I received this book through "NetGally" and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

The story begins with the killing of 4 people at a Blockbusters on New Year's Eve. The next chapter is 15 years later and introduces Ella who is called to talk to an individual in the hospital who survived a killing similar to the one which occurred 15 years earlier. Ella as it turns out is a survivor from the Blockbuster killing.

Sarah Keller, an FBI agent, is called to go the hospital to talk to this survivor. She is assigned to the case to discoverer if there is some sort of tie-in to the earlier killing where Vince the suspect in that case has disappeared and was still wanted. In addition to Ella, Chris is introduced as a public defender who just happens to be Vince's brother and which people that he works with are not aware.

As thime goes by, Sarah is teamed up with Atticus, a member of the D.A.'s office, to follow along and try and find a connection to the 1st killing. Learn how Ella interacts with Jessie and how Jessie winds up as a suspect in the current killing. Follow the evidence and information that Sarah uses to ultimate bring both cases to a conclusion.

The story will blow your mind with what happens at the end. You definitely don't want to miss following this book.

This was insane!
I couldn't put this book down. Every character, every POV was engaging. I honestly had no clue who the killer(s) was/were. This kept me guessing the entire time. All the stars!

On the cusp of the millennium, four teenage girls working the late shift at Blockbuster are brutally attacked and three are murdered. The police identify a suspect, who disappears and is never heard from again. Fifteen years later, in the same town, the crime repeats itself at an ice cream shop - Three girls murdered, one survives. And both girls are left with the same parting words: "Goodnight, pretty girl.” The survivors, the brother of the 1999 suspect, and a determined FBI agent must search for answers in a town, and in cases, that are full of secrets.

The Night Shift is expertly paced - You won't be able to put it down, because you know that the next twist or reveal could be just a page away. I absolutely devoured it in one night and loved the switched perspectives between the Special Agent Keller, Chris, and Ella. As you follow from each of their viewpoints, you know that the answers are just out of your grasp, and in the end, Finlay pieces the puzzle together brilliantly.

While I did predict the reveal of the killer(s), I didn't predict one of the other major twists, and I think that's what makes The Night Shift so engaging. There isn't just one reveal that the plot stands on and hurtles towards - It's the unveiling of a web of secrets, shame, and surprises that are intricately woven to create the story.

My biggest gripe is twofold: 1) making Agent Keller 8.5 months pregnant. Let's be realistic here... You're likely not going much further than the bathroom at that stage of the game while carrying twins, much less hunting down a killer. She's likeable (as is her sidekick Atticus), but only a man would write a book that has a close-to-birth woman running around town like this. 2) I didn't think the Epilogue was necessary, if I'm being honest. It was fine, but not necessary.

Overall, this is one we'll definitely continue to recommend! Consider me a confirmed Alex Finlay fan.

*rounded down from 4.5 stars*

I really enjoyed Every Last Fear, so Alex Finlay's latest, The Night Shift, was highly anticipated.

It was a great follow up.

Fifteen years ago, four people were murdered at a Blockbuster (readers of a certain age will wax nostalgic at the setting, even though it's set mostly in the present), and one survivor was left to pick up the pieces.

Today, at an ice cream shop, more teens are murdered and once again, only one person makes it out alive.

In the aftermath of the carnage, three people will meet in unexpected ways: the lone survivor of the original attack, who is at once leading a destructive lifestyle while at the same time using her career to help damaged people like herself; the brother of the suspect of the original attack, who is convinced of his sibling's innocence; and the FBI agent trying to fit the pieces of both nights together to solve the crime.

Like Every Last Fear before it, I flew through The Night Shift. It's incredibly twisty, and short chapters give the reader a breathless experience.

It's not without its issues, at least subjectively for me. The chapters are short and the pace quick, bit that's due in fact that each chapter is a new POV. There's a bunch of characters to keep track of outside of the main ones, and just as I was getting into someone's story, it cuts off and you're left to pick up a new narrative. But overall it was really satisfying, and I'd recommend this to any thriller/suspense genre fans.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

There’s nothing I love more than sitting down with a thriller that’s so compelling, immersive, and twisty that I lose track of time. I’m happy to report THE NIGHT SHIFT is one of those books.

This novel focuses on two crimes – one that happened in 1999 and a seemingly copycat attack that is committed in 2015. After the 2015 crime the FBI begins their investigation and Ella, one of the survivors of the ‘99 tragedy, is called to help the latest survivor not knowing she will be pulled into a mystery spanning decades.

THE NIGHT SHIFT was very similar to FINAL GIRLS, which is one of my favorite thrillers. They’re both cinematic, have big slasher movie vibes, and feature “unlikeable” main characters, which are some of my favorite tropes of the genre.

This was a super quick read – I finished it in just a couple of hours. Short chapters and multiple points of view made the action fly by. Finlay’s dialogue and prose is incredibly matter-of-fact, which keeps the plot moving. I’m not typically a fan of that but it really worked for this story.

It would have been a five star read for me but I had a couple of nitpicky things that bothered me throughout. I would have liked a little more backstory for some of the characters and the ending was a bit predictable. But those were all small things that didn’t majorly impact my enjoyment of the story.

THE NIGHT SHIFT comes out March 1, but I think this would make for a great beach/pool read when vacation season starts up. Make sure to add this to your TBR for this summer.

The Bottom Line: A fast-paced thriller perfect for fans of Riley Sager! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alex Finlay is officially an autobuy/autoread author for me. This story jumps right into things and kept me on my toes until the very last chapter. The chapters are so short and it's easy to sneak reading in all day long.

New Years Eve 1999. All the employees working a night shift at a Blockbuster video store were found attacked. Only one of them survived. Fifteen years later, the exact same thing happened with all the employees working a night shift at an ice cream shop. Is the killer back? Is this a copycat? The story takes you through both cases and how they are connected.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Books/Minotaur Books for the ARC of this book.

I wish I could read this book for the first time, all over again. I am not lying when I say this book will have you on the edge of your seat until your read the last word. Due timelines, multiple pov, short chapters. Twists, turns and secrets. This book literally has it all, and it works so damn well. Solid 5 star read for me!

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay

Woah, this book was impossible to put down. It had me hooked in the first scene and didn’t let me relax until the last page.

This one starts out with a horrifying crime in a blockbuster on New Years Eve 1999. 15 years later a very similar crime takes place in an ice cream shop in the same small town. The sole survivor of the first attack, Ella, is called to help the sole survivor of the second.

Told in 3 perspectives: Ella, the FBI agent on the case, and the brother of the accused from the blockbuster case. I loved the different viewpoints and found they covered everything thoroughly. It jumped around so much I was always on the edge of my seat but never got confusing or too much.

Only thing that bothered me was the the FBI agent was 8 and a half months pregnant with twins…and still on active duty investigating a murder. Highly unlikely in my opinion. When I was 8 months pregnant with one baby I could barely walk around the block.

But once I looked past that this is the best thriller I’ve read in a long time. It had jaw dropping moments and very interesting characters.

Highly recommend this one and I’m sure I will be seeing it everywhere! Thanks to @minotaur_books and @stmartinspress for my early copy! This is out on March 1st.

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And Finlay manages to knock it out of the park once again! Finlay’s last novel, Every Last Fear was a real page turner so I had some pretty lofty expectations — truly hoping (wishing) for another knockout. And The Night Shift did not disappoint. In fact, it exceeded my expectations with an “oh wow, just wow,” moment.

Fifteen years ago, Ella is the only survivor of the brutal slayings that occurred at the town’s Blockbuster store. Now a therapist, Ella is called to assist a trauma victim from a multiple homicide that occurred in the town’s ice cream shop — a single survivor like her. Coincidence?

The suspected perpetrator in the Blockbuster murders fled and was never apprehended. Could it be that the Blockbuster killer has returned? It is then that FBI Special Agent Keller is called upon to investigate whether the two crimes are related and if so, to locate and apprehend the suspect.

The story unfolds from multiple points of view but primarily through Ella and Keller with a somewhat minor perspective from the suspect’s brother, Chris who is now a public defender.

As the plot thickens, the lives of Ella, Keller, and Chris begin to intersect in ways that kept me in suspense throughout the novel. Numerous twists dot the narrative and it became a page turner that kept me up all night.

Overall, The Night Shift is an excellent read with intriguing characters, outstanding plot development, and intense suspense. Five amazing stars.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

Read this if…you’ve ever rented a VHS from a video store.

On New Year’s Eve in 1999, the young employees at a Blockbuster video store are brutally murdered. Despite there being one survivor, the suspected murderer disappears after a judge rules that there is insufficient evidence for an arrest. Years later, an eerily similarly crime is committed at an ice cream shop. The original survivor is called in to work with the FBI, along with the sole survivor of the latest massacre. Everyone must work together to hunt a monster, but not everything is as it seems…

Fun fact-both my husband and I worked at video stores while we were in college. My husband was actually robbed while working, but thankfully the thief was caught and no one got hurt. So when I read the premise of this book, I knew I needed to read it ASAP. Plus, there’s something so nostalgic about video stores and I’m sad that today’s kids will miss out on the experience.

Sometimes the premise for a book can sound great, but then the execution falls flat. That was not the case with this one! I loved everything about this book, from the characters to the pacing. The multiple POVs were done really well and I didn’t correctly guess any of the twists. Reading this was so effortless that I flew through it! I highly recommend this if you’re in the mood for a quality thriller that will keep you guessing.

A big thanks to Netgalley, the author, and Minotaur books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Since I thoroughly enjoyed "Every Last Fear," I was looking forward to reading Alex Finlay's next novel.

In "The Night Shift," the reader is introduced to a murder in a Blockbuster Store 15 years earlier. There are three dead and one potential victim who escapes. Now, a similar crime occurs at an ice cream stand. Could these two cases be related?

It is interesting following the details of the cases as the story is told from multiple points of view. The short chapters draw the reader in and make this novel a real page-turner.

I look forward to more great stories from this author!

3.5 stars

This was a very quick read with an interesting premise- 15 years ago a group of teens are murdered in a Blockbuster, one survivor managing to make it out alive. Now, a similar murder has occurred and the survivor from 15 years ago is brought into the investigation.

I loved the multiple POV’s between the survivor, the FBI agent assigned to the case, and lawyer who has ties to the original case. I felt like I got a full-world view of the case and got to see every side of it which was really cool. I also loved the pacing, it was super quick and the chapters were like potato chips, I couldn’t read just one. With that said because of the switching POVs, I never felt truly connected with any of them.

I also wanted more from this book, I wanted more mystery surrounding the murders and when it all wrapped up it felt… too simple?

I felt like this was a decent enough thriller and some readers will gobble it up and give it 5 stars, but I felt it was just lacking enough to be middle of the road for me.

Wow just wow. 2 murders 15 years apart in a small town. Secrets and plot twists that keep you holding your breath to the very end. Super faced paced read for me.

I had been wanting to read this book since I first heard about it and I was not disappointed. The storyline and character development were so complex and built up so well. I felt so many emotions reading this book and I really loved all the main characters. I love the way the story was told from many characters perspective to give a full picture. My intuition was right about the murderer but there was still a few twists that shocked me and I was on the edge of my seat the last 20% of the book. I was happy with the way all the loose ends were tied up and the ending did not feel rushed but well thoughtout and deliberate. Thank you to netgalley and the author for the free ARC of this book.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay is everything I dreamed it would be and then some! The book opens with an immediately riveting scene and compels you to keep breathlessly turning pages until the very end. The chapters alternate among three points of view and all three are equally engaging. Ella Monroe is the lone survivor of a brutal attack on a Blockbuster video store on New Year’s Eve 1999. In 2015 Ella now works as a therapist and has dedicated her life to helping others navigate trauma. Chris Ford is a defense attorney who has overcome a traumatic childhood and has a connection to the suspected Blockbuster murderer. Sarah Keller is an FBI agent working with the local police to catch a killer who slaughtered four people at a local ice cream restaurant in 2015. If you read Finlay's Every Last Fear you will remember Agent Keller from that book.

Has a copycat killer emerged in 2015 to recreate the Blockbuster murders or is this the work of the same murderer? This book is unputdownable with short chapters, alternating perspectives, and tantalizing cliffhangers at the end of chapters, compelling you to read just one more. The novel is full of suspense, surprises and twists all culminating in a satisfying conclusion. Readers who love crime fiction and thrillers will be captivated by this book. I highly recommend it and give it five big stars. Look for this book from your favorite bookseller on March 1, 2022. Thank you to Minotaur Books and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC! I have read this author previously and enjoy his style of writing as well as the way he tells a story. The Night Shift is a compelling read and kept me interested and wanting to read more. It is told from three different perspectives trying to solve a case from 15 years previously as well as a current case that is very similar. All of the characters were well written and enjoyable. The only reason I didn’t give it five stars is because it was a little bit predictable for me… Maybe I just read too many psychological thrillers! I would definitely recommend this though as a fast paced read with a good story.

The page turner you can't miss! Excellent characters. An intriguing mystery. The different points of view as well as the duel timelines give a well rounded look at the cases that keep you invested. Surprise twists and shocking reveals keep you awake way past bedtime. The ending was both satisfying and puts a smile on your face.

The Night Shift is a book with a great summer thriller premise. A young woman is the lone survivor of a brutal killing spree and for years has harbored the perhaps imagined memory of the killer whispering in her ear year. Now, fifteen years later another young woman is the survivor of a similar killing spree and has the same words whispered in her ear. Now linked the two women, along side the FBI agent in charge of the case, are forced to figure out what happened all those years ago as it starts to happen again.

I enjoyed the Night Shift for what it was. The characters were well written and it was a quick and propulsive read. However, there wasn't much to it that wowed me. It was pretty predictable and never quite reached anything that set it apart from any other thriller that might come out in a month. Honestly, I read it last week and my first thought was "It was good but it was just like that other book I read in December and in October."

That being said I think lovers of the thriller genre, especially thrillers with casts full of strong women, will really love this book. It's nothing spectacular but for fans of the genre it will definitely hit all the targets that readers are looking for.

Thank you NetGalley for this epic ARC.

Amaaaaaaaazing. This book captured me from the beginning, and did not disappoint in any way. Comparing the two cases was quite interesting, and twists happened that I definitely did not see coming.

I loved the character development, and thought they blended so well together. The premise of this story was unique and executed excellently.

3.5 stars

This was a satisfying thriller, very twisty without (usually) feeling over-stretched to be so. Two similar killing sprees twenty years apart are tentatively connected in a New Jersey town, and the lone survivors of each attack, along with other interested parties, try to solve all the mysteries entangled within.

I really enjoyed the pacing of the story, which went along quite quickly but still making time for proper character development and reader guesswork. I thought the twists were executed well and led to a satisfying conclusion.

I will say, I’m not in love with Jesse, the lone survivor of the second attack, as a character. She comes off rather manic-pixie, which is justified in-novel by her time in foster care in a move that only makes me feel more uncomfortable or uncertain about this particular characterization. Other characters are, however, very fun to watch as they put clues together and figure things out.

I had a good time reading this book, and enjoyed myself throughout. I would recommend it to any thriller fans or people looking to get into the genre.