Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
A rookie cop, a werewolf bitch, and a slew of stank-nasty shifters.
Welcome to Kilhaven.

Rookie Officer Norman Green is a small-town human living in a big city of paranormal beings. Fresh out of the Kilhaven Police Academy, he’s got a lot to learn about the violent and filthy side of law enforcement. Luckily, Green has field training officer Heather Valance to show him how things are done. And sometimes how they should never be done.

She may not always play by the rules, but what Officer Valance lacks in decorum, she makes up for with being one terrifying werewolf bitch. Which is great when things go south in a heavily shapeshifter sector. But it’s not so great when it comes to Green’s looming board review that will determine whether he stays or goes after his probationary period.

As long as Green can win over Valance—and not get himself or anyone else killed—he just might make it through his rookie year …

If you’re hungry for a heaping pile of police procedural with a sloppy side of paranormal creatures and a sprinkle of vulgar jokes, buy Shift Work to satisfy your unhealthy cravings.

237 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 4, 2017

362 people are currently reading
340 people want to read

About the author

Brock Bloodworth

9 books12 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
126 (36%)
4 stars
115 (33%)
3 stars
76 (21%)
2 stars
11 (3%)
1 star
18 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for Montzalee Wittmann.
5,237 reviews2,343 followers
November 26, 2021
Shift Work
(Kilhaven Police #1)
by Brock Bloodworth
I found this book funny, action packed and satisfying! It has a guy that is a human rookie cop in Kilhaven, which is thought of poorly because of the high crime and so many supernatural creatures that live there. Most of the police force is supernatural.
This follows this rookie and it is fast, furious, and funny! Once I finished it I checked chirp for more on sale, then checked the library, but ended up buying the rest of the series on ebooks! Probably won't be as good as the audio but I still can't wait!
Profile Image for Gilbert Stack.
Author 96 books78 followers
July 14, 2021
In the increasingly densely packed paranormal field of fiction, here’s a book that stood out to me from the very first chapters. Norman Green is a rarity on the Killraven police force, a totally normal human. He’s also in the two-month probationary period on the police force, getting trained on the job on how to investigate, handle, and survive policing a very wide variety of shapeshifters and were-creatures. In fact, that is the single thing that makes this book so different—the sheer number and types of shifter beings. Over the course of this novel we see everything from wolves, to alligators, to birds, to snakes, to coyotes, to…well you get the idea. I wouldn’t be surprised if a were-hamster showed up in a future novel.

In addition to that, we have telepaths, telekinetics, elves, ghosts, and vampires. It’s a very rich setting and makes these two months on the job—in which we work our way up to the point of the first chapter in which our protagonist, Rookie Norman Green (and isn’t that a great surname for a rookie?) has to shoot a human to defend his fellow officers. This is a world where the cops on the beat are certain they can’t depend on the brass and the politicians. It’s a world in which huge prejudices exist. And it’s a world where one rookie seems like a very small price to pay to keep the department from being involved in scandal.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more of them in the future.

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
Profile Image for Liekos.
105 reviews3 followers
March 19, 2020
Something new. 4.5*

I have read dozens of paranormal books. They all have the same familiar elements: werewolves, vampires, shape shifters, telepaths, some gutsy female lead who muddles through and ends up saving the day, maybe even getting the man. This book was nothing like that.

First of all, instead of the standard "paranormals living in secret among a society of unsuspecting humans..." this book is a society - and police force - predominantly made up of various kinds of paranormals (including were-deer which was amusing). Humans are the minority and don't they know it. It was really interesting to read where instead of paranormals having to try and appear humans, humans were seen as the less capable species and having to overcome their lack of paranormal abilities was seen as a handicap.

Of course, there is prejudice, and this book subtly deals with that a lot, as well as the hypocrisy of that prejudice. We can see that in our hero, a biracial human, fresh out of the academy and boy does Officer Green fit his name. His training officer is a terrifying woman, and not just because she happens to be a werewolf. She takes on the task of trying to ensure he survives the 6 weeks of mandatory field training required to pass probation.

This book was not what I would traditionally call humourous, but it is entertaining as heck! I was hooked from the very first chapter and really battled to put it down. Officer Green is young and generally clueless and so very relatable, you can't help but like the guy. The book doesn't spend a lot of time filling in the back story and history, or even description of everyone you meet and you sort of have to muddle through and pick up on clues the same as the main character. It makes the whole book feel less like a narrative and more like something happening as you are reading it and the character responds as such. The story has an excellent flow and doesn't spend time labouring on about each task and filling every minute of each day. Whole weeks can pass between chapters that deal with only one or two memorable events in each one. It didn't feel like a long book to read, though I would often stop after 5mins of reading, only to realise half an hour had passed instead.

All in all, this book came very close to a 5 star rating to me and frankly I can't wait to read book 2
Profile Image for Denise Keef.
517 reviews11 followers
March 14, 2018
Welcome to the Kilhaven Police Department where being a human, puts you in the rank of a minority. When I started this book, I had no idea if I would like or not. It being the first book I have read by this author, I had no idea what to expect. A friend(Thanks Barbra) had told me about it and since I was looking for something new to read, I decided to give it a go. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. This story has everything that I look for in a book. Good and as a plus a unique storyline, characters that are truly amazing and well written, shift changers and weres, plenty of action that had me cringing and laughing at the same time and that “I need more of this story right now” feeling when I finished it. To say that I liked it is an understatement. I freakin’ loved it! I finished this book in one day because I couldn’t put it down. I did try to make it last but this is not a story that you can read slowly with so much going on. You just keep reading and reading to see what happens next! So if you are looking for a good story that will keep you entertained and give you a few laughs along the way then this is the story for you! It is a goodie and I am so looking forward to book two in this series!
27 reviews
July 22, 2020
I think I am being generous with three stars, 2.5 is closer to the truth. As others have said, and I agree, in terms of plot and setting this is slightly out of the ordinary for urban fantasies. This does give it a head start over other more run of the mill stories of the same genre.
The reason I am giving it a lower rating than most other readers is the writing. Once again we have a fantastic premise for a story/series spoilt by the writing. As I read it, it is all of a rush, from start to finish. One paced, missing information, poor or non existent back stories and background.
To use a cooking analogy. Two people start with the same fresh and quality ingredients. One knows what they are doing, takes their time, applies their knowledge to bring out the flavours of every ingredient and comes up with a dish to die for. The other dumps everything into one pot in one go and puts it in the oven for a couple of hours. I know which meal I would pay money for and this book isn't it.
Profile Image for Jim Wilbourne.
158 reviews10 followers
October 6, 2021
I love taking a half-step out of my wheelhouse. Historical Fantasy, Alternate History SciFi, SciFi Thrillers, and other mashup genres are a great way to dip your toes into a genre that you wouldn’t normally pick off your bookstore’s bookshelf. So when I began reading Brock Bloodworth and H. Clair Taylor’s Shift Work, a Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Police Procedural novel, I was excited to experience this sort of mashup.

Norman Green is a rookie cop with everything to prove. He is, after all, the only human in the Fang 900s. Filled with werewolves, were-bisons, leprechauns, telepaths, vampires, ghosts, and many other paranormal creatures, Officer Green is at a massive disadvantage as a Kilhaven cop. But he’s determined to win over the respect of his peers, especially his FTO, Officer Valance—a werewolf whose a non-hyperbolic mix of a werewolf, rebel cop, and complete ass. If Green can survive her training and indoctrination—and not shoot anyone in the process—he’ll earn his place on the force.

When describing this novel to my wife, I went with “it’s like an “R” rated Zootopia.” And I meant that in the very best way. It has a similar story, but I would never hand this novel to a child. Full of dark humor and cynical characters, the first entry in the Kilhaven Police series is a comedic masterwork that should card you at the door.

I loved how Bloodworth and Taylor used an alternate version of our world—one full of paranormal creatures that are normalized and fully integrated into society—to perfect comedic effect. And while this novel is part-crime story, it’s only the beginning of a much larger plot. The primary thrust of the novel is the characters and that’s perfectly fine with me. In fact, it’s probably required because it is also comedy.

If you’re interested in reading character-centric paranormal-police procedural mashup and also love dark humor, give Shift Work a read. You’ll love it.
Profile Image for Blake.
1,357 reviews44 followers
June 24, 2023
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I completely change my mind on a series, so want to change my scoring down a lot. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)

DNF.

The book started out fine, then after the interesting set up, it went into the next chapter with 'eight weeks previously'.

That killed it for me. I really dislike starting a book, show or film at one point, then going back in time to get to that point.

It did not hold my interest long after that point and I quit before page 100.

First time read the author's work?: Yes

Will you be reading more?: No

Would you recommend?: No


------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)

All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked

Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
Profile Image for Bonnie Dale Keck.
4,677 reviews58 followers
July 10, 2017
Kindle Unlimited, which is how read it when my ARC from the writer went bye bye on my now dead laptop, to be replaced by a lot of cussing about chromebooks. The story {blurb below} defintely held my attention.

A rookie cop, a werewolf bitch, and a slew of stank-nasty shifters. Welcome to Kilhaven.Rookie Officer Norman Green is a small-town human living in a big city of paranormal beings. Fresh out of the Kilhaven Police Academy, he’s got a lot to learn about the violent and filthy side of law enforcement. Luckily, Green has field training officer Heather Valance to show him how things are done. And sometimes how they should never be done.She may not always play by the rules, but what Officer Valance lacks in decorum, she makes up for with being one terrifying werewolf bitch. Which is great when things go south in a heavily shapeshifter sector. But it’s not so great when it comes to Green’s looming board review that will determine whether he stays or goes after his probationary period.As long as Green can win over Valance—and not get himself or anyone else killed—he just might make it through his rookie year …If you’re hungry for a heaping pile of police procedural with a sloppy side of paranormal creatures and a sprinkle of vulgar jokes, buy Shift Work to satisfy your unhealthy cravings.
Profile Image for Alex Green.
Author 1 book
September 13, 2022
Rookie Norman gets under your skin quickly. You find yourself rooting for him very early in the book because you can identify with his newness in his environment. We’ve all been there and the humour that Bloodworth & Taylor inject into the story makes it even more relatable.

It was a bit of a slow burn to begin with, and I’m not quite sure what genre it falls into as it is humour and fantasy with possibly a bit of sci-fi thrown in too. It took me a little while to become familiar with the different terms and creatures and get my head around what was going on. But then, with my bearings straightened out, it was full steam ahead.

Some killingly funny scenes, a well rounded story and some great characters that developed fast eight to get to know them but slow enough to make me go straight out and buy the next book immediately I’d finished this one.

Yes, it’s a bit sweary, but most of the time it is done to great comedic effect and it feels fine in this context. Let’s face it, a PD full of paranormal employees is going to create some spicy language.
I enjoyed the fact that I had to look up in the urban dictionary what some of the “street” terms were.

Great book, gets better, loving the series.
533 reviews
July 6, 2017
Very good paranormal police story. Green is a human working with the Kilhaven Police. Story takes place when he is first on the streets as a rookie. With a training officer who is a shifter and is not particularly thrilled to be training a human. As his training advances he is thrown into more difficult cases. And has to deal with his mother who is nagging and stereotyped Final case in the book involves him having to shoot a human and deal with the guilt. Interesting twist involving training officer at end.
Very descriptive and cohesive world view. Intriguing characters. Will read more.
Profile Image for Dana Wood.
631 reviews3 followers
July 22, 2020
This book was a long tedious book about the inner workings of a world where humans and paranormals live together but separate. This book is about the police force that is in the paranormal sector and the human rookie that is being taught the ropes by a werewolf shifter. It started at the end and then jumped back to the beginning where it all took so long to learn the characters and the police lingo about paranormals and so many rabbit trails that were left untended (I’m sure to make the reader want more but left me wanting the book to just end already). And then the ending wasn’t really the ending. It was so anti climactic that I was just glad to be done.
Profile Image for PJ Lea.
1,064 reviews
July 11, 2017
Quirky police procedural.

Kilhaven PD, Fang sector, a world where humans are at the bottom of the ladder underneath the supernatural races, and a rookie cop called Green. All this combines to make a quirky police procedural that had me hooked.
It's all very bizarre but that's what I liked most about it.
*I received an ARC but enjoyed it so much that I purchased the official version, my opinions are my own*
682 reviews5 followers
February 22, 2018
Entertaining.

This was a fun paranormal book, with the point of view of a human rookie cop who works with mostly non human police. The magic in this world works a bit differently than the usual mode of shape shifters, so that was pleasantly new. The rookie learning his way around the job is always interesting to me and there are enough amusing moments to make me happy. I will definitely buy the next book.
2,441 reviews13 followers
November 18, 2021
Definitely enjoyable.

On one level, it's a story of a rookie cop getting taught about policing in the real world; on the next level, he's a human in a city with a mainly paranormal population and police force and so he can't sense their type or abilities; third, because he grew up coloured in a mainly white town, he's dealing with social prejudices; and lastly there's social behaviour within the force.

The layers work well together.

Great book
Profile Image for Tony Duxbury.
Author 9 books73 followers
May 14, 2020
A good read. I had to empathize with Norman Green, the new human recruit in an almost exclusively paranormal police force. He not only has to watch out for his training officer, the domineering and sexy Officer Valance, but he has also to adhere to some weird 'political correctness', so as not to upset his colleagues and the press.
302 reviews1 follower
July 22, 2020
This book will hook you, it's a little unusual

I read this based on the books of H. Claire Taylor and did not know what to expect. And the start couldn't have been more different. But the book got its hooks into me after maybe 2 chapters. Unusual characters to say the least, but if you like the unusual and a little escape from reality then this is very much for you.
Profile Image for Geraldine M.
254 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2021
Great Adventure

I was looking for.something different to read and found it.in this off the wall book about humans and paranormal shift.changers of the animal variety and a very different kind of police department. Officers Green and Valance, one human, the other.not. Enjoy the action and humor and the adventure.
201 reviews1 follower
December 1, 2018
Very good. Rookie beat cop, realistic encounters, with exception that perps are werewolves, etc. Would like to see how a real cop feels about this book. Written from patrolman's perspective: the good and the bad, the politics, the scary should I pull my gun situations.
3 reviews
April 22, 2019
. Odd goings on in Kilha en!

Look forward to reading book 2. Was a good story and shows all the problems found in someone working for the police, even though it is with the paranormal and shape shifting people that live in Kilhaven
1,838 reviews18 followers
July 8, 2020
Shift work

A good read for people who are in to the series recommend highly can't wait for the next one of the series a really enjoyable read but quick shaping up to be a enjoyable series must read the next one of the series
Profile Image for Bambi Goggio.
198 reviews2 followers
June 6, 2021
I had to switch from audio to the print version of this book because I felt like the characters were written much snarkier than the narrator portrayed. Plenty of dark humor as you go through the daily grind of trials and tribulations of a human rookie cop in a city full of shifters.
Profile Image for Boyd.
23 reviews
October 18, 2022
Cops and Weres, this should have been titled "Fast Shift".

I really enjoyed this book. Think Hill Street Blues and add weird shifters, stir in some magic, drugs, a touch of racism and dark cop humor it's a fast read.
96 reviews
June 7, 2023
I wanna be a cop

Who knew being a rookie cop could be so scary? Especially when you work with such a varied bunch of paranormals. And - you are a human!
Go along with new officer Norman Green as he learns the ropes.
29 reviews
October 9, 2025
Not what I expected

Loved that this book was more about a human trying to find his place in a world of shifters. All of the characters felt very real. They are hard and bitter, but they are still going to get their jobs done. I look forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Arin.
9 reviews
November 17, 2017
Crazy, gory, inventive, thought provoking and mind blowing! Can't wait for the next book in the series!
Profile Image for Lisa Norvell.
733 reviews7 followers
March 7, 2018
Uniquely clever

I have really enjoyed this book. Part police procedural part paranormal all fun. If you are looking for a cozy this isn't it.
5 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2019
Enjoyed hell out of it.

Sort of a keystone kop police force in
paranormal land. Very entertaining.
Why the hell do you need more words!
Profile Image for RaChelle Holmberg.
1,869 reviews24 followers
October 1, 2020
Found on freebooksy, what a hoot! It was a great introduction to a series I hope to follow.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.