I really loved the premise, but the execution wasn't engaging enough for me. The characters weren't believable, both in the way they speak and their nonchalance at finding a potential missing body. I wanted more action earlier in the book, and I needed to feel immersed in the world without being distracted by the stilted characters.

A fun novella that offers a juicy sense of foreboding. Multiple narrators makes this a really fun listen, too.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Graveyard Shift was a really cool concept and hooked me in based on the description. It was fun, suspenseful, and just atmospheric. It felt kind of fever dreamish!

This was such an enjoyable read! The use of multiple narrators truly brought the story to life. Despite its brevity, the author skillfully created a deep connection between the reader and the characters, allowing us to get to know them in a surprisingly intimate way. Each character had a relatable quality—either something we see in ourselves or recognize in someone we know. The story’s pace was perfect, keeping me engaged and eager to see where it would lead. I loved experiencing the journey through the characters' eyes, and the ending felt especially fitting for such a fast-paced and thrilling tale.

I'm not a huge novella fan (as I think I've stated many times) but this one wasn't too bad. I felt like I got a sense of most of the characters and had a bit of a relationship with each of them by the end of the story so that was one plus.

I was also super intrigued by the premise of this story! People who meet up at a graveyard that wouldn't otherwise hang out with each other! Mysterious people disposing of dead bodies! Scary drug side effects that kind of cause zombie-ism!! Crazy stuff!!!

Overall though, I wasn't blown away by this story because the ending left me on a bit too much of a "well... what's going to happen?" type cliffhanger. It's nice to leave things a bit open, but I wanted to feel a bit more from this one so I could be a bit haunted by the idea of what happens next. Instead, I was a bit bored and let down.

Not a bad read, just not my first pick if you're going to go for a spooky read this fall!

A delightfully creepy and quick novella with mystery and horror. The different narrators for the different POVs were great, and I especially loved M.L. Rio coming in and reading the author's note, playlist, and cocktail list at the end. Also so cool that those elements are added at the end!

Excellent audiobook - quality, production, narrators, and the book itself were all great.

Thank you Macmillan audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the eAudiobook ARC! Graveyard Shift is the long awaited follow up to M.L. Rio's If We Were Villains and keeps the character relationship strength while being quite different with horrific moments and descriptions. Being a novella, this is a very quick read or listen, but remains powerful through the narrative styling of M.L. Rio. Graveyard shift is sure to delight fans of Gothic literature. The audiobook offers a fantastic listening experience with M. L. Rio, Jess Nahikian, Max Meyers, Si Chen, Susan Dalian, and Tim Campbell all narrating.

My book club read If We Were Villains late last year after months of it making the rounds on TikTok. I was excited to join the thousands of raving fans, and I did actually end up enjoying a lot of it. M. L. Rio’s use of Shakespearian tropes and dialogue, paired with an ensemble cast of pretentious artists, was fun and engaging at first. But I quickly grew frustrated when the character dynamics didn’t really shift, or come alive. Even with so many voices in the fold, the story often felt flat and never fully worked for me—but I really, really wanted it to. So when her new novella, Graveyard Shift, first popped up on my feed, I was ready to give Rio another go, hoping this new large cast and mystery would come together in a way her debut didn’t quite manage.

Graveyard Shift reads like an edgy, millennial episode of Scooby Doo (and it is aware of this, as there is a reference to the beloved cartoon in there). Every night, a group of misfits meets outside an abandoned church to relish in cigarettes and to find solace in each other’s sleeplessness. On a particular October night, the group stumbles upon a fresh, open grave and gravedigger who is clearly trying to cover his tracks. The mystery quickly develops into a chase as the group trails the man, finding that he may hold answers to more than just what he’s buried.

Just like with her debut, Rio introduces a large cast with a central mystery, and just like with her debut, I found the characters lifeless and the mystery of little consequence. With the exception of a single character, Hannah (excuse any misspelled names—I listened to the audiobook), no one had a defining voice or clear motivation. However, I did enjoy the atmosphere of the early chapters. The setting of the church and its cemetery was well-crafted. I could almost feel the goosebumps rising. But as the eerie build-up faded into a rather dull thriller, I lost interest. The focus of the story shifted almost violently, and the world Rio so carefully built in those early pages ended up feeling irrelevant to the story she ultimately told. The actions her cast took after that introduction made little sense. With little time spent solidifying their ties and loyalties, it was hard to believe the lengths they would go to for answers to something that didn’t seem particularly urgent to them. Ultimately, I wasn’t invested.

I do still think Rio has interesting ideas, and I know I will try her next big work. However, I wish her writing (and marketing) would stop being so obsessed with painting her and her work in a certain aesthetic, when clearly the stories she’s actually writing under the thin veils of gothic academia don’t particularly fit it. Mostly, I’m hoping to see a smaller cast of characters next time. I would love to see her focus on 2 or 3 strong leads rather than split her voice over many unfinished personalities.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio galley in exchange for my honest review.

I tend to hallucinate if I stay awake for too long, and I’ve seen some nutty things. I feel especially qualified to say, as someone frequently subjected to involuntary night shifts, I expected things to be a lot more nutty and hypnotic. I was disappointed that there wasn’t more insomniac nonsense.

But it was a perfect bite sized, Scooby snack kind of mystery with an ensemble cast.

The audio production was great, and I wish it were longer to add to atmosphere and dig deeper.

2.5 ☆

this book seems to think itself a lot smarter than it actually is, something it could’ve probably gotten away with were it longer and better fleshed-out. as it is, however, it lacks too much substance to be anything other than somewhat enjoyable. i appreciated the atmospheric yet not overly pretentious writing, which was a concern for me given who the author is. i really liked the narration though!

thank you to macmillan audio and netgalley for the alc in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own.

Having just finished If We Were Villains, I was very excited to read this novella. I found the themes interesting but thought they could use more development. Because of its short format, the story felt very fast-paced & left some questions unanswered.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC.

This is my first M.L. Rio book. I was drawn in right away. There is a wonderful atmosphere of the midnight hour had me absolutely captivated and holding my breath as part of the group uncovered more information in the shadows.

I listened to the audiobook. The narrators were all excellent and helped add more background to each character beyond what was told.

As a novella, this left me wanting more in the best way. Thank you M.L. Rio and NetGalley

Author M.L. Rio does it again! In her captivating short novella Graveyard Shift, she draws readers deep into the eerie world of the midnight hours—those moments when the night is at its darkest, and the creepy crawlies come out to play. The atmosphere she creates is nothing short of mesmerizing, with every shadow and whisper adding to the tension and suspense.

One of the standout elements of this novella is the unique plot centered around the mysterious "honey dew." The way M.L. Rio weaves the story of the rats and the research into the narrative is both intriguing and unsettling. It’s a fresh take on a concept that could easily have felt familiar, but in Rio’s hands, it becomes something entirely original and compelling.

The pacing is expertly handled, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the story unfolds. Each twist and turn is carefully crafted, making the novella impossible to put down. I was thoroughly engrossed from beginning to end, and I found myself thinking about the characters and the chilling events long after I’d finished reading.

M.L. Rio’s ability to blend the macabre with thought-provoking themes is truly impressive. Graveyard Shift not only entertains but also leaves you pondering the deeper questions it raises about the unknown and the consequences of tampering with forces beyond our control.

I’m eagerly looking forward to more novels from her and can't wait to see what other dark and captivating tales she has in store for us. If you're a fan of stories that keep you up at night, Graveyard Shift is a must-read!

What a wild night! For fans of T. Kingfisher's horror novellas, M.L. Rio's newest novella Graveyard Shift is one night of graveyard adventures for a group of insomniacs. It was crazy that all of this book took place just in one night -- witnessing a grave digger at the college cemetery, we follow the gravedigger to the local bar, and then to the back of a ride share, where each insomniac from the group has their chance to investigate, with the final one producing a story for her college paper.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for providing an early audiobook copy of *Graveyard Shift*. I thoroughly enjoyed the novella and most of the audiobook experience. While I agreed with other reviewers that the first narrator's delivery felt somewhat robotic, I later considered this might align with her character's personality. As a fan of M. L. Rio, I've been eagerly anticipating this release. Although I appreciate a good novella, I found myself longing for a more substantial book—one that could delve deeper into Rio's richly developed characters. The story had a wonderfully atmospheric quality but also reminded me of a Scooby-Doo or Nancy Drew episode. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of a playlist and cocktail recipes at the end. When the book officially releases on September 24th, I'll definitely be purchasing a copy, especially to enjoy the cover, and re-reading it with the playlist and a cocktail in hand.

I did not really understand this one. I think it had potential, but it seemed like it ended way too quickly. It is a novella, but I think the story deserved to be more fleshed out. The story was still intriguing and I did enjoy reading it. I listened to the audiobook and all the different narrators were very talented.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC.

Very engaging novella, loved the multiple narrators. The story was interesting, topical, and unique. I highly recommend this book for people interested in horror, thrillers, or medical history.

The Graveyard Shift's premise was interesting but I do not know if it was executed well. There was limited depth in the character development and the plot. The story was okay, but did not stand out to me. The audiobook saved it for me. 2.75 rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC.

The Graveyard Shift is a gothic novella where a ragtag group of nightshift workers stumble upon a hole in a college church graveyard. The novella follows the mystery of the hole, and these insomniacs are persistent to solve the case.
I’ve attempted to read If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio before. It just wasn’t something I could get into, but once I read the synopsis for this novella, I had to give her another shot, and I’m glad I did. First and foremost, The Graveyard Shift is an enjoyable read, and I will recommend to anyone interested in gothic literature. I even plan on rereading it myself.
My favorite aspect of the story was the pacing of the story. Novellas can kind of scare me because they tend to rush everything, but this did not fall prey to that. The characters were well fleshed out and the resolution didn’t feel like it was thrown at me. I will admit I was sad when it ended but only because I wanted more. These are the type of characters that want to know more about. They’re all extremely interesting in a relatable way. These characters are so real and genuine that you can’t help but root for them.
I think the only issue I have with the novella is that I wished it was longer. Yes, I think the pacing was fantastic and it worked as a novella, but it would do a lot better as a novel. There’s so much potential in the story. I feel like novellas should feel like they don’t need any more story, but this needs more. I listened to the audiobook which isn’t the best way to read this book. Mainly because the narrator for one of the characters (ED, I don’t know if that is how you spell it I can’t find it.) was not very good. She is the first narrator you hear, and I was extremely close to not listening to the rest of the audiobook. I think reading it yourself is the way to go for this particular story, so I plan on buying it and rereading it.

Thanks to Macmillian Audio for the ARC!

As a fellow insomniac, I felt for those inside of Graveyard Shift. We travel through one eventful night in a small college town with a rag-tag group of town misfits. Each of these individuals has a few things in common, the one that brings them together on this fateful evening is their smoking habit. They go to the run-down, abandoned cemetery, as they always do and they find a 6 ft deep surprise.

From there I had a fun time reading more about their hour breakdowns through the night working on discovering why there was this potential gravesite and the dark twisted happenings within their community. They uncover more than they bargain for as they work together to understand what this means for others in their town and potentially beyond.

This novella had me on my toes from the first few minutes of listening. This is a gripping novella that didn't need much lead time for me to truly understand the suspense and creepy feelings I would experience while reading. A perfect read to add to your yearly fall or Halloween-themed reading adventures!