The Night Shift is a twisty mystery about the possible connection between the murder of teens at a Blockbuster Video store in 1999, and the murder of teens fifteen years later at an ice cream shop.

I loved Alex Finlay’s previous novel, Every Last Fear, and this new book doesn’t disappoint. Finlay has a way of shifting between viewpoints but making the reader care about each character, showing their complex lives without bogging down the mystery with too much backstory. FBI Agent Keller is a wonderfully badass, warm female character, eight months pregnant and my favourite part of the book.

Finlay also manages to create a mystery with lots of twists and turns that are both unpredictable and not too far-fetched. I read The Night Shift in one day, and had a lot of fun with it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy of this book.

Alex Finlay has another great story. With twists and turns, this story is compelling enough to keep you reading long into the night shift.

The Blockbuster Murders of 1999 then the ice cream shop Murders in 2015 couldn’t possibly have been the same person. Could it?

Just when you think you know who did it, you’re wrong. Just the way I like it!

Grab this book and enjoy this journey through time. Do you remember where you are on New Year’s Eve 1999?

This book is a blockbuster. Pun intended? I don’t care. As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read this, because Alex Finlay writes movies. I would live to see The Night Shift on Netflix or the big screen. Even HBO Max. The point is, someone please option this as a film.

When I finished Every Last Fear, my first thought was: I need more of Agent Sarah Keller. I hate detective novels, but something about the way Alex Finlay writes makes me devour every word. I was so stoked when I got approved for this ARC, and even more stoked when I realized my dream was coming true: more Agent Sarah Keller!

I bit all my nails down to nubs reading this. I absolutely loved it. Read this one ASAP.

NYE 1999 is known as Y2K, there was panic that the world would be ending. None of that happened, however in a small town - Linden, NJ, tragedy did strike when four teenage girls and their manager were attacked while closing up their shift at Blockbuster. Now, 15 years later, four more teenage girls are attacked while closing up an ice cream shop, in the same town. The big question is, are these two crimes connected or could it be a copycat killer?

I loved how the author flipped POVs depending on the chapters, it took me a bit longer to understand and get to know all the characters but it was done really well. You never knew who to trust.

The ending wrapped up pretty quickly and too cleanly for my tastes but overall a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to Alex Finlay, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this one.

Back in 1999, teenage girls were found murdered at a Blockbuster. One girl survives. Then, 15 years later, more teenage girls are murdered at an ice cream shop. Both crimes occurred in the same town, could they be connected?
This book will be loved by people trying to solve crimes, thriller enthusiasts and people that have actually been inside a Blockbuster! Haha- I think this book would appeal to late teens on up.

I have not been this hooked into a book in a while. Any chance I got to read this I was glued to it. This basically goes over two similar horrific events that happen in a town and is from the point of view of multiple characters. I couldn't find a character in this book that I didn't like. I was dying to figure out what happened with both events and definitely didn't see that end coming at all. I haven't read anything else from this author but definitely will now. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

A really great mystery with multiple timelines and nostalgia- Blockbuster, anyone?

Alex Finlay has a great knack for writing gritty mysteries with a pace that keeps the pages turning, and Night Shift is no exception.

This is a four star read, with one taken off simply because the clues towards the killer are very obvious, and I called it very early in the book. However, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment, and I loved watching how it unraveled to the big reveal.

One of the twists that I did not see coming really broke my heart, but it was really well done.

All in all, thriller/mystery fans should scoop this one up because it’s a guaranteed great read.

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.*

'The Night Shift' is a quick, entertaining yet flawed read. The reveal to the whodunit isn't surprising (and that's saying something because I never guess mystery endings correctly), which is fine because the book still has a few shocking twists. The characters are sympathetic and likable enough to keep me reading, but I wish Finlay developed them more and gave them proper closure. The book ends somewhat abruptly, so you don't get the emotional payoff of several central storylines.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sending me this eARC! I really liked this book. That cover though! The way Finlay writes is so enthralling and has you hooked from the first page. And that twist! I can honestly say I saw none of it coming. Not only was the plot fascinating, but every character brought something so good to the story. Highly recommend and will definitely be checking out this author’s other books!

Do you remember Y2K? All the media hype, the fear and the subsequent let-down when nothing really happened? Well, author Alex Finlay clearly does, having set his latest offering, “The Night Shift” on that exact New Year’s in a Blockbuster Video store! (Simpler times!). Here we get a multiple murder on that fateful night, complete with a “final girl” survivor, Ella. Fifteen years later, now a haunted, self-medicating therapist, she will work with another final girl, Jessica, from a very similar crime - is it a copy cat or the same perpetrator, who may or not have been identified? She’s joined by several other investigators in this thrilling and suspenseful novel who attempt to solve both the killing sprees and get to the truth in both. The multiple POV’s and short, compelling chapters also made this story quite hard to put down and kept me invested until the thrill-ride reveal. I actually preferred this novel to the author’s debut “Every Last Fear” - there’s absolutely no sophomore slump here! HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for generously providing me with a complimentary DRC of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own and were not affected by this exchange.

Well, this turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I didn’t especially care for Finlay’s last (and my first of his) book, Every Last Fear, it was fine, but thoroughly mediocre as far as these ubiquitous thrillers go. When I decided to give this one a go I more of less expected the same sort of serviceable mediocrity, but Finlay (whoever he or she is) has really upped their game with this book.
It’s still very much what you’d expect from a thriller, from split perspectives, to cops and private persons involved in a tight three day race to solve a string of murders of teens, murders that somehow connect over 15 years. Is there a serial killer at play? Who can it be? Ooh aah…all sorts of suspense. And the best thing about it, is that Finlay leads you at this crazy dynamic pace to a genuinely unpredictable solution. It’s really one of the best things you can ask from a mystery thriller, a genre that, literally, lives and dies by its plot twists.
And then you throw in genuinely good writing and engaging characters, including teens (yes, Finlay managed to write a really fascinating teen character, whose level of involvement in the case is one of the main themes, kudos to the author and the adult players are pretty good too, especially Ella, the only survivor of the original crimes who grows up to be a pretty messed up individual and, oddly enough, a therapist, a woman determined to deny her family’s copious wealth and make her own way in the world. There are a lot of good characters here…or are they good? Finlay plays with potential amorality and ambiguity nicely throughout. It’s lovely. All these lives interconnect in such complex and interesting ways and it all balances out for a satisfying resolution.
So overall, a very good read, sure to delight genre fans. Very nice to see the author stepping up their game so assuredly. This one shines as neon bright as the cover. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Could not put this down. Finley does if again. The premise of this was interesting to start. The twists and turns were unique and hard to spot. The characters were interesting and I couldn’t quite tell who was to be trusted. All the things I love in a thriller. Highly recommend.

This book was even better than his first book! I loved the intertwining of characters and giving each their own little story. The story is also really well told using different characters and past and present. So well written and loved how the pieces came together…take the ride, you won’t forget it.

The 20th Century Ends With Murder

Blockbuster Video, 12/31/1999, four young people closing up for the year. A bloody massacre, three dead and one survivor. They had the suspect in custody, let him go, and he disappeared. Fifteen years later, another late night massacre, this time at an ice cream store, the circumstances eerily similar, three dead and one survivor. FBI agent Sarah Keller has never stopped looking for the person charged in the Blockbuster case and can’t accept that the two cases are not connected to a single perpetrator. She defies the lead detective and pursues leads on her own to find the murderer.

This wonderfully written mystery had me on the edge of my seat as the lives of the survivors intertwined with the families, and the officials assigned to the case worked to put all the puzzle pieces together. This is Alex Finlay’s second novel and, hopefully, there will be many more to come. His ability to build realistic characters and put them in believable situations brings his stories to life. And best of all he weaves very realistic mysteries.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for allowing me to read an advance copy of The Night Shift.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay, for the most part, was an enjoyable read for me. Twists and turns that kept you thinking. I had trouble with the fact that the female FBI agent, who had two weeks to go before delivering twins, could have possibly been as nimble as depicted. This was very far fetched. It was a distraction for me. I also had some questions about certain characters, with regard to the closure I needed, to follow up what happened to them. A lot of different characters to follow. Sometimes, not as cohesive as I would have liked. All and all, well done. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this opportunity.

I really enjoyed Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay, so I was very excited to receive an advanced reader's copy of The Night Shift! It certainly did not disappoint!! It's a great fast paced, suck you in and won't let go kind of thriller, and really what more can you ask for? Oh you like complicated but likeable characters? Yep! Has those too! Prefer your thrillers with some murder and a dose of the FBI working with local cops? Check, and check.

I also really liked the tie in with Every Last Fear - FBI Agent Sarah Keller appears in both. I had no idea going in and that felt like a little treat! She is a strong, brace, intelligent woman, love her! The Night Shift is definitely one of my favourite reads this year and highly recommend it!

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Night Shift!

I loved this book. It’s one of the few books that I have finished in one sitting. The nostalgia and the differing perspectives made this fast paced mystery one that I’ll be recommending for sure.

I loved Alex Finlay's first book, so I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of The Night Shift in exchange for an honest review. The Night Shift is about two murder sprees that occur decades apart. The first in 1999 when a group of teenagers are closing the local Blockbuster, the second a similar crime at a local ice cream parlor. Each crime has one lone survivor. Each lone survivor was whispered the same few words by the killer.

When I first read the synopsis, this story appeared to be a simple whodunnit. After giving it a read, it ended up being a bit more complex. Between multiple victims, parents of victims, police investigators, and other fringe characters, there were SO many people to keep track of. Sadly, I determined who was responsible from the first chapter, but stayed around to see if I was correct. I also feel like this book goes goes down a few different rabbit holes and explores some characters more than others. In the end, some things didn't get completely resolved and I didn't feel as connected to this book as is previous one. I did enjoy the general premise of the story and if you enjoy police procedurals and don't have trouble keeping track of multiple characters, this is for you!

This was an excellent well written book, a little too violent possibly for my students, but the violence was a necessary part of the storyline. Suspenseful and full of flawed but lovable characters, told in multiple prespectives and timelines. What is the connection between two massacres that happened fifteen years apart. This brings together two survivors and the Fbi agent, a very pregnant and sometimes foolhardy character and the brother of the man who is accused of the first murder. No spoilers here but it was a gripping read

This book had everything that I care about and get excited for, a suspenseful, deep and heart warming thriller, characters I cared about and a satisfying ending. It tells the story of the survivor of a massacre 15 yrs ago, the brother of the accused killer, the fbi agent and a current survivor of a massacre with too many similarities to ignore. Are they related? The author has the ability write strong believable female characters, which is sometimes not achieved by other male authors. Overall a well written,satisfying book