Reviews with content warning for Violence - Graveyard Shift

“Graveyard Shift” follows a group of college students as their paths cross during their late night shift at the graveyard. One night they find a new hole that should not be there, and they begin to wonder who dug this grave, and why. Before the night is over, they discover who the gravedigger is, follow him, and discover they are closer to this mystery than they thought.

Although this is a novella, it took me an exceptionally long time to read. I just could not get into this story and I was far more driven to finish it because I wanted to be able to understand the discussion during the book club than I was actually invested in the story. I was bored almost from page one. The story felt too rushed in some ways, while also not feeling fully fleshed out.

I do think this novella was very atmospheric, and would be a great recommendation to read during spooky season. A graveyard is such an eerie place, especially overnight, so that coupled with the prospect that something sinister might be going on provided the perfect blend for a creepy story.

I just think this novella was not for me, but I would still be willingly pick up M.L. Rio in the future.

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dark mysterious

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was marketed as a horror novella but is more akin to a dark academia mystery. There is some limited body horror elements but they are pretty minor.
This is a great fall/winter night read. It’s short and punchy. The novella is heavy on the atmosphere and light on the depth. This book is far too short to waste time trying to misdirect the reader, and would have been better served by a less abrupt ending.

The mystery itself is pretty interesting and the story taking place over a single night keeps the reader engaged. It jumps around and you have to piece together exactly what the real mystery is but it works out in the end. It is very open-ended and you don’t get a straight forward answer as to the character’s fate but it’s still pretty satisfying for me.

Audio specific review: the multiple narrators helps to keep the POVs straight. Because of the constant POV switches, I think it is probably better read in print or ebook format.

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