A group of late night smokers who congregate in a disused churchyard find what looks like a new grave, and over the course of the night start to work out what's happened, what's being buried and the links to a series of strange events in their town.

The book is told from a range of different perspectives, where we get snippets of what's going on with each of the characters and why it is that they can't/don't sleep, as well as how their different skills come together to solve the mystery. There are some icky bits (rats), but those are mercifully brief, most of the book is best described as "a bit creepy" rather than horror. It's quite a short book, novella rather than novel, taking place over one night, which does leave some gaps in character development that a longer book would have more time to go into - those gaps are more that you want to know more about them, what happens next, rather than that they're sketchy. I think my main criticism of the book is actually that it's too short, I wanted more!

Also shout out to M L Rio for recognising the research skills of librarians, and the horrors of journal subscriptions and access from non-university accounts. I felt that one deeply.

disappointed by this, to be honest. maybe i just didn't get it. maybe i expected characters that felt dimensional and an ending that felt compelling... M.L. Rio's writing at its core is excellent, this particular story lacked oomph but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

this is giving very much "edgar allan poe - the fall of the house of usher” and it’s amazing!

there are so many questions wandering around in my mind, i need proper answers. i need more!

i wish this book was longer, the story and characters deserve a full length novel.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wildfire for the arc.

This is the much anticipated new release from “If We Were Villains” author, M.L. Rio. I found this to be an enjoyable, but sadly too short, read (more of a novella than a novel). Taking place over one night, the story follows a group of young people, loosely linked to academia, as they try to solve the mystery of a freshly dug grave in an ancient churchyard. I do like ML Rio’s writing style, but this story felt like a filler, and it was lacking the character development and depth (and delightful pretentiousness) of their previous work. I think I would have preferred to wait a little longer if it meant a longer, more satisfying novel could have been produced.

A great and extremely dark novella, I really enjoyed this story and how everyone's lives intertwined. All of the characters exist in that weird "liminal" space of late night working, making the plot have a weird feeling anyway. The way that the plot developed with each character learning something important was great. Will definitely look for more books by M.L. Rio in the future.

No one does ensemble casts like ML Rio and I'm genuinely in love with her writing style and how she writes characters. Despite being only ~120 pages long, each character felt nuanced and three-dimensional. I do think I'll be thinking about Hannah and Tuck quite a bit - they were the standout characters for me.

That said, I definitely wanted more. I think this could have been an excellent full length novel that took place over a longer span of time. So because I loved the characters and story, I think it's the execution that doesn't quite hit the mark and I'm not sure the novella format worked for me.

It's still a solid 4-star read for me. I read this in nearly one sitting and I still think it's a good short horror novel and will continue to read anything Rio writes (I just wish this story were longer).

Thank you to NetGalley, Headline, and Wildfire for the ARC!

A thoroughly enjoyable novella that is incredibly atmospheric and weird in the best way! I enjoyed the pace of the story, and seeing it from different character's perspectives made it even more entertaining. It's a short, fun, easy little read with a spooky atmosphere, as a novella it reads quickly but I felt like there was the perfect amount of plot and characters, the ragtag group really came alive for me. Don't go into this expecting a full on horror read, but if you want a creepy atmosphere and weird plot this is definitely a book I'd recommend.
I also want to take a moment to praise the cover because I absolutely love it, it's so spooky and gross and cool, and the subtle green font really pops.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Graveyard Shift by M. L. Rio offers an intriguing premise that promises an eerie, atmospheric experience in a defunct churchyard, but unfortunately, it falls short in execution.

The characters are disappointingly flat and underdeveloped, making it difficult to invest in their journey or care about their fates. The novel is peppered with random details that don't seem to serve the story, leading to a cluttered narrative that detracts from the central mystery. The lack of substantial world-building leaves the setting feeling vague and unconvincing, and many questions are left unanswered—not in a tantalising way, but rather in a manner that feels unsatisfying and incomplete.

Despite the potential for a dark and captivating tale, Graveyard Shift ultimately fails to deliver a memorable or engaging read. The initial intrigue dissipates quickly, leaving little impact. This is a book that, sadly, will likely fade from memory soon after reading.

Rio has done it again! On a much smaller scale than 'Villains' but still utterly enthralling, Graveyard Shift is a captivating horror novella. Her characters are always so heart-breakingly real. She's an author who I will follow wherever she goes.

I read this ode to insomnia, fittingly, in the sleepless hours of the night. It was not conducive to a restful night's sleep. It was, however, creepy, twisted, and addictive.
Rio compresses a huge amount of characterisation into very few words, and the multiple characters all climb off the page. So do the rats.

I was slow getting into this story which is unusual for me, especially with a novella. Apart from the slow start, I enjoyed the pacing and the characters and how they tied into the plot independently outside of the graveyard. I would recommend putting the playlist at the start of the book as I would like to listen whilst reading and was surprised to see it at the end, it is a lovely touch regardless. I will recommend this to my customers particularly any looking for a short Halloween read.

I am usually not a reader of novellas or short stories. I tend to enjoy longer books more often. But for Rio I made an exception, and I am not sorry about it. Sure, there is basically no world building, and the characters stay quite flat. But the 128 pages were entertaining me and I kept reading eagerly to find out what was going on. I recently started to enjoy some light horror novels and this fitted that bill perfectly. The Fungus is not a new topic for horror but I liked the overall turnout of the mystery. A perfect palate cleanser and mood setter for the spooky season coming ahead. Wouldn't have minded staying longer with this cast of characters.

A solid 3.5

This was a fun and fast paced read. M L Rio creates a rich plot and detailed cast of characters with minimal pages.

Perfect for an October read and continues in the tradition of Rio’s signature dark academia vibe. I recommend if you’re a fan or want a quick, spooky book to barrel through.

Another amazing book by M. L Rio. A short novella that follows an interesting group of people and an unusual premise. I enjoyed the way the story unfolded. The little details about each of the characters, and how they interacted with one another makes the story what it is. A weird novella that I would definitely read many more pages following these characters.

I wished this was longer because it's so good!! M.L. Rio please make this into a 400 page book, I need to know more about these characters! There are so many questions I want answered! What happens to Hannah? Where is Tom? Is he alive? What about Edie and her probably being ill?? Excuse me while I spent the rest of my life thinking about this masterpiece of a novella!

I enjoyed this little novella, but I think I wanted a bit more from it. It was very atmospheric, which I loved, and I think it will be a great autumn read. I also really enjoyed the shifting character points of view and thought it kept the pace/flow of the story going. I wish I had more time with the story and the characters though.

A fever dream. Sad this is a novella, I wanted more! So creepy and disturbing. Definitely a book to look out for and to read during the darkest nights of autumn.

This was a deliciously dark novella! A ragtag group of insomniacs meet in the graveyard of an abandoned church to smoke, but one night they come across a mysterious hole. The entire story is set over the course of one night as they try to figure out the story behind this hole.

The setting was absolutely incredible, I only wish we'd spent even longer in the graveyard and church! As intrigued as I was by the premise, I was slightly worried the answers wouldn't be satisfying but I was so pleasantly surprised with how everything came together. I also really enjoyed the structure of the story, jumping as it did from each character to unravel another section of the mystery.

Can M. L. Rio's next novel be a full on horror story please?!

M.L. Rio always seems to write about my favourite things - as a Drama graduate and Shakespeare obsessive, If We Were Villains was the perfect book for me. And Graveyard Shift involves using advanced searches in libraries to find out information. I work in a library. It's literally perfect.

The only downside to this book is that it's too short, and that's just because I'm desperate for M.L. Rio to write more. As everything takes place over one night, the length definitely makes sense. But please give me more!

Best read in one go - it's very short and easy to get completely absorbed in - Graveyard Shift is a fantastic read. I really enjoyed the addition of a playlist and recipes for the drinks mentioned in the book!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Spellbinding and atmospheric! Rio weaves an eerie tale full of suspense and unforgettable characters, with a writing style that’s captivating, and would keep you guessing until the very end. It’s a modern Gothic gem that I couldn’t put down! Overall, a must-read for the fans of their unique storytelling.