5 big fat stars for this little novella! This book was so good that I'm torn between wanting it to be longer and thinking the novella length is perfect (it is perfect).

I loved the structure of following a different character at various points over the course of one night. The characters felt very real and fleshed out in such a short book. The writing was very atmospheric and created a spooky creepy graveyard vibe even when we weren't actually in the graveyard.

My only non-enthusiastic note is that there was a lot of science talk. It's not necessary to understand the science talk in order to understand the plot, but I did find myself skimming it because I just don't care for science. It didn't take up a lot of page time though and I know a lot of people will love that aspect.

Overall an amazing read and I know fans of If We Were Villains will love this one too.

While falling a tad short of the complex worldbuilding and character building I had come to expect from Rio, this novella still packs a punch in its limited scope. This is more so than anything a world for the reader to enter and engage in, and letting yourself just breathe the horrors of it allows for a wonderful single sitting read.

A spooky atmospheric novella about a group of night shift workers who investigate a mysterious grave. I thought the story was entertaining, but I was left wanting a bit more. I feel like we only really got to know a couple of the characters, I personally found Hannah the most interesting. The ending was kind of ambiguous and could be left up to interpretation, which I don’t necessarily mind. If you like gothic atmospheric reads, or M.L. Rio’s previous writing, you will want to add this to your fall TBR. Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the advanced copy.

This book felt very reminiscent of What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher -probably because of the mycological heart of the plot. As someone who read and loved If We Were Villains, I was very excited to see what else M. L. Rio had in store for us. Something that Rio is fantastic at is creating atmosphere and she did not fail to give us great atmosphere in Graveyard Shift. It was eerie and held a dark academic air that I truly adored. The only thing I would have preferred is a longer story. I feel like this particular tale could have really flourished with a larger page count and more of a chance to really dig deeper into the mycology and the consequences of messing with things better left untouched.

First off, this was my first M.L. Rio book and I have been missing out. Her writing is engaging and I found it so easy to slip into this world. The characters were interesting and complex - I could see a novel or even a series made from this. I even enjoyed the research jargon, which is usually tough for me. I’m always looking for books that make reading fun and this is one of those books.

Now, I went into this knowing it was a novella, but I found myself wanting more. I felt that the end got me to the part I was most excited for…and that was it! I know sometimes it’s more fun to let your imagination answer, but this could have been a wild horror novel. Overall, a very fun read and will be (eagerly) waiting for more of her work.

Every night in the college’s ancient cemetery, five misfit late shift workers meet up. When a freshly dug open grave appears in the cemetery, they follow the gravedigger to get to the bottom of things. They soon realize the grave is linked to shady nefarious experiments at the college, experiments that have led to tragedies and strange happenings around town. This is a creepy atmospheric modern gothic novella, sure to make your skin crawl! Loved it.
✨Pub Date: 9/24/24 ✨
4.5/5⭐️

One night in the lives of a group of insomniacs. This novella captures the manic and dreamlike liminal space found in the darkest hours of the night. It's short and rather light on plot, but with perfect atmosphere and fascinating characters. This reads more like a short story teaser of what I wish was a much longer book.

A creepy little novella about the horrors of unethical research & experimentation. I really enjoyed this! It had all the things i like in a story - a ragtag group of friends, a cemetery, academia set to a gothic vibe.

A perfect short read to add to your list!!

thank you Flatiron books & netgalley for the eARC

For fans of the gothic prose found in ‘If We Were Villains’ or the eerie and nature-driven horror of ‘What Moves the Dead’.

A diverse group of night shift workers—a bartender, rideshare driver, hotel receptionist, church steward, and college paper editor—unite in the eerie setting of their town's ancient cemetery. One October night, they discover an inexplicable open grave in the churchyard, which sparks a tense investigation into its origins. Their search leads them to a mysterious gravedigger, potentially linked to a series of recent unsettling events.

The story revolves around a diverse ensemble of misfits known as the Anchorites. Each character, reminiscent of the quirky yet endearing crew from Scooby-Doo, brings their own unique flair to the table. From their distinctive personalities to their individual methods of detection, the Anchorites are as fascinating as they are unconventional. Through alternating points of view, the novella offers an in-depth exploration of each character's backstory and personal demons, enriching the mystery with layers of complexity.

Set against the chilling backdrop of a graveyard, the novel expertly weaves together the characters' strengths and quirks to unravel a dark and gripping mystery. The plot is an intricate dance of secrets and revelations, with each member of the Anchorites playing a crucial role in piecing together the crime. Their combined efforts are not just a testament to their detective skills but also to the power of collaboration in the face of the unknown.

‘Graveyard Shift’ delves into the darker aspects of both academia and nature. It paints a stark picture of how some individuals will stop at nothing to advance their careers or amass wealth, highlighting the lengths to which people can go when driven by ambition. Simultaneously, the novel explores the ominous side of nature, illustrating how even the smallest elements of the natural world can be unexpectedly perilous. As truth will out, nature always finds a way.

Overall, this is a short captivating read that combines gothic elements with a complex, character-driven mystery. Its exploration of human ambition and the dark side of nature provides a thought-provoking backdrop to an engaging and suspenseful story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Graveyard Shift is the perfect, spooky story to start off the fall season. It follows five late shift workers who meet up at the local graveyard for their smoke break. On this particular night, there is a fresh grave.

I really enjoyed this one!

This was a super interesting Novella! It feels like Scooby doo was meshed with T Kingfisher! Loved to see it and read it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron books for an advanced copy of Graveyard Shift in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 stars rounded down to 4.

This was the first story I've read by M.L. Rio, and I've heard great things. I definitely wasn't disappointed. This story is perfect for the upcoming spooky season, particularly for people who aren't big into horror or might want to start dabbling in it. The novella was very atmospheric and ominous - several people involved in a sleep-study at a local university attempt to expose the project they were involved in, when others who participated started displaying bizarre and terrifying symptoms.

I do wish it was more than just a novella, I felt that I was just thrown into this story with no idea where it was going, and then the ending was pretty ambiguous. If it was maybe 50-100 pages longer this would have been a 5-star read for me! Graveyard Shift is perfect if you enjoy What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (particularly fungal horror), gothic horror, multiple POVs, and amateur sleuths exposing medical conspiracies.

I was so excited to read this, because I am such a fan of M.L. Rio's work, and it is exactly what I would expect from her. For such a short novella, the character development is incredible, and I found myself caring about this group very quickly. My only complaint is that the ending felt too abrupt and unfinished, and I am craving more from not only this particular story, but also this specific group of characters. I understand why the ending was what it was and I believe it accomplished what it was meant to, but I can't help but wish for more.

Five late-shift humans meet in the local college's ancient cemetery every night: a school newspaper editor, a down-on-their-luck microbiologist, a bartender, a hotel receptionist, and an insomniac rideshare driver. They're an unlikely group brought together by circumstance; there's nothing strange about it.

Until the Hole appears.

The shallow grave wasn't there the night before, and the cemetery hasn't been used for decades. So for who is this grave? Or for what? As a group, each with their valuable resources, they vow to figure it out.

This is SUCH a good little read for spooky season. It went a bit quick for me and left me on a wanting cliffhanger, but I'm not sure a solid resolution would have been realistic for the genre type here. M.L. Rio got me to care about each of these characters in a hundred pages and two POVs each; that's impressive writing.

Pleased with this as a little snack to satiate me until Rio's next novel, but still hungry for more.

Graveyard Shift is a gothic mystery novella from M.L. Rio. The events of this story take place over the course of one single night. As it is a novella, there is not a lot of backstory and we get dropped into the middle of a group of people who are connected by the location and time of their smoke breaks. From there, we go on a spooky Scooby-Do mystery ride. Even with the brevity of the novella, M.L. Rio manages to bring a depth to the story and to the characters. Read this if you want a short read with spooky vibes, a dark mystery, and an eclectic cast of characters. This book gave me vibes similar to Frankenstein, Ninth House, and Vicious.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I liked the atmosphere, character building, and overall storytelling but not much happened. I wish I had more to say/like about this book but there wasn’t enough plot. I know it was a novella. It still could have been a little longer.

Graveyard Shift has a great opening and great characters. They’re all interesting and felt real. For such a short work, there is a good deal going on and I wish there was a bit more here. After a point the atmosphere fizzles out and the story seems to lose focus. It doesn’t absolutely kill the story but it does mean that this doesn’t feel quite as fulfilling as it could have.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didnt realize this was a novella when I first heard about it, but was kinda excited because “When We Were Villians” sometimes felt too long. But after reading “Graveyard Shift,” I’d rather it have been longer. The story has some nice horror and spooky vibes and lots of uneasy atmosphere. The characters are interesting and the different narrators/POVs were easy to follow. The story sets up as a group of nocturnal smokers who are forced out to an old cemetery near a college campus to enjoy a cigarette or two. They realize someone has been there besides their group, and dug a strange hole. They start investigating and it sets a bigger story in motion. But sadly that’s where the action feels like it ends. The story sorta loses its momentum and feels like (I know it’s been mentioned a lot by others but it’s accurate) a Mystery Inc Scooby Doo episode. And worst of all, when I was hoping to see more of these wild mushrooms, the story just ends. It feels incredibly abrupt and unfinished. It started well but just felt like someone stopped writing mid-story.

Thank you NetGalley & M.L. Rio for allowing me to read and review this book.

Wow, so much atmosphere packed into such a small book. The characters were all unique and I loved how the story was told from each of their perspectives, it added so much more to the overall plot. This was such a fun fast paced book that’s perfect for spooky season.

In the town's old cemetery we find a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel worker, the steward of the church, and editor of the local college paper. These insomniacs and night workers find a hole and a gravedigger. They have no choice but to follow him to see where he is going! Scooby Doo is mentioned and certainly seems an inspiration but there is lite horror and gothic notes.

A horror filled novella, very atmospheric and claustrophobic
#graveyardshift #flatironbooks #mlrio