Author: Gemma Rogers
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Genre: Mystery, Suspense Thriller.
Year of release: 2025
Release Date: 06/03/25
Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis
I loved the anonymity, flexibility and solitude that working the night shift at Storage Queen gave me.
The unsociable hours paid well, helping me fund my university degree and giving me a quiet place to study while the world slept peacefully in their warm, cozy beds. It was the perfect job for me.
But that Friday night proved to be more than I bargained for when a man walked through the door, dragging a large suitcase.
My immediate instincts told me something was wrong.
That’s when my ordeal began.
I just had to make it through the night shift.
Review
Medical student Nina has recently started working the night shifts at Storage Queen. The nocturnal hours pay well, helping her cover university expenses, and the quiet atmosphere allows her to stay focused on studying while the rest of the world sleeps. It really is the perfect job for Nina.
One Friday night, Nina arrived a little late for her shift. Breaking up with her boyfriend had been unavoidable, but otherwise, the night seemed like any other—until a man walked through the doors, dragging a large suitcase behind him. Instantly, Nina’s instincts went on high alert. Something was wrong. If only she could silence her growing unease.
As she made the first of many nightly checks around the warehouse, she spotted a drop of blood on the floor. All she had to do was make it through the next 12 hours.
Suddenly, the warehouse was plunged into complete darkness. Twelve hours start now.
After reading The Honeymoon in late 2024, I couldn’t wait to dive into The Night Shift—and I’m so glad I did! This book lived in my head rent-free for six days. My heart pounded, sweat gathered, and I couldn’t put it down. If you’re looking for a heart-stopping mystery thriller, The Night Shift is the perfect choice.
Gemma Rogers does a brilliant job of unveiling her characters in The Night Shift. Their personalities and motivations become clearer as the story progresses. Unlike many books where the protagonist is fully introduced at the start, Nina is revealed in increments, keeping me guessing and turning the pages. This unpredictability made The Night Shift a must-read. Nina is a brilliantly layered character—complex, intriguing, and impossible to pin down.
“My day had been bad enough before I’d arrived at work. Now I was being hunted by some lunatic on steroids.”
— Gemma Rogers, The Night Shift
Gemma’s personal knowledge of type one diabetes is well-documented throughout the book. I truly cared for our heroine and her struggle with the chronic disease.
The minor characters in The Night Shift didn’t feel like typical background figures with brief roles. They arrived in the story and stayed in my mind until the big reveal and resolution. I also appreciated the dual perspectives used to tell this story—I’m not a reader who likes to be left filling in my own conclusions, so understanding their perspectives and motivations was brilliant. I was pleasantly surprised to find that not all perpetrators were static characters who learned nothing or failed to change. This felt like a refreshing shift in the genre.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced read you simply can’t put down, The Night Shift is for you. “Just one more chapter” quickly turned into hours of solid reading. Even though the short chapters added to the suspense, I know I would have raced through this book regardless. I even forced myself to slow down for a day just to stay connected to the story a little longer. That’s why The Night Shift is a 5-star read for me.
When I first saw the title, I assumed our protagonist worked in a hospital. The Night Shift is an enjoyable read, but at times, I found myself wondering if Nina would survive the full 12 hours. It often felt like everything that could go wrong would happen to poor Nina and Laura. However, I loved the cat-and-mouse game—it had me in its clutches from the start.
Initially, when I finished the book, I wondered if too much time was spent in the climax. But after a full day to reflect, I can appreciate this choice. Stretching out the chase and suspense felt necessary; if it had been too short, the tension might have fizzled out instead of keeping me on edge.
Subplots and tropes included in The Night Shift:
- Misjudged death
- True colours exposed
- Early suspect
- Multiple murders
- Cat and mouse game
- Stuck together- locked in
- Female friendship
- Chronic illness
- Murder
- Killer plays with the victims
- Perpetrator frames the victims
- Relationship breakdowns
- Mother/son relationship
- Mother/daughter relationship
- Blackmail
- Time is running out
- Life and death moments
- Hero becomes a victim
- Survival instincts
- Light bulb moment
- The big reveal
While reading The Night Shift, I experienced a whirlwind of emotions—panic, fear, sadness, anger, outrage, anxiety, shock, determination, and relief. I had no idea how it would end, and as much as I didn’t want it to, I was satisfied with the resolution.
I highly recommend The Night Shift to a mature audience. Readers of the mystery and thriller genres should definitely explore the author’s previous novels if they haven’t already. And if you’ve read any of her work before, you’ll no doubt devour this book in no time.
With continued thanks to author Gemma Rogers, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for providing a gifted copy of this e-book to read and review in exchange for an honest opinion.