Graveyard Shift (Paperback)
by M.L. Rio
A ragtag group of night‑shift workers—an editor, a bartender, a rideshare driver, a receptionist, and a church caretaker—gather for midnight smokes in their college cemetery, only to stumble upon a freshly dug grave that defies explanation. Chasing the mysterious gravedigger through moonlit gravestones, their night spirals into an eerie investigation that blurs the line between academic intrigue and gothic unease.
About This Book
In M.L. Rio's "Graveyard Shift," five insomniacs—a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, a church caretaker, and the editor-in-chief of the college newspaper—regularly meet in the secluded cemetery of a derelict church on their late-night breaks. One October evening, they discover a freshly dug grave in the churchyard, an area that hasn't seen a burial in over a century. Curious and unsettled, they observe a mysterious gravedigger returning to fill the hole, prompting them to follow him through the night.
Their pursuit leads them into a web of eerie occurrences and unexplained events that have been unsettling the town for weeks. As they delve deeper, the boundaries between academic curiosity and gothic horror blur, drawing them closer to a chilling truth that threatens to unravel their understanding of reality. The novella's dark, intense atmosphere and slow-burn suspense keep readers on edge, as the group confronts the unknown lurking within their community.
What Readers Say
Many readers appreciate the novella's atmospheric and eerie setting, capturing the essence of dark academia. Fans praise M.L. Rio's engaging writing style, noting its immersive quality that hooks readers immediately. Some readers find the novella's brevity leaves them wanting more, wishing for greater exploration and closure. A few readers express fatigue with the recurring use of mycelium horror, desiring more nuance and new elements. Fans of dark academia and gothic tales will likely enjoy this novella, though some may find it lacking in depth.
