Premonition? A coincidence? Or perhaps… something darker.
Since this book is only 29 pages long, and if I say anything more I would spill the beans. So go in blind as I did and enjoy.

I’ve always wanted to read a novel by Joe Hill. But had been nervous to try as horror, well…scares me!🫣
But being as this was a short story I thought it was the perfect time to dip my toes into a quick sample of this author’s work.
And yes, I was a tiny bit unnerved but I’ll definitely be back for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories

My first read from Joe Hill and it won’t be my last. This was short and to the point and when your in a reading slump, sometimes a short story is all you need to pull me out of it. At the very beginning I had no idea where this was going. I had no idea how Martin was doing it. I was pleasantly surprised and also slightly scared with how real this is.

Death comes for all of us at some point.

Joe Hill once again proves he’s a master of horror with Ushers, a terrifying short story that grips you from start to finish. Martin Lorensen, a young counselor with an uncanny ability to survive catastrophic events, is a fascinating protagonist. His charm and resilience mask a darker truth, and as two federal agents dig deeper into his past, the tension becomes almost unbearable.

The story brilliantly balances a chilling atmosphere with razor-sharp dialogue, creating a narrative that feels both intimate and deeply unsettling. Hill's prose is as vivid as ever, painting scenes of quiet terror that linger long after the final page. The twists are unpredictable yet perfectly crafted, leaving you questioning what it truly means to escape death.

Ushers is a compact but powerful tale that delivers on every level. Fans of supernatural horror and psychological thrills will find this story unforgettable. A definite 5/5!

This author has such a talent for creating worlds that suck the reader right in whether it has a whopping 1,000 pages or a mere 30. This story felt eerie and foreboding from beginning to end. It is a story that is not only chilling but also makes you wonder about the mystery that is death. The fact that this author was able to accomplish this in the limited number of pages says it all. Another great story from a phenomenal author. I give this one four and a half stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for this digital copy.

What a great surprise! This is my first Joe Hill book, but it won’t be my last! I was hooked right away and was disappointed when it ended. I wanted more! I love how Hill packed so much into a short story.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this short story.

Ushers is a gripping short story by Joe Hill.
This was a well-written, tense, short story. The writing had me gripped throughout.
Written expertly well, this novella will immediately draw you in til the very last word.

Detectives interview a suspect of mass casualty events and come run into a mysterious supernatural response. This was my first Joe Hill experience. It was a short story and a great introduction to the author. I am impressed and excited to read more from him.

Short but sharp! Ushers is a tale about a seemingly non official interrogation of a man who seems too lucky to keep escaping death, it's told in a casual manner but the buildup of what is being said gets more and more intense. I think it's best to go into this one blind and enjoy where it takes you. I also really like the aura of his father's world coating this story, it reads as an homage to someone Joe loves and respects but still makes it his own work.

I really enjoyed this witty story and the last line must have made my eyes pop open like little lightbulbs because whoa... Joe Hill really shines in Ushers, you are immediately transported into what is happening and read on with dread knowing that something is probably brewing under the surface. Wish this was a full length novel or even a series, this has such amazing potential for more. Really well done by Joe, makes me want to read more of his work. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-book of Ushers in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first time reading Joe Hill and I'm very interested in reading more of his work

This is a perfect horror story that I didn't give 5 stars just because it doesn't have much originality in the theme but I really liked the writing style so for me it's a 4 and a half stars

Thanks to the author and publisher for making it available on NetGalley

Unbelievably chilling short story. Ushers are the angels of death that show up just before someone is going to die. This story started off a little shaky for me. I wasn't sure where it was going. But once I caught on and realized the story was toeing the line between mental instability and the ability to see death about to happen, I was hooked.

This book was a nice surprise! I was looking for a quick novella to read and this one fit the bill. But I wasn’t expecting to be so intrigued by the unique premise. The idea of being able to see these ushers taking someone to their final resting place and not being able to really do anything about it is terrifying. The characters were also very engaging and the writing style extremely easy to follow, but also very atmospheric. Loved it!

I don't often read short stories, so when I started this I thought "how much can really happen in less than 30 pages?". Well, I guess enough was said to have the concept of ushers forever embedded in my mind.
While at first, I thought this would go in the direction of the movie Final destination -I'm still scared of driving behind a logging truck! - this story left me feeling less traumatized and instead more at peace with our finality.
An enjoyable and at times humorous story with a thought-provoking concept!

I had a really good time.
I thought the pacing was good.
The story progressed really well and left me with some things to think about at the end.

I knew this was going to be short, but wow, Joe Hill made every word count. This is a story about death, how it’s always there, unavoidable, and he manages to capture that in just 30 pages. I wanted a little more—but at the same time, it felt like just the right amount. I’ve read The Pram and NOS4A2, and with each one, Hill’s style pulls me in more. He’s not about flashy scares; instead, his stories slowly build this sense of unease that sneaks up on you.

The characters in Ushers felt authentic, and the dialogue flowed naturally. Even though I saw the ending coming, I enjoyed the way he got us there. There’s so much to dig into and think about. I just finished it, but something tells me this one will stick with me for a long time.

A very, very short but chilling story. Concise but impactful. Am I the last person alive to realize that Joe Hill is Steven King’s son?

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

Joe Hill is a master of short fiction but I’ve never felt as weirdly uplifted from his work the way I felt here!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pub date: 1st of Nov 2024
Rating: 2.5/5 rounded up

Aw man. This was okay. It was entertaining but it was just too short. Definitely not spooky-spooky or anything, but I enjoyed the overall vibe and I wish it was a bit longer. I also don't know what more to say about it - I mean, the book itself is like not even 30 pages, so that's pretty much it.

4.8 stars!

Spine-tingling indeed! It was a good fast-paced short story read. This is the kind of story that would be fit to become a whole novel but can also be perfectly told as a novella.

The setting, the build-up, the plot, and the ending oh everything was great!

Definitely recommended. (I also love the fact that I was able to read and digest this while I was on public transpo)

I didn't give a perfect 5 since I had more questions that were left unanswered. I was engrossed!

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories for the arc through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review ✨️

Perfect snippet of a story that left me wanting more if it was available but still satisfied and happy with the ride. That’s exactly what I want a short story to do.

For such a short novella, this one really packs a punch. I enjoyed the writing, vibe, and pacing and would for sure recommend this to anyone looking for a short but spooky read.