I read this book as the March book selection for Ashley Spivey's book club, and it did not disappoint. I had previously read Finley's former book Every Last Fear, and I didn't like it, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this thriller as engaging as I did.

My main issue with Every Last Fear is that I found the police and FBI investigations unrealistic. Maybe because I read so many thrillers and mainly watch FBI-focused shows, I found that many of the things that happened in the book were simply far-fetched. This book, however, is the total opposite and the investigation felt authentic and closer to the real deal.

This book is told from multiple POVs, which explore both crimes and the events leading to them. The flashbacks are told from Elle and Chris' POV mainly as they have experienced both crimes and are close to the traumatic event for different reasons. Elle, the only survivor of the first slain, provides important information about the first crime, which left her three friends and coworkers dead in the video store they worked at. Chris gives insight into the life of the original suspect, Vincent Whitaker, who was seen at the scene of the crime a few minutes before talking to one of the dead girls. The other narrators explore the investigation and what happened before the crime took place. 

The book's pace flows nicely throughout the story. Even though there are jumps from past to present and different narrators, the timeline is easy to understand and the POVs are clear. The book was an easy and fast read while staying engaging from beginning to end. I really liked how the plot was developed nicely while incorporating two timelines, which were fifteen years apart. The characters are multilayered and deep, and as they are introduced in the story, it becomes clear that their lives will collide in a spectacular way as the investigation goes on. I found myself drawn to Agent Keller's bravery and fortitude. She was my favorite character and I enjoyed every chapter from her point of view. The rest of the characters also display great qualities, and I found myself enjoying their interactions with each other. The emerging details from their interactions keep the plot moving nicely.

Overall, I'd say that this was a great improvement from Finlay's previous book. It was engaging and fast-paced while keeping the story engaging.

This book was so good! I loved the different characters’ point of view throughout the story and how they all intertwined with each other. This book was hard to put down! I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to others.

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

Y2K is here because it is New Years Eve in the year 1999. In New Jersey at a Blockbuster four girls who work the night shift are attacked. Only one of the girls survive. Fast forward 15 years. Four teenagers that are working the night shift are attacked and only one survives. Both survivors decades apart have heard the killer say “Goodnight, pretty girl.” Three lives will intersect: the two survivors and the brother of the original suspect. What will they find?

I read Alex Finlay’s “Every Last Fear” this past summer and really enjoyed it. I was very excited for this book and had very high hopes for it. I happened to pick this book up on audiobook. I have been going through a really bad depressive episode due to slowly upping my mood stabilizer to a therapeutic dose so I don’t get a fatal rash. Anyway, I want to say this depressive episode probably tainted how I felt about this book. I just could not get into this book and didn’t really care about the characters and what was going on. I just found myself not liking this book at all. There were a few times I found things to get interesting, but that was very rare. Maybe I’ll try this book again one day in a better, stable mood.

3.5 ALMOST 4 stars, the reason being how early on I figured out almost every twist. Not all, but all the main ones and at points I wanted to scream at many of the characters "Yo, did you hear that? How have you not figured this out yet?!" My figuring out who did it or the twist doesn't always mean lower stars, but it does when I've figured it out before halfway and because of that the writing feels like it goes downhill... The author is writing in "little" clues here and there and for me those become glaringly obvious, redundant, and detract from my connection with any/all characters who aren't understanding... That said, this was pretty well written, it was fast paced, and even though I had most (not all) the twists figured out I never once felt like I didn't want to keep reading the book. I enjoyed Keller and Atticus' characters the most. Overall a good thriller, a 3.5 star for me that I could easily understand being 4+ for many others who don't put as much weight on whether or not they are able to figure out the twist/who did it/whatever you prefer to call it very early on. Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher's for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was solid - interesting premise, real characters, the pacing was good, and there were a few surprises. Extremely well written. Definitely a page-turner. I even love the cover. Throw in some nostalgia with Blockbuster and it's five stars for me.

This book was an entertaining thriller, but not anything that will stick with me. This story takes place after multiple girls were killed at a local ice cream shop while closing. This case was very similar to another case that took place 15 years ago at a blockbuster. We follow FBI officer Sarah who is pregnant with twins while trying to work the case. We also follow Chris an public defender who is assigned to the defendant and Ella the survivor of the Blockbuster murders. After the murders at the ice cream shop happen Ella receives a call asking for her help with speaking with the survivor of the murders since they have a similar history Ella agrees. Sarah the FBI agent is working the case and Chris was assigned to Jessie(the survivor) as a lawyer. The story continues as all three party’s are trying to find out what happened and how these two very similar cases are related.

This book was a quick read and was entertaining but not anything that is going to stick with me. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and short chapters it had me flying through this book and I did not find myself bored at all. There were a few twists in this book but they were either pretty predictable or so over the top that I had a hard time believing it. My main issue with this book was the sheer number of characters. I felt like there were many characters in this book that were not needed and added very little to the plot and at times had me confused trying to keep track of who everyone was and how they were related to this story. Overall I enjoyed this book and thought it was a fun quick read and will pick up more from this author in the future. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I would like to begin by thanking Netgalley, Alex Finlay, and Minotaur Books for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

Now, I have only read two novels by this author including this title, and they have both been ARCs given to me through Netgalley. However, ever since that first novel I have fell in love with Alex Finlay writing style! This is another amazing reading that just has you squirming know your seat until the very end! I do have to admit, this is the first novel in awhile that actually broke my heart with a character death, but the ending definitely makes up for it! This novel certainly gives a new Scream movie vibe to it, but with a lot more context to the storyline! Overall, I thought this was a very exciting and thrilling novel, and I cannot wait to see what else Alex Finlay has in store for us in the future!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!! I am a huge fan of Alex Finlay's books and I freaked out wen I was granted an ARC of this book. It had all of the 90s vibes that you could want. Also such a good thriller. This one needs to be made into a movie. I do not want to give to much away but please go read this book. You will love it.

Popcorn thriller at it's finest! Early 2000s nostalgia abounds in this fast paced thriller about a murder at a blockbuster. Perfect summer reading!

Two mass murders in the same town. Are they connected? We’ll find out in this wild ride revolving around the survivors of both attacks.

There were some slow bits that felt unnecessary until the end. The ride got wild and woah! I didn’t expect anything that happened in this.

The book was so unexpected and fantastic. And Keller is one of the most badass characters ever.

Alex Finlay where murders 15 years apart are only connected by one thing "Goodnight Pretty Girl":

New Years Eve 1999, the whole world is worried about whether computers will delete everything as the code 00 coming at midnight and there is a lot of chaos. But things seemed normal that night in a blockbuster just before closing up. It wasn't tell the next day where the murders discovered and a loan survivor. The killer was identified but somehow he evaded capture and there were no murders similar until 15 years later. This time a ice cream shop is targeted and there is only one girl left alive. Are these murders connected? Has the killer come back into town? The town police don't seem to think so, but Agent Sarah Keller is not so sure, all she know is that something about the original murder investigation seem off and she has to everything she can to find the killer before more people die.

I really enjoyed Finlay's debut novel and I had high hopes for this book as well. You never know if a debut author is going to be able to capture what you enjoyed in their first book but in a different way. I am happy to say that Finlay succeeded. I personally think that it is better than Every Last Fear, his debut novel. This book was interesting, suspenseful and kept me guessing till the end (and that does not happen very often) with all the twists and turns that Finlay employs along the way. Just when you think that you have figured it out, Finlay would prove you wrong.

There are three main POV in this book, each with a different perspective of the murders / investigation what is unfolding. We have the return of the amazing Agent Keller from Finlay's first book and I am very happy that she was back in this book as she was one of the standouts in the book. This investigation is much more what we would normally see from an FBI agent in a book (no economic crimes in this one.). Ella who is the first final girl who is introduced, is now a therapist who helps people who have had major traumas in their lives and Chris Ford, now a lawyer who's brother was arrested for the Blockbuster murders but he disappeared before his trial could take place. This is part of the reason Chris became a lawyer. You really feel for Chris in the book and how he longs to find his brother every day.

Final girl idea for books seems to be a thing these days. I think i have read around 3 or 4 in the past year. I'm not sure what started the trend, but I am enjoying it but at the same time the troupe is going to become a tired one soon I think.

People keep talking about all the 90s nostalgia in this book, but other really than the murders occurring in a Blockbuster I did not find that the nostalgia aspect was that high. I mean little tidbit here and there but not so much that these points overwhelm the story.

I really enjoyed this book, it is not often that a book keeps me guessing till the end and Finlay is able to achieve that here. Highly recommended book if you like mystery / suspense novels. I cannot wait to see what Finlay comes out with next and I hope he keeps Agent Keller around.

Enjoy!!!

The phrase "page-turner" is definitely appropriate for this book! The plot revolves around the 15 year old murder of four people at a Blockbuster that is brought back into focus by another recent murder of three at an ice cream shop. Enter a very pregnant FBI agent and a young detective on the local police force investigating everyone from the old case to find out whether the two crimes are related. The chapters are short and told from many different perspectives that keep the story moving. If you're a mystery fan, you'll see many of the twists coming but not exactly when. This is the perfect summer read; I could not put it down!

THE NIGHT SHIFT is the second book I've read by Alex Finlay and I really enjoyed it! As a native Washingtonian, I love supporting DC-based authors. My @thrillersbythebookclub.dc actually read the book this month and Alex was so kind to join our book club meeting this past Wednesday for an author chat! He spent an hour of his time answering all of our questions about his writing process, and of course, the book; and he told us about his new thriller that's due to come out in March 2023. Alex is so lovely! And super down to earth!

The book starts off with a massacre that occurs on NYE 1999 at a New Jersey Blockbuster Video. Four employees were attacked, but there was one sole survivor. The attacker is quickly identified by law enforcement but due to the lack of evidence in the trial, he goes free - only to disappear and is never seen again. Fast forward to 15 years later, a massacre occurs in a similar fashion at an ice cream store in the same exact town - and once again, only one person survives.

Now the past collides with the present as the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre, Ella (now a therapist), is called upon to talk to the lone survivor of the ice cream store massacre (Jesse). Ella and Jesse bond over their traumas while the brother of the fugitive accuses is determined to proof that his brother is innocent - in both cases. At the same time, the FBI is forced to dredge up the Blockbuster case in order to solve the new case. FBI agent, Sarah Keller, is convinced that both tragedies are connected and the perpetrator is the same person.

THE NIGHT SHIFT is what I call a "popcorn thriller" - it's entertaining and captivating as it grabs your attention. That and the short chapters will have you keep flipping the pages to see what happens next. Finlay does a great job with telling the story from many POVs. Even though there are a lot of characters in the book, Finlay does an excellent job with the character development with the MCs. The book is twisty and some red herrings are thrown in for good measure. The book will have [most] readers guessing till the very end. I was able to predict the murder from the very beginning, but had I not, I'm sure I would've had an even better experience. I love that Finlay referenced real true crime cases that happened in the DC area (like the Lululemon murder - if you're never heard of it, look it up! It's wild!) - this really made the story feel real.

I ended up reading the first 1/4 of the book and finished the last 3/4 via audiobook. Audiobooks can be a bit hard for me when it comes to thrillers or books where you have to pay attention. I think if I read the book in its entirety, I would've enjoyed the book more. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the book and so did the rest of the Thrillers DC book club! I can't wait to read his next book, WHAT HAVE WE DONE, when it's released next March!

Thanks so much, NetGalley and Minotaur Books, for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. I ended up buying the book when it came out!

It's been a while since I've had a (slightly) unpopular opinion with such a big a booksta favorite, but I think my expectations were just a little bit too high for Alex Finlay's The Night Shift.

I completely understand why there's so much hype - this was really fast-paced, it was twisty, & it felt very reminiscent of Riley Sager's Final Girls mixed with a police procedural. I absolutely loved Chris, he was my favorite character & the best parts of the story, in my opinion - I liked that Finlay showcased public defenders in such a positive light, especially given the charges these characters were dealing with. The other characters, however, were a little questionable - to be completely honest, I thought the way Finlay wrote women & POC characters was cringe-worthy at times, there was something about his writing that screamed "straight white man" & I couldn't get past it. The killer was glaringly obvious from the beginning, so much so that I got increasingly annoyed with the procedural-aspect of the story for not looking into this specific character. & the epilogue was just such a let down, especially after an incredible final showdown that took heavy inspiration from Silence of the Lambs. But was the book entertaining? Yes, it was, & I can't deny that by any means - I think this would make such a great movie, I'd definitely tune in!

All in all, however, I'm glad I gave this a read, I'd had the book sitting on my shelf for a while & I just needed to see what the hype was all about! & thank you so much Alex Finlay, NetGalley & St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!

I really enjoyed The Night Shift by Alex Finlay. When I heard that part of the story takes place in a Blockbuster, I was sold! I mean who didn't spend time browsing the new release section of VHS tapes at a Blockbuster? Plus I always thought it would have been so cool to work there! lol But back to the book. I liked that the chapters were short and the story engaging. I like the unexpected twist in the story and thought this would make a great movie (too bad we can't go rent it at Blockbuster!). This was a quick read for me and a solid 4 stars!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book!

After reading a ton of romance novels lately, it was time for me to read some murder books. The premise of <i>The Night Shift</i> intrigued me right off the bat because of the two timeline plot. The first timeline is a murder at a Blockbuster on New Year's Eve in 1999. One female survivor. The second timeline is a murder at an ice cream shop in the modern day -- again with a lone female survivor. You can just picture me wearing my villainous smile and cackling, "I just know these two murders are connected!" Because, of course they are. You don't know how at the beginning, but the story takes the reader on the journey of learning exactly what happened both nights, why, and how they are connected.

I enjoyed the ride of this story. I loved the nostalgia of the Blockbuster/Y2K murders and the thriller-y plotting to connect the dots. I'm a sucker for a mystery and this delivered exactly what I expected.

I would have given this 4 stars throughout most of the book, but the ending kind of punched hard and I was here for it. Like, I kind of gasped by how dramatic a few of the moments were in the final showdown scenes (especially with pregnant cop who did NOT care about putting herself in danger, clearly).

This was a good, fun, twisty story and I would recommend it! I will also be buying and recommending to my high school students, as this has great YA crossover appeal.

The book was nostalgic for me with the Blockbuster setting. Overall, it was a good story, but the excitement factor wasn't really there for me like Alex Finlay's previous book was.

Wow!! This book was amazing and not because I live in New Jersey and knew this town that was mentioned lol. It was a great mystery ride which is my favorite kind of book trope. Another book well done Alex Finlay!

This could have been so much better than it was. I wanted to it be better. I wanted it to take different turns. It ended up being predictable. The writing was predictable, too, unfortunately. This one sadly, fell flat for me despite having a promising (though shaky and confusing) start.

2/5 stars.

Fifteen years ago, four teenage girls were attacked while working at a Blockbuster, and only one survives. The suspected killer, Vince, was identified but flees before police can catch him. Now, four more girls are attacked in a local ice cream store, with inexplicable parallels between the two events. The Night Shift is told from 3 perspectives in the third person: Keller, the FBI agent brought in to find Vince, Chris, Vince’s brother who is now a public defender, and Ella, the only survivor of the Blockbuster murders. I liked how the different perspectives gave you different views on the case: police, legal, and public opinion. I predicted the twist from the beginning, but I was still surprised at the end! There were so many red herrings.