Graveyard Shift: A Novella

M. L. Rio
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Graveyard Shift: A Novella

M. L. Rio
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Overview

144 PAGESENGLISH

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Overall rating: 4.0 / 5 from 9 reviews.

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Review topics: ["story","ending","read","novella","characters","atmosphere","book"].

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Reviews

Graveyard shift by M. L. RIO

"I enojoyed this book overall. That said i did find it a little bit lacking in comparison with her other novel, If we were villains. I expected a bigger ending and was a little disappointed when it didnt come. However, I still think it is worth a read, and im glad i own it."

Hailey (4/5)

Great short read

"I read it in one night! Great vibes, interesting characters, and enticing mystery! I loved it, wished it was longer, but props for fitting so much into a short novella."

Beth5 (5/5)

Yass!!

"I liked this book, even though it was small. I felt like I didn’t have enough time to process everything that was happening. Nonetheless, it is a good read and this author has an amazing pen."

Daff0601 (3/5)

Good late night read

"Such a good story, kept me going and on the edge of my seat, just waiting for answers we never truly get. The right amount of horror where you were squirming in your seat, waiting to find out what exactly happened, and how we ended up where we were. I absolutely loved the read, and the author is very talented! Definitely recommend!"

Averett (4/5)

Spooky

"Love that the story happens in one evening! A few twists and turns along the way to solve a mystery that didn't seem to be connected to anything at first. It's not scary or spooky, but there are times that make for an uneasy feeling."

Victoria (4/5)

Intriguing and compelling, but fell a little short, no pun intended

"The Graveyard Shift is an intriguing novella with palpable atmosphere, which I enjoyed immensely, and the suggestion of some really great characters of whom I would love to read more. But the story felt somewhat undeveloped. It felt as though it not only could but should be a longer story. People often say this about short stories or novellas, but it's not the length here but the substance, the fullness, that I felt was lacking. The story itself felt kind of thin for me, with lots of potential. I was also distracted by some of the writing, which I thought could have been consistently stronger, even while I admired some of the phrasing."

Steph (3/5)

M. L. Rio is back!

"Good little spooky novella for autumn, classic Rio open ending, if you liked ""If we were villains"" then you'll love this"

Violet (5/5)

Graveyard shift

"Constantly on the edge my seat! Wish there was more to it but it was beautifully written and I want to find more from this author"

Emmy (5/5)

will left you wanting more.

"During the night, five people gather in an abandoned cemetery, and they meet like this every night. One evening, they discover a hole that shouldn’t be there. Who dug it, and for whom? One thing is certain — this hole alters the course of the night and pulls these five individuals into a mysterious path. The premise definitely intrigued me — five people working together to uncover answers. Knowing how well M. L. Rio writes dynamic groups after reading If We Were Villains, I was eager to see how this group interacted. It was interesting to experience each character’s perspective through the late-night hours. In a way, it made me feel connected to each one, and the mysterious atmosphere, paired with the writing, amplified this connection effortlessly. The night progresses, the mystery of the hole is eventually answered, yet I still found myself craving more — more development between the characters, more time to truly understand the unfolding plot. It felt like the crumbs of the mystery were all perfectly laid out for the characters to uncover the truth. The execution didn’t fully meet my expectations, and I believe it could have been much stronger if it were expanded into a novel. The story starts off strong, atmospheric, with a touch of darkness and mystery, and the last chapter had me re-reading it, leaving me with a sense of unfinished intrigue. At just 108 pages, the short story leaves you wanting more, especially with an ending so good and full of potential."

AmandaV (3/5)

Q&A

  • Published date: Sep 24, 2024
  • Language: English
  • No. of Pages: 144
  • Publisher: Flatiron Books
  • ISBN: 9781250356796
  • Dimensions: 5.35" W x 0.35" L x 8.15" H

"This place has everything—rats, fungus, thrills, chills, mysteries, hostile incidents—and M.L. Rio deftly weaves it all together into a short, sweet (okay maybe not that sweet) story. A rad, crisp, creepy read."
—Chuck Wendig, bestselling author of Black River Orchard and The Book of Accidents

“Like all M. L. Rio's work, Graveyard Shift is shot through with cool, heavily dosed with ennui, and dense with people-pleasures. Within this tangled skein of complicated characters (ranging from sweetly unhinged to truly problematic), Rio presents a world of nihilistic macabre only to strip it back, painting the gruesome with a softer brush and her singular gift for portraiture.”
—Olivie Blake, bestselling author of Atlas Six

Graveyard Shift is wonderful - dark, strange and hair-raisingly tense - it spills over with atmosphere, full of flawed, fascinating characters. I raced through it.”
—Catriona Ward, bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street

“[A] satisfying follow-up to If We Were Villains. . . Rio stuffs a plethora of surprises into her concise narrative without skimping on character development. This packs a punch.”
—Publishers Weekly

“An eerie, creepy and atmospheric quick read.”
—CapesandTights.com

“A 144 page shivery tale.”
Parade, Parade’s Best New Book Releases This Month

Graveyard Shift is a cool, quick, creepy read that makes you wonder what ramifications poorly tested therapies or rushed science can have on the human race.”
—Fresh Fiction

“Quite entertaining. Rio brings her characteristic beautiful prose to the book, which revels in small details and character quirks. . . Rio is sure to please the dark academia cult following that she established with her earlier novel.”
—The Harvard Crimson

M. L. Rio holds an MA in Shakespeare studies from King’s College London and Shakespeare’s Globe and a PhD in English from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her bestselling first novel If We Were Villains has been published in twenty countries and eighteen languages. Graveyard Shift is her first novella.

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