Night Shift (Signet)

Book Description

Never trust your heart to the New York Times bestselling master of suspense, Stephen King. Especially with an anthology that features the classic stories "Children of the Corn," "The Lawnmower Man," "Graveyard Shift," "The Mangler," and "Sometimes They Come Back"-which were all made into hit horror films.

"Unbearable suspense." (Dallas Morning News)

From the depths of darkness, where hideous rats defend their empire, to dizzying heights, where a beautiful girl hangs by a hair above a hellish fate, this chilling collection of twenty short stories will plunge readers into the subterranean labyrinth of the most spine-tingling, eerie imagination of our time.

Customer Reviews:

Scared the c**p out of me!.......2007-06-23

This was the first King book I ever read, when I was 13, back in 1984. I couldn't put it down, even though it gave me nightmares. It's terrifying and compelling.

King's First Short-Story Collection Doesn't Quite Thrill.......2007-01-16

Night Shift is a collection of twenty short stories written by horror master Stephen King. Most of the stories date from quite early in his three-and-a-half-decade-long writing career (in fact, some of them predate his commercial success by several years). Most likely because of this, many of the pieces are little more than sensationalistic pulp-magazine shockers, though a few rise above the rest as more thoughtful inquiries into human nature, foreshadowing some of King's later masterpieces. Below is a quick synopsis and evaluation of each of the twenty stories.

Jerusalem's Lot:
Written as a collection of letters from a man named Charles Boone to a friend called Bones, this story continues the eerie plot of King's novel 'Salem's Lot, a book about vampires taking over a New England town. In this story, we read about the experiences of Mr. Boone as he investigates the strange occurrences in and around the seemingly abandoned town. While the story will hold some interest to readers of the novel, the letter-writing format gets old after the first half of the lengthy story.

Graveyard Shift:
Abused workers in a hellish mill take revenge on their sadistic foreman by abandoning him in a subcellar inhabited by huge rats. This quick-moving story is good right up to the end, where the implausibility of the premise distracts from the otherwise tight writing.

Night Surf:
This story seems to take place during the events of King's masterpiece The Stand. As the world is slowly dying due to the accidental release of the "Captain Tripps" super-flu virus, a group of teenagers on an unnamed beach reflect on their lives and the new world. The tone is nostalgic, but the absence of any plot or likeable characters makes the story a rather dull read.

I Am the Doorway:
Hardly an original concept--an astronaut returns to earth to gradually discover that his body has been possessed by some malevolent extra-terrestrial force. The story is told in the first-person, and after a somewhat convoluted opening, it becomes quite interesting. The ending is predictable but satisfying.

The Mangler:
A true slasher story with a demon-possessed machine rather than a demented human as the antagonist. Reminiscent of King's Christine and From a Buick 8, where evil cars terrorize the residents of small towns, this story recounts the possession and attempted exorcism of a malevolent washing machine. If you like senseless violence for the sake of senseless violence, with a little genuine human terror thrown in for good measure, you'll like this one.

The Boogeyman:
King has always been a master of the surprise ending (though after thirty years, some of the surprises seem a bit stale). In this story a psychology patient tells his compassionate doctor a horrifying tale regarding the demise of his family due to the incredible presence of a boogeyman in the children's closets. As the story unfolded it reminded me of "Suffer the Little Children" from King's Nightmares and Dreamscapes collection. It's a very interesting exploration of a father's grief with an unfortunately disappointing ending.

Gray Matter:
An interesting take on the unfortunate fate of an alcoholic who drinks a very bad bottle of skunky beer. The descriptions are quite disgusting, which means they must be effective, since that was apparently King's goal here. Not a pleasant story, but it's well written.

Battleground:
One of my favorites from this collection. A cross between Dean Koontz's Tick-Tock and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, this story recounts an epic battle between a professional hitman and a band of voodoo-animated toy soldiers. It's a great story, complete with a delightfully unexpected twist at the end.

Trucks:
Another evil cars story--though in this case it's trucks, and instead of terrorizing a town they take over the world. A fun twist on apocalyptic literature.

Sometimes They Come Back:
A classic ghost story with a splash of the demonic. When a schoolteacher's dead childhood tormentors show up again in his classroom, he is forced to take drastic action to resolve the situation. The story's conclusion seems to impart a moral of sorts: summoning demons for one's own purposes is not necessarily a good idea.

Strawberry Spring:
Strikingly similar to "The Boogeyman," but better written and with a much better ending. This story explores the evil lurking within us that we ourselves are blissfully unaware of.

The Ledge:
Another of my favorites. A wealthy and arguably insane businessman makes a wager with the young tennis pro who has been sleeping with his wife. If the tennis pro, who is also the narrator, can make it all the way around the top of a high-rise building on a five-inch-wide ledge, he will escape forty years in prison for a trumped-up dope charge.

The Lawnmower Man:
An interesting if somewhat macabre look at alternative lawn mowing techniques. Suffice it to say that the lawn isn't the only thing that gets mowed.

Quitters, Inc.:
King evidently wrote this story either while or just after quitting smoking. Overcoming an addiction is a difficult--and for some, impossible--proposition. That's why Quitters, Inc. was founded. It's a company that assists smokers in kicking the habit once and for all. Backsliding is not unexpected--but neither is it unpunished. This is a great story, though I would stop short of ascribing any theological significance to it, as some have attempted to do.

I Know What You Need:
What would you do if you found the one person in the world who truly understands everything about you? Would you be suspicious? Would you fall in love? Or maybe both? There are plenty of stories out there about resorting to the dark arts to win a would-be lover's heart. This story explores in a compelling and realistic manner what it's like to be on the receiving end of that kind of attention.

Children of the Corn:
This horror story managed to pique the interest of a generation and became the foundation of a movie franchise. After six films the premise is no longer fresh, but the original story still packs a solid horror punch.

The Last Rung on the Ladder:
This is a sad story about broken dreams and unrealized expectations, about the hopes of childhood being squashed by the stark reality of adulthood. There's nothing horrible about it except for the horror of the human condition. It's well written but rather depressing.

The Man Who Loved Flowers:
One of the worst stories in the book. It starts out well enough, but it seems like the author got tired of the premise halfway through and just gave up. The last page is a prime example of "telling" (rather than "showing") the events that are supposed to comprise climax of the story.

One for the Road:
Another 'Salem's Lot spin-off, with a Maine blizzard added for extra chill.

The Woman in the Room:
Another depressing story, and another of my least favorites. Here King analyzes euthanasia (a.k.a. matricide, in this tale) in an ineffective and unenjoyable story. Like Clint Eastwood's movie Million Dollar Baby, some would probably call this story precient and ahead of its time; I simply found it dreary.

This collection was not my favorite from King. It's his earliest short-story book and in my view the least cohesive. Still, there are some definite bright spots. Looking back, it's not hard to see how this book contributed to King's early and phenomenal success.

Superior Horror Writing.......2006-11-09

Night Shift is a collection of Stephen King's earliest stories that were first published in the 1970's in various magazines such as Penthouse and Cavalier's. A great assortment of fun ones such as "Grey Matter," and ones that curdle your blood, such as "Jerusalem's Lot." Night Shift contains two masterpieces, standards of horror writing: "Quitters, Inc." and "Graveyard Shift."

What I like about Night Shift is that the stories are good examples of horror. They scare or even terrify, but most of all, they impress. King is an excellent writer, and an educated college English professor. However, his later work such as Pet Semetary became more vulgar, graphic, and left the reader feeling ill rather than amazed. Even though the dumbing down of some of his work led to his immense popularity, the horror created for mass consumption is inferior in some ways. So it is good that we have these superior collection for the intelligent horror reader.

Vintage King.......2006-09-27

This collection of short stories by Stephen King encompasses all that is great about one of our most prolific and talented writers. I've given most of King's latest work a hard time over the last few years, but only because I know how truly talented he can be. These stories, most of which are from the middle or late 70s, are absolutely entertaining. Creepy, engaging, perfectly paced, and utterly shocking, this is vintage King.

If you're a King fan, this collection will remind you why you love him so much, despite his recent lackluster offerings. If you're looking to get acquainted with King, maybe for the first time ever, Night Shift is as King as it gets. You will not be disappointed.

A Good Interesting Bag of Stories.......2006-09-04

Sometimes short stories bug me, but since it is Stephan King I decided to try it out. I also tried it out because the short stories. Most of them are about ten pages.

In this collection of stories King keeps you in suspense because you don't know if the main character is going to live or no. That is the fun of King.
The BEST
Sometimes They Come Back- This is the most terrifying because the main character becomes helpless and thinks he can't do anything about it. It's also a tragedy, its horribly sad, but its one of the best stories in here.
Trucks- Great! Trucks come alive and start killing people. A group of survivors are trapped inside a truck stop with trucks waiting for them outside. This is the point in the book where the stories start getting really good.
Strawberry Spring- A truly creepy story of a serial killer stalking a college campus, the twist ending is predicable, but the story is so well written and it is a good story at that. I will never think of fog the same way again.
Children of the Corn- Everyone's heard the story about religious kids who sacrifice adults to "he who walks behind the rows". To bad that married couple had to stop there. It's a great scary story with a great ending. I loved it!
The Ledge- A man has an affair with a married woman whose husband is a mob boss who lives on the 43rd story, bad choice, but makes for a great story. This one will have you on the edge your seat.
The Lawnmower Man- Some may find this to bizarre for there tastes. Because it's bizarre and it really doesn't give any explanation, but I loved it, a man hires this company to mow his grass, soon does he find out that something is very wrong with the guy who came to mow it, Very.
Quitters Inc. - A truly great idea for a story. If he smokes the first time (after signing a contract with Quitters Inc to stop) they kidnap his wife and... that's for you to find out. The ending is really unsettling.
The Man Who Loved Flowers- The less you know about this story the better. Trust me its really good.
The GOOD
I Know What You Need- A good story, its like a love story with a creepy Stephen King twist. A woman falls in love with a man who knows somehow everything that she needs.
One for the Road- Similar to Grey Matter, but way better because it actually goes where the story should it doesn't just end. Truly creepy and a great ending!
Boogeyman- A sad scary tragic story who has been victimized by the boogeyman a number of times, a good story with a twist at the end that makes it even better.
The Woman in the Room- A story that has no suspense or horror, it's just a sad story about a man who is trying to decide to whether to euthanize his mother who is dying slowly and painfully.
The Last Rung on the Ladder- Again it isn't suspense or horror, but it's a really good story about a special relationship between a brother and his sister.
I am the Doorway- While I thought the story was way too short this just has such a great idea. A man wakes up with eyes allover his hands that make commit murder.
The DISAPOINTING
Graveyard Shift- Had a promising start, but the ending was totally random and it didn't feel very complete.
Night Surf- I was looking forward to this story, but it flickered then died. It gave us a glimpse of a good story then it ended.
The Mangler- I liked the idea, but the ending was way too ambiguous for me.
Grey Matter- Sets up a great story then ends just as it was getting good. Again a little to ambiguous for me.
Battleground- It's a hard story to put to page; I saw it made it into a TV episode in the Nightmares and Dreamscapes TV series before and it was better way better than this.

This is a great book of short stories. Even the disappointing ones are worth reading. A great collection.

Average customer rating:

You're either one or the other.
A Great Addition for all Nora Roberts fans
Excellent, fast-paced read
So unlike Nora Roberts
Exciting

Night Tales: Night Shift & Night Shadow
Nora Roberts
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

You're either one or the other........2007-02-19

To keep it short:
Night Shift: I didn't like Cilla at all. Her continuous nagging and obstinateness drove me up the wall. I pushed through the story running on pure stubbornness. Boyd bothered me with his terrier with a bone act. It was hard for me to like him at all dogging her.
Night Shadow: More up my alley. I liked the supernatural twist and Superman/Louis Lane touch. The court scenes were interesting and short enough not to drag the story. Deborah was interesting and knew when something was looking was looking her in the face. No denial, no useless worrying. Gage gave just a touch angst with his Survivor complex but didn't dwell so much I wanted to choke him.
If you like a touch of the abnormal, you'll probably like Night Shadow. If you like a nervous, twitchy heroine, Night Shift serves well.
Based on what I've read and the way I feel, there's a slim chance you'll thoroughly enjoy both.

A Great Addition for all Nora Roberts fans.......2007-01-06

This is a collection of short stories that all have a common theme. If you enjoy Nora Roberts, this is definetly one you will want to read. I bought my copy in an airport and it really helped over a long flight and long layover. Made the trip very enjoyable!

Excellent, fast-paced read.......2006-03-15

When I first picked this book up, I was skeptical of the second half (Night Shadow), but was more than pleasantly surprised to find out what an excellent read it was. Truly wonderful writing, wonderful story, characters, and plot!!! Great book for anyone who likes the idea of a super hero. I likened the male lead to a Batman of sorts - troubled, but doing what he feels is necessary. Great interpretation of the archetypal male hero.

So unlike Nora Roberts.......2006-02-24

I was so dissapointed in this book. The first book "Night Shift" was very good. The second half "Night Shadow" was ridiculous. A woman who falls in love with a man who transitions from a normal man to an invisible man, is just so....stupid. To say I was disspointed doesn't begin to sum it up. I couldn't even finish the book.

Exciting.......2006-02-24

This was a great page-turner. Interesting and "different" types of characters make this novel almost a must for sci-fi devotees.

The Stephen King Collection: Stories from Night Shift

Average customer rating:

Recommended
Great Audio Book CD's.
at wurk
SK does it again.
Bit of a mixed bag but all excellently read by Glover

The Stephen King Collection: Stories from Night Shift
Stephen King
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0739317369
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Book Description

Read by John Glover
Ten CDs, 9 hours

Tales from Gray Matter include:
The Boogeyman
I Know What You Need
Strawberry Spring
Gray Matter
The Woman in the Room
Battleground

Tales from Graveyard Shift include:
Graveyard Shift
The Man Who Loved Flowers
The Last Rung on The Ladder
Night Surf
Jerusalem's Lot

Tales from Lawnmower Man include:
Lawnmower Man
The Mangler
Quitters, Inc.
The Ledge
Sometimes They Come Back

Customer Reviews:

Recommended.......2007-06-18

Stephen King writes excellent short stories. Even better than novels. Not all stories in this collection are worth 5 stars, but enough are. And they are wonderfully read by John Glover. If you like Stephen King and like to listen to audiobooks, this might be something for you.

Great Audio Book CD's........2007-05-24

An excellent collection from the master of Macabre Stephen King. A great way to pass the time when sitting in a traffic jam.

at wurk.......2007-01-04

will im at wurk i am abill to lisin to musik but i got tiard of lisining to musik and startid lisining to books on cd. i injoyd thees cds. i hope you will to.

SK does it again........2006-08-16

I had this collection split up into three different volumes when I was a kid. And I very much enjoyed several of these stories. I read all of these when I was 12, by the way, and quite a few of them gave me nightmares! Here are a few of my favorites.
In Jerusalem's Lot, a type of prologue to Salem's Lot, a man inherits an ancestral home, but discovers that it is haunted. And not by ghosts either. For the undead lerk in the walls, and an even darker mystery lies in a shunned town a few miles from this hell house. Now the protagonist must discover this terrible secret long buried and face an unspeakable evil.
In The Boogeyman, a tormented individual seeks mental help and relates a frightening story in which his family is seemingly haunted by... You guessed it, the Boogeyman itself. This one had such a shocking ending, to me anyway. And I had a heck of a hard time going into my closet at night for several weeks after I listened to this one. I never thought two words,"So nice," would send such a chill down my spine.
Gray Matter is another good one. Timmy's dad Richy has a taste for cold beer most evenings. But something in one of those beers is changing him into something entirely inhuman. And it is up to three old guys and a loaded gun to stop this beast.
The Mangler was interesting. An industrial machine possessed by a demon. And quite an unforgetable ending too.
The ledge was another of my favorites. I can't stand heights, but I love the story. Imagine being forced to walk all the way around the edge of a building. Now imagine having to do that several stories up, and with nothing to hold onto but the brick wall in front of you.
I loved Graveyard Shift. I'm not afraid of rats, but giant mutant rats... Now that's a different story. Night Surf was a nice prelude to the Stand which needs to be put on cd next! hint hint! Some Times They Come Back kept me awake the night I read it. In order for a school teacher to rid himself of some evil spirits from his past, he must literally make a deal with the devil. I also enjoyed Lawnmower man. It was funny and scarry in all the right places.
And John Glover does a spectacular job reading all these stories. He and Frank Muller are two of my favorites to listen to when enjoying an audiobook. The music they threw into each of these tales was also a nice touch. Sure got my heart beating a bit faster. But I wish stories like One for the Road, Children of the Corn, I am the Doorway, and Trucks could have been included too. I can't get the book in braille and would very much like to read these. It wouldn't have killed them if they'd included the rest of the stories from night shift. And I really enjoy listening to Stephen King's introductions and notes following his short story collections too. Maybe some day they'll give us the truly unabridged version of Night Shift.

Bit of a mixed bag but all excellently read by Glover.......2005-04-19

I listened to these unabridged short stories during my commute to and from work and enjoyed John Glover's narration thoroughly. The stories, though, were a bit of a mixed bag for me.

The Boogeyman: This one reminded me, in the very best possible way, of a "Tales From the Crypt" episode about childhood fears and monsters in the closet.

I Know What You Need: Sorta grungy boy meets pretty girl, gives her everything she desires, then she discovers his dark, not-very-well-hidden secrets and she freaks. Stupid girl, you know you'll never find a guy like that again! I enjoyed this one but was slightly annoyed by the rather rushed ending.

Strawberry Spring: A killer stalks a college campus with a surprise ending. This was a creepy, atmospheric tale.

Gray Matter: This one's about many a man's worst nightmare. That tall cool one you've just downed had some fuzzy gray stuff inside that turns you into an icky flesh eating-gray-creature!

The Woman in the Room: Realistic horror about slowly watching someone you love suffer as she awaits death. Shall you let the suffering continue or put an end to the pain, knowing full well you can? This was too realistically depressing for me.

Battleground: This story is about a man and toy soldiers. It didn't do it for me. I fast forwarded through this as it gave me an urge to snore. Not so good when one is driving!

Graveyard Shift: Everyman has a crappy, thankless job doing the midnight shift in creepy old mill and is tormented by an evil BossMan. The job takes a turn for the worse with the discovery of monster rats, monster bats and a big ol' supersized momma rat. Bet you can't guess what happens to the big bad BossMan? Overall a cliched rat story but very well read by Glover who does rat-love oh-so-wonderfully.

The Man Who Loved Flowers: A young man, apparently wildly in love, collects flowers for his sweetie causing women to swoon with jealousy and non-flower bearing men to become very annoyed. Young man-in-love turns out to have an ugly surprise for his latest sweetie . . . Loved this one!

The Last Rung on The Ladder: Another could've-been-true story filled with suspense. A man is haunted by memories of his younger sister, her loyalty and complete and utter trust. The story focuses on the man when he was a boy and on a pivotal moment in his life that he's reflecting on now that he's filled with oodles of regret.

Night Surf: A tale about a group of college/high school students told from the point of view of a boy who is very cruel to his girlfriend. Girlfriend: "Do you love me?" Meanie boyfriend: well he can't spare the venom to answer "no". As she trails after him, looking for any scrap of love he'll never dole out, he's thinking about how revolting her fat bum looks. Turns out they are only a small handful of survivors of King's nasty flu "Captain Tripps" (ALA "The Stand") and they've banded together to sacrifice a flu victim by burning him alive. Ewwwww. Bitter characters clinging to scraps of life as they await death. This is good stuff.

Jerusalem's Lot: Maybe it was my mood but this story was what I'd consider "work" to finish. My mind easily drifted away, occasionally caught by an interesting bit of creepy narrative before flickering away to ponder all of my own inner thoughts or to swear at some impatient jack*ss who just cut me off. It's told in flashbacks and recounts a man's discovery of his dark family tree, an abandoned village and a really disturbing church.

Lawnmower Man: This was just as weird and chilling as the first time I read it many moons ago. It tells a story of a devious new lawn service. Remember the movie based on this story, anyone? The story is much shorter as it should be.

Quitters, Inc.: I hear attempting to quit smoking is one of the most difficult things imaginable. As someone who sucks in second hand smoke all day at work I wish there were something along the lines of a "Quitters, Inc." I think the problem would be nipped pretty quickly and those with weak willpower, well, they'd be taken care of . . .

The Ledge: This dark edged tale tells the story of a tennis pro who was hitting the sheets with a married woman. The wrong married woman, as it turns out. She's married to a mafia-type who doesn't take kindly to sharing his wife. Somehow or other Mafia-guy convinces not-too-bright-tennis-guy to go out on his ledge which is several stories high and plays all sorts of dastardly tricks in an attempt to get him to fall off the ledge. This is one that'll either have you biting your fingernails in anticipation of a big face plant on cement or you'll be wanting your half hour back.

Sometimes They Come Back: This one is about a school teacher plagued by ghosts from his past. This is a haunting, pain-filled story that is gripping from beginning to ghastly end.

The Mangler: A demon possessed machine that requires a full blown exorcism? You're kidding me, right?!

Lawnmower Man And Other Stories from Night Shift

Average customer rating:

Lawnmower Man And Other Stories from Night Shift
Stephen King
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0553476610
Release Date: 1995-10-01

Night Tales: Night Shift/ Night Shadow/ Nightshade/ Night Smoke

Average customer rating:

an absolute pleasure to read
4 very early Nora tales that are outstanding
Four Fabulous Stories!
Fabulous book!
Not up to her usual standards.

Night Tales: Night Shift/ Night Shadow/ Nightshade/ Night Smoke
Nora Roberts
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Customer Reviews:

an absolute pleasure to read.......2007-01-15

with four distinct books all revolving around the "night" theme, nora roberts once again captures the beauty of love

in "Night Shift", you're thrust into the world of DJs and radio stations, a world most people know nothing about. Throughout the entire story, your rooting for Boyd to win over Cilla's heart and capture the person who is plotting against her.

in "Night Shadow", you see that Cilla's sister's story is just as incredible as her own, maybe better. It was amusing to see how Ms. Roberts fared dipping into the "superhero" element with Nemesis. This story has sort of a spiderman romance about it, which makes it all the more enjoyable

"Nightshade" deals with the story of Boyd's partner, Althea. She is one tough lady, but Colt Nightshade manages to romance her in time. The crime they're both investigating makes the story suspensful and interesting to follow.

"Night Smoke" certainly lives up to its name. Boyd's sister butts heads with arson investigator Ryan Piasecki. Through some dangerous moments, I assure you the ending, is indeed happily ever after.

The best part about reading all four of these is that you get to see how characters in the earlier stories develop with their marriages and children.

I urge everyone to read not only these stories, but the other two "Night Tales" books Ms. Roberts has produced in "Night Tales: Night Sheild and Night Moves", but stunning.

Once again I applaud Ms. Roberts with her astonishing series, "Night Tales"

4 very early Nora tales that are outstanding.......2004-10-07

Some of Nora Robert's Early works, the "Night" tales are hard to find. You find them in secondary bookstores used - maybe - and for very high prices. Here you have all four tales (four complete Silhouette novels) in one volume - Night Shift, Night Shadow, Nightshade and Night Smoke. They are some of the best of her early works and it's great to get them all under one cover.

Night Shift has Detective Boyd Fletcher assigned to protect Cilla O'Roarke. She is a nighttime talk Disc Jockey at a local Denver radio station whose life has been threatened. Cilla is a tough cookie, but even she knows she needs Boyd's help. While being her bodyguard, Boyd falls for her, which jeopardizes his objectivity he needs to catch the psycho. But he cannot deny the attraction.

Night Shadow is Cilla's sister's story. Deborah O'Roarke. Deborah is an assistant DA, and she gets into danger because of the case she's involved in. Gage and his alter ego Nemisis (think Daredevil with sight) see it as their duty to protect the gusty DA. The Fantasy element in this is outstanding and I love the strong leads.

Nightshade is the story of Boyd's ex-partner, Althea Grayson (we met her as she helped Boyd protect Cilla in Night Shift). She is an early Eve Dallas (...In Death Series - the "role" model for Eve?) a very independent lass, who is a by the book cop. Sexy Colt Nightshade is a Private Investigator who disdains rules, unless he makes them up. They are both strong willed detectives with their own methods, and naturally clash - on the streets and in bed - as they are forced to work together to stalk a killer.

Night Smoke sees Natalie Fletcher, Boyd's sister clash with arson investigator, Ryan Piasecki. When several of the buildings Natalie owns has fires, she and Ryan clash, soon they are proving where there is smoke, there is in deed fire!

Four early Robert's tales guaranteed to delight her fans.

Four Fabulous Stories!.......2002-11-12

After being sooo disappointed in "Full House" I had to read something to renew my faith and Nora Roberts did the trick. What an entertaining book and each story stands alone but is connected.

Each story has a great hero and heroine, pretty good mysteries and great romance. One is sort of a fantasy and that one needs you to believe. The others are full out good reads. Thanks you, Nora. I will re-read this whole book again and again.

Fabulous book!.......2002-10-25

Everyone who is at all a fan of romance or romantic suspense knows how popular Nora Roberts is. Her books sell for a reason. I think this series is Nora at her best. All 4 of the books are filled with the strong characters, sexual tension, and suspenseful moments that make her such a good writer. I also like having all the related books published together in one package.
Another thing that makes this series unique to me is how each of the books has a common element: the night, but still manages to be fundamentally different too. The first, Night Shift, is pretty standard romantic suspense, but it is also well written. Night Shadow is more fantasy with some supernatural elements thrown in. Night Shade, the third and my favorite of the series, has the most fleshed out characters in my opinion. The clash between the two main characters is what makes this story work. Night Smoke, the last of the stories, is more a classic case of rich girl meets working class boy. Nora adds suspense and good dialogue to raise it above the average romance. Be warned though. The subject matter IS a little dark in these novels. They are grittier than standard romance novels. If you are looking for light fluff, you might want to try some of her other novels. But if you are looking for good romantic suspense, you can't go wrong here.

Not up to her usual standards........2002-07-12

This is a set of four stories about the same family. Night Shift is about Boyd Fletcher and a lovely DJ who is having stalker problems, it is probably my favorite of the four. In Night Shadow Boyd's sister-in-law Deborah O'Roarke is falling in love with a man who has an amazing secret. Nightshade is about Boyd's partner Thea . Night Smoke is the story about Boyd's sister Natalie Fletcher, arson and the sexy fireman who helps find the arsonist.

As is typical with Nora Roberts series, each story can stand on it's own. However, I like the fact that you can revisit old characters and catch up on their lives through Nora Roberts other books. There is a follow up to these four stories about Boyd's daugther and a private investegator. It is a great story and out of the five stories, my favorite.

I typically rate Nora Roberts stories with fives. However, this one has a four. I found this a little bit too 'off the wall' for my tastes. The idea that some man can become invisible at will was just to wild. I think that the connection being made in other reviews between books written by Nora Roberts under the name JD Robb is correct. These books have another world/futeristic type feel to them. The cities are darker, more evil, particularly in Night Shadow. The JD Robb books are some that I do not enjoy and I'm dissapointed to see that leaking over into the Nora Roberts romance books.

Customer Reviews:

King's early novels were his best.......2000-12-11

I had never read "Salems Lot", nor had I seen the movie. So when I noticed the recent publication in trade paperback I thought I would try it out. It was great. The plot, characters, setting and mood were wonderfully created, and Kings descriptions are magic. It brought me back to the early King works and it seems to me that most of these early books ("Christine", "The Dead Zone", "Different Seasons", "Cujo", "Carrie", "The Firestarter" and "The Stand") were written with better plotting than some of the later stuff. Maybe I'm just showing some disappointment with "Hearts in Adlantis", "Bag of Bones" "Needful things" and "Four Past Midnight" which were not as enthralling. The recent exception is "The Green Mile". Keep writing Mr. King and I'll keep reading.

Simply a great story.......2000-10-16

Ive never been scared by any of King's novels, but have been fasinated by them, unable to put them down in this case. Salems Lot is a story of a town and the people that live in it. Eventually, a vampire comes to town in a manner that is told in an amazing way. It doesn't seem like your typical fantasy/horror story. This seems real!!! Its a great story that proved to me that King is a superb story teller.

a must.......2000-06-17

This book is just great. I have never been one to go for the full vampire thing, but this book really is the best vampire story ever!PERIOD. I have now read it twice. Again King's prose is so lucid, once you get involved, becomes something more than a reading experience. There are at least two scenes in this book that will leave you clutching your chest in dread, a similar sensation to those who have seen the exorcist and clutched thier necks at the neck operation scene. Just read it and you will see what I mean. It also offers itself as an accurate social commentary on modern living, as is the case with many king subplots. Basically its a raw, dark and intense novel in parts. If you like books that get thier teeth in to you, then this is for you.

The Late Shift: Letterman, Leno, and the Network Battle for the Night

Average customer rating:

Excellent!
One of the most addictive book of all time
Read only if you want to learn every intricate detail
Politicking wins over talent every time nowadays.
NBC SCREWS LETTERMAN

The Late Shift: Letterman, Leno, and the Network Battle for the Night
Bill Carter
Manufacturer: Hyperion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Movie Tie-Ins | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0786889071

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!.......2007-07-26

I'm a HUGE Letterman fan and this totally took me by surprise!An excellent read for late night fans(of either show)!

One of the most addictive book of all time.......2007-07-01

Man, I have read this book beginning to end maybe 10 times.
It is addictive. It reads like a great novel starting with the king stepping down and the princes fighting for the crown.

A must read for comedy addicts and fans of late night

Read only if you want to learn every intricate detail.......2005-10-31

The movie was mildly entertaining, so I decided to check the book out. However, I found myself losing interest in the book quite fast.

The ending result is anti-climatic, of course, since we all know the result of the late-night battle.

The behind the scenes details weren't all that compelling. Just a bunch of head strong, egotistical executives fighting over who they thought deserved Carson's seat as the King of Latenight.

The only insightful part of the book to me was learning how Conan O'brien has won the Late Night show. I had always wondered how such a relative unknown had won the part.

Politicking wins over talent every time nowadays........2001-09-25

It was a heck of a battle, and some folks didn't exactly play fair. Letterman, by far the more deserving of the "King of Late Night" crown following Carson's unceremonious ousting, tried to win by being the best at what he does. Leno's camp won by using strongarm tactics, bullying, and underhandedness. Even Leno's show "borrows" rather heavily from Dave's old show, partly because his people lured Letterman's chief writers to their side. Leno may be a decent guy (I hear), but his management quite literally stole The Tonight Show for him. Dave was hoping to be let in through the front door, but Leno's camp broke in through a window. The companion HBO movie treatment of this book is also a very entertaining and enlightening dramatization of the basics of this ordeal.

NBC SCREWS LETTERMAN.......2001-05-01

I am a huge Letterman fan and thought Bill Carter spent too much time in this book focusing on Jay Leno.Ive re-read it a couple of times and came up with the same conclusion.The book was far better than that rediculous movie.

Average customer rating:

Great for working families
Great bedtime story!
A Happy Discovery
Great bedtime story for kids

Night Shift Daddy
Eileen Spinelli
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786804955

Customer Reviews:

Great for working families.......2001-09-04

In addition to the great illustrations and wonderful text, the book tells an important story: that of a loving, modern -- working class -- urban family. I'm glad there's finally a book out there that shows janitors as hard working, caring parents.

Great bedtime story!.......2000-12-08

As previously mentioned, this story is about a child putting her daddy "to bed". Both the illustrations and the theme of this book are warm and loving. For this reason, I think this book is a wonderful addition to every parents' bedtime routine.

Although my daughter is not yet two, she enjoys "Night Shift Daddy" as much as older children do. I disagree with the reviewer's statement that the "awkward drawings" distract from the story. Quite the opposite, I think the illustrations are beautiful. :-)

A Happy Discovery.......2000-09-17

Reading your Editorial Review from Booklist discouraged me from looking for this book..Browsing through Bookhampton in Sag Harbor I found a copy staring up at me and picked it up out of curiosity. What, pray tell me was this reviewer talking about? As an artist (and father), I could not relate those real and sensitive faces to the review (i.e. "faces are awkwardly drawn" etc.) I was very moved by the universal feelings evoked by these special images. Far from distracting from the story, they deepened the emotional impact of this charming story of father and daughter..I am happy I stumbled on this beautiful book.

Great bedtime story for kids.......2000-03-26

A cute, well-illustrated story about a father who works the night shift, and his daughter, whom he tucks into bed before he goes off to work, and how she reciprocates, illustrates the loving bond that can form despite different schedules. My 4-year-old son has requested this story every night since we bought it last week. For any parents who have to work the night shift (and even if you don't), your children will enjoy this book!

God Works the Night Shift: Acts of Love Your Father Performs Even While You Sleep

Average customer rating:

God Works the Night Shift Even while you Sleep
Great encouragement, inspirational...
Encouragement That You Are Not Alone.
Awesome book!
The message of book is as comforting as it is challenging

God Works the Night Shift: Acts of Love Your Father Performs Even While You Sleep
Ron Mehl
Manufacturer: Multnomah
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1590528050
Release Date: 2006-06-01

Book Description

Sometimes we feel that God is working by leaps and bounds in the lives of others, but not in our own. Especially when we are going through difficult times, it may seem as though other people have been richly blessed-while our own lives are completely empty. But Ron Mehl assures readers that despite the way things sometimes appear, God is continually at work in their lives, reminding them that God often does his best works in the darkness. As men and women take a closer look at the God who works the night shift, they will learn about the unceasing acts of love he performs for them, every moment of their lives...even while they sleep.

Customer Reviews:

God Works the Night Shift Even while you Sleep.......2007-02-22

I love this book. It is interesting and very easy to read. Hats off to the author. If you are looking for something special, give this book as a gift.

Great encouragement, inspirational..........2004-05-15

Have you ever felt that God has deserted you and that nothing is happening? It may be because God is working the night shift in your life and accomplishing things you haven't seen yet. Mehl has a down-home writing style that allows you to easily identify with his trials in life, and how God has done work behind the scenes to show His glory. Great book...

Encouragement That You Are Not Alone........2003-12-19

This written work is extremely encouraging and offers hope to persons encountering a range of obstacles. This would make an excellent gift for someone who feels like they are facing unmovable mountains. With God all things are possible and God never forgets where we are. This book helped me through some really dark days and I appreciate the author's commitment in writing it.

Awesome book!.......2002-03-01

I was given this book while going through a challenging illness. This book provided so much hope and comfort to me! I looked forward to reading it each night. The author repeats the same message in a very clear, realy manner so that you finally get it that God NEVER leaves your side! I love this book!

The message of book is as comforting as it is challenging.......1999-08-31

God Works the Night Shift is a book that I will purchase for others. I found it a comforting reminder of Christ's profound love for me and an inspiration to obey a God whose primary concern is for my ultimate good. I will read it again and again, and regard it as a trusted companion. Founded on a deep and broad understanding of the Bible, its pages are compelling, humorous and deeply touching. It had a healing effect on me and I know it will on others.

Average customer rating:

A ghost train ride through Dublin's nightly underbelly.

Night Shift
Dermot Bolger
Manufacturer: Brandon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

The Woman's Daughter

ASIN: 0863220673

Customer Reviews:

A ghost train ride through Dublin's nightly underbelly........2003-04-08

"I've been riding on a ghost train where the cars, they scream and slam; and I don't know where I'll be tonight, but I'd always tell you where I am." - Mark Knopfler, "Tunnel of Love."

It's a dull, dumbing and exhaustive routine, that night shift at the run-down metal factory, and it's only society's losers who are working there; those who no longer have the hope of a better life and of a future to speak of, and who now live from night to night only, trying to beat the graveyard shift one bleak weeknight at a time: Duckarse, the chargehand, never introduced by any other name than that of the nickname which the men have given him, and which seems to sum up his entire existence. Dan, the lonesome old man who has spent his life running away from and simultaneously following from a distance the pitiful fate of the woman he met in post-World War II London, and whose image now haunts his sleepless days because he abandoned her, and because his guilt-ridden conscience has convinced him that he is responsible for her fate; but who has long since lost the ability to do anything about it - or about anything else, for that matter. And Frankie, who spends his weekends in pubs and bars, unsuccessfully trying to build a career as a rock band promoter, and for whom paradise consists of one idea only: to delve head-first into the limitless stashes of Amsterdam's drug market, and never to re-emerge.

And then there is Donal, who does not seem to fit in with this group. Donal, who married his girlfriend Elizabeth after high school because he truly loves her - not just because they found out that she was pregnant and marrying her was the honorable thing to do. Donal, who now lives with his delicate, beautiful and very pregnant young wife in a trailer in the backyard of her parents' house. Donal, who actually has the hope of escaping the dull routine of his nightly work, and of all the days not spent awake with his wife because he is catching up on the sleep he did not get at night. Donal, who only took this job (which his childhood friend Frankie found for him) because he quickly needed a source of income after they had found out that Elizabeth was pregnant. And Donal, who is caught between his loyalty to Frankie and the life that he represents on the one hand and his love for Elizabeth and their shared, fragile hope for a better future on the other hand; desperately trying to hold on to their one chance at luck and happiness and to defend it against the bleakness threatening to encroach their life from all sides simultaneously in the post-industrial streets and neighborhoods of blue collar Dublin.

In less than 150 pages and in gritty, direct terms, Dermot Bolger tells the story of Donal and Elizabeth and of the other men of the night shift at the factory; chronicling their seemingly eventless life and the tenuous normality to which all of them are clinging by the thin threads of their existence. Yet, his narrative is of an almost cineastic quality: As in a motion picture, the story begins to unfold in the middle of a scene in the factory; and even if you've never lived through an industrial night shift, Bolger's prose places you right there, to the point that you literally see the artificial light emanating from the tubes below the ceiling beams, hear the thumping, thudding, clicking and whining of the machines, smell the ever-present dust and chemicals and feel the headache they invariably produce. As in a motion picture, you observe Donal and Elizabeth in the narrow world of their trailor, slowly losing the ability to communicate with each other and unable to make up for it with their love and with their hopes for the future alone; two pebbles in an avalanche "jolted apart and ... trying to scramble back to each other." And as in a motion picture, you watch Donal float alone through the streets of nightly Dublin, past the city's other losers, past its fast food joints, video arcades and late night movie theaters, and past the crumbling facades of its quays.

"No Irish writer since McGahern has been so obsessed with the poetics of love sex, and death; [none] so brilliantly captured the suburban underbelly of the city, the crazy unofficial lives," Colm Toibin wrote in Magill about 1985's "Night Shift" which was, hard to believe, Dermot Bolger's literary debut, and instantly established him as a major force in contemporary Irish literature. Seven novels, nine plays, a slew of literary awards, poetry collections, literary contributions, and several screen plays and literature collections edited by Bolger later, it is well-neigh impossible to overstate the impact of the author who, together with Roddy Doyle, almost single-handedly redefined the literary image of Ireland and, in particular, the working class neighborhoods of its capital Dublin. But whether you begin with the "fury of despair" (Penguin) of Bolger's entrance into the world of modern literature in "Night Shift" or with his somewhat more mainstream contribution to the more recent and wildly successful "Finbar's Hotel" venture, which he also devised and edited, and then work you way backwards: Don't be deterred by the fact that not all of his fiction is easily available in print everywhere and at all times. You'd be missing out on a uniquely important experience if you did.

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