‘Day Shift’ is the second book in the ‘Midnight, Texas’ series by Charlaine Harris. As a sequel, it goes into more detail about the supernatural backgrounds of the small town’s inhabitants as well as exploring characters that did not get featured as much in the first book.
Manfred remains as the main, introductory character, and it is he that drives the plot of the novel. Caught up in a murder investigation, he finds himself trying to prove his innocence while fending off an army of journalists that invade the town, much to the chagrin of the other inhabitants. While all this is occurring, a new hotel is being built, and a boy shows up at the Rev’s door, holding even more secrets that must not be let out.
I really enjoyed this second instalment. It was really pleasant being back in Midnight, a feeling that does not often happen, which really demonstrates how well Charlaine Harris has created this world. The mystery, while having an obvious solution, was interesting and entertaining. It felt more plausible than in the previous novel and allowed for the discovery of more supernatural happenings as well as adding a level of suspense, especially when combined with the other mysteries in the book. There was also an excellent twist near the end, which really took me by surprise.
It did start off quite slowly, as did the previous book. Part of this was due to reintroducing the town to those who may not have read ‘Midnight Crossroad’. I also think part may have been due to me transferring from audiobook, as I listened to ‘Midnight Crossroad’, to print when reading about this world – it took a while to get used to. There was a bit of clunky writing where Charlaine Harris tried to explain what happened in the previous book. Rather than a chunk of exposition (which is good), she tried to integrate into the rest of the novel so there were a number of lines which just felt a bit out of place.
Overall, this is an entertaining novel and I absolutely enjoyed reading it. The characters maintained their characteristics, welcoming you, as a reader, back into the fold with familiarity, and there were multiple plots to keep you hooked.
Rating: 4.5/5
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23281944-day-shift
The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Day-Shift-Charlaine-Harris/9780575092884/?a_aid=RosieNReads
Currently reading/listening to this. I am also enjoying being back in Midnight 🙂 great review!