Mysterybooks – Beneath the Book Light

Original post from my Mom blog here – https://mamaonthemove1.wordpress.com/2026/02/25/book-review-graveyard-shift/

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is graveyard.jpg

Title: Graveyard Shift

Author: M.L. Rio

Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Novella

Number of Pages: 126

My Rating: 💋💋💋💋

Book Summary:

Author of sales sensation If We Were Villains returns with a story about a ragtag group of night shift workers who meet in the local cemetery to unearth the secrets lurking in an open grave.

Every night, in the college’s ancient cemetery, five people cross paths as they work the late shift: a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, the steward of the derelict church that looms over them, and the editor-in-chief of the college paper, always in search of a story.

One dark October evening in the defunct churchyard, they find a hole that wasn’t there before. A fresh, open grave where no grave should be. But who dug it, and for whom?

Before they go their separate ways, the gravedigger returns. As they trail him through the night, they realize he may be the key to a string of strange happenings around town that have made headlines for the last few weeks—and that they may be closer to the mystery than they thought.

Atmospheric and eerie, with the ensemble cast her fans love and a delightfully familiar academic backdrop, Graveyard Shift is a modern Gothic tale in If We Were Villains author M. L. Rio’s inimitable style.

My Thoughts:

I actually really enjoyed this novella. It was short, captivating and filled with intrigue. I truly couldn’t put it down and devoured the whole thing in a few hours. What?! I’m a bit of a slow reader okay!

It catches your attention right from the start and I love the individual chapters for each character. It allows for different perspectives and narratives. A bunch of insomniacs meeting in an abandon graveyard to have a few smokes and chat. Only to encounter a mysterious gravedigger, but what are they burying?!

There is a sense of foreboding as our edgy “Scooby gang” follows him around and slowly uncover the truth behind his midnight burial. There is more to this then meets the eye and is definitely linked to other events that have been happening around campus and the local bar haunt. I even loved that one of the characters in the group is also linked to what is going on to our mystery digger.

However I won’t give any spoilers in this one, but I just wish this was an actual novel rather then just a novel. I would have loved to see more character development, more links to the scientific aspect in all this and more justice frankly. But honestly my absolute favourite portion of the whole thing was the atmosphere that the author portrays.

I know a lot of the reviews thought this was meh, but for a novella I thought it was pretty spot on. Again, I honestly wish this was an actual novel, not just a novella. I do recommend if you want some strange vibes, awesome atmosphere and a little mystery for a quick read. I will be reading more from this author for sure!

Hope you enjoyed and keep an eye out for the next review which will be The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han.

Ciao!

Original post from my Mom blog here – https://mamaonthemove1.wordpress.com/2025/10/08/book-review-the-midnight-feast/

Title: The Midnight Feast

Author: Lucy Foley

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Number of Pages: 350

My Rating: 💋💋💋💋💋

Book Summary:

It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles; crystal pouches for guests’ healing have been placed in the seaside cottages and Woodland Hutches; the “Manor Mule” cocktail (grapefruit, ginger, vodka, and a dash of CBD oil) is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen.

And yet, just outside The Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. The local community resents what they see as The Manor’s intrusion into the local woods and attempts to privatize the beach, and small skirmishes have erupted in the edges of the property between locals and the staff. And the whispers keep coming, about an old piece of pagan folklore – it must be folklore? – the Night Birds, an avenging force that can be called upon to make right wrongs that elude the law. Though surely everything at The Manor has been done aboveboard.

On the Sunday morning of opening weekend, the local police are called. There’s been a fire. A body’s been discovered. Something’s not right with the guests. What happened on the grounds of the Manor the past thirty-six hours? And who – or what – is the cause?

Everyone has an agenda. Everyone has a past. But not everyone will survive…The Midnight Feast.

My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and really couldn’t put it down. I was a bit hesitant at first, I generally try to stay away from books that are extremely hyped up, but a few chapters in and I was hooked. The multi-perspectives was intriguing to me and I truly can’t remember the last time I read a novel quite like this one. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

The story follows the perspectives: Francesca – the founder, Owen – the husband, Bella – the mysterious guest, Eddie – the kitchen help and DI Walker – detective. It seems overwhelming, but frankly it was a beautiful and delicate dance between all the characters’ perspectives that was skillfully done.

The story begins on the grand opening weekend at The Manor, a luxury retreat for the rich, famous and influential. Francesca is the owner and creator of this extravagant establishment, along with help from her husband Owen, which you quickly learn was her Coastal family home which was owned by her grandparents.

Guests are wined and dined with no expense spared, but the stress of it all begins to cause small cracks in Francesca’s perfect facade that she presents to the world. Then her true colours slowly begin to spill out and secrets slowly emerge.

Mysterious guest, Bella, is determined to confront and right the wrong of the tragedy that she endured 15-years prior at that very home. Meanwhile, local farm boy Eddie take a job at the Manor and is caught between the locals wanting retribution against Francesca and the Manor and his job at the Manor. Not to mention dealing with his dysfunctional family.

The eerie woods loom over the resort with the feeling that they harbour dark and ominous secrets within them. And the local lore certainly doesn’t help, or does it? The woods play a pretty significant role in this story throughout, which I actually love. And the raven like “ancients” known as The Birds…enough said.

I really liked the flow of the story and development of each character. The chapters aren’t overly lengthy, almost like short little snippets into each characters life, history and connections – not to mention their deep dark secrets.

I also really appreciated the diary entries that were included, taking us back in time to the teenage years and the summer spent at the property, which was 15-years prior. It helps to unfold the lies, secrets and horrific events that transpired and just made me, personally, feel a bit nostalgic of my own teenage years writing in my diary. Please… don’t even lie, we all had one! Though, mine wasn’t that dark…just saying.

With each turn of the page, another puzzle piece fell into place and it kept you wanting more. You had to know what was going to happen on the night of the solstice celebration also known as the Midnight Feast. Chaos, deaths, terrorized guests, and a burning Manor leads to a myriad of questions and the gradual unravelling of the nagging mystery dancing around throughout the book.

There are definitely twists and turns and I really don’t want to give much more away. However, the surprises really do make you go “WHAT!? NO WAY!”

So needless to say, highly recommend this one to be tossed on your TBR list. Amazing atmosphere, story, character development and non-stop twists. I have no doubts that you will truly enjoy this thriller mystery.

Plus who doesn’t like ominous woods and local legends? *Winks*

Hope you enjoyed and keep an eye out for the next review.

Ciao!