Author: Alex Finlay
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 312
Date of Publication: March 1, 2022
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
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, four teenage girls working the night shift are attacked. Only one survives. Police quickly identify a suspect who flees and is never seen again.
Fifteen years later, in the same town, four teenage employees working late at an ice cream store are attacked, and again only one makes it out alive.
Both surviving victims recall the killer speaking only a few final words... “Goodnight, pretty girl.”
In the aftermath, three lives intersect: the survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive her tragedy; the brother of the original suspect, who’s convinced the police have it wrong; and the FBI agent, who’s determined to solve both cases. On a collision course toward the truth, all three lives will forever be changed, and not everyone will make it out alive.
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 Alex Finlay as one of the new leading voices in the world of thrillers.
Fifteen years later, in the same town, four teenage employees working late at an ice cream store are attacked, and again only one makes it out alive.
Both surviving victims recall the killer speaking only a few final words... “Goodnight, pretty girl.”
In the aftermath, three lives intersect: the survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive her tragedy; the brother of the original suspect, who’s convinced the police have it wrong; and the FBI agent, who’s determined to solve both cases. On a collision course toward the truth, all three lives will forever be changed, and not everyone will make it out alive.
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 Alex Finlay as one of the new leading voices in the world of thrillers.
MY THOUGHTS:
I cherish fond memories of visiting Blockbuster Video with my children. However, Ella’s story is different. She is the sole survivor of a heinous crime that occurred at the former video store, where three of her friends were tragically killed. Fifteen years later, a similar crime happens at an ice cream shop, leaving Jesse as the lone survivor. Jesse, a foster child, has endured numerous life changes.
Ella and Jesse’s paths crossed when the principal at Ella’s school, where she works as a school counselor, asked her to visit Jesse at the hospital after the attack. As we delve deeper into Ella’s character, it becomes evident that she is deeply broken, undoubtedly due to the traumatic events of her past. Despite her struggles, Ella is determined to help Jesse. She becomes increasingly involved in Jesse’s life, and they spend a significant amount of time together.
Two other prominent protagonists in this captivating story are Chris, the hardworking lawyer handling the case, and Keller, the FBI agent investigating it. Alongside the intriguing perspectives of Ella and Jesse, the other viewpoints are equally compelling. This harmonious blend of perspectives contributes to the overall intrigue and suspense of this thrilling narrative.
I was fully drawn into this multi-layered story, right from the very start. Equally tragic and intense, this book was impossible to put down. This is Alex Finlay‘s sophomore book, and it was an excellent example of his writing prowess. It was very nice to see special agent Sarah Keller once again in this book. I was also quite pleased to go on to read Parents Weekend immediately upon finishing this book.
Many thanks to Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Alex Finlay is the author of the 2021 breakout novel, Every Last Fear, the 2022 Goodreads Choice nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller, The Night Shift, and the 2023 LibraryReads Hall of Fame recipient, What Have We Done. His work has been an Indie Next pick, a LibraryReads selection, an Amazon Editor’s Best Thriller, as well as a Cosmopolitan, CNN, Newsweek, E!, BuzzFeed, Business Week, Goodreads, Parade, PopSugar, Scribd, and Reader’s Digest best or most anticipated thrillers of the year. Alex’s novels have been translated into twenty-one languages and are sold around the world. All of his novels have been optioned for film and television, and Every Last Fear is in development for a major limited series.
Alex writes under a pen name and is a prominent Washington, D.C. lawyer who has represented clients in more than 40 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
His next novel If Something Happens to Me releases in May 2024.
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