Martin Lorensen has recently graduated from Boston college and is currently a councilor for disturbed children. This short story opens with Martin being interviewed by two detectives.

Martin has escaped death twice. Recently a derailed train that killed many people and injured even more. Also, when he was in high school when he survived a school shooting that claimed several lives. The detectives believe he is either very lucky or very guilty. Which will it be? You'll have to read this to find out.

Short stories aren't always my thing but I'll make the exception for Joe Hill. Though concise in its word count this still packed a decent punch. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for my complimentary copy.

To me, the mark of a great short story is: does it leave you wanting more? Would you read a novella or novel length version of this story? In the case of Ushers, the answer is a resounding yes. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this short story. I really enjoyed this short story; it was very well written. Another great story from Joe Hill!

I haven’t read Joe Hill yet, so I was excited for this story. I was disappointed at how short it was, but that’s mostly because it ended too soon, it was a well written story and worked with how short it was. The twist, I did see it coming, but it was wonderful. I don’t want to summarize this one and give anything away, but I will say it has definite Stephen King vibes and was worth the quick read.

The perfect blend of banter, intruigue and spookiness for a fall night's read.

I'm a big fan of Joe Hill's work, particularly his short story collection Full Throttle, so I wasn't surprised that I also really enjoyed this read.

While the premise is dark the tone is light and comical until you don't even notice that it isn't anymore. Seamlessly shifting in tone despite being a ridiculously short read.

A cool and interesting short story about two cops questioning a young man who avoided two separate incidents that claimed a lot of lives. I don’t usually read short stories but I really enjoyed this. It hooked me straight away. The characters were amusing and the story was clever. I did guess the ending but only shortly before it was revealed. Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for the advanced reading copy.

Actual Rating: 4.25/5

Joe Hill’s Ushers is a compact, eerie novella that’s both chilling and fun from start to finish. The story follows special agents Duvall and Oats as they interview Martin Lorensen, a charming character who’s miraculously survived two near-death experiences. Hill’s vivid attention to detail brings these characters to life in just a few pages, making the story feel rich despite its brevity.

The pacing is spot on, with a subtle shift in tone that creeps up, keeping you engaged and slightly on edge. While the twist is somewhat predictable, it’s immensely satisfying to watch it unfold. Short, sweet, and quintessentially Hill, Ushers is a delightful, eerie read that will please horror fans and newcomers alike.

This story was fantastically twisted. Best short story I read in a while. It made me laugh and also very creepy. 😳
Highly recommend

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for providing me an advanced reading copy for review

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!