Wow, wow, wow! What can I say, but I’m mind blown! Perfectly written, with amazing character development made this intense and intriguing story even more engaging! A must read for any thrill seeker! The unique story is sure to blow you away and leave you with a raging hangover! Look forward to more by this AMAZING AUTHOR! Highly, highly, highly recommend!

This book was a fast-paced thriller that I absolutely could not put down. I would give it a solid 4.5/5 stars. I did find the killer to be a little predictable but it didn’t take anything away plot-wise in my opinion. I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded. It’s told in 3 alternating perspectives. We have a survivor from the original murders, a defense attorney, and a FBI agent. With this, we get a really nice view of everything as a whole. The story unfolds in pieces that each character reveals over time. And each character has a separate role in the investigations that gives us a great understanding of how things are being handled. This story starts with a bang and builds steam from there. If you enjoy thrillers I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay

This is an adult mystery/thriller novel, duel timeline spanning 15 years apart.

In this, the year is 1999 and there is a massacre at the local Blockbuster with only one survivor. Fast forward 15 years and a similar massacre occurs with only one survivor. We are primarily following three storylines, an FBI agent, a survivor, and the brother of the original suspect from the Blockbuster murders.

The Pros:
- loved the vibe of the old blockbuster (super nostalgic)
- loved all the POV’s not enjoying one over the other
- some twists took me completely by surprise
- loved how the author chose to make certain reveals, I thought it was very clever.

The cons:
- I found the main reveal (who the killer is) to be very predictable, just the set up, everything pointed to them)
- about a third of the way through I was a little bored, but it picked back up!

Overall:

I think this is a solid mystery/thriller that is a super fast read given it’s short chapters and multiple perspectives.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for providing me this arc!

Working the night shift can give anyone the creeps. When a blockbuster video mass murder happens and no one is ever caught - people are cautious. Then 15 years later when a murder happens again with chilling similarities down to something the murderer says to a victim who gets away the police have to wonder - is it a copy cat? Or is the original murderer back? I did not see this ending coming AT ALL. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Absolutely obsessed with how the different POV's all come together! Honestly the author had me assuming so many different characters could have been the killer even to the point where I thought it was a copy-cat second killer! My favorite character to follow through the story was the FBI agent. She had this badass but gentile persona that made her that ultimate heroine.

The Night Shift was a perfectly decent slasher-thriller. I'm teetering between 3 and 4 stars, but in comparison to other recent thrillers, I'm giving this book 4 stars.

The plot involves two parallel killings that take place in the same town, fifteen years apart. Both killings involve teenagers working the eponymous "night shift". The sole survivor of the first event (Ella) is now working as a therapist, and the beloved local school guidance counselor summons her back to town to provide support for the sole survivor of the recent tragedy. The shifting POVs includes Ella, the FBI investigator of the recent killing, and the brother of the suspect from the first incident.

Due to the book straddling these two key events, there is obviously a lot of flashbacks, and discussion of the past repeating itself. I thought the murderer, in the end, was realistic. Fans of the genre likely have a good shot at guessing the killer, but that is part of the fun of murder mysteries and slasher novels, right?

However, I did think that final reveal was way too dramatic, I skimmed through the villainous monologues pretty quickly out of second-hand embarrassment. I also have beef with the quick wrap-up, which can be a convention of the genre, unfortunately. In a way, the author acknowledged the trauma that goes into being a "final girl", i.e. a sole survivor of a killing, by showcasing Ella's disrupted personal life throughout the novel and her career choice as a therapist. I had hoped that this acknowledgement would thereby lead to more closure for the characters at the end of the novel, but alas, we only got a few pages for each POV character.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an advanced copy of this book.

First off a huge thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur books for providing me with an ARC of the The Night Shift and boy am I glad they did. I absolutely loved this book. I cannot say enough great things about it.
The Night Shift was actually discussed in a bunch of my Facebook book groups and I was curious about all the hype. The Night Shift definitely lives up to the hype. Blockbuster, Y2K, and life before social media bring back so many memories as a teenager growing up in the late 90s. If you're looking for a bit of nostalgia, crime, and definite thrills this is the book for you .
This is a fast paced thriller that has you guessing the entire time and even when you think you know how the story will end you're still hit with unexpected surprises. Run, do not walk and grab yourself a copy of The Night Shift as soon as can, you won't regret it.

I’m speechless … this is Alex Finley’s second book and it was another 5 star for me. Two mass murders, 15 years apart, in the same town, and both were left with one survivor, is it a coincidence or do these have something in common? It will keep you guessing until the end with all twist and jaw droppers.

I can’t thank Net Galley enough for letting me get my handles on the advanced copy.

Not only are the arc and cover amazing, they match the rich, gripping story inside. I think this book was a really great chilling story perfect for both true crime and thriller fans alike.

Four teenagers are working late at an ice cream store when someone kills all but one person, Jesse. Four teenagers experienced the same fate fifteen years ago at a Blockbuster video store. Ella was the survivor then and has become a therapist. When the police and the F.B.I. work the crime, Ella is called in and is the only person Jesse will talk with. Agent Keller, eight months pregnant with twins and a great crime solver, is trying to see if the two events are tied together. Vince is suspected of the first crime but got off and has disappeared. His younger brother Chris, was abused by their father and sent to live with Ms. May and Clint. Chris’s name has changed and he has never given up the search for his brother. There is a lot of discrepancies in police reports, tips called in, and wild goose chases. I loved the characters and felt for Ella as she relived her ordeal and suffered from the dysfunctional relationship she had with her mother. Lots of twists and turns. Very complex book with action that will keep you turning the pages!

This 2nd novel by Alex Finalay had me guessing all the way to the end! It had a great twist and I was surprised by the conclusion. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Finlay's first book as well as anyone looking for a great thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC of The Night Shift in exchange for an honest review. After really enjoying Mr. Finlay’s debut hit Every Last Fear, I was very interested to see how his sophomore effort would turn out.

On New Year’s Eve 1999, then-teenager Ella Monroe survived an attack at a Blockbuster Video that left her four co-workers dead. The suspected killer, another teenager named Vince Whitaker, disappeared within days, leaving behind questions about his guilt and a devastated younger brother, Chris. Then in April of 2015, history repeats itself when another late-night attack in an ice cream shop in the same town again leaves another teenage survivor, Jesse Duvall. Ella is now a therapist, and is brought in to talk to Jesse. Meanwhile, FBI Investigator Sarah Keller—heroine of Every Last Fear and now eight-and-a-half-months pregnant with twins—is brought in to assist the investigations into both sets of murders.

As with Every Last Fear, the story in The Night Shift alternates between different narrators—Ella, Sarah, and Chris—both in the past and the present, with occasional clips from a video blogger who may have a connection to the murders. Each of them brings a different perspective to what’s happening: Ella is still damaged by the memories of the night she was almost murdered, Chris is still haunted by the uncertainty of whether his brother is a murderer, and Sarah is a thoughtful, compassionate investigator.

The writing in The Night Shift is crisp and strong, and the novel is well plotted. The killer(s) may have been a bit predictable, but there were other parts of the mystery that I did not see coming. The alternation of timelines and narrators does a nice job of slowly revealing little morsels about what happened, the characters’ various secrets (especially those of the mysterious Jesse), and the occasional red herring. There’s a late reveal that changes the direction of the tale, and a moment very late (spoiler alert) when I said out loud “oh no” as I realized a character was no longer as alive as I would have liked.

Another well-plotted, well-written thriller by Mr. Finlay. Recommended.

I requested this book because I really enjoyed the author's previous title "Every Last Fear." I enjoyed the final girl aspect of the Blockbuster crime, with there only being one survivor. I was a little put off by the assumption that the survivor would be allowed to council the only survivor of the present day crime at the ice cream shop. Once I suspended belief, I was enveloped in the quick moving plot. I appreciated the twists and turns of the plot, including the travel vlog. The relationship between the past and present survivor created depth for both the characters and kept me invested in the plot. Overall, this was an excellent mystery and very quick read. I stands out as one of the better thrillers I have read this year.

I've been impatiently waiting for Alex Finlay's next book to come out, ever since I finished the last page of his previous story, Every Last Fear. This story, about an unsolved mass murder in a small town recreated decades later, hooked me from the get go. Was it the same person as the previous murders, a copycat, or something else entirely? This story kept me guessing and had my detective senses twitching throughout, as I tried to piece the clues together. The story held my attention, switching from various narrations and time plots, which were seamless and easy to follow. The aspect that I most enjoyed about this book was the depth of the characters, the victims, the townspeople, the allegedly accused. I walked away feeling like I knew each person intimately, and there was a certain relatability to each individual that made me want to know them more. If you're looking for your next great read, look no further. This is it.

Remember Y2K? On New Year's Eve 1999 four teens are attacked while working the night shift at Blockbuster Video. Only one survives. Fifteen years later a similar attack occurs at an ice cream shop. Are the crimes connected and where is the man accused of the first crime?

The Night Shift follows the survivors from both attacks, the younger brother of the accused, and an FBI agent looking for the truth. Although there are a lot of characters in this book I feel like we get to know and care about them. They even start to feel like real people after all the stuff they go through. And they do go through a lot.

Many things happen in this book around the investigation and things that happen in the characters' lives. It all connects in some way. There is a lot of action. It is such a quick read. I never really wanted to stop reading and I was thinking about the story when I wasn't.

There are little bits of nostalgia from the 90's and Blockbuster and I imagined some actors for a couple characters. I didn't have a firm suspect in mind but I was right about the first person I suspected. And I loved the P.G. Wodehouse reference!

Be prepared because The Night Shift will not let you off easy!

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books!

What a great second novel by Alex Finlay!

This novel intertwines the stories of many characters, from a pregnant detective to a crime survivor turned therapist. All of the characters have a lot of depth, and I found myself interested in all of their different roles and perspectives as the story unfolded.

I will say this one kept me guessing to the end! I love a good twist, and I was surprised to learn who the real mastermind was.

I'd recommend this book for anyone who enjoyed Finlay's first book, Every Last Lie, as well as thriller readers looking for an engrossing read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Alex Finlay and Netgalley for the ARC!

4.5 stars! This was a great thriller. It definitely kept me interested. The story was super intriguing, with lots of twists and turns throughout to keep you guessing. Although I did guess the killer, it was still a good conclusion to the story. I really liked the characters in this one as well, especially Atticus and Keller.

I will definitely continue to read anything by Alex Finlay as this book and his previous book were both amazing!

This book started off slow and honestly the only thing that kept me interested in the beginning was knowing what actually happened. But once it picked up it was so good though my heart broke at the end. I didn't really see the ending coming but it was so good.

New Years Eve 1999, three teenagers are murdered at Blockbuster Video. There is one survivor. Fifteen years later, three teens are murdered at a local ice cream shop, with one survivor.

Another entertaining, suspenseful page turner from Alex Finlay! I loved the nostalgia it brought up with the 90’s flashbacks, especially in the Blockbuster video. The main characters were all very likable and I enjoyed getting to know them. There were a lot of small secondary characters that I didn’t feel I get to know well enough to pick up any clues or hints. I was surprised by the ending, but also not surprised. I couldn’t put this book down the entire time and the ending got even more exciting!

“Goodnight, pretty girl.”

The Night Shift comes out 3/1

I have been a fan of this author since reading Every Last Fear and found that I really enjoyed this book as well.

I do remember the 'fear' some people had over Y2K so could relate to that part well. And I remember when Blockbuster was such a huge part of people's lives, and how you couldn't wait to go and pick out the next movie to rent. When the entire crew is attacked on New Year's Eve, leaving only one survivor, that was the start of a roller coaster ride that didn't let up until the end.

Was I surprised at who the killer was? Not at all, as a matter of fact I guessed it early on. Thankfully that didn't take away from the plot and characters that I felt were done very well. I really enjoyed this read and can't wait for the next novel to come out.