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The Shift
Not yet published
Expected 10 Sep 26Win a free kindle copy of this book!
7 days and 04:40:54
100 copies available
U.S. only
She died peacefully. That was the first lie.
The record says she killed herself. The record is lying.
Cora James worked the night shift. She counted the empty hallways, signed a state complaint, and made a whole chain of memory-care facilities answer for the hours no one watched.
On a Sunday they find her cold on her own couch, shoes lined up against the wall, hands clean. Overdose, the report says. Self-inflicted. The same class of drug the chain uses to keep its patients quiet. But there is a dentist appointment circled on her calendar, three weeks out, and a capped pen beside a half-empty glass, with not one scrap of paper anywhere for her to have written on. A woman who counted everything does not cap the pen, line up her shoes, and stop.
The detective who signs the ruling cannot sleep after. Rachel Adler, who buried her own mother inside this same chain, does not believe a word of it. Then Cora's voice surfaces on a phone she hid before she died, recorded for exactly this: They will say I did it to myself. It will not be true. I don't use. I count.
She was counting the dead. One building looked like sad old people dying. Four buildings was a policy. A name on a chart, a dose, a signature, across forty-seven facilities and six states.
And Cora's mother is on that chain's memory floor now, her mind measured into a number by a stranger with a clipboard. Soon she will not be able to tell Rachel her name.
THE SHIFT is a thriller about the records we trust and the people we hand to the night shift.
For readers of Jodi Picoult, Lisa Genova, and Lisa Scottoline.
The record says she killed herself. The record is lying.
Cora James worked the night shift. She counted the empty hallways, signed a state complaint, and made a whole chain of memory-care facilities answer for the hours no one watched.
On a Sunday they find her cold on her own couch, shoes lined up against the wall, hands clean. Overdose, the report says. Self-inflicted. The same class of drug the chain uses to keep its patients quiet. But there is a dentist appointment circled on her calendar, three weeks out, and a capped pen beside a half-empty glass, with not one scrap of paper anywhere for her to have written on. A woman who counted everything does not cap the pen, line up her shoes, and stop.
The detective who signs the ruling cannot sleep after. Rachel Adler, who buried her own mother inside this same chain, does not believe a word of it. Then Cora's voice surfaces on a phone she hid before she died, recorded for exactly this: They will say I did it to myself. It will not be true. I don't use. I count.
She was counting the dead. One building looked like sad old people dying. Four buildings was a policy. A name on a chart, a dose, a signature, across forty-seven facilities and six states.
And Cora's mother is on that chain's memory floor now, her mind measured into a number by a stranger with a clipboard. Soon she will not be able to tell Rachel her name.
THE SHIFT is a thriller about the records we trust and the people we hand to the night shift.
For readers of Jodi Picoult, Lisa Genova, and Lisa Scottoline.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 10, 2026
About the author
A.R. Hollowell
9 books97 followersA.R. Hollowell writes psychological thrillers about impossible choices: the kind that keep you up at night, not because they are frightening, but because you are no longer sure what you would have done.
The stories live in the space between what is legal and what is right, where ordinary people get caught inside the systems built to protect them and have to choose when every option costs something. There are no clean answers, and that is the point.
When not writing, A.R. is usually flying a drone, building something new, or watching a movie with family.
Readers who want to know what comes next can follow A.R. Hollowell by joining the Hollowell Circle of Trust Facebook group here
The stories live in the space between what is legal and what is right, where ordinary people get caught inside the systems built to protect them and have to choose when every option costs something. There are no clean answers, and that is the point.
When not writing, A.R. is usually flying a drone, building something new, or watching a movie with family.
Readers who want to know what comes next can follow A.R. Hollowell by joining the Hollowell Circle of Trust Facebook group here
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 15, 2026
This book was given to me as an ARC by the Author via BookSirens here is my voluntarily review.
4.50⭐️ I have enjoyed reading every single one of his books 📕. I loved the suspense and that uneasy feeling throughout the story. I was suspicious of everybody at some point 😂 and there were definitely a few “WHAT?!” moments that had me going back like, did I just read that right?! and that’s what I love the most about his books 📚 📕 . Don’t get me wrong there were moments I was frustrated, suspicious of everyone, and convinced I knew where things were going… only to realize I absolutely did NOT. 😂 Definitely recommend.
4.50⭐️ I have enjoyed reading every single one of his books 📕. I loved the suspense and that uneasy feeling throughout the story. I was suspicious of everybody at some point 😂 and there were definitely a few “WHAT?!” moments that had me going back like, did I just read that right?! and that’s what I love the most about his books 📚 📕 . Don’t get me wrong there were moments I was frustrated, suspicious of everyone, and convinced I knew where things were going… only to realize I absolutely did NOT. 😂 Definitely recommend.
August 22, 2026
The Shift is the second book of two in the Meridian Files series. This book is focused on Rachel and Detective Nowak each building their cases against Meridian, the company that runs 47 facilities which cater to memory care and hospice. As the two cases eventually merge into one, the danger for both of them increases.
This book really kept my focus. I just wanted to know what was going to happen. As the impact of the case is felt, the toll of the work on Rachel and Nowak is great.
I won’t even comment on that ending. Why? This is the last book in the series? Why do that to me with that ending!! Read it and you will understand. Another great story that made me have all the feels.
This book really kept my focus. I just wanted to know what was going to happen. As the impact of the case is felt, the toll of the work on Rachel and Nowak is great.
I won’t even comment on that ending. Why? This is the last book in the series? Why do that to me with that ending!! Read it and you will understand. Another great story that made me have all the feels.
Review of advance copy
A compelling and suspenseful thriller that blends mystery with meaningful social issues. The investigation was engaging, the stakes felt real, and the characters were easy to root for. The Shift is a powerful sequel that delivers both tension and heart. Highly recommended!
August 31, 2026
All I can say is WOW! A. R. Hollowell, you’ve done it again and delivered another amazing sequel! I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t put this one down. But how can you leave me hanging with THAT ending?! I need answers! What a fantastic read that had me completely invested from start to finish. Absolutely loved it!
Review of advance copy
The Shift is the second in The Meridian Files series, one of the most clever and I have ever encountered. It is about the painfully slow and quick disease of dementia which robs the sufferers of dignity on an expensive and understaffed institutional memory care ward and those who are touched by it, especially family members. Elder neglect, institutional staff roles and hierarchy, insidious killings as a care plan, and medication misuse are discovered and meticulously recorded by Rachel who had lost her mother to dementia. But it is not only the patients who are in danger. Detective Nowak uses his profiling skills and experience and risks everything to peel back the layers of deceit. The two make a marvellous team, intelligent and determined. And then there’s Gloria with so much heart and spirit!
Author A. R. Hollowell's writing is agonizingly lovely, unsettling, and quietly tense. Each word has its place. I felt the full weight of the story and re-read sections over and over to let them seep into my skin. His uneasy endings are perfect for those readers like me who do not want the monochromatic tidiness. How does one go back to reading ordinary novels after this?
Though not absolutely crucial, please do read The Chart first. This is a series to be savored, one rich word at a time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Author A. R. Hollowell's writing is agonizingly lovely, unsettling, and quietly tense. Each word has its place. I felt the full weight of the story and re-read sections over and over to let them seep into my skin. His uneasy endings are perfect for those readers like me who do not want the monochromatic tidiness. How does one go back to reading ordinary novels after this?
Though not absolutely crucial, please do read The Chart first. This is a series to be savored, one rich word at a time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love the way A R Hollowell writes. The clever but meticulous way he places his words, paints a picture that makes you see everything as if you are right there. The dread, the fear, the knowing something is not right. It paves the way for another amazing read.
This book was impossible to put down. It raised so many questions about care facilities. The way their paperwork reflects how they want things to look, not the way things are actually being done. It really makes you think. I find this true in every one of his books. Besides being a great read, it makes you stop and think.
Thank you for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was impossible to put down. It raised so many questions about care facilities. The way their paperwork reflects how they want things to look, not the way things are actually being done. It really makes you think. I find this true in every one of his books. Besides being a great read, it makes you stop and think.
Thank you for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
I loved the slow-building sense of dread and the way the investigation gradually pulls back layer after layer of something much bigger. The atmosphere is chilling, and the mystery kept me invested right through to the end.
Clever, disturbing, and impossible to put down, “The Shift” is a gripping thriller that will make you think twice about how easily the truth can be buried behind a piece of paperwork.
Clever, disturbing, and impossible to put down, “The Shift” is a gripping thriller that will make you think twice about how easily the truth can be buried behind a piece of paperwork.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another winner by A.R. Hollowell! Many thanks to the author and publisher for the advanced reader’s copy of this book. The 2nd book in the Meridian Files series, this installment follows Rachel Adler and Detective Nowak as they try to expose mistreatment and wrongful deaths at a nursing facility. As previous books by Mr. Hollowell, this book kept me engrossed in the story and on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This one was a WILD RIDE! After reading Book #1 (The Chart), I assumed this one would just be from the perspective of Cora, telling the same story from a different viewpoint. Boy was I wrong! While that is a small piece, this case gets absolutely crazy. I did really enjoy the storyline, although at times it is a bit confusing keeping all the various characters separate (hence the 4-star rating).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
If you want a fast paced, gripping psychological thriller this is a book for you! Had me questioning my morals and kept me hooked from start to finish. A.R Hollowell highlights very real and raw issues in the long term care setting and realities that family members face in situations such as these. Extremely well written & very engaging! Another great book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book leaves you with so many emotions but just WOW this is the 2nd book of this series and its ssoo good. Each chapter leaves you wanting more. The chapters are short but full of suspense 😬 thank you for letting me read this early and Im looking forward to reading the next one. A.R Hollowell books are so good ... definitely if you haven't read any of his books give him a try 😉
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another hit from this author. Taking a look at nursing home care and the treatments. He has a unique writing style that evokes emotions from the reader.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews