 of the 4 girls working survive. 15 years later, 4 people are attacked working in an ice cream stop and only 1 survives. Told by 3 different perspectives, it's a fascinating story about a serial killer. Is it the same killer from 15 years ago? I loved Alex Finlay's first book and I loved this one! I am eagerly awaiting his next book!!! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Thank you Minotaur for the gifted copy.

Holy Sh*t. I haven't turned pages this fast in AGES. I actually resented sleep and having to do things during the day because I wanted to finish this book in one go (but, responsibilities).

In 1999, 4 people are brutally murdered at a Blockbuster Video. They think they have the suspect apprehended, but he is released and then disappears without a trace. Fifteen years later, there's another murder at an ice cream shop in the same city. Is it a copy cat? Is it the original killer returning to strike again?

I don't want to say more because I don't want to give one thing away. I will share some random thoughts though:
-I liked the characters especially Keller and Atticus
-I liked the connection between Ella and Jesse
-I had a solid guess at who the killer was towards the beginning. I was correct, but there were enough twists at the end to keep it interesting and give me a few surprises.

Pick this one up when it's released next week. I can see it EASILY being made into a TV series or movie.

4.5 starts rounded up, only because I thought the killer was kind of obvious.

This book was a quick read that kept me hooked. (It also terrified me as someone who works at a store) A person murders 4 at a blockbuster on New Years Eve 1999. There was one survivor. Flash forward to a murder at a Dairy Creamery 15 years later. Three dead, one survivor. Is it the same killer?

The author takes you on a 3 day journey, changing the view of three characters, the first survivor, the brother of the Blockbuster murder suspect (who had since disappeared after being released 15 years ago), and a pregnant FBI agent working the case.

The short chapters, and then cliff hangers at the end of most chapters made me want to keep reading. This was a quick binge for someone who said they weren’t in the mood to read a thriller at the moment. It was a very interesting read! I’d give it 4.5 stars, taking .5 away because I figured out the killer about 8% into the book. Hopefully it’s a twist for others! Though I knew who did it, there were other twists that I needed to find out.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in response for an honest review.

Thank you to publishers and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for honest review.

I haven’t read such a great thriller in a long time! This was fast paced, action packed, and kept me engaged the whole story. It kept me at the edge of my seat! Highly recommend

4.5⭐️

This is the definition of a fast paced, page turner thriller!

Things I loved:
- short chapters (like 1-5mins)
- the multiple POVs (they all were connected right from the start and added so much value to the plot)
- the character development was incredible. I felt like I could connect with each character almost instantly and I was rooting for all of them
- the PLOT TWISTS (one of them actually made me say NO FREAKING WAY out loud)
- the epilogue was really satisfying

The only thing that I didn’t love - I predicted who the killer was. That being said - there were still lots of twists and turns that I didn’t at all anticipate and I didn’t predict the whole ending!

I am excited to read more by Alex Finlay!

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! Another winner by Alex Finlay. He writes a great mystery. I felt emotionally attached to the characters from the first page. I liked the story being told from the different points of view. It really worked well in this book. It was a book I didn't want to put down. The pace was fast moving with a lot of twists and turns. I read it in one day. I really enjoyed the resolution for several of the characters. The ending was very satisfying. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I devoured this book! It takes place near where I live and I definitely appreciated the familiarity but the story was layered and complex and kept me on the edge of my seat! On New Year's Eve in 1999, four employees are murdered at a Blockbuster video. Only one girl survives. Fifteen years later, the lone survivor, an FBI agent and an assistant prosecutor who has ties to the expected murderer are involved in trying to solve this case. The story is told from opposing points of view and is intense with very well developed characters and a story that keeps you guessing!

**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur, and Alex Finlay for an ARC of this book!**

It's Friday Night. You're 18. And you have absolutely no idea what TikTok, Tesla, or Twitter are. You're desperate for SOMEthing to do other than roam the mall, loiter at the nearest bowling alley, or jump around in your Moon Boots for the thousandth time.

A commercial comes on, with it's all-too-familiar phrase:

Make it a Blockbuster Night.

...and suddenly, there is NO PLACE you'd rather be.

Alex Finlay manages to take this charge from Make it a Blockbuster Night to Make it a Blockbuster Book...and there was NO BOOK I'd rather read!

Our story opens in the last true golden age: the Age of VHS. Four teens in the small town of Linden, NJ are closing up their Blockbuster store for the night when an attacker strikes. One teen survives, but the perp manages to evade police and disappear entirely. A blip on the crime radar UNTIL a similar attack occurs at an ice cream shop, fifteen years later. 4 victims, one survivor. Has the killer come out of hiding for round two?

It certainly seems that way...as both times, the killer utters "Goodnight pretty girl."

Everyone's favorite FBI Agent Sarah Keller (first featured in Finlay's debut, Every Last Fear) is on the case, and "Final Girls" Ella and Jesse have input and insight as well. There is a wide range of possible suspects here, and as things progress, we meet siblings of the survivors, friends, colleagues, detectives, and family members. Does the killer have a THIRD target in mind? Could all of these loose ends be neatly tied together by story's end.. Do either of these Final Girls know more than they are letting on...and just exactly WHO was lingering in the Blockbuster parking lot, all those years ago?

After the absolutely top-notch thriller that is Every Last Fear from then-debut author Alex Finlay and a run of less than 5 star reads lately, my expectations for this book were about as high as they could be for any author AND any thriller I have picked up in recent memory...and saving this one for a much needed pick-me-up was WELL worth it!

Finlay's trademarks are all here:
*short, punchy, in-your-face chapters. My personal favorite in thrillers, for the obvious reason of compelling you to read more and more. It's easy to say, "Just one more chapter" when it only takes a few minutes to read it! Well played, Finlay.
*character development that brings you up to speed with the life, motivations, and hopes of his characters in no time flat! If you're going to alternate POVs AND be economical in chapter length, every word counts. Finlay's books don't hold much in the way of filler, because frankly? There isn't any time for it! However, I never feel shortchanged when it comes to his characters. They are always easy to visualize and intriguing from start to finish!
*Red herrings and twists. I LOVE his jaw-dropping and eye-popping moments, and there were certainly a few in this one! Sometimes it's fun to really play sleuth and see how quickly you can determine the killer, and other times it's fun to sit back and sort of watch everything unfold before you. The beauty of Finlay's books is that you can take either path and have FUN. Plenty of room for armchair detectives, but if you'd rather just let yourself be surprised (basically how I went into this one) there's plenty of room to do that too. His stories FEEL very plausible and real, and even if there were minor plot holes pointed out to me, I doubt I'd notice them or care! Always a sign of entertaining and well-thought out writing.

I think perhaps my biggest criticism of this one, ironically, was Agent Keller's portrayal: she is supposedly 9 MONTHS PREGNANT (and nearly full term) with twins...and not only is she still working her normal beat without MISSING a beat, there is actually a point in the book where she feels some pain in her stomach and thinks "Eh" and essentially ignores it. I mean, the fact that she's moving around at all is pretty incredible, but I have to imagine most first time moms would hardly be nonchalant about pains like that...since they could potentially signal a problem or...you know...LABOR!

The best thing about Finlay's writing, however? It pulses with a suspenseful heartbeat all its own, not letting up from page one until it left me baffled, breathless, and begging for more! Finlay is an absolute must-read author for me, and if you enjoyed his last, love the 90s and are in search of a character-driven, page-flipping thriller

...The Night Shift will tick every one of those boxes, because ANY night you're reading a Finlay book is its own Blockbuster Night!

4.5 stars

Most anticipated book of 2022!

A BlockBuster Video is the scene of a gruesome crime in 1999, fast forward fifteen years and the killer strikes again. Three baddass women tell The Night Shift tale - a survivor from 1999, an FBI agent and a survivor of the most recent crime.

The short chapters help build atmospheric tones of suspense. This novel is incredibly fast-paced, and left me guessing all the way to the end. The Night Shift is a gripping thriller that will keep you turning the pages.

Thank you St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the advance reader copy.
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of The Night Shift by Alex Finlay. I have never read this author before, but I really like the way he writes! For an action packed solid mystery he does it really well. I hope to be reading more from him!

What a fabulous book about two mass murders occurring 15 years apart with multiple similarities! The three different viewpoints in The Night Shift captured my interest from the start and continued to keep me guessing until the final page! I could not put this book down. Then, just when I thought I had the murderer figured out, another twist in the plot occurred and sent me in another direction. I also loved the short chapters! This is such a well-written thriller with so many facets to the plot. I can’t wait to read other books by this author.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

This was an interesting thriller! It had a different feel than most which I fell in love with it from the beginning and loved the author’s writing style. I will definitely be looking for more by this author!

This was alright. I was relatively gripped but it took me a few days to finish (unusual for a thriller) and had the book been whipped out of my possession before the end, I wouldn't have been bothered so I definitely can't give above 3 stars.

My first time reading this author and I was kept riveted. I wasn’t able to guess who did it. That’s always a good thing in a suspense.

FBI Special Agent Keller, was brilliant. Agent Badass indeed.

The survivors of the brutal killings were amazing characters. It’s difficult to get back to life after being traumatized but they did the best and also helped with catching the real killer.

A well written book with likeable characters.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

An engaging thriller that I enjoyed. There was a lot of perspectives that I had a hard time keeping up with but I did enjoy the ending and gah I loved the character, Keller.
Overall an enjoyable thriller for sure.

It has been awhile since I came across a thriller with a layered timeline, no overbearing gore, and a well crafted band of misfits. I could not put this book down. It was also intriguing to be taken back to my childhood through Y2K and Blockbuster, regardless of how much that seems to date me. I didn't get the chance to read Finlay's first book but if The Night Shift is any indicator of what to expect from their past and future works, I have a new favorite author to keep an eye on.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

On NYE 1999 a brutal multiple homicide took place in a Blockbuster leaving one sole survivor. 15 years later in the same town, a homicide with multiple victims, one survivor, and links to the Blockbuster slaying occurs.

The Night Shift is told in three parts across three different points of view. The chapters are fairly short which I know quite a few readrs will enjoy. It's a fairly fast paced novel and held my attention for the most part. During the later half of the second part the pacing and the story started to wane for me. I felt that many of the loose ends were tied up too quickly, but maybe that's because I figured them out ahead of time too. Regardless I know a lot of readers will enjoy this book.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Night Shift

The story starts with a mass killing at a Blockbuster in 1999. Now, there has been another killing that is eerily similar to the first one. Is it the same person or a copycat? The lead suspect in the first killing has been missing for years. Did he come back to do the same thing. Chris and Ella were both impacted from the Blockbuster killing and are not being impacted by this one to. Is that on purpose?

What I loved:
📼Short chapters with multiple POV
📼Cliff hangers that keep you reading
📼Twists and turns that leave you trying to figure out who the killer is.

What made me anxious-
📼 One of the lead characters was a pregnant FBI agent. She was involved in all of the major scenes of the book. I was consistently worried about those sweet babies.

This is my first Alex Finlay book, and there will definitely be more in my future.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress / @minotaurbooks for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 1, 2022