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.

Fun little story. As usual with Hill, reads like Steve Lite.
Had already forgotten I read it when I came across it on my Netgalley "Give Feedback" shelf again, so its impact is questionable.

This novella is very Hill-esque. The writing is right up my alley and the plot is creepy and entertaining. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I went into this without reading the synopsis so I didn't know what to expect. I was a bit confused because it jumped right into the story and I had to piece together what was going on. Once I realized what it was about, it left me wanting more. It would be nice to have a second story or extension or even a longer background story. I loved the idea of this and reminded me of Manifest the tv show. I have many questions after finishing this. How did the main character get this gift? Does anyone else believe in it? What will happen to the main character? This short story has me overthinking everything I know. Great job Joe Hill!

I love Joe Hill. I think he’s a fantastic writer and so often feels like reading his father’s writing. “Ushers” is a well written and paced if not a little predictable. But the overall craft here is excellent and compelling. I really enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this free audiobook for review. I love every Joe Hill book I’ve fever read and this book is no exception. All the creep you can ask for. Perfection! I will always pick up a Joe Hill book for the guaranteed eerie and slow horror.

Novellas that pack a huge punch are few and far between for me. I think as an author, it would have to be an incredibly difficult task to develop such a story that lingers with people in quite a small amount of pages, but Joe Hill did it and he did it well. Since it’s so short, I don’t want to give any details away, but go in blind and enjoy it for the short 29 pages it amounted to - it certainly felt like it was more, in a good way. Hill is already an auto-buy author for me, and while novellas aren’t always my favorite, I’ll take 100 more please. Thanks to Amazon Original Stories for my ebook in exchange for review. 🖤

Joe Hill certainly accomplished a lot in a brief 29 pages! Albeit short, Ushers still manages to be memorable and captivating. The characters were well-rounded and their banter was both witty and engaging. The twist at the end wrapped this bite-sized story up perfectly, and I was ultimately very pleased with the whole thing.

All of my thanks to Amazon Original Stories & Netgalley for the ARC!

A quick read, this is an intruiging book. The characters are well built, and though short, it flows well and the tension is perfectly built

I will say this is a great paranormal meets psychological thriller. And at only 29 pages without spoiling the whole story, go in blind and enjoy the story!