The Night Shift

 

Alex Finlay has gone from strength to strength with this one.  True to the style of his last effort, Every Last Fear, he starts with an emotionally engaging tragedy - in this one the New Year’s Eve 1999 murder of 4 young employees at a small-town Blockbuster Video store that left one survivor.  Jump ahead 15 years, and history nearly mirrors itself with the murder of 4 more teenage employees at the Dairy Creamery that leaves one survivor.  Is the fugitive suspect that fled 15 years ago responsible for the new murders, or is this a copycat?  That’s the question and it was a page-turning pleasure getting to those answers!

Something else I liked?  Finlay’s characters.  He manages to make likable and unlikable characters equally compelling.  I adored Atticus Singh, the young, eager agent that shadows Special Agent Sarah Keller, who’s returned from the first book - now 8 ½ months pregnant with twins. The chapters alternate between her, public defender Chris Ford, and the two female survivors of the murders, counselor Ella Monroe from the Blockbuster case, and precocious teen, Jessie Duvall, from the Dairy Creamery case.  The latter three are all wounded people, each carrying scars both literal and figurative from their pasts, but each fascinating in their own way.  Keller is amazing once again, and can we all just acknowledge the awesomeness that is her husband, Bob?  I love that guy.

A tight, compelling story with short suspense-filled chapters - it’s an excellent follow-up to his last book, and the bonus: no dreaded villain confessional - THANK YOU! No, seriously. Thank you.  That almost took his last book down a notch for me, but it’s blissfully absent this time around. 

This brings me to my one tiny quibble:  What’s up with the “-ad” names for guys in this book?  There’s Brad, Thad and Chad at various points in the story, and none of them are particularly likable.  It’s not a big deal, but it did stand out!  Minor issue.  Go read this book! It’s worth it.

★★★★ ½  (rounded to 5) ❤️

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, NetGalley and author Alex Finlay for this ARC.  All opinions are given honestly and freely.  This is now available.