When suspicious things happen at night…

Synopsis

How can one 12-hour night shift be so deadly?

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.

A pacy, heart stopping, page turning thriller for the fans of Shari Lapena and Lisa Jewell.

My review

While not everyone would like to work the night shift, for Nina it is the perfect solution. As working the night at the Storage Queen gives her the chance to study while guarding the place. Until one Friday night… when a man walks in with a large suitcase, Nina immediately senses that something is not right. And then Nina’s normal 12 hours of peace and quiet turn into a real nightmare, where surviving the night shift is her only goal…

There are several reasons why I would never ever want to work the night shift, in any sector. And while I am the right person to work that shift, I have the most respect for people who work that shift, as I know that it isn’t always easy. The reasons I would not be great as a night – shifter, is that for one, I am not a night person at all. And second, it’s because of books like this one, that I would be too terrified to be all alone and I would freak out with every noise that I would hear.

And I admired Nina, for not working the night shift, in combination of getting her medical degree. Even if she starts the shift after just breaking up with her boyfriend, she doesn’t let the heartbreak stop her from doing what must. Once again, I don’t know if I would be able to work that kind of shift, especially after what just happened to her.

As a reader, we already know that this night shift is going to be a real nightmare for Nina, and we know right from the moment that the stranger with the suitcase enters, the game starts. And even if Nina doesn’t know it yet, she feels that something is off with him, by just her gut feeling. This only shows how right our primal instincts can be.

I also liked it how Nina isn’t a Wonder Woman at all. Yes, she goes investigating what is happening, but she is also just a woman of flesh and blood, with vulnerabilities. The fact that Nina is diabetic shows this vulnerability, fragility.  We see how that affects her, and how it weakens her. Her being diabetic shows in a physical way how vulnerable people can be, not only physical but also on other levels.  Yet Nina doesn’t let those issues hold her back, in fact she is more determined than ever to fight back.

Initially I didn’t believe how much could possible happen in ‘just’ 12 hours, but now I know that in fact, a LOT can happen. Whole lives can be turned upside down in just one night. And revelations and discoveries can be made you would never have thought of.
Because let me assure you this, that Gemma Rogers for sure knows how to add twists and turns to this already gripping, terrifying story. Twists and turns that I did not see coming. Twists and turns that add even more unexpected layers. Twists and turns that made me question humankind even more…

This is not the kind of story you want to read to have a relaxing evening, to take your mind of all the worries and problems of the world. This book for sure added more fear, wariness and suspiciousness. And more resoluteness to never ever work a night shift in my life!