Night Shitf: Romantic Comedy by L.L. Fine

Release Date: May 25, 2014
Publisher: Createspace

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Moses had been a part of the hospital staff for over two decades. He'd seen a lot of things and heard much more. Every tidbit was filed away in his memory and allowed him to move quickly, efficiently through the hospital as he worked the dreaded night shift. His nights at work were normally a little crazy, but this one night put all the others to shame.

In the midst of a chaotic ER being manned by a fresh-from-school doctor, Moses found himself a victim of the pickpocket who'd terrorized the hospital for months. Continuous calls to visit the morgue and losing the amputated leg of another patient didn't help his mood either. The series of events lead to an explosive conclusion that made this night in the hospital one that everyone would remember.

Review:
In one of the main lists sent to my from OHFB, I noticed this book and thought the description sounded interesting. Having stayed one too many nights in a eerily quiet hospital while family were being treated, it was a treat to read something on the craziness that went on behind the curtains. Now, I'm not saying that the story within this book was a truthful account. I did suspect that there's a kernel of truth in there somewhere.

The central character of the story was an orderly named Moses. He'd worked for this particular hospital for over two decades and knew all there was to know about the hospital and the people therein. While the book did follow him on this crazy night in the hospital, the author introduced a number of characters that worked within the hospital as well as some patients who had a definite impact on the story. One of the interesting things I noticed in the book were the little illustrations just after the new character was introduced. Not only did it give us an inkling what the person looked like, but the description also gave us the gossip about him or her. It helped to get to know the personalities of the characters a little better.

For me, the flow of the story was a little weird at first. It seemed the story was playing out in real-time at the beginning, but then it slipped into the past to show the timeline of events to the present situation. It would have small sections of action in different parts of the hospital within the same chapter. These were separated by a small notation. I missed those a few times and had to reread the passages in order to figure it out. However, the pacing of the story moved steadily toward the conclusion while building up the laughs and suspense. Once we reach the end of the night, the events rejoined the tale at the beginning and went from that point forward into a hilarious ending. I just feel sorry for that roll-on!

Overall, this was a fairly short but complete book. It did have a number of interesting characters, both working in the facility and those needing the treatment. I was a little upset with one of the characters who seemed to lack any empathy. Now, I don't do spoilers but the woman I'm referring to is very easy to find in the book. I sincerely hope karma pays her a visit! The book had a bit of everything - romance, friendship, adventure and action. If you're looking for a book with an almost never-ending chain of unlucky events or filled with quirky, yet likable characters, then I'd suggest you look at getting this book!

Night Shitf: Romantic Comedy by L.L. Fine is currently available at many online retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It can be purchased in paperback or digital formats. The link below will open the book's Amazon page.
Night Shitf: Romantic Comedy by L.L. Fine