This is a quick and thrilling read. Martin Lorenson has narrowly escaped death twice now - is he in any way responsible for that accidents surrounding him? Is he hiding something? Wild ending!

Agent Duvall has a task—to investigate a train crash that killed dozens and injured many more. In particular, he needs to investigate Martin, a young man who should have been on the train but wasn't...and who has escaped death before. He's sure that Martin has secrets. And he's right—he just doesn't understand quite what those secrets mean.

This was a satisfyingly creepy short story—swallowable in one or two sittings, but with enough depth to learn something about each of the main characters and to worry about their fates. I don't want to get too much into it (it's only about 30 pages, so there's not too much to say about the plot that won't contain spoilers), but I appreciate how much is left up to interpretation until the end.

Altogether, feels like a very classic spooky (not quite horror) story for autumn. Kept me reading but won't keep me up at night; had creep factor without ick factor.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

I have only read 'Horns' by this author, so Im not very familiar with Joe Hill. This short story sucked me in immediately.
The format of the short story works very well. The tone balances humor and horror in a great way. I really enjoyed this so much! I even experienced some jump scares on page.
This story makes me want to pick up more from this author in the future.

Very creative short story. I kept seeing this cover all over the place and didn't realize it was a short story until I picked it up on NetGalley. Not gonna lie I figured as a detective Duval would've seen the Ushers coming after him a lot quicker than he did... Normally when we get these books or movies about people who can see death coming they always try and alter the timeline for those people so this was an interesting take on someone who has learned not to do that.

Ohhhhh I ate this one up!! I didn't even realize it was a short story until I started it, so it threw me off for a split second. Let me tell you, THIS short story ROCKED! Joe Hill did a FANTASTIC job of making you second guess Martin. I was completely unsure all the way up until the end!! This was a fun thrill ride, I tend to gravitate toward his books, and it's very clear why. He's one hell of an author. I ate this one up just like I eat his full length novels up! Highly Highly reccomend this one.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Ushers: A Short Story by Joe Hill
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 29 / Genre: Paranormal Thriller
Release Date: November 1, 2024

Martin Lorensen has survived tragedy after tragedy in his 23 years. And Special Agent Anthony Duvall wants to know how. Believing Martin must have something to do with all these “accidents,” he’s more than interested in hearing his explanation on how he managed to survive when so many others did not.

This is the reason I don’t like short stories. I need more! In just 29 pages, I’m already so invested in these characters and story and then it’s over. Story resolved. Sigh.

This fantastic #AmazonOriginal short story is free with #KindleUnlimited and even includes the audiobook narration.

Thank you, @Joe_Hill, @AmazonPublishing, and @NetGalley for my gifted copy.

This was a really solid short story! More impactful and definitely will stick with me longer than most short stories I read. I will say that some of the intrigue was hampered by me feeling as though I knew the conclusion from the very beginning. The title, cover, and even some of the advertising I see for this book make it abundantly clear what's happening in this "mystery." Maybe the reveal isn't supposed to be a twist, but I wish I could've gone into this one a little more blind.

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

Ushers by Joe Hill is the story of a man who apparently saved a mother and a daughter from a fatal accident. Something heroic, if it was not for the fact that he knew the accident was happening before disaster struck, so… what if he was the culprit? And how is it that this is not the first time he was supposed to be in the middle of a catastrophe only to avoid it?

I loved this short story, but I must admit I would have liked a longer text. It was not the most unique plot, I know that, but the characters felt interesting from the beginning and I am pretty sure Hill would have been able to do something different. Anyhow, I would recommend this reading to anyone who wants a little taste of the author.

Two detectives interview a man who allegedly saved two women from a deadly accident.
From the moment the story begins the reader is wondering if the man is lying to them or if indeed he knows what really happened earlier.
Joe Hill knows how to keep you invested till the end. I loved the vivid description of the USHERS and how they operate. The dialogue and characters were believable and the ending was perfect. I would have loved to read a longer version of this story for sure.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to lovers of thrillers and horror without the gore and explicit content of it.

Felt very reminescent of Odd Thomas, but still very enjoyable. I liked all of the characters and the ending was beautifully done.

Special agents Oates and Duvall have to interview Martin who seems to have a talent for avoiding mass casualties. Is he the perpetrator, lucky or something more. Short but creepy!
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC my opinions are my own.

Why couldn’t this book keep going? I was so into this story. I hope this is a prequel of sorts to another book featuring Martin and his unique abilities. Absolutely engrossing!

Ushers is a spooky, bite-sized horror story. Following two detectives and an implausible suspect, all the fat is cut to create a very lean, tightly crafted tale.

This is my first time reading Joe Hill’s work, and this has definitely encouraged me to check out his full length novels. I’d recommend this for readers looking for a quick, creepy read, with smart dialogue and likable characters.

Synopsis: Martin Lorensen is a twenty-three-year-old counselor for disturbed teenagers. He’s bright, compassionate, attractive, and outgoing. He’s also—and this is the most interesting thing—not dead. Martin has improbably survived not one but two deadly disasters that claimed dozens of lives. The kid is riding one hell of a lucky streak. Two federal agents think there is something darker at play. Now that they’ve arranged to interview Martin, they want answers. Martin is ready to share everything he knows. One thing is for certain: when it comes to escaping death, luck doesn’t figure into it at all.

Review: Ushers is a great short story that really packs a punch. Although I did find the ending to be pretty predictable the writing style and description of the angels was very easy to read but also did a great job at keeping my interest. The overall concept was something I would be very interested in reading more about. I think the greatest achievement any short story can give would be to stick with the person reading it. I just finished reading this one, but, I can surely say I believe I will be thinking of this one even in the distant future.

My Rating: 4/5 stars overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing me with a copy of this story to review. Publication date was November 1, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is how you do a short story!!

I was hooked from the first sentence and it kept my attention the whole time! I loved how the ending came together. It was such a good use of a short story.

When you care about two characters when you only know them for 30 pages, that says something, and shows how good of a writer you are.

I love how funny and quick-witted Marvin was. He was also very kind from what I could tell. Duval was also a cool character. I liked how much he secretly cared for Marvin. They had a good banter with each other.

Honestly I’m content with the story we got, but I also wouldn’t mind following Marvin around more! That could get pretty sad though as well.

Excellent short story, I think everyone should take the time to read it.

This short story is a testament to Joe Hill's talent for crafting compelling narratives, even within a limited word count. The characters are surprisingly well-developed, drawing the reader in and evoking empathy. The stunning book cover is the cherry on top of this chilling literary treat. For these reasons, I'm giving the story 5 stars despite a somewhat familiar plot.

This was a really good short story I am not big on short stories or novellas but this was really good I actually wanted more!! I went out and bought my first Joe Hill book and cant wait to read more of his stuff. I am from Maine so stephen King was always big in my house but his son has some of the family talent for sure.

The idea is cool; the execution is stellar. No spoilers here, but Hill's descriptions are goosebump-inducing and evocative, perhaps the biggest element that plants this firmly into the horror canon. Beyond that, Hill has an easy way of allowing the audience to make the final connection about a page before he drops the hammer. A lot of punch packed into a relatively few amount of pages.

This was a great novella. The premise, sole survivor-esque mc, the supernatural elements, the understanding and realization during the twist of the story were all 5 stars. We follow Duvall and Oates as they investigate an incident with a train that left all passengers dead- except 3: a mom/ daughter duo and the guy they claim told them not to get on the train. This isn't the first time Martin has survived a massacre, a fact that concerns our investigators. The story follows as they gather more information about the train and about Martin. This was 5 stars for me.

5 stars

A quick yet thoroughly enjoyable read. The book masterfully weaves suspense and horror, keeping readers on edge with every chilling twist and heart-pounding revelation.