The Night Shift

tags: mystery, soap opera 

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From Goodreads

What connects a massacre in a Blockbuster video store in 1999 with the murder of four teenagers fifteen years later?

It's New Year's Eve of 1999 when four teenagers working late are attacked at a Blockbuster video store in New Jersey. Only one inexplicably survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.

Fifteen years later, four more teenagers are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive. In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre, who is forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who is convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller, who must delve into the secrets of both nights to uncover the truth about the night shift murders.

Another soap opera disguised as mystery thriller. It has the same clichéd elements I have come to detest in new mystery novels:

• The rich haughty ice queen mother is becoming a staple in new books.
• A father estranged from daughter because of her career choice.
• Mentioning the race of characters as if it matters to the story.
• Most characters are cardboard cutouts with no difference in personalities for all ages and sex.
• Filled with annoying red herrings for higher page count.

Spoiler

The author is a leftist leaning twit whose bias shows and the book is written for like-minded haters.

The bad people:

• "Bible thumper" husband and wife. The wife is a closet drug addict.
• The mass murderer hunts big game. The author had to mention it because he wants to portray hunters as bad people.
• The filthy rich couple. Wife is the usual tea drinking ice queen.

The "good" guys:

• 8-month pregnant FBI agent Keller and her husband. IMHO is plagiarized from Fargo. She is exact copy of Marge Gunderson and her husband is copy of Norm.
• Indian descent Atticus Singh - Keller's partner in investigation from prosecutor's office. I like this guy but a few characters got on my nerves when they keep saying what a good looking person he is and he needs to be introduced to eligible girls. The author spoils it by killing him off. 😒

Story is convoluted although I guessed the murderer the first time he appears because the writing is less than mediocre. Waste of eyeball use.

Avoid.