Another great short story by the incredibly talented Joe Hill! This one features a young man who can predict impending death by his ability to spot the ushers, as he calls them. The pacing, the tension, the back story - all very, very nicely done. If you've never read Joe Hill before, this story is a great introduction to his talent!

Ushers by Joe Hill is a short story and also my first read by Joe Hill. I was pleasantly surprised by this author. The story centers around a young man named Martin who counsels teenagers with mental health concerns. Martin has escaped death twice in incidents where dozens of people were killed and injured. He is now being questioned by two federal agents who think something suspicious is happening. Upon interviewing Martin for a second time, Martin reveals a secret to one of the agents, changing everything.

Overall, I gave this short story a 5 out of 5 stars. It held my interest all the way through. I loved that it had funny moments sprinkled throughout. There was a slow tension building in the story, but the author also made room for sadness and humanity, which I loved. You will enjoy this story if you love stories about the darker sides of life that mix in love, laughter, and humanity. It is surprisingly thought-provoking and I highly recommend it. Thank you Amazon Original Stories for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was my first horror book! Loved reading it!
First off, I did not know that the author, Mr. Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King. So silly of me.
The writing style was amazing. Loved how every page created suspence. The ending was so shocking! Like you wouldn't expect "this" was the reason. You will keep on thinking why the title is "Ushers", but then all the revelations come crashing down and you'll be left with goosebumps! I would love to read more by this author. This is a must read for all those trying to come out of a slump (like me hahahaha).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Joe Hill honestly never misses, does he? This is another perfect short story, balanced in the best possible way between word limits and keeping a plot contained and still managing to build a world and characters. There is a lot of content in this very, very small piece of work, and a lot of heart as well. Following a train crash, our main character, Martin Lorensen, is being interrogated by the police about his sudden and suspicious abandonment of his journey.

There is, of course, a lovely element of the supernatural to this book, and there's quite something hanging over the whole story from the start that lends a lovely vein of menace. The characters are thoughtfully written and well scoped for such a tiny story, and without going into too many spoilers, the ending is a slow realisation in the build up and then a crushing sense of dread following the initial clues laid out.

There is certainly an art to the short story, and Joe Hill has it downpat. I absolutely cannot wait to read his next release, as normal - I know it will be absolutely spectacular.

a story that brilliantly subverts reader expectations. The premise is intriguing: a young counselor who miraculously survived two deadly disasters is questioned by suspicious federal agents. The true strength lies in the brilliant verbal exchanges between Martin and the investigators, rich with tension and psychological nuances. Hill skillfully builds a crescendo during the interrogation, creating an atmosphere that transforms from subtle unease into something much darker and supernatural. What begins as an apparent investigative thriller reveals itself to be a haunting tale about fate and the price of defying it, culminating in an unexpected and poignant ending.

An excellent short story; a quick read, kept my attention throughout. Hill quickly brings the reader into the setting, establishes the crux of the story, and executes a satisfactory conclusion - all under 30 pages.

A solid short story with plenty of soul, decent prose, and a lingering unease. I wouldn't mind following Martin around a while longer.

I enjoyed this short story. Hill was able to draw pretty rich characters in a small timeframe. While I found it kind of predictable, I enjoyed the way the story was set up and progressed.

Two federal agents interview Martin Lorenson, who had escaped two major deadly disasters.

I guess it feels silly to say that a short story is short, but this one was even shorter than I expected. I was about 95% through when I was thinking, what was the point of this? Then the ending came and wrapped the story up so nicely that it added meaning. This will leave you with questions but I think that’s the point. Some things in life will be mysteries until the end.

“Accept that death is as natural as the rest of life. Dogs understand that. Cats understand that. Only humans have a hard time with it. And when it’s over, at least there’s someone there. At least you aren’t alone.”

Ushers comes out 11/1.

I really enjoyed this short story by Joe Hill. It reminded me of something Stephen King would have written, and I mean that as a compliment. While not particularly scary, pulpy, or comedic, I could see this as a segment on Creepshow. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

To write a compelling short story I think shows true talent. Joe Hill creates a world, develops characters, and creates a unique voice all in 29 or so pages. Martin was a character I deemed charming and fun to follow. I found his charm to jump off the page and make him feel more real to me despite our short time together. I think there was a good balance of the darker horror and thriller side because of his escapes from death while also having some humor because it is funny to see how he escaped it and the agents are determined for him to tell them how he did it. Overall this was a great short story and I did enjoy it. It is a quick read not only in pages but because you will surely love Martin and the world Hill had created.

How has Martin survived two near death experiences? Was it luck? Or is there something more sinister happening!? This book was really good. It had me engaged from the beginning and I had to know more!

Source: Netgalley for an honest review.

Ushers tells the story of two federal investigators trying to understand how it is that Martin Lorensen has gotten so lucky to avoid deadly incidents not just once, but twice. The two got involved after Martin failed to get on a train that ended up derailing, killing and injuring a number of people. A bystander posted to social media saying that he told her daughter not to get on the train, prompting authorities to get involved. Martin had also been absent the day of a school shooting when he was in high school, making his luck look suspicious. This was a rather fun short story. Martin did not come off as very charming to me, although one of the investigators seemed charmed by him. The pacing was good and the reveal was unnerving and really interesting. This is a good one for people looking for a spooky little story.

Enjoyable and fast paced short story! The concept of being able to predict death before you die has always been fascinating, and this short story captures that fascination. Surprisingly well developed characters in such a short amount of pages. I only wish it were longer.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

I became a fan of Joe Hill after reading 'The Fireman', a brilliant mix of horror and science fiction with a good dose of humour thrown in. At 768 pages it’s a rather long (but never boring) novel, so it’s great to see he can also write fantastic short stories with the same mix of horror and wit.

In 'Ushers', a young man who has managed to first escape dying in a mass shooting at his school and in then a major train disaster is being interviewed by federal agents Duvall and Hall, who find that suspicious. They think something darker is at play and they’re not wrong there, although it’s not at all what they think. A terrific story with a perfectly clever ending. More like this please, Mr Hill!

Joe Hill has been on my list of authors to try for quite a while now, after already loving his father Stephen King ❤️❤️❤️❤️ so it was so cool that my introduction to the author was a short story to eaaaaase my way in. I feel like this short story was the perfect way to get my feel for the author. It was thrilling and creepy, and even a little scary 🤪 There was a kind of ghosty aspect to this story, which would make it perfect for Halloween season. I can’t wait to read more by Joe Hill in the very near future!

For a very short story this was actually pretty good! I definitely had an inkling of how this would end and I was correct. but other than that it was a cool way to show how normal death is in life and that it’s just another thing that happens to everyone.
Not too much to say since it was only like 50 pages, but this was actually the first piece of work I’ve read from Joe Hill and I did enjoy his writing so I will definitely be interested in some of his other books!

Ok Joe, that was a nice short!! Not to over the top on the horror! I would love to see a longer novella, etc. on Martin. Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for my DRC

Read this book with amazon first reads.

I really liked this novella. I didn't expect to be that impacted by a short amount of pages. The characters were intriguing and interesting. The ending gave me chills!! Definetly wiil check out other books by this author!

The story was good! I gave it 4 star

Joe Hill and Stephen King are two of my favorite authors ever. When I saw this available?, I was so excited! I sat down and read it and within minutes it was perfect. I love his style and the way he writes and describes people and situations. His spooky stories and ideas are wonderful. I wish there was more to this story, but it was great for the short story it was.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review