When I first came across this book, I thought: A horror, set in Melbourne! Hell. Yes. Sign me up!

I wouldn’t say I’m an expert on the genre, like our heroine Tinsel Munroe, and I hate cheap jump scares, but I have been known to enjoy a good horror story from time to time. One that builds the suspense over course of the story. One that gives you an overall sense of foreboding, but offers lighter reprieves in between the darker moments. Paranormal beasty or not, it’s the nuance I look for in a good horror story and this book gave me exactly what I was looking for.

It started out like a typical campy 90s slasher film, which was awesome, and such a throwback to Scream, I Know What You Did…, Urban Legend, or the 70s and 80s of Nightmare…, Friday 13th and Halloween, and like any good murder mystery, laid false trails as to who might be the killer. There’s plenty of action, and suspense, and for once the main character is not a complete idiot making stupid decisions when being chased by a killer! Seriously folks, if you want to learn how to be a Final Girl - follow Tinsel’s footsteps!

Still, I had some issues, albeit minor:

To me, a good story is something that’s somewhat grounded in reality. Unless it’s sci-fi/dystopian/paranormal of course. But names of real streets, suburbs, venues etc. offer the reader a sense of place. Especially if they’ve visited, or live in/near those locations. As a Melbournian, I could picture exactly where Tinsel was. I’ve been to ACMI, Fed Square, The Capitol, Flinders Street…you get the picture.
However where this dropped for me is that there’s no laneway off Taplin Street. And the street running parallel doesn’t have a view of St George’s Road - it’s Scotchmer Street.
I know, I know, it’s a fictional story, and I’m nitpicking, but so much else is based on factual areas of Melbourne, that it was a little annoying to have such a glaring deviation in the geography.

Also plot hole. How was Detective James at the end of the lane/St George’s Road where Tinsel was running. His car was at The Pinny, she was at least the next street over (again the geography doesn’t match up but moving on) it was never explained and it bugged me.

Lastly the Americanised language - ass, jello. I’m not sure if this was an edited version of the book for the US market, but as an Aussie, as a Melbournian, reading a book written by an Australian author set in my home city, it was a little annoying.

And lastly. Vic. My less than minor issue. More of a major gripe. I don’t think I can forgive the author for that one.

I wanted to give this book a perfect rating. The story alone would have gotten it there. However, those minor issues put together did impact my enjoyment a little, hence it’s a solid 4 stars. And I would definitely consider reading more work from the author.

My thanks go to Maria Lewis, Datura, and NetGalley for an arc of this book. Opinions are my own.

I wouldn’t say that this book is a thriller or straight up horror, it’s much more a funny slasher, or maybe it just wasn’t scary to me. It’s partly why I gave it 2 ⭐️, my heart didn’t race once, I wasn’t sad when sad things happened. Yes, sometimes it was funny (thanks Pandora) but that’s it, one character can’t carry the whole book. The ending was so anti-climatic and so predictable, like you can’t convince me that no one saw this coming. However, I would still recommend this to Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager who both wanted more sex scenes in their horror.

Tinsel Munroe’s Radio show runs from 23.00 – 07.00. At approximately 01.00 Mera Brant was murdered on air but nobody noticed. Tinsel’s show is called “The Graveyard Shift”, partly because of it’s time slot and partly because it features music from horror films or music with ‘horror’ connotations (e.g. Monster Mash). It is a highly interactive show, mainly using social media but with phone-ins for prizes. Mera is in the middle of answering the prize question when a hooded presence appears in her room and butcher’s her. On a show like this one, however, horror related pranks are not unknown, hence nobody realising there was a real murder. It is the first of a series of macabre killings, and it appears that Tinsel is somehow a focus. The police are having problems with the investigation so Detective Vic James become Tinsel’s ‘bodyguard’. Her sister, Pandora, is a lawyer and the editor of a True Crime podcast. In the absence of any progress, the sisters pool their skills in an attempt to identify the killer and solve the mystery of ‘why’ he (or she or they) is carrying out this spree.
The story is set mostly in the CBD area of Melbourne, and pays a lot of complimentary attention to the major Arts venues. It also features, not surprisingly given the nature of the show, numerous, indeed concatenated, references to horror films (many niche examples) and their music (again lots of niche stuff), which will endear it to dedicated fans of the genre; although it does rather slow down the pace. The style is very light, even the gruesome bits don’t feel all that bad. So, yes it is a ‘slasher’ story, fairly traditionally constructed, but it’s certainly not very unnerving. There aren’t many potential suspects so it is possibly to solve the mystery. I enjoyed the style and the ‘fan’ stuff, but there are some problems with the mechanics and I didn’t really like the ending.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I don't know where to begin, I loved this, I loved the characters, the story, the writing, the film references, the Spotify playlist, everything about this is perfect.

Tinsel, our main character, hosts The Graveyard Shift an 11pm-6am radio show themed around horror. The book starts on Halloween when a caller is murdered while on air, and soon she's not the only one. As the bodies start piling up Tinsel's relationship with her boyfriend ends, she moves in with her true crime blog writing sister, Pandora, and she works closely with Detective James to avoid being the next victim.

This book is so well written, sometimes it felt like watching a movie, the deaths are described so well, there were a couple of times where I felt my heart quicken during the tension.

Tinsel is an amazing character and I'd love to read more about her and Pandora working on other crimes, mainly because it would mean more of Maria Lewis' writing, but also because I want to hear more about Tinsel. She's a character that I want to be friends with, not your typical final girl, she's less Laurie Strode 1979 and more Laurie Strode 2018.

Maria's love of horror really comes through, and that's another one of the things that makes this so enjoyable, the references span not just the classics that you'd expect but more obscure ones, especially so in the music choices.

This book has made me want to read more horror, I used to read Stephen King and James Herbert as an ansgty teen in the 90s and this book has brought me back.

I always look forward to Maria Lewis's books. Her recently completed urban fantasy series, Supernatural Sisters, was thoroughly good from beginning to end, introducing many vivid and relatable characters and more, taking the time and trouble to develop those characters over several books as well as to engage with real-word issues.

The Graveyard Shift seems to be more standalone, and is firmly in the crime genre rather than the supernatural, but in Tinsel Monroe, Lewis has created another unforgettable woman lead. Monroe is the presenter of The Graveyard Shift, a late night/ early morning radio show in Melbourne, Australia, playing music drawn from the horror genre, especially horror/ slasher films. She's proud of what she has achieved, and seems to be respected by her peers and popular with the audience, but after three years at the studio is getting no nearer primetime. Tinsel's boyfriend is clearly a louse, as we see when, after the worst night of her life, he throws a childish tantrum because she's home a bit late. So she's under a lot of stress here, a theme throughout the book.

The reason Tinsel is late is because a caller-in to the show has been murdered while she was on the line. Was the victim targeted because of The Graveyard Shift? Or is there a serial killer out there who resents the horror genre? The police seem to be making no progress, so it's up to Tinsel and her redoubtable sister Pandora, to move things forward. (Perhaps I shouldn't write the police off utterly - things between Tinsel and the handsome Detective James do seem to be moving forward quite fast, giving this book a definite spin of romance - and some rather steamy scenes at times).

I loved the way that Lewis has the action in this story emerge from the characters, not just happen to them. Tinsel is a well drawn, if complex, person, and she'll soon gain the reader's sympathy and support. We see her make some misjudgements but she's always ready to get up after them and push on. Tinsel's sister Pandora is if anything even more of a face of nature, a mother with a toddler to wrangle and, therefore, no time to waste on anything, she is no respecter of persons but offers total support to her sister. The relationship between the two is perfect - it is complex, clearly has depth, and above all, they are absolutely there for each other.

They will need to be. There is plenty of danger in this story as the killer's rampage proceeds, and while Pandora and Detective James do their best to protect Tinsel, she has a way of walking into it. When James is suddenly pulled from the case and goes dark, she realises that she needs to sort things, now, before anyone else is hurt. That leads up to a nailbiting and twisty climax which I absolutely had to finish, late through the hour was.

Filled with the lore and delicious geekiness of the horror subculture, this is an absorbing and assured novel with an unforgettable heroine. Lewis's writing is engaging and witty and absolutely on point (she describes a regretful Tinsel as having been 'dicknotised and stuck with this man [her controlling ex] for three years'. The story is I think in large part about Tinsel breaking free from this toxic relationship, but also from others, and finding her true voice, even surrounded by tragic events - and, as it turns out, in the midst of true danger as the shadowy killer comes and goes.

A great read.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 | 𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙴𝙰𝚂𝙴𝚂 𝟷𝟸𝚃𝙷 𝚂𝙴𝙿𝚃𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁
‘𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘨𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘴,
𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘭 𝘔𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘰𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵.’

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟒.𝟓⭐️
My first book I’ve read by Maria Lewis, it will not be my last!
I honestly couldn’t put it down.

A perfect, thrilling, spooky season read for Halloween.

Tinsel Monroe is a final girl queen! She is a radio presenter on ‘The Graveyard Shift’ but when someone is murdered live on air on her show it sets a series of events in place which means it’s up to Tinsel and her sister, Pandora to solve.

A fast paced thriller which I was totally engrossed by, there were moments where I was on the edge of my seat!

I thought the story line was really original and I enjoyed the references to the 90’s films and songs. I would most definitely listen to Tinsels radio station!

I really liked Tinsels character, along with Detective James and Pandora.

100% recommend if you want a fast paced thriller for Spooky season.

Releases on Tuesday 12th September!

Thanks so much @netgalley and @daturabooks for this Arc! I think I will have to buy the physical copy on Tuesday now cause look at that cover 😍!

#netgalley #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #books #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #booklover #bookish #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreviewer #booksandboots #bibliophile #bookishcommunity #bookblogger

Tinsel, her sister Pandora, and Detective James team up in this mashup of horror and cozy to find the villain who killed a caller to Tinsel's radio program and now is threatening her life. Tinsel's focused on her show and Pandora's a true crime maven but they aren't fully equipped for this. I liked the Melbourne setting (although it doesn't figure much in the story) and the characters but Lewis kept moving the point all over this place, especially with the romance. That said, point for storytelling and the fact that I didn't guess what was going to happen. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I was grateful to receive an eARC of this book.
It is a very good fit for anyone that enjoys true crime or horror movies. It is easy to read, the story is interesting and the tension in the chapters when you know there is going to be a murder is really well built. Also, I quite liked being able to guess who the killer was with the little snippets of information we were given.
As downsides, sometimes the pacing felt a little bit off (I was way more engaged in the thriller bit than the romantic subplot) and I found the final bit of the book slightly frustrating due to the characters behaving slightly out of characters and the mention of "psychosis" when talking about the killer.

Overall, an entertaining, easy to read book. I am going to miss both Tinsel and Pandora.

This book started like a great horror movie with a brilliant cold open and a good charter introduction. However I found the middle part to be kinda boring until the action picked back up. If you enjoy Halloween and horror movies then you might enjoy it

A perfect, fun horror crime read just in time for Halloween. This really gave of the vibes of slasher films and I really loved this, the characters were great and realistic, I didn't want to put this down and I loved following along with Tinsel. I also thought the premise for this was so unique and I can't wait to check out more by Maria Lewis. Overall this is a fun, fast paced thriller that I really recommend.

A super fun read, perfect for fans of True Crime and horror movies. I really enjoyed this one and found myself liking the characters a lot and was completely aborbed. I haven't read anything by Maria Lewis before but would most definitely pick up anything else she writes.

With the spooky season incoming, I can thoroughly suggest reading this one and am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The Graveyard Shift is about Tinsel Munroe who is a DJ at the radio in Melbourne. During one of her shows, a listener called in for tickets to an upcoming horror movie and was murdered live on air. Tinsel teams up with her sister and a very charming detective to solve who is killing people. This book is definitely homage to the horror films and I loved every second of it. Apart from murders, there are many other plot elements that I enjoyed, such as the strong bond between Tinsel and her sister Pandora, and there is also a romantic subplot going on which I really enjoyed reading. I laughed and also cried a lot which I was not expecting but it happened. I love Maria Lewis's writing. It is so easy to lost in the story. Overall it was a great thriller book which is great for the spooky season. You don't have to like horror movies to read this book but keep in mind there are a lot of horror movie references throughout the book. 
Thanks to NetGalley and Datura Books for an ARC in return for my honest review.

overall this was a super enjoyable and quick read. anyone who's a fan of slasher/horror pop culture will definitely enjoy this one!!

i found the main character super likeable and a breath of fresh air compared to other recent thrillers with female main leads.

i did NOT see the ending coming at all!! definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys fast paced thrillers with an element of the slasher/horror genre.

The Graveyard Shift centres around Tinsel Monroe who hosts an overnight show called the Graveyard Shift. One night a caller is murdered live on her show and after a spree of killings, it becomes clear that Tinsel herself is the intended target.

I thought the characters in this book were great and I particularly enjoyed the realistic sibling relationship between Tinsel and Pandora. In addition to this, the friendships were portrayed really well and some of the banter between characters was quite entertaining. The mystery had a satisfying conclusion, however I did find it slightly predictable.

My biggest fault with the Graveyard Shift is that a lot of the plot didn't focus on the investigation in to the murders and at times the mystery element of the story seemed to get lost in favour of the romance subplot. The writing style felt slightly flat and the pacing was too slow so at times I found myself getting bored.

Overall, this was an okay read and I would recommend this book for people who enjoy 90s slasher films. As a mystery this book fell short for me despite its interesting premise.

A really great and intriguing read. I loved the characters and the story. Will look out for more from this author.

I want to thank NetGalley and Datura Books for an advanced copy of The Graveyard Shift in exchange for an honest review. This novel has everything. Relatable characters, romance, intensity, and relief. An interesting thriller; I laughed, jumped, and even cried. There are quality references to pop culture and music but what I really enjoyed was Tinsel’s relationship with her sister. I like the balance between Tinsel hosting her show, investigating the string of murders, spending time with her sister, and the love interests. More than a unique murder mystery, The Graveyard Shift has valuable commentary on women in the workplace and even adoption. On paper it sounds all over the place but really comes together.

I would absolutely recommend The Graveyard Shift during this Halloween season or any time!

I loved this book: a strong female lead, ‘the graveyard shift’, horror films and murder - what more could you want? I found this book to be a pacy read that had me hooked from chapter one and I couldn’t put it down. Thank you to NetGalley, Datura and the author for the chance to review.

Not my usual genre, this was a bit YA for my tastes but the author writes with a certain verve and personality that is hard to dislike. Setting it in the world of true crime podcasts and radio was a nice touch.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Datura for an advance copy of The Graveyard Shift, a stand-alone thriller set in Melbourne.

Tinsel Munroe is the DJ on a through the night radio show she calls the Graveyard Shift and devotes it to all things horror movie, so she is unsurprised when a listener calls in on Halloween and pretends to get murdered, except the caller wasn’t kidding, she was murdered on air. As more people are killed and Tinsel is attacked she and her sister Pandora, writer of a true crime blog, decide to investigate for themselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Graveyard Shift, which has a bit of everything and comes out as a fun read. Yes, I know, a killer slashing their way through the Melbourne entertainment industry doesn’t suggest fun, but it has a lighthearted approach overall and some amusing dialogue, so I’ll stick with fun.

The novel has, as I said, a bit of everything. There is terror, some tense scenes, a sizzling romance, fun dialogue and too many music and horror movie references that I didn’t understand, although I was impressed by how many of the current pop references I did get. It is told from Tinsel’s point of view so the reader gets to live the experience of being in the killer’s crosshairs with her. She is quite an unusual character with her 50s dress sense and encyclopaedic of horror movies, but she has a great, realistic personality with her fun dialogue and natural reaction to what is going on.

I think that the balance of the novel isn’t quite right as there’s too much of Tinsel working her show when nothing happens, when it could have devoted more time to her and Pandora analysing the ensuing murders and putting them into context. It means that there are flurries of action in between the lull of not much happening. I was a bit disappointed in the outcome of the novel, but won’t say anymore than that.

The Graveyard Shift is a good read that I can recommend.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.