I really enjoyed the chase of two seemingly unrelated murderers, from two totally different times. The switching of character points of view really gave you a chance to see the story from all sides. It was dark, twisty, and left me guessing right up until the end.

Alex Finlay is just *chef’s kiss* when it comes to thrillers and this one was no different! Plot: yes! Twists:yes! Character development: yes! Prose: yes! Will I read more: oh yes!

This is a fast-paced thriller that I enjoyed a lot. Two similar crimes are committed 18 years apart. Could the murderer be the same person that is currently on the run or is there a copy-cat? I was surprised by the conclusion which is always a good thing, right? I would definitely read more from this author.

Alex Finlay writes with unapologetic subterfuge and skill. This novel will not hand the reader a tidy plot line with 'who-dun-it' trope that checks all applicable boxes. Put on your thinking caps, settle in, and enjoy the ride. Finlay offers a mutilayered, complex plot with varying time lines and diverse points of view. The unique format of the short chapters adds tension to an already compelling storyline and Finlay's outstanding scene setting easily transports readers back to y2K. Loved it. Highly recommended.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Minotaur_Books for the ARC of #TheNightShift, which was read and reviewed voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#bookfluence #thrillerreads #alexfinlaybooks

I enjoyed The Night Shift, though not as much as I’d hoped.

The synopsis leads us to believe that Blockbuster, along with the threat of Y2K and all that drama, was to be a big part of this story. It’s really not, but the Blockbuster scenes are a fun blast from the past.

The present-day setting, with the new murders and the survivor from the past murders working as a therapist, is the main storyline.

The lead FBI agent on this case is a woman who is 8-½ months pregnant with twins. Sure, she’s badass. But, please. Any woman who has been pregnant, much less carrying twins, knows it’s highly unlikely you’ll be chasing down killers two weeks before your due date. I struggled with plausibility here.

The big reveal didn’t wow me. We’re left with several loose, dangling threads that you might or might not notice.

Still, this is a quick read that will likely keep you guessing through to the end.

This is a no from me. I was just so bored, I couldn't finish it. Maybe I wasn't in the right headspace for a murder mystery but I also think there were way too many POVs to keep track off and that also made things worse.

4.5 stars rounded up!!

**Thank you so much to @minotaur_books, @alexfinlayauthor, and @netgalley for my eARC!**

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🔴 A FLICKER IN THE DARK
🔴 Serial killer / mass murder plot lines
🔴 Multiple POVs and dual timelines
🔴 Thrillers that truly keep you guessing throughout
🔴 Fast-paced books that you cannot put down

SHORT SYNOPSIS:
15 years ago, 4 teenage girls and their young (male) manager were attacked at a Blockbuster; only 1 survived. Fast-forward to present day, and the same thing has happened again, in the same town- this time at an ice cream shop. The lone survivor from the Blockbuster murders, Ella, is now a counselor and is called to the scene to speak with the lone survivor in the ice cream store case. Could the killer be the same person who attacked her all those years ago?

MY THOUGHTS:
I LOVED this thriller!!!! Part of me wants to go ahead and give it 5 stars, buttttt I am a thriller junkie and typically only give 5 stars to the ones who leave me absolutely STUNNED and in awe.

One of my good friends (IRL), @lacyloveslit, loved this one, so I went in with high expectations. I definitely was not disappointed! Although I read this during a busy work week, I could not stop thinking about it; I was so excited to get home each night to read more! This is my first Alex Finlay novel, and definitely will not be my last.

This novel sucked me in from the very first page, and was enticing, suspenseful, and truly thrilling throughout. I was a tad suspicious of the character who was revealed to ultimately be behind the murders- BUT, with all of the twists and turns, I kind of forgot about this person, and ended up being pretty shocked!

I do wish there would have been more atmospheric vibes regarding the Blockbuster setting- I was so intrigued by that! The majority of the book focuses on the second case/mass murder.

Overall, this thriller was extremely well-done and I couldn’t “flip” my kindle pages fast enough. Def recommend to thriller lovers 👏🏼

🚨 **PETITIONING THAT THIS ONE BE ADAPTED TO THE BIG SCREEN!!!** 🚨

After LOVING Every Last Fear, I expected to absolutely love this one too. While I did very much enjoy it, I didn't love it quite as much. I found it hard to imagine an 8-month pregnant FBI agent being able to participate in the investigation as much as she did. Additionally, there were SO many character POVs and multiple timelines. I was a little overwhelmed keeping everything straight. I did like the process of the investigation and the elements of nostalgia interwoven with the plot. I'm definitely still an Alex Finlay fan even if this one wasn't quite as amazing as I was hoping for it to be.

I love this author! The twisty, complex plots are satisfying, but it's the characters and the exploration of trauma and redemption that elevates these books beyond straight genre fiction. Sarah Keller is a complete badass, and I love her charmingly stable home life and ridiculously wholesome husband - how nice to have an FBI agent character who isn't a self-destructive alcoholic, and a woman no less. Her struggle to balance work and family and her juxtaposition with the devastated crime victims and their family members is employed to good effect. I loved Every Last Fear slightly more, but this was very good and I will read anything Finlay puts out.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Night Shift by Alex Finlay.

This is a THRILLER. Two women come together after being survivors of a similar crime, fifteen years apart, to find the killer who keeps haunting this poor town. But even with the help of a very determined FBI agent, these three women might find themselves in way more danger then they ever could have bargained for.

This has so many things that I love. Girl power, an intricate plot, a solid mystery, lots of twists and turns, complex characters. It's no wonder there is so much buzz around this book. I highly recommend! Be sure to pack this one on your next vacation.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Having worked at Blockbuster in the late 90s the opening scene felt very creepy because I could vividly imagine this exact thing happening. From then I was hooked and could not put it down. I kept turning pages and stayed up well past my bedtime.

This was such a good thriller that had me hooked from the very beginning!

I was constantly trying to solve the case and was pleasantly surprised by the reveal at the end. After reading this one and another one of Finlay's books, I'm definitely a fan! I'll be sure to keep my eye out for more upcoming titles.

The Night Shift starts off with a WOW moment. The prologue hooked me from the start.

I absolutely adored all the references to vintage horror in this book. Alex has such a unique way of weaving these references throughout the story and making them seem so seamless. I also really enjoyed the characters. I loved all the different povs we got throughout the novel.

I didn’t find the actual mystery to be a bit predictable in spots. I wanted a little bit more in that aspect of the story. The ending also felt a bit rushed.

Overall I still really enjoyed this book. Definitely a soiled 3 Star Thriller for me. If you enjoy thrillers you will enjoy this book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review!

I love a crime novel that centers around a resurrected cold case, and "The Night Shift" is a fantastic entry to this genre. A killing spree that occurred on New Year's Eve of 1999 left only one survivor. Now it is 15 years later, and a seemingly copycat crime has occurred at an ice cream store. It is told from 3 different character perspectives that intertwine and twist together to create a mind bending narrative that never gets boring or predictable. Highly recommend.

I suggested this one for book club because I enjoyed Every Last Fear enough to know that this was going to be messed up in a good way. You know what I mean?

This book reads so fast, I literally read the last 60% of it in one sitting. I think that is due to the short chapters and multiple POV. I really enjoyed the throw back to Y2K and Blockbuster. If you are into true crime podcasts, Finlay’s cases in his books remind me of ones I would hear on podcasts. While I figured out a few things early on in this book, there were definitely some twists I didn’t see coming. The way he weaved certain things into both cases, and ties to different people. It was complex. I also enjoyed the bits of the characters we got to know. I feel like you got to see who Keller, Atticus, Chris, Ella and Jesse were as people. I felt like the ending happened so quickly, maybe a little too abruptly? I was just like what??? But I really appreciated there was an epilogue to tie a few things up.

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy of The Night Shift from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Enjoyment: 4.5 stars
Overall rating: 4.79 stars

It's New Year's Eve 1999. The world is still in fear of a digital apocalypse. The year 2000 comes without a glitch for most. But not for the teen girls who worked the night shift at a New Jersey blockbuster. The four of them are attacked, and only one survives. The police's only suspect disappears without a trace.

15 years later, in the same town, the story repeats itself. Four teens working the night shift at an ice cream parlour are attacked. One survives. The killer's final words are engraved in the two girl's minds, "Goodnight, pretty girl."

In the book's present time, we follow the OG victim, the brother of the 1999 suspect who believes the cops got it wrong, and the FBI agent determined to solve both cases. They come from different directions, searching for the same thing; not everyone will make it out alive when their lives collide.

I absolutely LOVE Finlay's character work and his ability to pull as many PoVs as he needs to tell his story and make them all compelling, exciting and relevant. I loved Agent Keller in his debut novel, and I am beyond thrilled to have her back. Well, kind of. The Night Shift takes place before Every Last Fear, and Keller is 8 months pregnant in this novel. Let me tell you, she is equally fierce and determined.

To say much about this book is to deprive future readers of experiencing all the twists and turns themselves, but I will say this: the reader is in for a well-plotted treat with a high octane finale.

I feel I should mention that having the right expectations will benefit the reader. Most of the action and narrative are set in the mid-2010s. Even though the original crime happened in 1999, there isn't a lot of 90's references. I appreciate that Finlay didn't drag the past at the cost of a cohesive story that keeps the tension from the first scene to the last paragraph.

Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of The Night Shift.

I can see a lot of people liking this, and I did at points, but I felt that the mystery aspect was dragged on for too long. I was very interested in the first half, but sort of fell off for the last half. However, as someone from North Jersey, I really liked how the setting was involved in the story.

I LOVED this thriller which was chock full of fun 90's nostalgia and references. The mystery and suspense was very well done - connecting an older case of a murder of night shift employees at a Blockbuster video to a present day murder of a night shift at an ice cream parlor. The writing was tense and I could not put it down.

I loved Finlay’s last novel so I was so excited to read this one. I loved how fast paced it was. The chapters were quick and to the point without feeling kitschy. There were a few moments where it felt like the story jumped without enough description and I’d have to go back and reread a page to see how we got where we were but overall I thought it was a great thriller and I did not expect the ending.

This was an incredible story. BELOW ARE DEFINITE SPOILERS:

The story starts out set at a Blockbuster, which brought all the childhood memories to the surface for me. We used to spend every Friday night at Blockbuster picking out movies for the weekend.

Unfortunately, this one takes a bad turn as the Blockbuster becomes the location for a mass murder.
One girl survived the event and she is one of the main characters of the book moving forward, Ella.
She ends up helping the young woman, Jesse, who survives a copy cat style murder at an ice-cream store years later.

The mystery of who murdered teenage girls twice in this small town becomes the crux of the story.
But like any good mystery, there are so many unknowns and exciting reveals through the plot.
Elle and the young girl become close and I loved the reveal that she is the daughter of one of the victims.
I also loved the budding romance between Elle and Chris.
Chris was an interesting character since he was the brother of the accused murderer. But his brother disappeared back during the Blockbuster case and was never found.

This story was just extremely well done. There were so many side plots/details that really helped build the narrative (FBI Agent Sarah Keller, the travel blogger Mr. Euphoria, Ella's relationship with her mother.) I just love it all and it was a great story to read!