Author M.L. Rio’s debut novel, “If We Were Villains,” became an international best-seller in 2017 and an instant classic among fans of dark academia. The Gothic murder mystery set at a fictional Shakespeare conservatory remains one of my favorite novels of all time, and an especially great read this time of year.
So I was thrilled to hear about Rio’s long-awaited follow-up coming out this week: a novella about a group of insomniacs. “Graveyard Shift” is almost everything you’d expect from Rio. It’s atmospheric and eerie, with a charming cast of characters who unravel a mystery on a college campus. Unfortunately, though, at just under 150 pages, this novella will barely scratch the itch for Rio fans and will likely leave them wanting more.
The story centers on five friends who work the late shift in a college town: There’s the editor of the student paper, a bartender, a hotel receptionist, a rideshare driver and the caretaker of a local church. One dark October evening, some of them meet for a smoke break at the church cemetery and discover a freshly dug hole in a forgotten part of the grounds. When they see a stranger dump something into the hole, they set out to investigate.
Rio crafts an intriguing set of characters here, dipping into backstories to explain why each of them struggles with insomnia. She explains in an author’s note that she, herself, has trouble sleeping. But there’s just not enough room in this short novella for her to fully develop one character before switching to the next and advancing the plot.
“Graveyard Shift” highlights Rio’s beautiful writing and her knack for humor. And true fans will enjoy it, but it’s not the fully developed follow-up they’ve been waiting for.
