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!

Short fiction isn't for everyone, but I don't know very many people who couldn't be won over by this story. Perfect tension, interesting characters, a and a strong sense of dread that stalks around every corner - this was a great read. This book stays the course and gives the reader a nice, clean finish. M.L. Rio delivered.

Thank you Netgalley and McMillan Audio for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

No spoilers.
I was excited to receive this audiobook because I've been hearing about this author.
The concept and the wonderful cover caught my attention--I wanted this book immediately. This is a book and cover pairing where the cover hits even harder after reading the book. Also, a horror novella fits my reading needs.
M. L. Rio's talent shines in the graveyard descriptions and glimpses into the quirks and inner lives of the characters. She's adept at bringing out intriguing truths.

Unfortunately, I found it difficult to become engaged with the story. The first narrator was prone to pauses and emphasis in the wrong places. The distractions of odd pauses, 'off' cadences, and instances of overly dramatic delivery bothered me throughout the book. I've enjoyed many audiobooks this year. Some things are a matter of taste. Years of close attention to music, poetry, and live theater have affected how I listen. This audiobook simply wasn't a fit for me.

I enjoyed Rio's writing. Great details build suspense and amplify the horror. Rio involves all the senses and weaves in a symbolic level that adds to the book’s impact.

Favorite things:
Eclectic characters, believable dialogue, atmosphere, and creepiness.
It took me back to the gritty aspects of my college years and resonated with my insomnia experiences.
The discoveries as they delve into the mystery.
The raw quality that invites the reader to enter and complete the story at an emotional level. I'll be watching for M.L. Rio's next releases.

Thank you, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook Arc for consideration. These are my opinions.

Graveyard shift

Loved this spooky short story!

This story follows workers of the night shift that cross paths together during frequent smoke breaks in a location at the graveyard forced by college rules. Hannah (ride share driver),Theo (bartender), Tamar (librarian), Tuck (currently living in the church), Edie (writer for the student paper). (Spellings may be wrong since I did audio).

They come across a dug up grave and start to wonder about the reason for that. When some of the group can’t let it go, they find themselves in a full blown investigation as to who the gravedigger is and what they’re up to. They work together to track down the gravedigger and this brings plenty of tense moments, one being Tuck being attacked by some mutant rat while trying to remain quiet as the gravedigger is just steps away. There are also stories of humans losing control and other weird incidents possibly related to a fungal exposure that may be connected to this mysterious grave digger.

I obviously would’ve liked to read more, which is the con of all novellas, but for the time they had I thought the pacing was strong. The narration was excellent in keeping the creepy vibes and expressive voices.

4/5 starts! Thanks for NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date - September 24!

Graveyard Shift follows a misfit cast of characters over the course of one night. The cast includes a workaholic reporter, a down on their luck mycologist, a recently divorced librarian working two jobs, an insomniac Uber driver, and a bar tender who is a fixture in a college town that keeps getting left behind. They formed their unlikely companionship over the course of many nights spent taking their smoke breaks in a historic cemetery. On this particular night, they find a freshly dug hole in the ground and begin to investigate who dug it and why it's there. This was such a fun novella and all of the narrators did a great job with their characters. The characters were very distinct and had their own voices that came through in the text, it was just a bit overwhelming in the beginning when they were all introduced at once. The mystery was very engaging as well and the overall tone was a bit spooky, so this would definitely be a fun read or listen around Halloween.

if the Scooby gang was a bunch of nicotine-addled insomniacs

✧ 3.5 stars, a dark, atmospheric novella about insomniacs in a graveyard bearing witness to a gravedigger's mysterious agenda. this would be the great palate cleanser for spooky season. my complaints: the book was too short to develop the characters, and the ending was far too abrupt and unsatisfactory.

thanks to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review

4.75⭐️

I will read anything she writes!

The writing is so beautiful. Rio is so good at writing characters and group dynamics, it’s one of my favorite parts of the other things she has written (IWWV and Weekend at Bertie’s)

The story was interesting, creepy, gruesome and poetic.

I just wanted more of it all, a little more of the group interactions with each other. But understandable since it’s novella not full length novel.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this short story. I really liked the setting and characters of this story, and the audiobook was a great experience because it was narrated by a full cast which made it a rich experience in a super small package. I really liked the plot and the twist but maybe because it was a short story, I just wish it would have had a bit more… umph to it? Overall though, I absolutely think you should add this to your fall TBR!

This was interesting and a quick read. I really enjoyed the story. I do wish it was longer I feel so drawn to the story so hopefully the author builds on this book eventually! I loved it

Haunting little romp by an eclectic bunch of insomniac, chain smoking, investigators.

- novella that packs a punch
- fantastic writing as usual from m.l. rio
- well developed characters with backstories!
- plot that's giving!!!

Definitely wish it was a bit longer with more story. I felt like as soon as I was understanding what was going on and getting really interested, it ended abruptly. It was a pretty creepy book and I like that a group of smokers kind of just came together and became friends though their habit. Because that’s honestly what it’s really like (previous smoker here). I still enjoyed the novella and I just hate that I’m wanting more!!!

After reading “If We Were Villains” earlier this year, I was very excited to see this novella from Rio. “Graveyard Shift” continues to highlight Rio’s ability to create complex and unique characters within the narratives she crafts. I enjoyed the shifting perspectives that this book offered. Allowing you to peak into the brain of each person at their allotted nightly hour. I was able to listen to the audiobook version of this work and think that the voice actors did a great job capturing the essence of each character. I’ll definitely continue to look out for work from this author!