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stassi888 's review for:
The Night Shift
by Alex Finlay
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Alex Finlay knows how to hook a reader from page one, or in this case, from the very first spoken word. The Night Shift opens with a chilling crime scene in 1999 at a Blockbuster, then catapults us forward to 2015, where an eerily similar massacre at an ice cream shop stirs up memories, suspicions, and old wounds.
What made the audiobook stand out to me was the narration. The voice work gave the story a cinematic quality each character felt distinct, their personalities and emotional weight brought forward in a way that added another layer of immersion. Switching between perspectives could have been confusing in print, but the narration carried me smoothly through those transitions.
The suspense never lagged. The tension built steadily with well-timed reveals, and the emotional beats hit hard especially in the survivors’ storylines. Hearing their trauma and resilience conveyed through voice added gravity that might have read differently on the page.
That said, a few twists felt a little predictable, and some side characters deserved more depth. But overall, the pacing, atmosphere, and emotional undertones kept me leaning in, earbuds glued until the end.
If you’re a thriller fan who enjoys a story that mixes mystery, survival, and emotional resonance, the audiobook format amplifies all of those elements. It’s a ride worth taking.
What made the audiobook stand out to me was the narration. The voice work gave the story a cinematic quality each character felt distinct, their personalities and emotional weight brought forward in a way that added another layer of immersion. Switching between perspectives could have been confusing in print, but the narration carried me smoothly through those transitions.
The suspense never lagged. The tension built steadily with well-timed reveals, and the emotional beats hit hard especially in the survivors’ storylines. Hearing their trauma and resilience conveyed through voice added gravity that might have read differently on the page.
That said, a few twists felt a little predictable, and some side characters deserved more depth. But overall, the pacing, atmosphere, and emotional undertones kept me leaning in, earbuds glued until the end.
If you’re a thriller fan who enjoys a story that mixes mystery, survival, and emotional resonance, the audiobook format amplifies all of those elements. It’s a ride worth taking.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting