Alex Finlay seems to have done it again! He does a wonderful job in handing people an intricately knotted mystery and then pulls off the unraveling it one surprising twist at a time! I was hooked from the first moment with the murders at the Blockbuster and then learning about Ella, the only survivor and only one that can help Jesse who ends up being the only survivor of the ice cream shop murders. It was fun to see the parallels and wonder if it was the same killer, a copycat, or something else entirely. And I totally did not guess the rhyme or reason (because so many theories were in this story) and was wowed by the ending. The characters were flawed but still it was easy to root for Keller and the others to find the killer.

This was a great book and I look very much forward to reading more of Alex's works!

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for a complimentary digital copy of The Night Shift! All opinions are my own.

This book started off extremely strong, but unfortunately I did find the ending to be fairly predictable. I loved the main characters, though, and thought they were extremely well-written. Bob was a little too good to be true, though.

This was a very solid, well-paced thriller. And I appreciate what the author was trying to show us in how the characters internalized their past traumas.

Overall, this was a solid read and would be great for a plane ride or the beach. I was hoping for a little stronger of an ending, though.

Author Alex Finlay (who also writes legal thrillers under his real name -- Anthony Franze) says inspiration for The Night Shift struck when he was in Georgetown and passed by a coffee shop where a horrific crime occurred some twenty years earlier. Luckily for readers, thoughts of the crime stayed with him so insistently that he put aside the book he was writing to pursue the idea. The result is The Late Shift, which is actually a prequel to Every Last Fear.

The story opens on New Year's Eve 1999, "an otherwise typical Friday night" at a Blockbuster Video store in a New Jersey suburb. But before the night ends, three teenage girls and their twenty-something manager, Steve, are dead. Finlay chose the time and place because they invoke "a specific type of nostalgia for people old enough to remember those days of strolling the aisles, trying to decide on a movie to rent," he says. "It also provides a quintessential location where teenage employees would be gathered and something horrific could occur in their workplace."

The action immediately advances fifteen years to April 2015, and Finlay introduces a compelling cast of fully developed characters. Ella, a therapist, knows "what it's like to be the only one who made it out alive." For that reason, Mr. Steadman, one of her high school teachers who is now the principal, asks her to come to the hospital to assist a student. When she arrives, she learns that a crime eerily like the one she survived has taken place at the local Dairy Cream. Once again there is a lone teenage survivor, Jesse Duvall, but she won't talk to anyone. Perhaps Ella, with her unique background and professional expertise, can help.

Jesse is whip-smart, savvy, and unintimidated. She has lived in group homes since the age of fourteen and initially wants no part of Ella's attempts to counsel her. After Ella explains her background, Jesse begins to trust her, revealing that the assailant hit her with something like a baseball bat but she has a foggy recollection of him crouching down and whispering to her, "Good night, pretty girl." It's the same phrase Ella's attacker whispered all those years ago.

Chris Ford is a public defender who, after just two years practicing law, has tried many jury cases. As he learns about the murders at the Dairy Cream, he is instantly jolted back to that New Year's Eve when his older brother, Vince Whitaker, was arrested in the home the boys shared with their alcoholic, abusive father. Chris was removed from the his father's home and placed in foster care, where he remained with the loving couple of whom he is very fond. He calls them Clint and Ms. May, and never wants to disappoint them in any way. Eventually, they adopted him, his name was changed, and he earned his degree from Columbia Law School. No one in the public defender's office knows his real identity. Neither does his girlfriend, Clare, who is also a lawyer, but at a prestigious firm where she earns a much higher salary.

Chris lives with the traumas he experienced as a boy. He and his older brother were abused by their father, and he was removed from the only home he'd ever known and given a whole new life and identity. Vince was arrested because his car was seen at the Blockbuster store near closing time and his fingerprint was found on the break room door, but he was released when his public defender successfully argued there was insufficient evidence to hold him. He disappeared, but a day later the murder weapon was found in his school locker. The police, along with the residents of Linden, New Jersey, believed Vince was guilty. In the ensuing years, the story was featured on a popular television true crime program and suspected sightings were reported, but the FBI expended few resources looking for him.

Mr. Nirvana is a mysterious travel vlogger and cultural phenomenon who never shows his face but, of course, reveals his location in his video travel diaries. Having caught glimpses of him, Chris has become increasingly convinced Vince is Mr. Nirvana, and follows his every move. Vince was the older brother who tried to shield Chris from their father's angry beatings, and he longs to reconnect with him. He is certain that Vince is alive and still on the run from the authorities. He knows "he has an unhealthy obsession" with the vlogger, but is unable to resist trying to locate him, and surprise him to find out, once and for all, if he is Vince. Finlay got the idea for this aspect of the story when he happened upon travel vloggers during the pandemic and found himself fascinated with the "charismatic" sojourners who took viewers along on their adventures, and were fun to watch. He thought, "What if one of these guys is a murderer?" The interludes are similar in style to the excerpts from the fictional documentary film included in Every Last Fear and are designed, according to Finlay to serve as a "nice pause" for his readers from the book's dramatic tension and they do, but they also contribute to the tangle of emotions Finlay extracts from reader's by the story's end.

FBI Agent Sarah Keller, who appeared in Every Last Fear is called upon to assist local authorities who are investigating the murders. She is eight-and-a-half months pregnant -- in Every Last Fear she is the mother of five-year-old twins -- and her pregnancy enhances the mystery's dramatic tension. She and her husband have a loving and healthy marriage, and their banter, which is absolutely charming, frequently humorous, and completely believable, also provides a nice respite from the emotional struggles of Finlay's characters.

Finlay's writing is highly effective because he possesses the ability to not only craft a tautly-constructed mystery that keeps readers guessing right up to the conclusion, but to also populate the story with fascinating characters immersed in challenges and emotional traumas. In the case of The Night Shift, those traumas are on display throughout the narrative and they frequently inform his characters' decisions. Through them, Finlay compassionately and credibly explores the legacy of trauma. Even with therapy and the passage of time, trauma never goes away completely. In Ella's case, she became a therapist and genuinely works to help other victims find productive ways to cope. She desires to provide them a better support system than was available to her. But her personal life is a mess. She engages in risky and decidedly unhealthy coping mechanisms which hurt those about whom she cares deeply. She bonds with Jesse, in part, because she sees herself reflected back to her, but Jesse is stronger and more resilient, which unnerves Ella. Finlay says he knew that in order for the story to work, "her voice had to be just right." He need not have worried. Her voice is precisely on point -- believably, heartachingly so.

Finlay also examines the trauma suffered by the community in which the crimes occurred, as well as the responses of law enforcement and the justice system. The story is, in part, an indictment of a system that often rushes to judgment too quickly and is reluctant to retreat and regroup when evidence emerges that reveals the conclusion reached was erroneous. That type of tunnel vision within law enforcement agencies, in particular, is well documented and has resulted in both false convictions and unsolved cases. In this instance, the conclusion that Vince Whitaker was responsible for the horrific attack at Blockbuster Video so many years ago may have been both premature and wrong, as Keller pursues all the clues that point in that direction.

Finlay's narrative succeeds as a fast-paced mystery replete with shocking plot twists, unexpected revelations and connections, and a conclusion that readers will never figure out in advance. But it is also a rich and emotionally resonant character study. "When I feel some level of emotion, it helps me suspend disbelief" and become immersed in the story, Finlay explains, and he provides just such an experience for his readers. He says it was also his goal to mold a story in which his characters find a sense of peace by the end. Indeed, The Night Shift does deliver resolution to the complex storyline, but for some of Finlay's characters it comes at a high price. Some of the plot developments are poignant and nothing less than heartbreaking, even though logical and consistent with the evidence uncovered as Keller investigates.

With The Night Shift Finlay proves again that he is a master storyteller, capable of twisting readers' guts and hearts into knots while serving up a gripping and wholly perplexing mystery.

I waited much too long before reviewing this one! I jotted down the briefest notes about the ending, and it’s just enough to jog my memory about an engaging story with a good twist. I gave it four stars at the time and remember enjoying it, and definitely didn't hate anything about the plot. I loved the nostalgia of a Blockbuster Video setting in the past timeline.

Apologies for my brevity, but life got in the way and I don't remember the book well enough for a more thorough review.

I’m a fan of Alex Finlay’s work, and will certainly be excited to read more by him in the future!

On the cusp of y2k, teens are working the night shift at the local Blockbuster when the worst happens. They are all slaughtered by a madman, except for one, Ella. Now, 20 years later, a similar event happens at an ice cream shop. There is one survivor. Ella, now a counselor, is asked by the school principal, Dale Steadman, to come to the hospital to meet with the survivor, Jesse. Meanwhile, Chris Whitaker, an attorney, is trying to clear his brother,, Vince's name. Vince was accused of the Blockbuster massacre, and disappeared once the police let him go. Chris believes Vince is innocent. Finally, Keller is the FBI Agent, working with a young agent, Atticus, to determine what actually happened in these cases.
There are several moments in this novel which will shock and surprise you. The tension is constant and the twists and revelations are ones I didn't see coming. I would like to read more novels with Ella and Keller in the story. But, that doesn't seem likely.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the early copy of this title. All opinions are my own and freely given.

This book was so much fun to read. I absolutely adored the characters and was fully absorbed into the plot. There were so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming.

Just as with Alex Finlay’s first novel, Every Last Fear, I fell into this one and was hooked! This story kept my eyes glued to the pages and I was anxious to get back to the book anytime I had to put it down. Obviously this is 5 stars from me, and I’m already waiting impatiently for this authors next book!

This book blew me away. I knew that I would love it going in but man it kept me hooked from beginning to end!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur, as well as NetGalley, for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book on a flight from New York to Atlanta. By the time I touched down in Atlanta I was finished. It was a page turner for sure, and the short chapters definitely helped the book clip along at a quick pace.

The 90s nostalgia, as other reviewers mentioned, was high and delightful - the fact that we started in a movie rental store was just perfect to harken in the time period. The characters were all interesting and fleshed out - Ella - survivor of the rental store massacre and now a counselor, Chris - a public defender looking to clear his older brother's name, Agent Keller - a very pregnant FBI agent brought in after a massacre at an ice cream shop in the same town in the present day, and Jesse - a survivor of said ice cream massacre. They all had their own motivations and all helped move the plot forward. Occasionally POV got muddy (particularly with Ella and Keller and trying to remember which was which) and there were some twists that seemed unbelievable. But, this is fiction so that's allowed.

All in all, an enjoyable quick read that kept me entertained from start to finish.

Holy moly! That was a wild ride!
Short chapters that make the book feel like it's going at break neck speed.
A 15-year old cold case and a new mass murder that looks shockingly similar.
This book had a great cast of characters.
Most importantly, it kept me guessing. The guilty party - I never even suspected this person! They were totally off my radar. I took their role at face value and wow was I wrong!
Highly recommend, and I will be going back to read his older books!

There are many unexpected twists in this criminal mystery. I enjoyed the read and found it hard to put down.
I recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley for my unbiased review.

Oh man, I wasn't sure what to expect from this one but WOW! So nostalgic and atmospheric. I loved every minute of this twisted story. I'd definitely read more from this author.

The 90s nostalgia is STRONG here. TBT to strolling the aisles of Blockbuster on a Friday night. I enjoyed the plot but the story details and POVs felt a bit overwhelming at first but halfway through pieces start coming together. There's Ella, original survivor turned grief counselor who meets fellow survivor Jesse, Chris, a lawyer looking to avenge his accused brother, and Keller the badass FBI agent trying to piece two pieces together. Eventually all these stories converge, but it takes a minute. Finlay weaves together details very well- it's clever. I enjoyed feeling like I was solving crime along with the characters.

I have 0 words. Like I thought I knew and then I changed my mind about 10 times. I was just flabbergasted for about half of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and Alex Finlay for this ARC. Not my first by this author,, and certainly won’t be my last. This book got me out of my reading slump, I hadn’t found a thriller in a while that kept me on my toes, and wanting to read more, and then came The Night Shift. The books pace was perfect.
I had to keep thinking when it came to the two women, Ella and Keller, to remember which was which. So honestly that was a plus in my opinion because it kept me alert to the story. I enjoyed all the characters, all the storylines, and would love to see a second book about travelers one and two.
This is a five star in my opinion.

This was a twisty thriller that kept me engaged and flipping the pages fast. It is told from switching perspectives which helped maintain the suspense. The plotting was excellent and the characters were well developed. 4.5 Stars

Alex Finlay's first book was good but I felt it was lacking some depth and cohesiveness. The Night Shift I enjoyed so much more. The story was great with that 90s nostalgia vibe starting off with a massacre in a Blockbuster... I miss the excitement of Blockbuster. There was action, there was gore, there were twists, and lots of death. I did figure out the killer easily enough but honestly its getting harder to surprise me with that kind of reveal so I don't hold it against the book. I just simply devoured this one and I could not put it down until I finished. If you enjoyed his first book or even if you didn't I definitely recommend The Night Shift and I can't wait for his next book.

Alex Finlay's the Night Shift was a quick and easy read for someone who wants something mindless to read. However, it was quite predictable.

Read a couple of lackluster thriller so far this year, and was really surprised how much I like The Night Shift!
This is my first Alex Finlay read and already can’t wait to see what his next book brings.
. Story was told in multiple POVs to solve a murder mystery, most of the characters are pretty interesting and there are a couple of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming at all.
Very fun and quick read, highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur books for the e-copy!

4.5 ⭐️

Fun and fast read. Enjoyed it, but it didn’t focus on the 90s as much as I thought it would based on the summary