This is a thriller that will hit all the right buttons. I loved it from the anti-hero survivor to the weird Blockbuster and ice cream parlor murder scenes. I loved it from the brother of the main suspect putting himself in all the wrong places to the very pregnant badassery of the federal agent assigned to the case.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced read!

This book opens with a shocking crime at a Blockbuster on New Year's Eve 1999. I'm not sure there's a Millennial reader on the planet who could resist that kind of open...but this book doesn't just start with your attention, it holds it the entire way through as you follow the detective working through a potentially related current day case.

I had previously read the last "Every Last Fear" and loved it, so my expectations for this book were extremely high, but they were all exceeded. I could not put this book down. I found myself excited to take my lunch break every day so I could jump back in. I can't come up with a single critical thing I could possibly say about this book. If you're looking for a highly addicting new author, this is it!

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

After reading Alex Finlay’s debut novel Every Last Fear, I knew he would be an author that was going to stay on my radar and this book further proves why. This book is told in 3rd person from the POVs of Ella, Agent Keller and Chris. There’s also some POVs of the past sprinkled in which was great. This book had short chapters which is always a plus for me. I was drawn in from the very first page. I absolutely loved all of the characters and seeing their different POVs. There were lots of twists and turns which is always great. I did suspect the killer somewhat early on but still really enjoyed this book! I really enjoyed the ending and all of the blockbuster nostalgia mentioned. This was overall a great thriller and I definitely recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for proving me with an egalley!!

The Night Shift is a totally fine thriller with short bingeable chapters that you can read in day if you’re so inclined. There’s a mass murder of teen girls in 1999, then lather, rinse, repeat, another one 15 years later. The compelling question of course is if the two incidents are related.

The thing that really bothers me though is the hook author Finlay used that the publisher is somewhat falsely exploiting. From the blurb: “It’s New Year’s Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in Linden, New Jersey…”

If you know me and my reading tastes and all, you’ll get that this sounded like a trifecta for my seasonal, nostalgic, pop culture-loving heart. New Year’s Eve! The ‘90s! Blockbuster Video! Yeah, but really not so much. All those things are there, yet the majority of the story takes place in the latter timeline. Even worse, the short dips back into the previous one failed to deliver the Y2K-era vibes that were promised.

Saying the publisher tried to put lipstick on a pig would be way too harsh, because The Night Shift can still be an enjoyable read if your expectations are managed. There’s a badass pregnant FBI agent on the case who reminded me of a cross between Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lambs and Frances McDormand in Fargo. There are red herrings aplenty that made the ending a surprise for me. Plus I also must mention that my tepid take on the book is fairly uncommon - the majority of my reviewer friends have loved it.

If you want to read a suspenseful novel, you could do a lot worse. But if you want to remember what it was like to make it a Blockbuster night, keep browsing the library shelves for a real gem just like you did at your local video store back in the ‘90s. Who knows, maybe someone just dropped the most popular new release in the return slot.

✨Book Review✨

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay
Pub Date: 3/1/2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This who-dunnit mystery takes place on dual timelines (1999, and 2015). On New Year’s Eve 1999, all of the night workers at a Blockbuster are brutally murdered, but one survives. Fifteen years later, an eerily similar crime happens at a local ice cream shop. One survived. Same town, both nights shifts. To make it even more creepy, the killer whispers the same thing in both survivors ears. Is it a copycat, or is the killer still alive and back for more?

I could NOT put this one down! I wanted to get one more book finished in February, and I had no problem with this one! It was fast-paced, and had short chapters that continuously ended on a cliffhanger. The 90s references were also appreciated! 🤣 I highly recommend everyone reads this, if you enjoy thrillers!

Thank you @alexfinlayauthor @stmartinspress @minotaur_books and @netgalley for this eARC!

Reading this book was like a blast from the past for me. I remember the days of Blockbuster Videos and rewinding the video tapes before we returned them (we were nice). All of it felt so authentic, right down to the terror of what would happen during Y2K - when the year 2000 was going to roll around.

On New Year's Eve, in 1999 in the small town of Linden, NJ, four teenage girls are closing the Blockbuster store they work at. Then just before closing, a man came to the store and killed three of the girls. The 4th girl survived

There was a lot of fallout from the murders. Vince Whittaker, a boyfriend of one of the girls, was arrested but escaped from custody and disappears. Then the mother also runs off, presumably with a lover. This left the youngest brother, Chris, alone with his violent, criminal father. Chris never gives up hope that his older brother is okay. He survives life with his violent, abusive dad, becomes an attorney, and works as a public defender. His job choice was inspired by how his brother's life and his family was devastated by a false accusation.

Then 15 years later, the past repeats itself. Four high school girls who work at an ice cream shop are attacked right at closing time, and once again, there is one survivor. Ella, the survivor from the Blockbuster attack is now a therapist, and is called to try to help the survivor from the ice cream shop. The repeat attack so similar to the first one brings in the FBI. I really enjoyed the two detectives. The lead detective, Sarah Keller, was hugely pregnant with twins. Her partner was adorable.

This was a fascinating story, that I stayed up way too late to finish. Just when I thought I could predict where the story was going, it would twist off in another direction.

I received a copy of this book from publisher St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley without any obligation to write a positive review. These are my honest opinions of the book.

4.25 Stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC!

The Night Shift follows three perspectives - Chris, Ella, and Keller - as we weave through the stories of two possibly connected murders, one in 1999 and the other in 2015.

This is the first book I have read by Alex Finlay, and overall I found this a very fun read. I was excited to know what happened, enjoyed the prologue's 90s atmosphere, and ended up reading the entire book in one sitting.

Although I did guess the murderer, I did not see some of the twists in the middle which was surprising. I couldn't, however, get past the fact that the lead detective was 8.5 months pregnant and still on duty (this is just not plausible) and did feel the last scene was a little rushed.

Overall, I would recommend this for anyone who wants a clever, fast-paced thriller with a hint of 90s atmosphere!

So something did happen on New Years Eve 1999...
The crew of employees at a Blockbuster video store get murdered, leaving only one survivor, Ella.
Now fifteen years later almost the exact same thing happens at a Dairy Creamer ice cream store where again there's only one survivor. Ella, now a therapist, is called on to try to get the uncommunicative, surviving girl to tell what happened.
After the Y2K murders the suspect was released for lack of evidence and then he disappeared. So the question is, are these two killing sprees connected? Has the suspect come back to kill again? You might be surprised to find out.
This one is told from the POV's of Ella, Keller, an FBI investigator and Chris, the suspect's brother who is now a public defender. The story weaves a twisty plot with many moving parts that were fun to decipher and while solving the mystery. There are a few red herrings thrown in to heighten the mystery but I did figure out who the killer was early on. Even so, I found this one to be well crafted, well written and highly entertaining so I happily recommend this highly anticipated thriller..

Let’s party like it’s 1999! In “The Night Shift” by Alex Finley, four people are murdered on New Year’s Eve, 1999. The only survivor, Ella, is still living with the pain. Fifteen years later, the workers at an ice cream shop are also murdered. FBI Agent Keller is on the new case and finds many similarities between the two. There are many characters in this story and each chapter has a different perspective. This is a fast paced thriller that you won’t want to put down! I guessed the killer half way through, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. There were definite twists and turns that kept me reading!
I want to thank the author, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

New Year’s Eve 1999 there are 5 teenagers working in a Blockbuster... before they can close up for the night they are attacked by someone with a knife who isn’t interested in leaving any witnesses. Only one person manages to survive, Ella. Now it’s been 15 years since that tragic night where the killer was never found. There was a suspect Vince the local bad boy who disappeared after being questioned by the police. Ella’s life has never quite been the same since the incident but she’s a psychiatrist now which is how she ends up pulled into a massacre very similar to the one she managed to survive. Four girls were attacked in an ice cream shop but only one survived. Ella is uniquely qualified to help with this girl Jesse after her ordeal. Even though it’s bringing up bad memories and Jesse is an unusual girl.

Due to the nature of the prior crime an FBI Agent Keller is assigned to see if the old case might be connected with the new one. Chris, the brother of the suspect in the Blockbuster case never believed his brother was guilty. After what happened he was sent away to live with another family and his name was changed. He’s now a public defender. Even all this time later he’s still wondering what happened to his brother. Despite the clear conflict of interest Chris gets himself on the defense team when a suspect in the ice cream shop murders is discovered.

The question becomes are the two very similar murders in this same town connected? Were the police right about who did the killing all those years ago? Or is this just a copycat killer? Will Ella and Chris ever know the truth so that they might move on from the past?

I liked this even though unlike most books there’s not really any suspense to it. But it does stay interesting following Ella, Chris and Agent Keller as they all try to get to the truth. The revelation about Jesse isn’t all that surprising. Though why anybody let an 8 months pregnant FBI agent wander about in potentially dangerous situations I can’t even understand. I get that she was technically looking into a cold case so it shouldn’t be that dangerous but be potential was there. And she makes some seriously idiotic decisions at the end. There is a bit of suspense towards the end where secrets start spilling out. And it wasn’t easy to guess who the killer was. This would have been 5 stars but the whole thing with Keller at the end was unbelievably ridiculous. Did she really just want to kill her babies? Otherwise it was really good.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect going into this, but I enjoyed this book so much! What an incredibly intense, suspenseful, mysterious novel full of twists, turns, and unexpected revelations. Five stars for this mind blowing read. See y'all on another page!

Thanks to Netgalley for the e-Arc of this book! I really liked the different twists and turns this book took, although there were definitely some parts that felt like they could have been left out or sped up. I also enjoyed the multiple character perspective and short chapters.

Holy moly what a ride! I started this at 8 PM on Monday and finished it at 12:30 AM. I could not stop reading! From the start I was hooked and needed to continue to see how it all played out.

I had the killer figured out early in the book, but there were still a couple of parts that had my jaw drop and I loved it! The twists and turns kept coming, but at a good pace that didn’t feel overwhelming or ridiculous.

I will say that having one of the characters be 38 weeks pregnant with TWINS drove me absolutely batty. It’s twins. She would have delivered by then, and she sure as shit wouldn’t be living her day to day life normally with only the occasional need to pee more often 🙄 Where was her aching feet, her exhaustion, her not being able to get up and down easily, her waddling, her hating life because she’s ALMOST NINE MONTHS PREGNANT WITH TWINS?! I could 100% tell a man wrote this and I was annoyed that no one else on his team was like, ehhh…none of this works. She could have not been pregnant at all and still been a badass. Ok. Rant over.

Besides that aspect of the book, I freakin loved this. I also tore through Every Last Fear so I will be picking up Alex Finlay’s books from here on out.

Thank you so much to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

Wow this book! What a while ride and boy did, I enjoy it! It was creepy, scary, and yet hopeful all at the same time. I can't wait for Finlay's next book and I need it now. Go pick this one up NOW! Thank me later.

Can I say right book at the right time? Book Review

The Night Shift
Alex Finlay

Wow, this was such a fun ride! I was in from the start. 1999 and Blockbuster was nostalgic for me. Of course I was not a survivor of a brutal slaying, but the rest. A time without cell phones and cameras on every corner. Back when the police had a lot less to work with to try and solve a murder. Just a note, that is the first crime and the majority of the book takes place 15 years later, but with similar murders, you are constantly looking at the previous case. I liked that instead of flipping back and forth from the present to the past, there were selected flashbacks at times to fill in gaps. I also like while the plot is basically trying to solve the murders, it doesn’t feel like a crime procedural.

It doesn’t read like a twisty thriller, but there were a few times that I was like whoa, I did not see that coming. I was constantly trying to pick up clues to find out if the cases were connected and how and while one of my theories did kinda pan out, it was one of many and it was only partially correct.

It was a slow start for me as it took me a few chapters to connect with the three telling the story, but after I connected, I did not want to put it down. The only downside for me was the portrayal of females was at times degrading and the FBI agent is two weeks from her due date carrying twins and was more badass than I think possible or safe.

If you are looking to get immersed in a mystery, you should definitely pick this one up. I can’t wait for his next book.

Twisty, poignant, and redemptive, The Night Shift is a story about the legacy of trauma and how the broken can come out on the other side, and it solidifies Finlay as one of the new leading voices in the world of thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review an advanced readers copy of this book. This in no way affects my review, all opinions are my own.

I loved this book! This story is about two mass murders committed 15 years apart in a small town. The 1999 murder at the Blockbuster really felt like I was being pulled back in time and the time jumps to the present day made the book fast-paced and addicting. I loved the characters and learning how they were all connected through the case.

There was some great twists in this one, along with some more predictable reveals. Even though some of it could be guessed, it was a really fun read that I wasn't able to put down until the end. The beginning was a little slow, but only for a couple of chapters until I was really invested. I think Finlay's writing style is gripping and easy to follow, so I'll definitely be looking out for more of his thrillers.

Two crimes committed more than a decade apart bear a striking resemblance to one another. As the FBI and local law enforcement try to solve the case, those who survived will have to decide whether they can live with their secrets or share them to spare the next possible victim. Author Alex Finlay sets up a mostly believable scenario that leaves loose ends in his second book The Night Shift.

Ella Monroe spends her days as a therapist and her nights as an escort. It’s hard cobbling a living wage in New York City, and even though she has a fiancé she can’t get close to him. He doesn’t know what it means to live as the sole survivor of a horrific crime.

On New Year’s Eve in 1999, Ella was on the night shift at the Blockbuster Video store when three other employees and the teenage manager were murdered. Now, 15 years later, Ella still doesn’t understand why she was spared. She just knows she’s doing the best she can to get through each day.

When news breaks of a mass murder at an ice cream store, then, Ella understands why her old teacher and guidance counselor, Mr. Steadman, calls her. The circumstances of the ice cream store murder are eerily similar to what happened to Ella. Four girls were on the night shift. Three were murdered; only one was spared. Mr. Steadman wants Ella to talk to her to see if she can offer any information to help the case.

FBI agent Sara Keller is called in to the case. The local cops made a quick arrest after the Blockbuster murders, bringing in troubled teen Vince Whitaker for the crime, but they couldn’t make the charges stick. Not long after, Vince disappeared. Now that another murder has taken place, the cops believe Vince may be back and killing again.

Keller knows the theory makes sense on paper, but something doesn’t sit right with her. Atticus Singh, a young detective on the force, agrees. He’s spent years studying the Blockbuster murders and thinks the cops either missed something the first time or overlooked it on purpose. As Keller brings him on board, she appreciates his intellect and his physical prowess. She’s eight-and-a-half months pregnant with twins, and moving fast is definitely not in the job description these days.

The one person who believes that Vince is innocent is his younger brother, Chris. After Vince left, Chris was adopted by foster parents who restored his faith in adults. Even so, he misses his big brother with a ferocity that led him to a career as a public defender. For every young kid he can steer away from trouble, he thinks of Vince and wishes his brother would return so he can help him too.

As law enforcement and the families of the victims from both murders navigate the worst, Keller, Ella, and Chris each work on the cases with their own interests and their own hunches leading them. They’re forced to trust their instincts, despite evidence to the contrary, and also confront long-held assumptions with new information.

Author Alex Finlay’s second novel starts with a compelling scene and continues to build the tension throughout the entire book. More astute readers might be able to guess the murderer’s identity early on, but how Finlay leads his readers to the big reveal provides an enjoyable ride. The novel finds its place comfortably within the mystery/thriller genre with several red herrings and instances of clever misdirection.

In making Agent Keller pregnant and so close to the end of her term, Finlay challenges the status quo of how federal agents behave in fiction. While one or two instances might push the boundaries of disbelief, for the most part Keller handles her pregnancy in a realistic fashion and even uses it to her advantage when the case requires innovative thinking.

The big reveal toward the end of the book seems a little over the top, and the inevitable fight scene that ensues might induce an eyeroll or two. Readers wanting a mostly enjoyable book in the genre will want to check this out. I recommend readers Borrow The Night Shift.

🤩𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐇𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘🤩

And it’s so good y’all. I devoured it last night, IN ONE SITTING👏🏻🤯

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐅𝐓: published today🎉

Thanks @netgalley for a copy of this one. I LOVED it!!

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: thriller
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞: serial killer
𝐏𝐮𝐛. 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: TODAY 3/1/22
𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4.25

𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

We see two timelines, 15 years apart, where a mass murder takes place. The first in a blockbuster, the second at an ice cream shop. When the surviving teenage victim at the ice cream shop asks to talk to the one survivor of the horrendous mass stabbing at the blockbuster. Turns out, the murderer whispered the same words to both of them “Goodnight, pretty girl”. Are they connect? Who is involved? As the story progresses we get to know the FBI agent leading the case and it reads a bit like a police procedural at the end- but it’s so good👏🏻🔎

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:

This book felt grimy but in the best way. Like a grungy 90’s revival. I DEVOURED it. Sorry House of Sky and Breath, I’ll pick you up again tonight haha this book reminded me a bit of Riley Sager’s writing except I was seriously shocked at who the killer was/how everything played out. I didn’t see ANY of it coming!!

This is a very good book. It keeps you turning the pages until the very end. It has all the thrills you want and will give you a few tears also.

Very well written and makes you feel the horrors. The bodies just keep piling up. In 1999 there was a massacre at the Blockbuster Video store. The teen employees and their manager were slaughtered. One survivor. Then fast forward 15 years and it happens again at the local ice cream store. All the teens are murdered and one lone survivor. Who did these awful murders? Was it the same person. And why.

This book is told from three people's POVs. The pregnant police woman, Keller. The therapist Ella. The lawyer Chris. How are they all tied to these murders? Two are up close and personal. One has to figure it all out and save the day. Or be killed...

It goes back and forth at times between 1999 and 15 years later. Tells you what you need to know about each crime scene. Figuring out who did these horrible murders is not easy. If you do, you are doing great. I didn't this time. There were two things that made me take a star away from this book. One being the dramatic take down of the killer. The extensive fight. The things used inside just didn't seem feasible to me. It would have been better if it would have been just an intense fight. Weapons used were a tad over the top for me. But did make me cringe a lot. The other.. Unless I missed something who was the person doing the live feed videos? I can't remember reading who. I do know who it wasn't though.

This book is a bit brutal in places. But that works great. It makes you feel the horrible things that are happening. I was very pleased with this book and it's the second book I have read by this author and I look forward to more. It's very well written and definitely keeps you on the edge. Keeps you wanting to know who and why. Is it the same person that has been missing so long. In both cases??

Thank you #NetGalley, #AlexFinlay, #stmartinspress for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

4/5 stars and I do highly recommend it. It's great. If you love a good murder thriller this is the one for you. I enjoyed it!

Friends, I’m on such a high after reading some truly awesome ARCs in February. And cmon, who doesn’t wax nostalgic for the good ole days of Blockbuster?

Things I loved:
• Takes place in NJ!
• Dual timelines with copycat murders 15 years apart oOoOo
• Some great twists that really took me by surprise!
• Short chapters, always a win

I took away a star for 2 reasons:
• The ending felt a bit rushed; I wanted more finality to the story
• I understand wanting to have a badass female protagonist (which Agent Keller certainly is!), but the fact that she’s 8.5 months pregnant took me out of the story. I’m all for suspending disbelief to enjoy a story, but her pregnancy seemingly had no bearing on how she did her job, dangerous situations she consciously walked into, etc. that I’m not sure she even needed to be pregnant (or that far along)?

Overall, this was a great, fast-paced thriller that I definitely recommend!!