Great short story that sent chills. The writing and pacing was just perfect. (And a Wings of Desire reference, a favourite movie of mine!)

Great premise, great writing, great world-building. I really enjoyed this, but I would have loved to read more from this world.

This would be such an amazing collaboration between Joe Hill and Stephen King if they wrote more about the protagonist, I'd love to see more of him.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a super short novella, about two detectives interviewing a suspect after a train derailment. This is a quick read, if you are looking for something that will get you hooked from line one and leave you wanting more .

I would love a full novel about this story!!

Great story! Go in blind and enjoy yourself. It’s impossible to say anything that won’t spoil the story and it’s so worth a read. Joe Hill does a phenomenal job in 30 pages of sending the message, live life and enjoy it. Best summary: be a mammal.

Who doesn't love Joe Hill? Ushers was just as amazing as his other longer stories! Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review!

I have a love hate relationship with short stories. Either nothing really happens OR the story ends too quickly leaving me wanting more. Ushers was perfect. I felt totally satisfied and melancholy and in wonder at the end. I could perfectly envision the "Ushers" and found the detectives and Martin to be believable characters. I think the purpose of short stories is to leave the reader with a specific feeling. That's kind of all there is room to do, and this story did just that. The last line was perfect. 5 stars!

Great short story! Very suspenseful and good twist for being 26 pages!! I loved this read, great for when you want something short and sweet and so creepy!!

That was a perfect little short story. Joe Hill consistently proves again and again that he has cemented a place in modern horror. Martin is an awesome dude and I loved the cyclical nature of the story. The supernatural entities in the story were well done and very creepy. While I love a good short story, I can’t wait for Hll’s next novel. This was dope.

Great short story by Joe Hill that I devoured in one sitting. I'm hoping it's a teaser for a collection to come! Very "Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz, but I'm not mad about that AT ALL. Loved how creepy the "Ushers" were described to be. Yes to this!

This short story had great pacing. Enough detail and new ideas introduced that nothing felt rushed, but also plenty of time to develop a pattern— just in time for a twist! I really enjoyed the read, and I would recommend it!

A bite-sized thrill!

I absolutely loved this short story and I’m looking forward to reading more of Joe Hill’s work.

23 year old Martin finds himself at the centre of police interest after he narrowly avoids a train crash, years after also narrowly avoiding a school shooting. Investigators want to know what he knew in both instances that everyone else didn’t and if he’s guilty of any foul play. The truth is much more unexpected and will lead to an explosive finale.

I loved everything about this! The characters were clearly set out in limited words, you just know the kind of people they are. The dialogue feels natural. The author nails the dark and moody atmosphere. And the reveal is perfect.

Publishing date: 01.11.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Here we have a short story that feels complete, has a great plot twist, and is full of tension and mystery. It does exactly what it needs to do. Made want to go through Hill's other works. Since I can't say much without spoiling, we will keep it short.

Final ranking and star rating?
4 stars, A tier. This was great. Entertaining little read. Recommended to everyone who appreciates a short little story.

While being a short story, this was amazing. Cool concept. I don't want to give anything away, but it's great like Hills other works. He never disappoints.

This was my first time reading Hill and this definitely wasn’t bad. I think I’ll go through his backlist now because of this.

I am not always a fan of short stories. It is a me thing. But this one wowed me with that twist and that ending. I am definitely going to need to look up more of what Joe Hill has written. I guess writing is in the family.

12-6 update: Posted expanded review on TikTok.
This gem does exactly what a short story ought to do, delivering a full-bodied, unified effect that resonates.
A young man falls under suspicion after his second brush with death. A pair of agents assigned to the event interrogate him, and the results are unexpected.
Hill displays wit and whimsy in the interplay between the agents and the young man. He reveals character revelations with flawless time and precision, building to the meaningful climax.
I like that Ushers takes a classic trope and puts a fresh stamp on it. We learn just enough to understand the three men. The story keeps its steady, perfect pace right to the end.
This is a fast, stirring, and pithy read that leaves a good glow and ongoing speculation in its wake. I look forward to reading more stories by Joe Hill.
I recommend Ushers to readers of any genre. It's the kind of story that has a universal appeal.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. Thank you!
Wow, and wow. Joe Hill did it again. Like his father (and OK, I know kids don't like to be compared to their parents, but Hell, yes) he is great writing short stories or half brick novels :)
Martin's story is really interesting, the ushers are a creative idea and that ending...
I love when it comes to short but rich stories! And this is it! Read it and enjoy it!

Packs a punch in the most unexpected way!

This was a very quick but entertaining read. I enjoyed its commentary on life and mortality. Was starting to wonder where the story was going and the point of it when the sense of dread and foreboding began and then... bam! 💥

Martin Lorenson has escaped death twice -first after a school shooting and then a train crash.
But was it good luck, a portentous feeling of doom or something much more darker that made him avoid those two incidences of mass death?
Two detectives are sent to interview him (nicknamed Hall & Oates) as his near-misses seem far too precise to be put down to coincidence.
They don’t believe what he finally tells them, until it’s too late…
I love Joe Hill’s writing and NEED to read more. This was quite a tease-y little short story. I could quite happily have kept on reading a longer piece. But maybe it worked so well because it was short and very, very effective.

5 Stars!

I am not a fan of reviewing short stories, but that is usually because it is as a part of collection and anthology and it is difficult to review an entire book that is usually very diverse. Since "Ushers" by Joe Hill is a single short story, as part of the Amazon Original Stories series, it is a much different experience and one that I am happy to share.

Some may think Martin Lorensen is the luckiest man alive. After all, he was sick the day there was a mass shooting at his school, then he was at the train station and decided against getting on board a train that later derailed. When a pair of federal agents learn that he told a child not to board the train, they begin to suspect that there is something more sinister at work than just good luck. They will soon learn that there is something more sinister at work and that when it comes to death, luck has no say at all.

I have to admit that I have never been a big Joe Hill fan and found most of his work to be a mixed bag. Some stories I liked and some not so much. "Ushers," however, is by far the best story that I have read by Hill to date. This is a moving story that is both horrific and heart-breaking at the same time. There really is not a whole lot that is new to this story, as fans of the Final Destination movies can attest, but Hill gives the story an emotional charge that kept me frantically reading until the end. Once the big reveal comes, it was easy to see how the story was going to end, but that did not lessen the impact at all. Short fiction often finds its power in finding the one poignant moment in the story and driving it home. That is exactly what Hill accomplishes in this short story and he may have just earned himself a new fan as well.

I would like to thank Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for this review copy. "Ushers" is available now.