Another amazing, detailed, entertaining story from this author. The attention to detail that goes into the writing is second to none, you really will feel like you are standing on the sidelines watching the story unfold. Saying that, and not for the first time, I really would not want to be on the sidelines of this story as who knows what might happen! I actually thought I had this one figured out early on but turned out I was wrong as the story twisted and turned through a thoroughly entertaining read. Can't wait for more :-)

The End was a really good read, the descriptions of the area made you feel you were actually there. Very good twist in the story too.

“The End: (a Novelette of Haunting Omens & Harrowing Discovery)” by Justine Avery is a riveting short story about life, trust, and lies, not necessarily in that order. Trevor is just your average normal guy – he is happily married with a baby on the way, is a good friend, and spends his weekdays in a cubicle at his 9-5 job. His life is routine and predictable, and Trevor likes it that way; and while he happily devotes his weekdays fulfilling these normal obligations, Trevor most looks forward to the weekends, which he claims as his own time, to spend doing what he likes best: riding his bike.

What Trevor is not, is your average normal biker. He is a free-ride mountain biker, uninhibited, unafraid, and unrelenting as he pushes his skills to the extreme in the canyon lands of southern Utah. He is at one with the mountains, at peace with all things of nature. Trevor captures all of his rides using his GoPro, a helmet-mounted camera so he can relive these precious moments time after time.

One particular Saturday however, Trevor’s camera captures something absolutely unexpected. Something eerily haunting and horrific - something that actually never happened. Yet. Is the footage captured on the camera an omen of things to come? Is Trevor reconciled to the fate foretold, or can he change his own life story?

Wow. After reading this gripping tale, I was overcome with several different emotions, denial being first, as I refused to believe the story was over. Acceptance quickly kicked in when I realized that the ending was absolutely perfect, and it could not have been written more effectively. Thirst, (is that an emotion?) came next, as I fanatically searched the internet for more works from this author. Finally, satisfaction, when I realized that this is the best novelette I have ever read, period.

The writing is nothing short of brilliant. Avery knows her way around words and uses them with expertise to captivate the audience. Descriptive, fine-tuned, crisply detailed, and polished, I had no trouble imagining every step of Trevor’s journey. I know it’s cliché, but I was on the edge of my seat with wanting to know what happens next, devouring every word. You might think you know how it is going to end, but Avery throws in a complete surprise at the very end.

"The End: (a Novelette of Haunting Omens & Harrowing Discovery)" by Justine Avery is a must read for all fans of the suspense and thriller genres, but will be enjoyed by anyone that covets a well-told, well-written story. That said, I highly recommend this spellbinding tale – to everyone! It only takes a short time to read, but will stay with you much longer as you contemplate and reflect upon your own life. Fantastic story!

Excellent descriptive writing by the author will have you looking differently at even the simplest things. Original story. Eerie story just in time for Halloween!

Extraordinarily clever story by Justine Avery about a man who films his own death one week in advance, or so it appears. Well, that's the hook. What we also get are meditations on how to be true to oneself, some beautifully written prose describing our hero's bike-rides through the canyons of Utah, a comment or two on our current culture's total dependence on a filmed record of events, coming to terms with one's past, forgiving our parents ... oh, and some terrific plotting, on the order of Patricia Highsmith.

Rod Serling also appears to be a major influence on Avery, as the idea of watching one's own future death on video would have fit right in Serling's wheelhouse had he been alive today. (Even when he was alive, he addressed this subject in the comical TZ episode "A Most Unusual Camera".) Avery's hero Trevor, with a wife who has a bun in the oven, finds himself, like most men, seeking a way to hold onto an identity outside the total submersion into domesticity. (Good luck.) He finds peace with his rather dangerous mountain bike riding (and credit to Avery for writing knowledgeably on the subject). He likes to film his rides, "for what was the purpose of of a true adventure -- a fleeting lapse into rebellion -- without proper documentation?" Such is our world today: merely living, having done something, is no longer enough.

Trevor is also a son of wealth who has resolutely rejected this heritage from a hated father. The mystery lover will go, "uh oh".

Those mystery readers will enjoy the story, wondering how Avery will disentangle the various improbabilities, and sharp-eyed readers will note wife Allison's concern about money and telling behavior at various points in the tale, as well as best-friend Neil's unusual solicitude. Trust me when I say it all shakes out in a most satisfying manner.

"The End" has won awards for good reason. This is metaphysical suspense of the highest order. 5 out of 5.

And a quick word of praise about the author: in our new world in which self-published authors teem like plankton in an endless sea, true talent stands out. Avery stands way out. I have read all of her works here on Amazon and have been thoroughly impressed by the variety in her fiction: comic, bloody, fantastical, metaphysical (as here with "The End"), philosophical without pretentiousness, romantic, and just simply well-told. Almost all of her tales have a surprise ending -- a joy for readers. I expect Justine Avery will find a publisher to actually print her works very soon ... and we can say we knew her when.