Book Review | Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio

Five nightshift workers regularly meet at a local cemetery during their breaks: a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, a former student, and a journalist. One evening, they find a freshly dug grave that wasn’t there before. They soon realise there’s a mystery to be solved — and it relates to the strange events that have been happening in the city.

They met in the cemetery every night at midnight. Not on purpose, exactly, but not quite by accident either. University policy prohibited smoking within a hundred feet of any campus building, and on the west side of campus, where the borders between the medical school and the broader community were especially porous, the only place a person gasping for a cigarette could safely stand was in the unkempt graveyard behind the Church of Saint Anthony the Anchorite.

Graveyard Shift is a horror novella that takes place over one night. Five people meet at a cemetery for their regular smoke break during their night shifts, when they discover something suspicious at their meeting place. In the first few pages, the book establishes the characters’ existing relationships with each other, though some of them are keeping secrets. I liked the characters and how their relationships evolve, especially Edie, a journalist investigating the mysterious grave, and Hannah, an unfriendly driver with a sleeping disorder. Everyone makes assumptions about each other but we learn the truth when we get their point of view. The horror takes a surprising and suspenseful turn when an new character enters the picture.

The writing is engaging and layered, pointing to something dangerous happening around — and maybe even to — the characters. There’s a vulnerable, dreamy quality during the time between late night and early morning, which the book portrays well. There’s a reason why this book is set at night, and sleeplessness plays a huge part. What I initially thought was something supernatural goes into a different territory. Fungal horror and medical experiments come into play, giving a different sense of danger. Did I want more when the book ended? Sure, but I was left satisfied enough with where it left us.

Graveyard Shift is a super fun horror story that would be an excellent choice for a book club discussion!

About the author: M.L. Rio

Photo by Scott Rodgerson