Nathan Waymaker is a man who knows how to handle the bodies. Working for his cousin at a funeral home, Nathan comes in contact with a lot of bodies. He has some practice; Nathan is not only a former sheriff’s deputy, he is also a former marine. The unique skills that Nathan has picked up along the way has also given him a reputation as someone who can take care of things, when others don’t seem to be able to. His services are requested when a much-loved minister is found dead of an apparent suicide, but those that knew him best don’t believe that. What seems like a simple request soon leads Nathan down a path filled with crooked cops, drug dealers, gangsters, and a rich megachurch preacher.

Wow! This story was so twisted and so good! I can’t get over the descriptions and figurative language used by Cosby. At times I got as much enjoyment from the pictures painted for me as I did from the actual story, which itself was unbelievable. I really liked the characters, especially Nathan. He was intriguing and interesting; he almost reminded me of a modern-day Robin Hood. I was kept at the edge of my seat right from the beginning with the intense action and constant revelations.

The audiobook was out of this world! Lazarre-White’s pace, inflection, voices and overall presentation seemed spot on for the story, especially in his presentation of Nathan. This was the first audiobook I have listened to where I didn’t feel like my experience was lessened by not having a copy of the book in front of me. I much prefer having the text when listening to an audiobook, but Lazarre-White’s narration was so strong, more than making up for the lack of text. I am so glad I listened to this audiobook.

⚰️ 🆂🅸🆇 🆃🅷🆁🅸🅻🅻🅸🅽🅶 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂 ⚰️
|| 𝗠𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 by S.A. Cosby ||

𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲?
- If you don’t like stellar writing, bad-ass characters, and great plots, then just say that. Of course, I’m reading anything S.A. Cosby writes. #autobuy

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁?
- Victor Culler, a white cop that is a bully in a badge, and continues to antagonize, demean, and insult Nathan after he resigns from the Sheriff’s department. Culler is corrupt, racist, and a coward.

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁?
- The obvious answer is Nathan, but I’m going to choose Skunk. Although he is a natural born killer and mastermind, he is also a great friend. He is somebody you want in your corner. Skunk sounds fun and chill.

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀/𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀:
- Police Corruption
- Bullying
- Vengeance
- Hypocrisy in church

𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸:
- “But I believe there is good and evil. Positive and negative energy, ya know? I believe you do right by people, and it comes back to ya. Same thing if you do wrong.”

- "Some people need to go to hell, and we need to get them there."

- “Talk shit. Spit blood.”

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻, 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆?
- Tell me if it’s me, but the sheer violence by Nathan Waymaker finds a warm place in my heart. It is so sexy and thrilling. I’m rooting for him to kill everybody in the room because revenge is best served cold and bloody. I also know Skunk is doing something gross, too. Just get it done.

(*Bonus Question*)
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
- Cosby knows that we are not perfect by any means. The hypocrisy in this world is thick as fog so people are should be free from external judgement. We pray God hears our darkest prayers or we are lost to find our own way.

Also, the audiobook was awesome, the narrator does a great job with the voices for each of the characters and should always do Cosby's novels. He has the perfect cadence, tone, and attitude to bring the characters to life. I just love the energy he brings to each scene as well. The audio version would not be the same without this specific narrator.

Audio Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the copy of this book.

I looooved Razorblade Tears and hoped to love this too, but unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. The character development was lacking and there was a lot more sex in this book. It was evident this was written before Razorblade because he’s improved a ton as a writer!

Before there was Razorblade Tears, before even Blacktop Wasteland- there was My Darkest Prayer. The debut novel by S.A. Cosby.

If you have somehow missed out on the well-deserved buzz around Cosby, let me introduce you to one of the most important authors working today. Having now read all of his books, I can honestly say I will read anything this man writes. Cosby perfectly blends edge-of-your-seat thrills, complex troubled characters, and important themes to create an unforgettable reading experience.

My Darkest Prayer, published first years ago and now out in a new edition, is no exception. This debut novel is laced with intensity, and was extremely hard to put down. While I can definitely see the ways that Cosby has grown as a writer in his later books, this is a commendable debut and one that I enjoyed greatly.

Have you read any of this authors books? If so, did you enjoy them as much as I did?

Nathan Waymaker has trouble staying out of trouble. So when a local pastor dies under mysterious circumstances and the ladies of the church ask Nathan to look into it, boy, does it open a can of worms!

Nathan is a character in which I love! He really tries to do good, well…until he just can’t. He is tough as nails and smart as a whip. And he is loyal to a fault. He is also a smart aleck. I found myself laughing out loud in places.

This story had me jumping for joy, gasping for breath and just plain terrified all in the same paragraph! Talk about intense! This is a book I would love to see made into a movie. And I never say that! Hollywood never gets it right. But this would make a fabulous, action-packed thriller.

Y’all! The narrator, Adam Lazarre-White is one of the best I have ever heard. His deep voice fit my image of Nathan to a “T”!

Need a book you can’t put down…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

S.A. Cosby has a way of writing that feels like you are living the story. His vivid descriptions are phenomenal. I’ve read Blacktop Wasteland by the same author and now this one, he doesn’t disappoint. I’m even more eager to read Razorblade Tears.
This book is set partially in a funeral home which is unique and I haven’t seen done often and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. In the story, a local preacher is found dead and our main character, Nate is trying to help some of the townspeople get to the bottom of what happened. This story is a wild ride and does not disappoint. S.A. Cosby is an auto buy author for me and I look forward to whatever he comes out with next.

Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears were magnificent works of fiction by S.A. Cosby. His work is dark, gritty, incredibly detailed, humorous and even poetic.

My Darkest Prayer follows a former marine who now works at a funeral home. When the local minister is found dead, Nathan takes on the job to find the truth behind his death. What follows is a whirlwind of corruption, criminals, crooked law enforcement, and a small town filled with so many secrets about the most “honorable” people. This is a violent book that also has glimpses of humor when you least expect it. The way Cosby writes his narratives and his characters makes his stories hard to put down. I’m looking forward to what else he comes out with in the future!

I had a very hard time getting into this. I felt similarly about the previous book I read by the author. It was a little too dark for me.

Nathan Waymaker is a former marine and former sheriff’s deputy, but he has found work at his cousin’s funeral home and he knows how to take care of bodies. Nathan also has a side hustle of righting the wrongs and typing up lose ends when the cops fail to do their jobs. When the body of a local reverend comes in as a suicide, the ladies of the church ask Nathan to look into the reverend’s demise and they are willing to pay him for his time. Nathan thinks it will be an easy job for the money and agrees to ask around. What seems like a simple task leads Nathan to crazy events, ruthless crime lords, porn stars, and crooked police officers. As dark secrets of his own threaten to surface, Nathan uses his skills and wit to navigate a dangerous conflict involving small town corruption.

Cosby writes such complex and flawed characters that when they don’t always follow a strict moral compass, as a reader, you are still pulling for them. This is a re-release of S. A. Cosby’s very first novel and having loved Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland I needed to add this one to my collection. I received the book as a Christmas gift, but as I was perusing NetGalley I discovered the audiobook. I jumped at the chance to listen to it before I read it because it’s narrated by Adam Lazard’s-White who I have come to think of as the voice of all of Cosby’s characters. The narrator has a deep gravelly voice that really lends itself to the gritty characters.

After reading My Darkest Prayer I can see how much Cosby has grown as a writer and storyteller, yet for a debut novel it was still an impressive read.

I am a huge S.A. Cosby fan and knew I had to read his first book! My Darkest Prayer is a page-turning ride filled with sex, violence, grit, and everything I’ve come to know and love from Cosby’s books. The writing is so good, but the narrator makes the story even better.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this ALC.

This book was really good. It was a quick read but packed with action. Again a warning that his books are EXTREMELY violent so if that bothers you definitely skip that. This was a reissue of his first book. I could listen to this narrator all day.

Another gem from S. A. Cosby. Hard to believe it was his debut novel. His writing is always so gritty and compelling. Excellent narration.

Thank you S. A. Cosby, MacMillan Audio Productions, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for an advanced audio copy of this excellent book.

MY DARKEST PRAYER is S. A. Cosby's first novel, which is now being re-released after the success of his second and third novels, BLACKTOP WASTELAND and RAZORBLADE TEARS and in advance of he new novel, ALL THE SINNERS BLEED, which releases June 6 2023.

In this mystery/thriller, ex-marine-turned -ex-cop-turned-medical-examiner Nathan Waymaker is an all around tough dude with a respectful heart who tends to help folks when they have no one else to turn to. As luck would have it, the minister of his local and very successful church turns up dead. As a favor to the minister's relatives-- one of whom is connected to his new love interest-- Nate agrees to ask some questions. He quickly discovers he's asking the *right* questions-- but right for whom? And at what price?

The characters felt complete, believable. I love Skunk. More accurately, I love the friendship between Skunk and Nathan. Nathan recognizes Skunk as dangerous, and vice versa, but they don't fear one another. A profound intimacy exists between the two men that is sublime in how Cosby expresses it. The human element of this novel is beautiful and real.

Cosby's writing is gritty, sharp, and deeply addictive, and the wonderful narrator Adam Lazar White reads with a mesmerising quality that had me finishing this book in 2 days. (I even put my phone in a ziploc bag and listened in the shower, because I *could not stop*!) I really hope White decides to narrate for Cosby again.

Rating 🥊🥊🥊🥊🥊/ 5 haymakers from Waymaker
Recommend? Absolutely
Finished December 2022
Ready this if you like:
👀 Thrillers
🤑 Stories about corruption
🥊 Good fight scenes
👥️ Men's Friendship
🥰 Healthy romantic relationship

Cosby's crime fiction is bold with propulsive plotting and an astute ear for good dialogue. He's also very funny. This church is up to some shit.

Dear My Darkest Prayer,
was so excited when saw you on Netgalley. love the way that Cosby writes, his balancing act between violence and humanity. I loved seeing how his writing has evolved, and matured through his books. You have the first in Cosby's line of anti-heroes. Nathan is put in an impossible position, being asked to look into a situation that he had absolutely no stake in, and as a consequence, he is sucked into the underbelly of his small town, unable to escape the web he is drawn into. You are written with dignity and beauty, despite the violence inside your pages.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

I'll read anything by S.A. Cosby as he's a born storyteller. The narrator is excellent and really brings the story to life. You can't help root for Nathan as he searches for the truth about the reverend's murder. There's a great deal of violence which some may find disturbing but otherwise, this is an excellent compelling read for any thriller fan.

Requested this title in e-book format almost immediately upon its arrival on NetGalley. I was in pending purgatory for a really long time with Flatiron and Macmillan Audio came to my rescue AS USUAL with a speedy approval for an audiobook copy!

Y’all I DEVOURED this one. I alternated between a rented ebook from my library and the audio version. Both were perfection. The narrator for the audio was fantastic. I really enjoyed the first-person writing style. The plot was a really fascinating thriller/murder mystery that kept me hanging on until the very, very end and I had no idea what was coming! I also wanted to verbally scream when I realized the author so perfectly tied in the title of the book to the story and characters.

This was my first SA Cosby book and I am OBSESSED! I love his southern gothic style of writing. It’s now my understanding after further research post-read that this was really his first debut novel as a re-release. Makes sense given the unique introduction by the author which I really enjoyed too. Can’t wait to read his other works!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the listener’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Listened to the audiobook.

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

It was okay.

I love S.A. Cosby's stories because they're a very similar experience to watching an action movie.

This was a great listen! The story was fast-paced & filled with action that had me hooked.

I absolutely adored the narrator, Adam Lazarre-White. He did an outstanding job portraying this story to the readers. He has the perfect voice! It's soothing to listen to yet keeps you at the edge of your seat!

I highly suggest checking out the audio for this book.

The letter from Cosby at the beginning is really touching. It's really nice getting an inside look at how they were inspired to write a story. I got goosebumps when I heard the author himself say "Relax. Let me tell you a story..." It really set the tone and made me extra excited to dive in.

There's a lot to love about "My Darkest Prayer," My favorite part being that it reads like a movie. You will have a hard time stopping. It's bingeable. It's intense. It's action-packed. It's wild.

But when I went in I forgot how raw and uncensored Cosby's writing is which can be very shocking at times. Don't get me wrong I liked it. Reading his work is a breath of fresh air when it feels some thrillers and mysteries authors censor themselves to leaving their stories without its full potential.

Cosby truly puts it all out there. He unapologetically gets all the details into his novels that can be off-putting.

"My Darkest Prayer" is gruesome. The scenes Cosby writes can be tough to get through especially when it comes to violence and gore.

I did enjoy my time listening to this story. I was immediately gripped.

I did have my issues even though I really enjoyed reading this book. I was repulsed by the way women characters were written in this book. I didn't like how demeaning the men were when they saw literally any woman that crossed their path. The male characters were constantly commenting on their thighs, boobs or ass which.... yes, it adds to the setting and the character but it got old... We get it, these females are hot.

It seemed to belittle women in a way but I could be reading to deeply into it.

I had a hard time distinguishing between all the characters. I am grateful to have paired the physical book with the audio or I really would have been lost. A lot of characters are introduced into the mystery and for someone who's doing solely audio I can see it being a lot to juggle.

Read this book, if you love:
• Books that read like movies
• A hardcore & gritty story
• A bad-a$$ main character
• Aren't deterred by horror & gore
• Love shows like Law & Order, Dexter, True Crime Documentaries
• Can handle a story with lots of characters