This was a solid thriller and if you are of a certain age (ahem, like I am) the nostalgia is real.
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New Years Eve 1999 is prepped for chaos. If you experienced this you know that the nerves were real. I was a senior in high school in 1999 and there was legit fear of Y2K.
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Of course, none of that happens but what does happen in this book is four teens are attacked at a Blockbuster and only one survives.
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Let’s take a quick pause. Was there anything greater than a #blockbuster on a Friday night?!
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Anyway, fifteen years later four teenagers are attacked at an ice cream shop in the same small town with one survivor.
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The #finalgirl from both night shifts Meet, along with the FBI agent and a lawyer who happens to be the brother of the accused collide and try to unpack this mystery.
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This held my attention to the end. Thank you @minotaurbooks for an advanced copy.

This was a fun thriller, and the twist was unexpected enough to be fun but not too out there either. My biggest gripe is that this book should have leaned more into the nostalgia of the 90’s versus it being more of a crime procedural.

This is a story about someone who was NOT kind & probably did not rewind.

This book hit hard on the nostalgia fronts. It a really fun read with a solid thriller element & a twist I didn’t predict! My only complaint was the questionable therapist element- but at this point I think I’ve come to expect it whenever a therapist is involved & it didn’t detract too heavily from the overall experience.

Thank you so much netgalley Minotaur books & St. Martin’s press for the eArc!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC to review! The Night Shift is a mystery/thriller by Alex Finlay. It was published on March 1, 2022.

On New Year's Eve in 1999, five Blockbuster employees were attacked and only one survived. The survivor, Ella, is haunted by the phrase that her attacker whispered into her ear: "Good night, pretty girl." The supposed killer is arrested but let go for insufficient evidence. He then vanishes. Fifteen years later, Ella is working as a therapist when she receives a call that there has been another massacre, this time at an ice cream parlor. There is one survivor, a girl named Jesse Duvall. When Ella meets Jesse, Jesse tells her that the attacker whispered "Good night, pretty girl" as she was losing consciousness. It can't be a coincidence, right?

This book unfolds in two distinct timelines: NYE 1999 and present day. It is also told from multiple perspectives. We hear from Ella (the original survivor), Sarah Keller (the FBI agent called in on the case), and Chris (a county defense attorney who has a unique relationship to the case). The different timelines and perspectives were easy to follow. Overall, I found this book a very enjoyable read. I was able to guess the killer after about halfway through, but I wasn't disappointed. There were many twists and turns throughout the story that kept me wondering what would happen next. This novel was well plotted and had loose ends that were all tied up at the end. Most of the characters were believable, apart from Sarah Keller. I found it a little hard to believe that someone who was 8.5 months pregnant with twins would be able to be as active of a participant in the plot as she was. However, the other characters helped make up for it. I especially loved Jesse's character. All in all, I really enjoyed the plot of this book and would be interested in reading more of Finlay's books!

I really enjoyed Every Last Fear by this author from last year and so his newest book was on my most anticipated list and I am happy to say that I did enjoy it though maybe not as much as the other book.

It’s told in two different timelines with 4 povs but I will give this author credit for doing this very well because I am not a huge duel timeline kind of person. I can handle multiple povs if they are done well.

First it starts off in 1999 where at a blockbuster the closing crew is attacked and there is only one survivor. Then it goes to 2015 which is the main timeline and there is another similiar attack at an ice cream place and again only one survivor.

The survivors are two of the povs then we also get the FBI agent who is asked to look in on things to see if the blockbuster attack and ice cream killer could be the same one as the blockbuster suspect got away. You also have the pov of Chris who is the brother of the blockbuster suspect.

I know it sounds complicated but its not really once you get int things. I do think that it’s good to go in with not knowing a hole lot so you can try and figure out what is going on, so I an not going to say much about the plot.

I will say that I thought the first half of it was a little slow but the last half ramps up a long and gets really interesting. I guessed one of the major twist, but there was still enough twist that I didn’t figure out that it was still a really interesting read. The author is very good at putting together the timelines and making things make sense in the end.

If you enjoy thrillers give it a try!

A well-written thriller that eases you in with page-turning goodness, then gives you whiplash when you think everything's okay. And when the waters calm...BAM! This is my second Alex Finlay book and I'm a fan for life.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Minotaur Books for offering an eARC of this publication.

3.5/5. I loved Every Last Fear, so I was excited to read this book. Unfortunately, I found this story less engaging (I was less interested in the characters from early on), which made the book seem surprisingly slow even with the action that was taking place.

I was hooked from the synopsis of this book right away. I love a good killer who resurfaces years later after a dormmate period in an eerily similar fashion as to their last kill. This book follows three different POVs of people related to the case from the past and the present case, Ella the lone survivor from the first murder, Sarah an FBI agent, and Chris an assistant prosecutor with a connection to the suspected murderer. This was a fast-paced book and Alex Finlay did an excellent job dropping clues for the reader to connect throughout the book. The Night Shift will grip you from the very first page and keep you wound tight until the very end. I really enjoyed reading this book and trying to make my guess before the big reveal and I would have given it five stars but I did find small things about some of the characters that I just didn't like and I feel like that was not anything to do with the writing but completely to do with the fact that I'm usually not big on crime thrillers that follow the detective or agent trying to solve the case. I much rather the story being told coming from the victim, almost victim, or the killer themself. Like I said this is just personal preference and had absolutely nothing to do with Alex Finlay's wonderful writing. If you enjoy a good suspenseful thriller then definitely pick up a copy of this book.

I got approved to read this book on March 15th, and the archiving date was March 15th. Thus, I did not have the time to read this book and give it a review.

I don't want this to affect my ratings, so I am giving this 3 stars for the time being. I will read it and review properly on my goodreads later. If you wish to give me an extension, I would be grateful.

In 1999 on the cusp of the new millennium when four unsuspecting young people working at the Blockbuster video store in Linden, New Jersey were closing up for the evening to go out and celebrate their own New Year's Eve when they were viciously attacked by a most brutal killer. There was only one survivor of that horrendous bloodbath. A suspect was never arrested for these murders.

Fast forward fifteen years later in the the same town of New Jersey when there is another brutal attack at an ice cream parlor, again leaving only one survivor. Some feel this is a copycat killer others think it is the same killer. A therapist, Sarah Keller will be asked to help with this case because she has a personal interest which may help the survivor as well as finding the real killer or killers of both of these inhumane crimes.

This was a wonderful detective mystery/thriller with many twists that I just didn't want to put the book down. There was plenty of action, suspense and mystery occurring up until the last page of the story. Sarah was a terrific and very flawed character that I never tired of. seeing what she would plan to do next. Whether the reader figures out the ending beforehand isn't relevant to the immense enjoyment this thriller brings to the table. The writing by "Alex Finlay" was excellent along with the graphic storytelling. This was a dark crime/mystery which touched on areas that could be disturbing to sensitive readers but not for those of us who enjoy Nice, Dark Thrillers.

Highly Recommend!

I want to thank the publisher "St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this terrific and exciting book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this story a rating of 4 1/2 THRILLING AND DARK 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!

"Gonna be a long night (Gonna be a long night)
It's gonna be alright, on the nightshift
You found another home
I know you're not alone, on the nightshift" - The Commodores

I could not get the Commodores out of my head while reading this book due to the title. They were not alone that night at the Blockbuster on New Year’s Eve 1999. Those working (you guessed it) the night shift were attacked and killed. Only one girl survived.

Fifteen years later in the same town in New Jersey, four teenagers working (you know what shift) the night shift are attacked and only one survives. Sounds like a pattern, doesn't it?

Both survivors recall being whispered the same thing. “Goodnight, pretty girl.” Cuz that's the last thing one wants to hear before everything goes dark.

The killer left many in his wake: the victims, the survivors, the family members, the shocked community, etc. In this book some intersect – the survivor of the blockbuster massacre, the brother of the original suspect who knows his brother was innocent, and a very pregnant FBI Agent (enter Fargo vibes) who vows to solve both cases.

Buckle me in! I love a good mystery and I love a (if it is done correctly) cold case/new case tie in. I had on my super sleuth hat trying to work the case along with Keller. Will you figure it out? Will you have an inkling?

I enjoyed this mystery and thought it was well done, well thought out and well written. It kept me on my toes, and I had my suspicions throughout. I enjoyed how the author showed how the original Blockbuster survival was plagued by that night. Can you just get over something like that?

How do you react when someone you loved is dubbed a killer, but you know the investigators have it wrong? What affect does that have on you?

Enjoyable twists and a reveal which may not surprise some but either way, this book didn't disappoint me.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for this terrific read!

I loved this thriller! I loved the entire setup and the connections between decade apart murders. It's always fun to see these stories in different perspectives so the characters really made it for me.

I definitely recommend this as a fast-paced read that will keep you on your toes!

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay has one of the best set ups for a thriller. New Years Eve 1999 four teen girls working the night shift at Blockbuster are attacked and only one survives. Same town, 15 years later, but now an ice cream shop, same attack with only one survivor. The one thing both girls remember is the killer saying, " Goodnight, Pretty Girls."

The author has written more than a solid mystery. There is so much honesty in his writing about predators grooming victims, the lasting effects of trauma and unresolved teenage friendships. I did figure out the killer but there was so much more to this story than who did it. The writing was emotional at times and kept me reading all day.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via #Netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Night Shift is a fast-paced thriller about two mass murders decades apart. In 1999, four Blockbuster employees are stabbed to death at closing leaving only one survivor. Twenty years later, an almost identical crime happens at the local ice cream shop and Ella, the sole survivor of the Blockbuster attack, is brought in to talk to the sole survivor of this recent attack. Both times the victims were young and stabbed to death but that’s where the similarities appear to end. Written from multiple perspectives including that of the FBI agent assigned to the case as well as Ella and Chris, a a criminal defense lawyer with a troublesome history. This book kept me guessing to the end with several twists and turns I didn’t see coming.

THANK YOU NETGALLEY & PUBLISHER FOR MY ARC COPY!
I loved this thriller! I binged this book in one day.
The characters are well connected in various professions, so you see many views in the case. Great balance throughout the book.

New Years Eve. 1999. Most of the world is stepping out and watching the ball drop into the new year. Five teens are working a night shift at the local blockbuster, where only one will survive. Fifteen years later, a similar killing occurs at a local ice cream shop and only one teen survives. Similar right?

My only disappointment was the epilogue, as it was quite uninformative on the status update with the characters in the book. I didn't get the full closure I was anticipating at the very end.

"The sheep spends its life worried about the wolf, only to be eaten by the farmer."

Well, dang. The Night Shift was one heck of a ride! I finished this in under 24 hours and loved every minute. There are some farfetched parts, but it was highly entertaining and I really enjoyed it!

On New Year's Eve of 1999, there were four girls working the night shift at a Blockbuster video store when they are brutally attacked and only one survived. The suspect ran and was never found. Fifteen years later four teens are attacked at a local ice cream store while working the late shift. Again, there is only one survivor. The two cases are eerily similar, especially with both surviving victims remembering that the killer whispered "Goodnight, pretty girl" to them both. We are then thrust into the investigation and tangled web of characters and secrets.

The Night Shift is told from three main POVs: Chris, a lawyer, Sarah Keller, a FBI agent working on ice cream shop murders, and Ella, who was the final girl from the Blockbuster murders. I really enjoyed the different perspectives of these characters and they were used to give us extra insight into the story.

This thriller was riveting and fast-paced. My predictions were spot on for the most part, but I really enjoyed the ride. I look forward to Alex Finlay's next release!

I was very impressed with the author’s last novel, Every Last Fear, so I was excited to read this book and I’m happy to say it’s even better than the last one. Much like his last book this author manages to make even the hard things work well. Usually I find multiple POVs annoying because inevitably one character or plot is more interesting but the author manages to write all the characters here so well that I was caught up in all of them. I’m horrible at remembering names when characters are first introduced and thankfully the author also sets the scene so well with each character that it was easy to keep track of who was who when the narration changed. The writing is very tight with no wasted words and a quick moving pace that was perfect. I was quickly caught up in the story and could not put it down. In his last book I thought the plot twists were incredibly obvious and broadcast too much but that’s not at all the case here. There’s a lot going on and it’s a book that you will not want to end. The characters hold your attention as does the plot. It’s a tragic backstory but incredibly well written. I can’t wait to read the author’s next book! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. I want to feel like I loved it’s a great story. It has great characters. And it’s a fun nostalgia trip to the late 90s/early 2000s.

But…but, but, but. If you’ve read Final Girls by Riley Sager you’re probably going to recognize a lot about how this one is going to turn out very early on. I pegged the villain the moment the character was introduced, and I’m not a person who is particularly good at busting the solve early in the narrative.

So, maybe don’t write a book about final girls that takes VERY heavy influence in how things shake out from a popular book that is literally called Final Girls?

It’s not identical, of course, but let’s just say there’s some extremely notable similarity, particularly when it comes to the killer. They’re not playing the same role, but their thoughts and actions were close enough that it made the solve kind of a bummer for me. I was hoping I was wrong about my guess the whole way, because aside from this it’s a great story.

Finlay wrote some excellent characters, sets a scene and creates atmosphere far better than most thriller writers, and creates an ending that is at least satisfying if not exactly original.

This was probably a 4 or 5 star book for me if not for the Final Girls issue. If you haven’t read that or you don’t mind the repetitive solve, you’ll probably love this. And I certainly didn’t dislike it or not enjoy reading it because of this. But fair warning, you’ve likely seen this proverbial movie before.

I'm a sucker for a great opening line - one that entices me to buckle up and settle in for the long haul confident I'm in for an all-nighter. The Night Shift's first sentence - The night was expected to bring tragedy - grabbed my attention and yes, compelled me to read this one in mostly one sitting. Finlay's signature short, bare-bones chapters with mini-cliffhangers ensured that I kept burning through pages and even though I repeatedly said "just one more chapter" and I'll retire for the night, I found it impossible not to read on.

December 31, 1999 - Y2K and the world held its breath . . . and lo and behold nothing happened. The next day dawned bright and people went on with their daily routines. Except for the people of Linden, New Jersey where the overnight savage slaughter of four teenagers ending their night shift at the local Blockbuster paints the town blood red, leaving three dead and one lone traumatized survivor. Fast forward fifteen years and four teenage girls are ending their night shift at the local ice cream shop in the same town when someone enters and brutally attacks them with a knife . . . and yet again, one lucky girl survives. Are the two tragedies related?

The Night Shift is a multi-layered, complex thriller delivered in two timelines. Three well-developed characters with unknown connections narrate the story. The original survivor Ella is now a therapist counseling troubled teens although she herself carries dark, debilitating secrets, the second survivor Jesse is a mysterious, complicated teenager with an uncanny ability to scope out hidden details and truths, and FBI Agent Sarah Keller who is heavily laden with twins due within two weeks but allows nothing to stop her mission to find the missing link between past and present. And then there's Public Defender Chris Ford who stands for the lost and weary regardless of innocence or guilt - he too carries a potentially life altering secret.

As the investigation proceeds, the paths of these characters and their past and present lives begin colliding, spurning plot twists and turns that wreak damage and destroy lives with the velocity of a tornado as new shocking revelations pursue the light of day. Finlay's ability to toss several viable red herrings into the mix is sure to keep readers second guessing. His expertise in inserting jaw dropping scenes into the mix keeps readers on the edge of their seats, hearts pulsating to the rhythm of the expeditious pace. Excellent character development is crucial in The Night Shift as readers are slowly brought up to date on past events and the manner in which past tragedies affect current lives. I like that Finlay doesn't waste words on fluff or filler. Like a well fought court case, he presents his story in concise, short but highly effective chapters through characters he manipulates to build empathy from readers.

The Night Shift is an intense, soul searching thriller that delivers as promised - a fantastic, entertaining follow up to Finlay's previous novel Every Last Fear. Fans of mystery, suspense and thrillers will devour this book. And whether or not your sleuth skills lead you to discover the killer's identity prior to the reveal, you won't be disappointed in the epic ending.

Alex does it again! What a superb thriller that captures you slowly.... but then kicks you in the butt when it comes around full circle. Page-turning and heart-racing goodness!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Alex Finlay and Minotaur Books for providing me with an eARC of this publication which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.