While the plot was interesting, the characters felt one dimensional and were pawns rather than people I wanted to root for. 

I'm surprised how much I enjoyed the book. 
It's about a brutal murder taking place in the past and a similar crime taking place in the present. I really like these kinds of stories. 
This was fast-paced, the twists and turns surprised me, all loose ends were tied up, nothing really annoyed be. And I even liked the characters, although some of them were a little one dimensional. But I guess that's what I liked so much, no unnecessary personal drama. 
It's not groundbreaking or anything, but it gave me exactly what I needed from the story. 

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay is easily one of my favourite thriller reads in 2022. I was honestly surprised how fast paced, mysterious, and binge-worthy this book was! The multiple POVs kept me hooked at every turn, and even the little cliff-hangers at the end of each chapter didn't bother me. I was completely enthralled with this book and it was super hard to put it down. 

The characters were relatable, even through their tough times. You feel for these characters, and you want an answer... Even if it's not the one we want. The ending will leave you wanting to punch through walls (but don't, because everything is expensive with the supply chain problems these days). 

I will give it to Alex Finlay - this is a masterfully crafted book that has left me wanting to read more books by this marvellous author. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a mystery that brings back the nostalgia of the 1990s/2000s, and really makes you think. Plus, short chapters are always great for binge readers like me that sometimes need a wee break (to sleep!).

Five out of five stars!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

On New Year’s Eve 1999, a mass murderer struck the night shift of a Blockbuster, killing all but one employee. Fifteen years later, four teenage employees at an ice cream store are attacked in the same way—and once again, there is only one survivor.

First things first, this book is not what I expected from the blurb, cover, and various marketing materials I saw. I was anticipating something with slasher vibes and a heavily 90’s atmosphere—in reality, this is much more a procedural thriller and there are only a handful of scenes actually set in the 90’s.

Fortunately, I *love* procedurals, so this is a case of what I got being much better than what I imagined! The Night Shift had me hooked from the very first chapter, with brilliant characters, short and engaging chapters, and a string of great twists. I saw the whodunit coming, but not all of the underlying surprises, which always makes me happy. But the biggest standout of the novel is definitely the depth of feeling with which Finlay writes—there were so many moments of quiet compassion and humanity from the characters that I so appreciated. This is the kind of extra touch that so often gets lost in thrillers as authors struggle to keep their story as gritty and dark as possible, so I truly appreciated seeing the balance executed so well here.

Recommended if you like: procedural thrillers/mysteries; stories about cold cases; multiple POVs.

CW: Blood/murder/violence, injury and injury detail, discussions of inappropriate sexual relationships (adult/minor), mention of suicide.