This is an absolutely fantastic, suck-you-in thriller. I absolutely tore through this book. I really enjoyed Every Last Fear, the author’s debut, but this book is even better.

The story involves two mass murders of teenagers, 15 years apart. Could the same person be guilty of both crimes? The story is told in several points of view - which I'm learning that I love - and there are so many overlaps between the two timelines that totally keep you guessing. There is nonstop action and tons of twists and red herrings. I *did not* guess the killer (well, it was maybe a fleeting thought?) which I absolutely love in a thriller. Also, so many bonus points for bringing back FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from the first book (I really hope the author makes this a series!) and, like the first book, there were some bada$$ lady characters going on here. On a totally personal note, I love that one of the characters was a public defender (not a spoiler!) and that the profession was accurately/compassionately portrayed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, and of course the author for access to this title in exchange for my honest review.

The Night Shift is a prequel to Alex Finlay’s stunning 2021 release Every Last Fear. In this volume, we meet Special Agent Sarah Keller while she is still a crime scene agent, before her transfer to the financial crimes unit where she has her amazing adventure with Matt Pine.

It’s a night of celebration – and fear. New Year’s Eve 1999, they say, might just be the start of the apocalypse. Will planes fall from the skies? Will all our machines fail us? That’s not really on the minds of the four teenage girls working the night shift at a New Jersey Blockbuster Video. They’re just anxious for ten o’clock to arrive so they can head out to their own parties. Only that’s not what happens when closing time rolls around. That moment brings a man, a knife, and a blood bath which leaves only one survivor.

Fifteen years later, Ella Monroe receives a late-night call. There’s a teenage girl – Jesse – in need of counseling expertise that only Ella can offer. Jesse is the sole survivor of an attack at an ice cream parlor where all the workers were killed by a man wielding a knife. As the lone survivor of the last such attack in New Jersey, Ella can extend Jesse advice and comfort that she alone is uniquely suited to give.

Special Agent Sarah Keller is weeks away from maternity leave when she receives the early morning call to aid in the investigation of a slaughter at an ice cream shop. Typically the FBI wouldn’t be involved, but the event bears an eerie similarity to a crime that occurred at a Blockbuster Video fifteen years earlier and the Bureau has an outstanding warrant for the suspect related to those murders. Sarah heads out to Linden, NJ to offer what help she can to the local police.

Which isn’t much. The lead detective isn’t interested in Sarah’s assistance and gives her the assignment of pursuing the unlikely possibility that the original suspect, Vince Whitaker, is once more in the area and killing again. He also foists newbie investigator Atticus Singh on her. Sarah and Atticus doggedly head out to retrace the steps of the initial inquiry, but Sarah has no intention of simply pursuing Vince – she plans to take a thorough look at what happened all those years ago and probe into whether the police actually did their jobs or simply found a scapegoat in a teenager from a bad home.

Chris Ford was once Chris Whitaker, an abused boy whose only defender, his older brother Vince, was accused of a heinous crime and disappeared shortly thereafter. The only good thing to come out of Vince’s problems with law enforcement was that the maltreatment that both boys were experiencing was revealed and Chris was placed with a set of foster parents, kind and generous people who eventually adopted him. Chris became a public defender so he could help people like his brother, poor folks wrongly accused. He has always believed Vince was innocent – based on the most probable timeline of the crime, his brother had been at home cooking them dinner when the murders occurred. When Chris learns of the attack at the ice cream shop, he is shaken to his core. He’s been following a travel vlogger whom he’s convinced is Vince. A vlogger who just happens to be back in the New Jersey area after years spent abroad. Is his brother back? Does the carnage at the ice creamery mean he was the Blockbuster murderer and is now killing again?

This is a classic whodunit with mildly flawed good guys, nuanced villains, and one horrible baddie. One of the problems in reviewing mysteries is that the heart of the story lies in the author’s ability to manipulate each puzzle piece to make us desperate to get to the next piece, and in order for each of us to have the same experience, one of us can’t tell the others what the pieces are. So I am not going to reveal much here. I will say this is a fast-paced character-driven story that takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride through the intricacies of crime-solving. The author does a terrific job of looking at the events from almost every aspect – the victims, their friends and family, the family and friends of the suspect, the people investigating – we don’t get villain viewpoint but we do see how that person’s actions affect everyone around them. This allows us as readers to see the crime holistically and realize just how each small action/choice made by each individual leads to the near-inevitable climax – and how one small change could have led to better results for all.

Finlay does an equally terrific job of creating compelling characters. Each one is beautifully drawn, intricate, and rich in detail. The internally vulnerable, outwardly tough Jesse; the meticulous, cautious, caring Sarah; the damaged but resilient and feisty Ella; sweet, innocent Atticus, – I could list everyone because even the most secondary of characters receives sufficient detail for us to know who they are and why they behave the way they do.

These resonant characterizations had me deeply invested in what happened to almost everyone I encountered. Sarah, of course, as the main protagonist, draws the bulk of our empathy. She is a level-headed, no-nonsense individual without an ego. She is happy to take a back seat to the lead investigator but she also is still thorough in doing her job. It is her eye for detail that ultimately solves the crimes.

Ella is clearly still damaged from what happened fifteen years ago. She hasn’t let that keep her from living a full, productive life, but she has let it keep her from building any new, meaningful relationships. I liked that the horrific events at the ice cream shop make her re-examine her survivors’ guilt and take steps forward in living more fully.

Jesse is young, brash, hotheaded, and stubborn – all traits that enable her to thrive in the midst of the chaos of her young life. I liked how she was bolder and more take charge than the original victims, something which also helped in the resolution of the crime.

The book does have some flaws. Sarah’s pregnancy is actually rather laughable – a woman eight months pregnant with twins isn’t going to be charging around solving crimes or running anywhere. It’s obvious one of our secondary characters is being prepped like a lamb for the slaughter – they’re just far too lovable. The big secret which instigated the Blockbuster murder would probably have come out sooner – I think the parents would have been the sort to hassle that poor girl till she talked. There were also others involved who probably would have spoken out.

Those quibbles aside The Night Shift is an excellent mystery that I think will appeal to fans of that genre.

What a fantastic thrill ride! First time reading Alex Finlay and won't be my last!
Remember the anxiety around Y2K? Imagine being a sole survivor of a shooting in a Blockbuster that night!
Fast forward and we meet Ella, said survivor, who is now a counselor. We also have a repeat crime this time in an ice cream shop. Since the initial suspect got away, the FBI is involved and what ensues is a well written mystery thriller. Thankful for this ARC! Great read!

WOW!!! That’s the only word I have to describe this book. Just wow. Alex Finlay absolutely nailed it with this retro-feel thriller.

I loved the flashback to 1999/Y2K and Blockbuster. I grew up in the 90s so I was totally in based on the description. But this book really had everything I love in a book. Two connected murders, nostalgia, brilliant twists and turns, and main characters you wanted to root for.
The Night Shift follows three characters – Ella, the Blockbuster massacre survivor (aka the Final Girl); Chris, the brother of the accused murderer of the Blockbuster employees; and Agent Sarah Keller, the FBI agent brought in to look for connections between the Blockbuster murders and the ice cream shop murders. I was completely invested in EVERY. SINGLE. MAIN. CHARACTER. That almost never happens!

Ella has turned her past into something meaningful by becoming a psychologist. She puts on a strong front, but you can see the ramifications of her trauma in her personal life and the destructive behavior that goes along with it. When Jessie, the lone survivor of the ice cream shop murders, needs to talk to someone about what happened, Ella is more than qualified. Ella is a messy character, but she is absolutely relatable and it’s easy to connect with her.

Chris has also turned his past around. Growing up in an abusive home is bad enough, but then the older brother he looks up to becomes the prime suspect in the murder of 4 people and attempted murder of another. Chris becomes a public defender – defending those who can’t afford a defense. It’s how he is able to cope with his brother being accused of a murder that Chris is sure he didn’t commit.

Last but not least… Agent Sarah Keller. She is the most badass character in this book. She’s 8 months pregnant, but still out on the beat trying to solve a cold case and find potential connections between the two crimes committed. Along with a temporary appointed partner (Atticus Singh) from the local police department, she finds that the digging she is doing is not appreciated by many involved in the old case… perhaps those who don’t want the truth to come out or perhaps those that find the past too painful to rehash. She finds herself in dangerous situations, but is willing to do what needs to be done in order to bring justice.

I was so invested in these characters and this story that I flew through this book in a couple days. I can’t even tell you how much I loved it. It’s not often that a book surprises me, but this one had some great twists and turns I didn’t see coming. It was a bit reminiscent of Final Girls by Riley Sager, which is another great read if you’re wondering.

If you like thrillers or detective novels, then this one is for you! It just came out today so go pick up a copy!

Rating: 5/5 (YES – it was THAT good!)

Alex Finlay is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. This is the second book that I have read by this author and just like the first one he pulls you in and never lets you go until the end. If you think that you know what is going to happen by the end you could be wrong. I really enjoy reading his stories and I cannot wait to see what he is going to bring us next. I received an ARC from NetGallery but the review is my own opinions.

Looking for a new thriller? Check out Alex Finlay's new book "The Night Shift". It's coming out March 1, 2022. It's definitely worth the hype! Don't miss it!

"The Night Shift" begins on "New Years Eve 1999". For those old enough to remember, there were rumors of the end of times called Y2K. That alone is enough to know this is going to be a very intriguing book. But it gets even better...

Steve, Mandy, Katie, Ella and Candy are working the late night shift. They are all employee's of a trendy "Blockbuster Video" store. Suddenly, they are brutally attacked and only one of them survives. The survivor eventually becomes a therapist and is called upon (15-years later) to help solve another horrific murder spree with the exact same "M.O.".

This is a bone chilling tale. I love the nostalgic "Blockbuster" set-up. I devoured half the book before I looked to see the time. It's that good!!! Was it perfect? Sadly no. There are a few tiny holes in the story, but it did not stop me from fully enjoying this novel. It's a strong 4.5 star book.
Big Score for Alex Finlay!!! 🏆

Thank you so very much NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for allowing me to review this e-book. I can't wait to buy my personal copy to add to my library!

I always love and hate to review thriller books cause I always believe they are best enjoyed going in blind. I went into the Night Shift only knowing it death with a series of killings tied to a Blockbuster (any book that features this automatically gets points in my book) and an ice cream shop. While I expected this book was going to be more of a slasher thriller I was pleasantly surprised to find it was much more of a (not) true crime thriller.

The Night Shift follows three characters POV: Agent Keller (an agent on the case), Ella (who was there the night of the Blockbuster killing and survived), and Chris (who also has ties to the original killings. I found all three characters POV engaging and loved seeing how they all intersected as the book went on. Finlay made me care so deeply for each of these characters who were strong and funny and who you would want to root for.

There are also a few important other characters without POVs like Atticus and Jess who I both loved but like I said going in bling is always the best way to experience a thriller.

While I did guess the killer early into the book, there were other twists that made me stop and pause cause they were so amazing and not in an unbelievable way.

Overall I also just loved the vibes, characters, and writing of the book and could not recommend more (For me this was a 4.5/5 book..

Thanks to Minotaur and Netgalley for my ARC.

Introducing my favorite thriller of the year!!! (So far). I hadn’t heard of Alex Finlay before reading this, but I will most definitely be checking out his backlist. We start on New Years Eve 1999, when 4 teenage girls are violently attacked when ending their workday at Blockbuster. Only one girl survives the attack, but she doesn’t remember what happened. Fifteen years later, in the same town, three teenage girls are ending their workday at an ice cream shop when a similar violent attack occurs. Only one girl survives… but it appears that this surviver might know more than she’s letting on.

Because this is a thriller, I don’t want to say more about the plot other than if you enjoy this genre, I would highly recommend this book! This has multiple POVs, which mostly end on cliffhangers so you keep turning the page. The twist at the end was deserved, meaning if you pay attention to details given early in the story, you might be able to guess the attacker(s). I especially appreciate when a thriller’s twist is not out of left field so, for me, this added to my high rating.

I also loved all the New Jersey references! The story takes place in Linden, NJ, which is definitely a random location, especially considering that it doesn’t appear Finlay has a connection to the area. However, I used to work in criminal law near Linden, and Finlay more or less got a lot of the lawyering details correct. I hadn’t realized the book was set somewhere I knew, and that’s always a fun surprise to discover while reading.

THE NIGHT SHIFT is definitely worth your time and is available to purchase today! Thank you to Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @stmartinspress @minotaur_books @netgalley for my review copy!

New Years Eve 1999, employees at a Blockbuster are attacked and only one survivor escapes. 15 years later, another massacre at a local ice cream store has a similar MO and one survivor. Now it’s up to the survivors and authorities to find the main suspect.

I thought it was a little slow in parts and it took awhile to all come together, but overall I enjoyed it. It’s not going to be one that sticks with me though. I’ve heard great things about this author’s previous book, so I’d definitely like to pick it up.

This book gripped me start to end. A mass murder occurs on New Year's Eve of 1999 at a Blockbuster Video leaving just one survivor. Ella has tried to put that night behind her avoiding any thought of the killer still on the loose. Now 15 years later, another similar event occurs at the local ice cream shop. Again...only one survivor is left.

This is definitely a mystery more than thriller. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The writing flows well despite jumping from one character to the next. They all interconnect in the end in a really clever way. While I did guess the culprit by around 60% of the book, there were definite twists and turns I did not see coming. I gasped out loud several times by these surprises. I could not put this one down and finished it in a day. I had to see how it all came together. Alex Finlay is a new author for me but I will be sure to look for more from this master storyteller in the future.

The Night Shift is a real thriller. There are lots of twists to the story that had me guessing how this story would end. I enjoy Alex Finlay’s writing style. The chapters are short and fast-paced. I found it hard to put this book down. I highly recommend this book.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay is a well-crafted, perfectly plotted entertaining entry in the mystery/thriller genre. The story revolves around one family involved in two mass murder cases 15 years apart.

There is a lot going on, with multiple narrators and several storylines. Despite the many balls being juggled, the storyline is cohesive and tightly plotted. The characters have depth and agency and I loved getting to know the characters.

The Night Shift is an action-packed, satisfying mystery where all of the mysteries are resolved, feel organic, and are unexpected. I listened to the audiobook, which was well narrated by multiple skilled narrators and kept me riveted.

Thank you St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

I'm usually more of a cozy mystery reader rather than a thriller fan, but when this book was offered, I just couldn't resist. And, OMGoodness! I'm so glad I took a chance. With its twists and turns, fast-pace, interesting characters, secrets, danger, and so much more, I literally couldn't put this book down. It's definitely going on my to-be-read-again shelf.


Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

4.5 stars

This thriller that was equal character and plot driven involves two mirroring tragedies, 15 years apart. Both were gruesome, both left a single survivor, and both killers uttered the phrase "Goodnight, pretty girl." Following three perspectives from three different aspects of the case: the lone survivor from the original case who bonds with the new survivor, the district attorney who's brother was the original suspect who went on the run, and a FBI agent who is insistent on solving both cases. Throughout the story, we meet a cast of characters from parents of the victims to local law enforcement. It's like an episode of Law & Order!

This was really great! I could not put this down. Despite guessing the killer from the very beginning, there were enough twists and surprising revelations about characters that still kept it thrilling and interesting. It was fascinating to slowly start to see how people from seemingly different components of these two cases end up being connected. Sometimes in a mystery the characters can be a little lackluster to drive the plot home—or vice versa—but I felt the compelling characters helped to enhance the plot in a really masterful way. For a sophomore novel, I was blown away. And don't take my correct guessing of the killer as something to go on—I questioned myself about a million times throughout my read.

It's hard to review such a great mystery thriller without getting into spoiler territory, but this was such a wild ride.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Pub Day to this incredible book!! I finished this one in about 8 hours because I couldn’t put it down! Do yourself a favor and put it on your TBR now.

On New Years Eve 1999 (otherwise known as Y2K) someone came into the Blockbuster at closing time and killed all but one of the workers there. Fifteen years later, something very similar happens in the same town in an ice cream shop. The FBI is called in to work with the local detectives to make connections with the 1999 case. Special Agent Keller joins with young detective Atticus to research and re-interview old witnesses from that case. What they uncover is quite disturbing. Meanwhile, 1999 survivor, Ella, is called in to help counsel the present survivor, Jesse. While getting to know Jesse, Ella discovers secrets about the case that could uncover the killer.

This was one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. I was on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing who did it and how everything would come together in the end. This book was so well written and very entertaining! I loved Special Agent Keller. She was so tough and determined, despite being 8 months pregnant. I also really liked Ella and Chris. That prologue had me hooked! A mass murder in Blockbuster?!? I have to admit, i predicted the murderer really early on, but that didn’t change how great the books was. The ending of the book was so good and a little sad. I definitely want to read more books by this author!

New Year’s Eve 1999, a horrendous and bloody attack occurs at a Blockbuster video. There is only one survivor, Ella. 15 years later a similar incident occurs at an ice cream shop. Again there is only survivor, Jesse. Ella, now a therapist, is asked to speak with Jesse and instantly forms a bond with the fellow survivor.
Is this the same killer re-emerging or is it a copycat? Despite being 8 months pregnant with twins, that is the question that Special Agent Sarah Keller aims help the local cops answer.
Alex Finlay really knocked this one out of the park. The Night Shift features complex/sympathetic characters and an excellent story that kept me turning pages late into the night.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Night Shift.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R371DVGGE8LOK3/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Twisty, fast paced and impossible to put down, Alex Finlays new novel is a thriller you won't want to miss!

Oh my goodness, THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD! I read this so fast because it really was impossible to put down. Short, intense chapters draw you in, and the twists and secrets keep you guessing!

Though I did guess the big twists, the story still and had tons of things I didn't see coming! This book was gripping, and set fun to get lost in. So many characters were hiding so many secrets and I loved all of the doffernts POVs and storylines. If you love suspenseful, fast paced thrillers, add this one too your TBR immediately!

Thank you St Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was published today (3/1) and I definitely recommend it. This review will be posted to Amazon today, and on my blogs soon!

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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC!


Content Warning: death, murder, violence, sexual assault (off-page, of a minor), child abuse, domestic abuse.


New Year's Eve, 1999. Four high-school girls are working the night shift at a Blockbuster in Linden, New Jersey. Before the night is over, three of them are dead, leaving one of the girls as the sole survivor. Fifteen years later, Ella Monroe has become a therapist, hoping to help others who have suffered like she has. When tragedy strikes again, this time at a local ice cream store, everyone has one question: is it related to the murders in 1999? This event brings three characters together on a collision course: Ella, who is determined to help the only girl who didn't die, forcing her to confront her past; Chris Whitaker, the little brother of the teenage boy who everyone believes murdered the girls at Blockbuster, and who is now a public defender; and Agent Sarah Keller, who works for the FBI and is ready to finally close the case once and for all.

I've been back in the mystery mood this month, returning to the genre that has essentially been my favorite for the last few years. I'm also a huge fan of stories set in the 90s', and although I'm usually not the biggest fan of dual timelines (as usually one is far more interesting than the other), I thought that The Night Shift seemed like a great fit for my reading tastes.

Seemingly inspired by the Austin Yogurt Shop murders that took place in 1991, leaving four young girls brutally murdered, this book starts off with an interesting look into the night of the murders through the eyes of the Blockbuster's manager. Although the writing style was sparse -- and in third-person present-tense, my least favorite way to read a story -- I find that common in thrillers these days, so I wasn't too concerned. As the story progressed, however, and we came to the characters fifteen years later, I found myself a little put off by the run-of-the-mill, slightly cheesy storytelling.

None of the three main characters are particularly likable or interesting. Ella is (perhaps obviously) the one that captured my attention the most, seeing as she is the only survivor of the massacre that killed her friends and manager, but even she comes off slightly dull and underdeveloped. Agent Keller is pleasant, good-natured with a tough side, but I found her chapters teetered on the side of boring. The worst, for me, was Chris. He has good motivation and an interesting background, but he is not only boring, but sanctimonious. The efforts to make him relatable -- especially when it comes to his relationship with his "perfect" fiancée, Clare -- actually made me like him less.

The story itself is fine. Nothing remarkable, but not the worst thing I've ever read, either. It's pretty straightforward, though, and I did predict who the killer was within the first handful of chapters (but that might simply be because I read so many mysteries and thrillers!). The ending was a touch underwhelming, and there's some parts with the culprit that actually almost made me laugh because it seemed so preposterous and like the sort of thing you'd watch in a B-horror movie.

I think this book could've benefitted from more scenes in the 90s'. For me, those were the best parts of the book, though sadly there were very few. I liked the unique idea here, but unfortunately the execution wasn't up to par.

Not for me, but I think many people will enjoy this story!

First of all, the nostalgia was perfection. Maybe it's because I am still slightly running off a high of the Super Bowl 2022 halftime show, but I am all about the nostalgia lately. Who doesn't remember New Year's Eve night 1999? I remember watching the ball drop on my parent's TV, wondering if the computers were all going to spontaneously combust, then feeling slightly let down that nothing exciting happened. I digress. While this one has the nostalgia factor, it is a pretty gruesome story of two murders, 15 years apart, that have some strong resemblances.

Told from multiple character point of views and short chapters, I flew through this book. The Night Shift is told from the perspective of the Blockbuster slaying survivor, the badass FBI agent (who, by the way, is 8 months pregnant with twins - who run the world?! GIRLS!) and the brother of the original suspect. Each character has tricks up their sleeves and added to the fun factor with this one. There were quite a few side characters and storylines that got confusing at times and, in my opinion, could have done without, but it wasn't enough to throw me off the main plot line.

As far as thrillers go, this one kept me entertained. I did guess "whodunnit" pretty early on. I question if this is because of the author's writing or just the fact that I've read so many thrillers that I have seen all the killer tropes. Despite that, I still really enjoyed it and there were a couple twists I didn't see coming. I have a few unanswered questions, but overall, I enjoyed The Night Shift.

Although thrillers aren’t my go-to books, I like a change of pace now and then. After having read and reviewed Alex Finlay’s previous thriller, Every Last Fear, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to request an advance reader copy of The Night Shift.

Finlay has again narrated another page-turner through multiple points of view. The prologue opens at Linden, New Jersey’s Blockbuster, during break time, New Year’s Eve, 1999, with the world anticipating Y2K disaster. Those of us old enough to recall that unfounded fear also remember when midnight and the new millennium arrived, life went on as usual. What the group of Blockbuster employees does not anticipate is a workplace disaster. While the world doesn’t end, lives do. Only one of the video store employees, Ella, survives the night shift. An arrest is made, but the suspect soon released on a technicality. He vanishes, leaving behind a younger brother determined to find him.

Chapter 1 opens 15 years later, Ella now a therapist. A strangely similar multiple murder soon occurs at a Linden ice cream shop, Dairy Creamery, with another sole female survivor, Jesse.
As the story continues, readers meet an assortment of other characters, including the original suspect’s brother Chris, now a public defender; Atticus, a local detective; and Sarah Keller, an FBI agent. Jesse, the second survivor, will talk only to Ella.

As Finlay repeatedly shifts between points of view, he creates a fast-paced story with short chapters often ending in cliffhangers guaranteed to make readers think, “Just another chapter”—a thought they may repeat at the end of the next chapter, again and again.

I would not have missed most of the F-bombs, and I found FBI agent Keller’s advanced pregnancy with twins incredulous given her actions, but despite these issues, Alex Finlay again kept me up past the wee hours of the morning, unable to stop reading until the puzzle pieces gradually fit together.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press for an advance reader copy. Iwill be watching for Alex Finlay’s next thriller.