This is the second book by this author I’ve read and I definitely liked this one even more than Every Last Fear. This story is told in dual timelines from many different perspectives. The story was well told and full of good twists and turns. In 1999 one night after closing all of the employees at Blockbuster are murdered except one. Fast forward to present day a similar crime occurred at Dairy Queen also with a sole survivor. The lead suspect in the Blockbuster killings got released for insufficient evidence and went on the run never being seen again. An agent of the FBI has been loaned to the investigation to specifically look for links between the two cases. I highly recommend this fun thriller with a great dose of nostalgia!

I enjoyed Alex Finlay's prior novel, Every Last Fear, so I was very excited to receive the arc for. The Night Shift. This was is another winner in my book. There are quite a few characters and everything is fairly fast paced but I didn't have a problem keeping people straight. This book read like true crime or a very well done cop drama. I did kinda figure out the killer but it was more in a fleeting, "I bet so and so did it," than a real theory. I began this book one night at bedtime, planning to read only a chapter or two but I couldn't put it down and read about 40% before I forced myself to go to sleep. There was a lot going on so I never got bored.

After reading and really enjoying Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay last year, I was super excited to dive into The Night Shift. This story has Final Girls vibes by author Riley Sager, but with PLENTY of originality! Things I enjoyed about this book: the 1999 NYE opening setting, the Blockbuster nostalgia, the well thought out plot, the pacing, and the alternate timelines. However, the twists fell a little flat for me. Still a solid sophomore thriller! 3.5 stars! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Add to your TBR - this one is available on March 1st!!


I kept seeing this all over bookstagram and had to request it! The story kept the pages turning fast. The story is told with multiple POVs and short, action packed chapters. With that wild opening chapter I was hooked from the start. It took me a bit to get used to all of the characters, but once I did, I was invested in all of their stories. Can’t wait to read more by this author!

I literally have no idea how to properly review this book without any spoilers.
It also needs to acknowledge the fact that at every twist, you'll think you know how it'll end.
Very impressed with this book. It's the first non-romance thriller I've read in a very long time!

This is my first time reading Alex Finlay and it won't be my last. This author reminded why I used to love the thriller genre.

You don't need me regurgitating the blurb.. if you love thrillers with a mystery this is the book for you! There were points when reading I thought for sure I knew how this ended, but I was wrong. That is why I have recommended this book over and over since receiving an ARC from #Netgalley.
THANK YOU Alex Finlay, you have reignited my love for this genre!!!

This book had me guessing from the very beginning! All of the characters were well written and throughly described. I felt like I was long side, right in the story with them. FBI Agent Keller had my anxiety up with being eight months pregnant and still working on a case. This is a story that goes to show you, you never really truly know a person. A definite must read for those who love thrillers and solving crimes. Read this book!

Really enjoyed this psychological thriller about two similar murders in the same town, fifteen years apart. It is told from several points of view, and the plot moves quickly. Enjoyed the twists and though I sort of saw the ending coming, I didn't have it all worked out. Solid choice for lovers of the genre!

If you’re old enough to remember Y2K, you'll remember it was all anyone talked about. People were stockpiling water, canned goods, and paper products, fearful the ushering in of the new millennium would bring on an apocalypse. It was also a simpler time, where some folks' biggest concern was returning a video to Blockbuster in time to avoid a late fee.

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 mind-blowing twists, it’s one is sure to give any lover of thrillers an exciting, unparalleled reading escape.

When it comes to two murders fifteen years appart, which occurred underneath very, VERY similar circumstances, leaving only one survivor both times... do you believe in coincidences? Yeah, me neither.

This read was suspenseful and (almost) overwhelming ; gripping you from the very beginning.
I loved how the story was told through different POVs and how much more dept to not only the storyline but also to the various characters it allowed us.
Yes, there are quite a few characters in this one, but for some reason, I didn't lose myself between all the connections and diverse stories. I guess that's the magic of Finlay's writing.

Overall, it wasn't an absolute perfect read in my opinion, but somehow very entertaining and refreshing.

A huge thank you to the publishers of NetGalley for the arc.
I definitely recommend this one to any book lover that's looking for their next suspense-filled read.

Just when I thought maybe I needed to take a long break from thrillers I decided to try one more time and picked this one up hoping it would be good. Well, it was better than good for me, it was great and I loved it!!

Synopsis: It’s New Year’s Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in Linden, New Jersey, four teenage girls working the night shift are attacked. Only one survives. Police quickly identify a suspect who flees and is never seen again.

Fifteen years later, in the same town, four teenage employees working late at an ice cream store are attacked, and again only one makes it out alive.

Both surviving victims recall the killer speaking only a few final words... “Goodnight, pretty girl.”

In the aftermath, three lives intersect: the survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive her tragedy; 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. On a collision course toward the truth, all three lives will forever be changed, and not everyone will make it out alive.

Besides the synopsis all you really need to know is that it’s fast paced, gripping and told from several interesting viewpoints that really kept the plot moving and kept me glued to the pages. I just had so much fun with this one and found it to be entertaining, clever and tense. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks @minotaur_books for my copy!

WHAT A BOOK!!

I've had this book on my TBR for weeks now and even marked it on my calendar because I was *that* excited. Obviously I had high expectations based on the synopsis so I'm glad to say my expectations were met and even surpassed.

This was my first book by Alex Finlay and after reading it, I'm already looking into his other titles so I can start another one of his. The way "The Night Shift" was written was great and the three POVs were an interesting touch. Something I liked about these POVs were the three sides of the investigations these characters provided: a lawyer's side, an FBI agent's side and a therapist's side. Although two of these characters had a further interest into the investigation, it was exciting to see how everything these three characters investigated came together as the book kept going.

The characters in this book were all greatly written and there were no unnecessary dialogues or scenes that contributed nothing to the plot; everything had a purpose and everything that was said could later become important. The motivations for each character was well written and made sense in the context. The plot twists left me shocked and I never felt like they were just done for the sake of shocking the reader. The twists were perfectly done and they had just the perfect amount of suspense.

The pacing was perfect, starting with a murder and leaving the reader hooked from the prologue. Again, there were no unnecessary scenes that were written just to fill the pages, everything had its significance and it was all pretty straightforward. I couldn't put the book down for even one second, I literally finished it in one sitting and was a bit disappointed when it eventually ended.

But wow, what a book! This is easily my first favorite read of the year and I can't wait for everyone to read this amazing work. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this advanced copy of the book!

This book grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go! The book follows two local mass murders 15 years apart. This is a very good police procedural with multiple points of view. The characters are complex, interesting, and likable, and I recommend this book and this author!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, the author, and NetGalley for the free gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I could not put this book down I read it so fast, and that truly says a lot about a book to me. The story hooks you right away - there are two murder cases that are eerily similar and the book goes back and forth between all the different characters trying to figure out if they were connected and who was responsible for each one.

I loved how there was the 90s nostalgia of the Blockbuster scene and how it all connected to the current time with cell phones and youtube bloggers.

If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller with multiple different POVs and crimes to solve then this is definitely the book for you!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Mystery Thriller

The story of this mystery thriller takes place on New Year’s Eve 1999. Do you remember all the chaos and talks about the disasters that will happen in Y2K? On that night at a Blockbuster Video in New Jersey, a massacre happens where three teenage girls are murdered out of four. Only one of them survives (Ella). At the time the suspect is identified as being one of the girl’s boyfriends. The problem is that he completely disappears and the case is not solved. Fifteen years later, another incident happens in the same town and again one survives. The work starts with an FBI agent to solve this case connecting the two cases.

This is a fast-paced thriller with multiple POVs. All the perspectives are narrated in the third person style which is helpful and makes confusion of any characters’ mix up at a minimum. Some readers might not be comfortable with the constant jump between the POVs, but I think that was necessary for this book to keep the intrigue and the fast pace.

The characters were interesting, be it the FBI agent, the survivors, or the male characters. I think they served the purpose very well. The story has several surprises here and there that made the plot more interesting. I wouldn’t call them twists, but more like unexpected surprises. As you may notice I am trying not to mention the names of the characters so that everything is kept for you to discover.

My only issue with the story is that I feel the killer’s motive was not strong enough to do what he did. I don’t know, I just felt that his motive was exaggerated. Was he that afraid of his mistake? (Can’t say more) But to me, that motive was not convincing or justifiable to do what he did. Another thing I have to say is that I like when there are references to other books/films in a book but I prefer if such references are kept for the light moments and not for the serious ones. I’m referring here to the “Silence of the Lambs” reference. I was engaged with the character, I was feeling her and her difficult situation but as soon as this reference came up my mind just shifted somewhere else. I was doing fine imagining that scene, as soon as that reference was mentioned my mind snapped out of the scene thinking about Jodi Foster. That was not necessary.

The Night Shift is an entertaining thriller. It is well written for the most part of it and provides you with the right atmosphere that you require from mystery thrillers. I enjoyed it.

Many thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.

No sophomore slump here!

Finley has crafted another fabulously compulsive mystery/thriller! I really enjoyed his debut novel Every Last Fear and was very excited to get my hands on this. This had all the things I enjoy most in a good story; a well thought out plot, well developed characters, and a mystery & twists that kept me on my toes. I really liked Agent Keller and my fingers are crossed that we get to investigate with her again. She’d make a great lead for a series (hint, hint).

I can’t really find any major or minor flaws in this story & in my recent reading that’s pretty rare. I do wish NG had offered it in audio which is how I prefer to read my thrillers for the added depth. I still highly recommend & I’m already looking forward to Finley’s next endeavor. 5 stars.

***ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s New Year’s Eve and five people work the last shift at a Blockbuster in Linden, New Jersey. By closing time, four of the young people are dead and one is severely injured. These murders go unsolved although there is a suspect who was identified but fled.

Fast forward fifteen years and a similar tragedy occurs, only this time in an ice cream shop. Two teens are dead and one is injured. Ella, the survivor from the Blockbuster murders is now a therapist. She is asked by the school principle to help out with the new survivor, Jesse, who is not cooperating with the police. As Ella builds a repour with the angry teen she learns that many of the details about Jesse’s assault are similar to her own.

A task force is formed of local police and FBI personnel. The police will investigate the new murders while the FBI looks for a possible connection to the Blockbuster massacre. As the tension mounts, Special Agent Sarah Keller discovers there are quite a few links to the first crime. In fact, at least five people were somehow involved back then. Old secrets need exposed if they are to find the killer.

I found this book just as exciting and suspenseful as Alex Finlay’s first book, Every Last Fear. The last 50 pages were a blur as I raced to the surprise conclusion. This book is for readers who like psychological fiction by authors such as Lucy Foley or Jean Hanff Korelitz.

Robyn Heil, Buyer for Brodart Co.

This was my first book by this author and boy was this a good start. I thought this book was intriguing and just amazing. I loved the characters and how they were written. I really liked the 90's references as well. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was that sometimes it was hard to follow but other than that I enjoyed this.

It's been awhile since I read a thriller that made me want to stay up reading late into the night with my eyes hurting and protesting for me to stop. Just so you know, I ignored my protesting eyes. I couldn't put it down. I had to know what was going to happen. The story gripped me from start to finish.

First, a New Jersey town is rocked by a 1999 New Years Eve, Blockbuster store, massacre. Then again 15 years later by a 'copycat' massacre at a local ice cream shop. Finlay brilliantly weaves the two story lines with past and present characters together to keep you guessing who dunnit until the very end.

I totally loved it. It's fast-paced, keep you on the edge-of-your-seat, perfection.

Woah. The Night Shift is creepy with a capital C. I could hardly read this one at night as I was getting scared! Always well-done, The Night Shift is another excellent Finlay book.

I enjoyed this book and wanted to see what happens next. There may have been a bit too many coinsidences, but I can get over it. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.