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The Night Wars #2
The Night Shift
Two years of experience in the Night Shift and Fynn Adder still has a lot to learn -- before his newest case drives him back off the wagon. Recently he's been assigned a new partner, a trainee named Simon Murphy. In the middle of breaking in his new partner, a grisly murder rocks the foundation of Fynn's shaky sobriety. And not just any "regular" murder -- the murder of a child. As more ritual killings start to spread out across the city, Fynn, Jack, and Simon scramble to track down the necromancer responsible and stop them before they complete whatever ritual they're performing. Meanwhile, Simon has to deal with the overly ambitious FBI Agent Gabriel Sheppard, whose dogged determination to put Simon's mob boss in prison is putting Simon at risk, and hindering Fynn's investigation. As if that wasn't enough, the king of the elves wants to have a sit down, Tara's birthday is only a few days away, and it seems the family secrets just keep on coming. The tension and pressure just never seems to end for Fynn and his crew.
217 pages, ebook
First published May 29, 2012
2 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Missouri Dalton
45 books78 followersMissouri writes urban fantasy/historical/and paranormal fiction with queer characters and strong personalities. They are a recent transplant to the PNW, finding the rain delightful and the mountain air particularly inspiring.
Missouri currently lives with their wife and several cats, while filling the house with antiques in hopes of acquiring a ghost.
Missouri currently lives with their wife and several cats, while filling the house with antiques in hopes of acquiring a ghost.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 14, 2016
A bit about why I decided to go ahead with reading this book rather than waiting a bit closer to the release of the next Night Shift book:
I really love Dalton's voice, it just flows so well. Lots of humour and some snark but we also get a compelling story. She manages to give the reader a lot of information through back story that really works for me here. Night Shift takes place 2 years after the events of The Hanged Man's Ghost and we feel the weight of those events. Fynn fills us in about them and I never once felt as a reader that I was being cheated or that information was being glossed over.
I was actually really glad to see these 2 years pass and Fynn and Jack become both more of a couple and more entrenched as members of the Night Shift. I really cannot express how much I love the relationship between Jack and Fynn and how much I like to read that Fynn continues to work on his addiction issues. There's no quick fix here. This book did have a feeling more as a set up for future stories though, especially with regards to the history of the Adder family in Chicago and their relationship with the Night Shift. I'm definitely curious about one character we meet who I really hope Fynn can help out of a bind.
The main case regarding the necromancer almost seemed a bit B story when pushed up against the introduction of the other major supernatural players that show up. It was still intense and gruesome but I didn't really feel the connection like I did with the events in the Hanged Man's Ghost.
I really enjoy Fynn as a narrator. He's funny and sly but so caring. I love how he is with Michael and Tara and how he and Jack are taking steps to help Simon, his new partner. I will admit that I was a bit disappointed that Jack wasn't his partner in this book because I worried we wouldn't see as much of him, happily that didn't happen and we get lots of Jack and Fynn time.
This is definitely not a standalone book. You need to read the first in the series to understand the relationships and appreciate the growth that has happened since those events. It's a really wonderful PNR novel with some slick world building. I enjoyed the hell out of it, even if it did end with a cliffhanger.
I really love Dalton's voice, it just flows so well. Lots of humour and some snark but we also get a compelling story. She manages to give the reader a lot of information through back story that really works for me here. Night Shift takes place 2 years after the events of The Hanged Man's Ghost and we feel the weight of those events. Fynn fills us in about them and I never once felt as a reader that I was being cheated or that information was being glossed over.
I was actually really glad to see these 2 years pass and Fynn and Jack become both more of a couple and more entrenched as members of the Night Shift. I really cannot express how much I love the relationship between Jack and Fynn and how much I like to read that Fynn continues to work on his addiction issues. There's no quick fix here. This book did have a feeling more as a set up for future stories though, especially with regards to the history of the Adder family in Chicago and their relationship with the Night Shift. I'm definitely curious about one character we meet who I really hope Fynn can help out of a bind.
The main case regarding the necromancer almost seemed a bit B story when pushed up against the introduction of the other major supernatural players that show up. It was still intense and gruesome but I didn't really feel the connection like I did with the events in the Hanged Man's Ghost.
I really enjoy Fynn as a narrator. He's funny and sly but so caring. I love how he is with Michael and Tara and how he and Jack are taking steps to help Simon, his new partner. I will admit that I was a bit disappointed that Jack wasn't his partner in this book because I worried we wouldn't see as much of him, happily that didn't happen and we get lots of Jack and Fynn time.
This is definitely not a standalone book. You need to read the first in the series to understand the relationships and appreciate the growth that has happened since those events. It's a really wonderful PNR novel with some slick world building. I enjoyed the hell out of it, even if it did end with a cliffhanger.
March 16, 2013
In a sequel to Dalton's The Hanged Man's Ghost, we find Fynn comfortably settled in his relationship with Jack, as well as being on better terms with his family, but in many ways nothing much has changed - Fynn still finds himself a magnet for trouble, and yet somehow manages to scrape through, with only a few dints along the way - well, physical dints anyway! He does discover a few intriguing hints about his family's past history in Chicago, and his new partner looks to be in for the long term (with a possible romance ahead too!). Overall, I really liked returning to this world, my only major complaint is the way it finishes; it's seems Dalton has also fallen prey to the trend of finishing the story with a cliffhanger - bah humbug!
July 2, 2012
I'm sort of speechless here. I love this book but the ending was so not expected I'm just sort of shocked stupid. I mean...what about the birthday party?
But seriously, I was just saying to my friend that one of the things that makes this series stellar is that with all of the really solid loveable and even not so loveable characters and all of the possible story lines this could go on for a really long time and how great would that be?
But seriously, I was just saying to my friend that one of the things that makes this series stellar is that with all of the really solid loveable and even not so loveable characters and all of the possible story lines this could go on for a really long time and how great would that be?
June 6, 2012
2.5 stars. This m/m paranormal romantic suspense would've been rated higher, but it ends on a cliffhanger, basically midscene. I can't recommend that anyone read this until the next book is available. Very sloppy proofing in this one, too.
March 20, 2018
4.5 stars
September 15, 2013
I am very glad I read this one with the next in the series securely on my Kindle or I'd have been one very pissed off reader. Huge cliffhanger!
February 25, 2020
I enjoyed this but I wish I hadn't waited so long in between reading book 1 and book 2. It took me a bit to remember what happened and who the characters were but that's my fault. The author has an interesting world and I really enjoy both Finn and Jack. I also really liked the introduction of Finn's new partner Simon. I'm glad we still got plenty of Finn and Jack time even though they aren't partners anymore in this book. Lots of action and yes it ends on a cliffhanger so I will definitely be reading that and soon.
February 10, 2020
Ugh, seriously? The freakin' mother of all freakin' cliffhangers! Well, this leaves me NO choice... moving on to The Hellfire Legacy! *grin*
June 10, 2021
Would have been a five star read except for the cliffhanger ending.
December 18, 2012
4.5 stars
O.K., Missouri Dalton is a real discovery for me. I really like this series. I like the characters immensely, Fynn especially. Simon and his other colleagues were great addition though.
This is a better book than the first one, better plotted and guided. I didn't even mind the cliffhanger at the end, which just shows how much I liked it - usually I would be seriously pissed. The book also started some interesting new plot lines: about Coleman, Ian, werewolves... It seems that Fynn's family has really interesting history.
I've read that the author already submitted the next book and I can't wait!
O.K., Missouri Dalton is a real discovery for me. I really like this series. I like the characters immensely, Fynn especially. Simon and his other colleagues were great addition though.
This is a better book than the first one, better plotted and guided. I didn't even mind the cliffhanger at the end, which just shows how much I liked it - usually I would be seriously pissed. The book also started some interesting new plot lines: about Coleman, Ian, werewolves... It seems that Fynn's family has really interesting history.
I've read that the author already submitted the next book and I can't wait!
June 22, 2012
Hm, I felt hollow while reading this second book. I liked how Fynn changed for better. Now Fynn is changed man, happy in relationship with Jake and is serious with his job. I liked it, but I missed the emotions, because of that I simply couldn't connect with this plot. And I missed Michael, Fynn's twin brother, it was simply to little about him.
January 27, 2013
The story was interesting and I really enjoyed it. Fynn is one of my favorites characters and it was good to see him happy with Jack and their daughter Tara, but the cliffhanger at the end was so frustrating!!!
June 7, 2012
I loved it. Can't wait for the next one.
April 10, 2024
I love this series and am sorry I waited so long to read this one. There’s lots of telling but it’s liberally interspersed with actual action and conversation. I appreciated it because it was a long time ago that I read the first in the series. It’s a complicated world and even that much wasn’t enough. This is not a standalone.
The action was heavily interspersed in the story and there were lots of scary beasts. The culminating action scene wasn’t a whole lot more exciting than the other action scenes but it was still good. Unfortunately, although the main plot was solved, the book ended on a cliffhanger right in the middle of an action sequence. Grr!
I love the characters. The MC is a recovering alcoholic that still thinks about drinking almost every day but still manages to have a functional family. I love that he goes to AA. There are lots of alcoholics in M/M but very few go to meetings.
The 7-yr-old is in fourth grade not second? If she’s learning things like Latin, she really can’t also be skipping grades. She’s the exact same age as my granddaughter. But she wasn’t that bad. I don’t usually like children in my M/M but she was okay. They were good parents too.
One of the supporting characters rescues a fruit bat (flying Fox in Australia). I love them, they’re soooo cute; they look like little puppies, and they’re endangered in some places.
The action was heavily interspersed in the story and there were lots of scary beasts. The culminating action scene wasn’t a whole lot more exciting than the other action scenes but it was still good. Unfortunately, although the main plot was solved, the book ended on a cliffhanger right in the middle of an action sequence. Grr!
I love the characters. The MC is a recovering alcoholic that still thinks about drinking almost every day but still manages to have a functional family. I love that he goes to AA. There are lots of alcoholics in M/M but very few go to meetings.
The 7-yr-old is in fourth grade not second? If she’s learning things like Latin, she really can’t also be skipping grades. She’s the exact same age as my granddaughter. But she wasn’t that bad. I don’t usually like children in my M/M but she was okay. They were good parents too.
One of the supporting characters rescues a fruit bat (flying Fox in Australia). I love them, they’re soooo cute; they look like little puppies, and they’re endangered in some places.
April 20, 2024
So be warned, this ends on a major cliffhanger, so I will need to pick that next book. I also do not recommend reading this book before book 1, it’s not a standalone book. So, one of the issues I had in the first book is that Fynn goes from barely holding it together to being sober without much struggling. We do get to see his struggle. I was also worried that since Jack & Fynn were not partners we wouldn’t see a lot of them on page together, it was a heedless worry. The investigation was good and there was a lot of action. If you enjoyed the first book, I recommend picking this one up.
July 6, 2018
Much Better
This second book was leaps and bounds better than the first. It’s full of action with all kinds of supernatural beings. There wasn’t the filler mess that was in the first book.
This second book was leaps and bounds better than the first. It’s full of action with all kinds of supernatural beings. There wasn’t the filler mess that was in the first book.
May 11, 2024
Fynn is settled into his job and his relationship. I enjoyed this one and look forward to the next. Can't wait to long to move to the next book. This one ends in a cliff hanger.
May 18, 2024
Loving this series, wonderful world building, and great characters. Definitely recommend reading book 1 first. And of course, this one leaves us in a cliff hanger!
January 31, 2023
I'm in the midst of re-reading this series. It's been a while. Book #1 is as a good as I remember.
But am so far disappointed with this second book in a couple of key respects:
1. It's supposed to be 2 years later but ages, school grade of child, and various related things do not match up. :(
2. It is much less edited than Book #1.
I still like the characters, the setting, the general story-telling & action.
Would love to see these stories re-edited, re-published and put out to Audio sometime.
But am so far disappointed with this second book in a couple of key respects:
1. It's supposed to be 2 years later but ages, school grade of child, and various related things do not match up. :(
2. It is much less edited than Book #1.
I still like the characters, the setting, the general story-telling & action.
Would love to see these stories re-edited, re-published and put out to Audio sometime.
July 29, 2012
This was a second book in the Night Wars series, and I liked learning some more about the world and the characters. The next book sounds like it's going to be pretty exciting! I hope we get to see a bit more of Michael.
August 22, 2012
What a way to end Night Shift with an anti-climax that had me WTF..Ok when will book 3 coming out?
May 15, 2019
Re-reading he series to get ready for the Anthology.
August 16, 2014
Ended in a cliffhanger
Good writing but almost too much going on in the book.
Good writing but almost too much going on in the book.
September 26, 2015
3.75 stars
May 5, 2016
Liked this a lot. It has weirdly super-shifted in genre from the first one, but I like this better, so. The ending is a complete cliffhanger, and it must be immediately followed with Book 3.
June 25, 2012
Review to follow at Joyfully Jay. Color me irritated.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews