It was meh. I think I am in the camp of "thrillers are a dime a dozen" so maybe I have become a bit jaded. The story line is interesting but nothing ground breaking. I read through it fairly quickly so it kept my attention, but I can barely remember the plot 2 months after I read it. There fore the 3 star "average" rating.

This was a unique plot for sure. I think that is what attracted me to the book in the 1st place. It has very short chapters and some twists at the end of the chapters to keep you guessing.

I did not like most of the characters. The main POVs are a cop, therapist, and lawyer. All are connected to the crimes in one way or another. It also had the two timelines (1999 and 2014). Sometimes multiple timelines can be confusing, but this was executed very well.

I really thought that overall it was too slow for a thriller. I also felt as though the writing was off for me. I tried reading his other book (it was a DNF). I think I am just not a fan of his writing style.

I watch a lot of true crime, so this may be why my brain picks up on the loose ends in this book. I really cannot say all of them without saying spoilers. But the evidence, motives, and other things just did not all add up to me. I was hoping for closure at the end but was left with a few questions.

I must admit, I read some quotes to my husband. He was wondering why I was laughing. I asked him is this natural for someone to say this. I had a lot of eye-roll moments with the dialogue and/or inner thoughts of some of the characters.

If you are looking for a quick read on a basic thriller, then this is the book for you.

The Night Shift is a compulsively readable thriller about the night crew of a Blockbuster being murdered on New Year’s Eve in 1999. Fast forward 15 years and the closing crew of a local ice cream shop is offed the same way. Is it a copy cat or has the original thriller come out of hiding?

The novel opens on the eve of Y2K--there’s tension in the air from the fear of what will happen when the world meets the 21st century. This scene brought me back to the time when movie rental stores existed, and it made me nostalgic until the employees were brutally murdered. My nostalgia quickly ended there.

The Night Shift is told from multiple POVs: Ella, the lone survivor from the Blockbuster murders, Sarah Keller, FBI agent, and Chris, an assistant prosecutor, who holds a connection to the suspected murderer. In addition to this trio, there are many characters to keep track of--the victim’s families, the school principal, some cops, and Jesse, the lone survivor of the ice cream murders. At times, I was a little confused regarding who was who, but these scenes involved minor players.

Chris and Ella’s stories were the most intriguing. Agent Keller, who features in Every Last Fear, was the stable link between the other two characters.

Each chapter ends with a little tidbit or cliffhanger that made me want more, but sadly the perspective would switch to another character, and I would get annoyed! This aspect of the novel irked me, but not enough to fully impact my enjoyment level.

This is a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller. I guessed the killer very early on (it seemed rather obvious), but this didn’t bother me. There were some surprises along the way of the dots being connected. I had a few issues with the plot and some of the characters, but I chose to ignore them! Overall, The Night Shift is a gripping thriller that kept me turning the pages.

I always have a hard time giving reviews for thrillers (because I don't want to spoil anything), so here are my vague impressions of this story.

I really enjoyed it. I got so caught up in the plot that I couldn't guess who the killer was. The story has some great twists and turns that had me second guessing the plot. I was literally gasping out loud at the end. I would recommend this book if you are a fan of true crime podcasts and detective lead plots.

I was so excited for this book, especially since I loved Every Last Fear. This fell woefully short. I felt like it wanted to be so many things and just needed more work.

VIDEO REVIEW OF THIS BOOK CAN BE FOUND HERE: https://youtu.be/dbwONmYRuWU?t=444

This is a transcript of the review found on that video:
So this book starts back in new year's eve of 1999 in a small town in New Jersey. There are four girls that are working a night shift at a Blockbuster and out of the blue there's an attack and three of these girls end up dead and only one survives. The police finds a suspect but the suspect disappears out of the blue, never to be seen again.
15 years later there are some girls working at an ice cream shop in the same town and there's a similar attack. Again, three of them end up getting killed and only one survives.
So when this happens a lot of lives end up mixing and intersecting. First of all, the girl that survived the attack 15 years ago, then we have the brother of the person who was accused of the triple murder 15 years ago who always believed that his brother was innocent and then we have an  FBI agent that's working the case and in a way the three of them are trying to figure out what really happened, not only what really happened now with 
this new attack but maybe what actually happened 15 years ago and whether or not the person that they thought was a killer was actually the killer. 
I really liked this book, I think it's right up my alley. I mean I love reading this kind of books, but i think this book has like a different twist to it I didn't expect. If you read this kind of books all the time you end up figuring out what's going to happen and this didn't happen for me this time so I think that makes it a great novel and I suggest you read it.

The Night Shift, Alex Finlay
It’s New Year’s Eve 1999 and a murder takes place at a local Blockbuster. Fast forward to present day. Ella is the lone survivor who’s world is turned upside down when a similar crime happens again at an ice cream parole. Why was the murderer never caught and are these 2 crimes related?
While the story itself was a really good one, told from multiple points of view, this was a crime novel. It really focused on the legal system and not so much the storyline. If you like crime novels, this is perfect, otherwise not one I would recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this throw-back crime thriller. It was so much fun as we jumped into the action right away and I couldn't put it down!

Remember when everybody was needlessly anxious about Y2K? Well, something genuinely terrifying transpires in The Nigh Shift—three employees of a Block Buster were murdered. One girl, Ella, survives. And 15 years later, as Ella is working with trauma victims, she is called in because it happened again. This time at an ice cream shop. And the girl who survived exclusively wants to talk to her.
Alex Finlay is a master at entangling truly unnerving and profound suspense novels. As in Every Last Fear, he employs several characters to tell the story of a rampage, then and now.
Often with books with a multiple POV narration, there are some weak links. Here, the pregnant FBI Agent Sarah Keller is undoubtedly a standout, but so are the others; like Chris, the brother of the presumed killer, and Ella and Jesse, both survivors, they steal every scene they are in. Having a narrative that switches periods and POVs is tricky, but these individuals are so unforgettable that the reader relishes every switch.
Finlay knows how to deliver a sucker punch; his characters experience unimaginable pain and terror; he tells the story of a probable copy cat, and makes it fresh, focusing on the investigators and victims with so much humanity and warmth; it is what makes his book so captivating; he creates characters like no other, and then puts them through the wringer torturing the reader in the progress. It is sinister but never cynical. And he knows his way around an intricate, elaborate, and satisfying plot; he is one of the best thrillers writers around right now.

i really enjoyed this one by Alex Finlay, just like the previous novel. I love anything that has to do with 90's slashers, whether it be movies or books, so I'm really glad this one didn't disappoint. The fact that part of this book took place in a video rental store made it even better. I really enjoy anything with dual timelines and i think that Finlay does this really well. I liked and appreciated all the characters, flaws included and I really look forward to anything Alex Finlay writes.

This jump just jumps straight into the action. No slow burn here. This book was very twisty too. While it wasn't a favorite, it is a good pick if you are into a good crime thriller. ⭐⭐⭐

This was an enjoyable read and a twisty story that takes place in present day and in 1999. I would have liked to have more of the story take place in 1999 since that is how it was marketed. The dynamic between the both survivors was very well done as well.

Finlay beautifully weaves a story of how what happens in the past is tied to the present. The characters look to solve the brutal murders at the ice cream shop in present day but cannot shake what happened at the Blockbuster all those years ago. Bingeworthy chapters and an overall good suspense read. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press!

I wanted to read this because 1. I had never read this author 2. I like when a crime repeats years later (yes, that's oddly specific, but it just adds a certain element that I enjoy) and 3. there was a final girl aspect, which I really like. I will definitely check out this author again because this was a good book. The characters were just fantastic and made this book really come alive. I mean, the nostalgia of Blockbuster and Y2K alone were enough to suck me in!

When teens are murdered at an ice cream store one night, FBI agent Sarah Keller must figure out if Jesse, the lone survivor, is somehow linked to Ella, the lone survivor of the Blockbuster Video murders fifteen years ago in the same town. But as Sarah gets closer to the truth, someone is determined to keep it from being revealed.

With multiple POV’s told in the past and present, this was an enjoyable read. It brought back memories of strolling through the crowded aisles after dinner at the local Blockbuster. I liked the short chapters and didn’t feel confused with the different characters and time frames. I did find it a little hard to believe all the things Sarah did, being 8 months pregnant with twins. Overall this was a great read and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was amazing. From start to finish, I felt like I was along with the characters chasing the truth. It's a thriller that kept you guessing the entire time. Absolutely riveting. I do have one tiny gripe, as someone who was pregnant, there's just no way in hell an 8-month pregnant woman- with twins no less, will be able to do half of what FBI agent Keller got up to in this book.

This one was very enjoyable but not OMG amazing, second round purchase for collections where Riley Sager is popular

I absolutely loved this book!!! I really enjoyed all of the books that I’ve read so far by Alex Finlay, and boy did this one not disappoint! I was thrilled to get an ARC for this one, particularly when reading the synopsis and getting a nostalgic vibe from Blockbuster! This one was an edge of the seat thriller, and kept me guessing the whole time. Definitely one that kept me reading through the night!

I really liked this book. Allot of twists throughout the book, did not suspect who the killer really was at all. I'm really looking forward to the authors next book

I loved this book! Such a great, quick read! I loved the story and the characters! Highly recommend this book!