S.A. Cosby’s King of Ashes is an electrifying journey through a world where ambition, betrayal, and the pursuit of power ignite an unforgettable narrative. This gripping novel introduces us to Roman, Nevaeh, Dante—characters deeply flawed, each battling their own inner demons in a landscape as volatile as a smoldering crematory.

The family dynamics of The Carruthers’ are at the heart of the story, woven with intricate threads of loyalty, rivalry, and deep-seated ambition. Cosby’s razor-sharp prose draws readers into these gritty relationships, where every decision carries the weight of legacy and consequence.

Central to the novel is the haunting mantra, "Everything burns," encapsulating the transient nature of power, loyalty, and identity. This recurring phrase resonates through the characters’ journeys, symbolizing both destruction and the potential for rebirth. Whether it’s Roman’s internal conflicts, Nevaeh’s fierce loyalty that teeters on the brink, or Dante’s ruthless pursuit of ambition, "Everything burns" serves as both a warning and a prophecy, guiding their fates in a world ablaze with tension and consequence.

The audiobook narrator breathes life into the story, imbuing each character with distinct voices and emotional depth. Their performance accentuates the raw tension between Roman’s calculated mind, Nevaeh’s unwavering loyalty to a fault, and Dante’s unrelenting ambition, making the narrative tension palpable and impossible to resist.

Themes of power, identity, and the consequences of ambition are masterfully explored. The recurring mantra—"To be a king, you have to think like one. You have to do king shit."—perfectly encapsulates the essence of the novel, while "Everything burns" underscores the intense, burning decisions and inevitable downfall or transformation that define the Carruthers’ world.

King of Ashes is not merely a story; it’s an immersive experience—a gritty, heart-pounding exploration of what it truly means to rise from the ashes. It’s a must-listen for fans of intense, character-driven thrillers.

5 Brilliant Stars ✨ I finished reading my first book by author S.A. Cosby, and it will not be my last! People have shared many positive things about his writing; he deserves all the praise and accolades! “King of Ashes” is gripping and very intense. It is dark, gritty, rooted in real-life situations, and hits hard. You might feel compelled to share a copy with everyone you know.

At its heart, "King of Ashes" tells a story about family and responsibilities that come with caring for loved ones.
We are willing to take risks, no matter the cost. This family has a complex dynamic. The story begins with the family patriarch in the hospital and the eldest son, Roman Carruthers, returning to check on everyone. Spoiler alert: things are not okay! His sister Neveah feels overwhelmed from managing the family business, while his younger brother, Dante, has made a grave mistake that puts them all in a dire situation.

Roman faces the consequences of his own and his family's choices. He struggles with the burden of inherited mistakes, balancing right and wrong while maintaining his identity as a good person.

As the older sibling, Roman tries to fix the family’s problems. The story becomes even more engaging. We see how people go to great lengths for the ones they love. "King of Ashes" is a gritty and emotional journey into street justice and difficult decisions. Every chapter impacted me profoundly. If you enjoy stories about family criminal syndicates or southern crime fiction with complex characters, this book is for you. I had a hard time putting the audio format on pause. I was so invested in the story's outcome that I stayed until 4 AM to finish it, and I have no regrets!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Adam Lazarre-White, who gave an outstanding performance. His deep, resonant baritone voice brought each character to life, adding depth to the story. His delivery created a haunting and intense experience. The conclusion was so powerful that it felt reminiscent of Shakespeare's writing, leaving a lasting impression. Lazarre-White's skillful narration added rich texture to the narrative, crafting an immersive atmosphere that made the characters feel real, like I was part of their world.

Good books are common, but great books that teach and change you are rare. "King of Ashes" is one of those rare finds. S. A. Cosby has captured my attention, and I look forward to reading more of his work. I highly recommend you grab a copy, which is available on June 10.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing the advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own, and I was not required to write a review.

This was the best book. It was full of action, violence and a family that would do anything for each other. We are following Roman, Dante and Neveah. Roman is a big shot that lives in Atlanta and has to come home once he learns that his dad is in a coma. Dante is a drug addict who gets in with the wrong crowd. Neveah is holding the family business together on her own since her dad is down.

This was my first book by S.A. Cosby and will not be the last. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the copy of the audio book. The narrator was top notch and will look out for more audio books that are narrated by Adam Lazarre-White.

Absolutely fantastic book about violence, secrets and family and what happens when those 3 intersect. A man digs himself out of poverty to provide a better life for his family. His wife is gone, one son is an addict, one a high level money manager, and his daughter holds the family together. One bad mistake brings the brother home to save his family, but the secrets continue to fester.

5 stars ⭐️. An absolute must read for anyone who likes a good fast paced book. Thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

5 STARS — S.A. Cosby lit this book on fire and didn’t let it cool for a second.
Huge thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and S.A. Cosby for the audiobook. And shoutout to Brittandherbooks—you were so right about this author! King of Ashes was my first Cosby read, and I get it now. Completely.

This book is raw, intense, and beautifully written. Cosby calls out every truth—grief, violence, loyalty, love—and wraps it in the kind of storytelling that doesn’t just entertain, it hits. His writing is gritty, soulful, and sharp. I call it Southern Grit—and it cuts deep.

Roman Carruthers returns home after his father’s “accident,” only to find his brother in deep trouble and the family crematorium at the center of something dangerous. And just like that, the story takes off. No fluff. No filler. Just heat, secrets, and survival.

The action is nonstop. The tension is relentless. The emotion? Real. Cosby doesn’t just give you plot—he gives you characters that feel like flesh and blood. Roman, Neveah, Dante—they’re all complicated, messy, and unforgettable.

And the narrator…yeah! Adam Lazarre-White nailed it. The voice, the pacing, the energy—he brought every single word to life.

King of Ashes is fierce, fast, and full of heart.
Moving forward, if S.A Cosby writes it, I’m reading it. No question.
Highly, highly recommend.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and S.A. Cosby for allowing me to listen to an ALC.

First and foremost, the narration is absolutely amazing. Even without a full cast or multiple narrators, Adam Lazarre-White does a fantastic job of making the story feel immersive. There are a decent number of female characters and Lazarre-White makes sure that they aren’t too shrill or annoying sounding when slipping into their voices. I would highly recommend for those who enjoy audiobooks.

The story itself is quite good. Unlike other S.A. Cosby books that I have read and loved, this one has a bit of a pacing issue and there was some time in the middle of the story when I started to disengage. Stick with it though because the pay off was worth it in my opinion.

I would highly recommend for those who enjoy books centered around family loyalty, dysfunctional family dynamics, family resentment, and a whole lot of gore and murder.

My rankings for S.A. Cosby’s books stand at:

1. Razorblade Tears
2. King of Ashes
3. All the Sinners Bleed

This was a 5-star for me. I’m left now at its end thinking of all the things that started this chain of events. Broken family, missing mother. It was all heartbreaking.
This was realistic fiction at its best. It was gritty, raw with emotions that felt dangerous. It was unsettling but kept drawing me in with the unique writing style. It had a great intensity that held me close. I enjoyed the entire novel and highly recommend the audio. The narrator, Adam Lazarre-White, did a fantastic job.
Thanks, Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

Gritty, raw, emotional, violent, extremely masterful writing, compelling story. Great audio narration. It's not always easy to read/listen to books by S.A. Crosby, but it's always worth it.

Thanks for the early access, NetGalley and Macmillan audio!

If you thought Cosby had already shown you the limits of Southern noir, King of Ashes proves there’s still more fire where that came from.

A story about family secrets, betrayal, and how far one will go to protect their family, this novel follows Roman “Rome” Carruthers, who returns to his hometown to help his sister Naveah and brother Dante run the family crematorium after his father’s mysterious car crash lands him in the ICU.

This novel is Cosby at his finest: His gritty and graphic descriptions kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the tense plot, and Adam Lazarre-White’s narration is pitch-perfect.

King of Ashes isn’t just a crime story; It's a meditation on how sometimes the only way to break the cycle is to burn it all down. Cosby has given us a Southern Gothic inferno, crackling with tension and soul.

Auto five star author for me. I didn’t even look at the synopsis of this book before requesting it. If S.A. Cosby writes it, I read it.

Y’all, I was stressed out the whole time I was listening to this book. Is there a good kind of stress? The answer is yes! This audiobook had me in a chokehold. Was it mostly because of the beautifully intense writing, yes, but also have you listened to a book narrated by Adam Lazarre-White? That man could narrate the nutritional information on a can and I would be all over that like bees on honey.

This story was full of drama, heartbreak, brutality and straight up bad assery. The character development and pacing was spot on and I couldn’t wait for another stroke of genius moment from Roman. Cosby’s characters are flawed and real and what makes his stories so engaging. The cunningness and ruthlessness make this story all that more interesting. S.A. Cosby’s storytelling is off the charts.

If you’re looking for a crime thriller with family drama and secrets, then absolutely pick this one up. I 10000% recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALS of King of Ashes.

After reading this, I will be buying all of his other books. The plot, the setting, the style of writing, all of it formed into a masterpiece. The suspense was top tier and the twist about the mom was mind blowing! This book will definitely be making it into my favorite books of the year!

Gritty, gripping, and utterly unforgettable. This book was nonstop from start to finish. As always his characters are raw and complex. I also loved the narration.

King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby is filled with tension. My anxiety was at an all-time high listening to this story. First, my advance listener copy audiobook is narrated by the sublime Adam Lazarre-White. His Roman was absolute perfection with his drawl. Roman is our MMC. His father is injured in a bad accident and he travels home to see his siblings and visit with his dad. The Carruthers family is infamous in their small hometown of Jefferson Run, VA, because their mother disappeared a couple of decades ago, and it is the stuff of legend that Roman's father burned her remains in his business, Carruther's Crematorium. No body, no crime. Today, however, it is his brother Dante that has the family in trouble. He owes serious money to the local gangsters and businessman Roman is going to try to negotiate their way out of it. But, the gangsters aren't having it. Roman needs a better plan as he seriously underestimated the evil that was running his hometown. I found Dante and Neveah to be annoying in the extreme. Dante caused this mess and all, and I mean all he can do is whine about it. Neveah is the responsible sister running the family business with dad and managing everything. The miscommunication and lack of therapy quickly begins to wear on this family dynamic. After I was about 25% of the way in, I could not stop listening to this book. I needed to know what was going to happen and I needed to know now. The ending had me gasping!

Thank you to Net Galley and MacMillan Audio for my Advance Listener Copy. This book is out June 10, 2025 and I highly recommend you buy it and listen to it on audio! 4.5 stars.

King of Ashes by S. A Crosby feels like Breaking Bad in all the best ways. the story doesn't really break, no territory as it has been treaded before, but, it is on par with some of the great crime novels by Don Winslow, the 25th hour, and the hard to match Mario Puzo Godfather series.
Roman wants to protect his family But how long can you walk through flames before the Ashes mare you suit and burn your wings away?
because "EVERYTHING BURNS

Adam Lazarre-White has narrated a lot of Cosby's book and his voice is great, it really brings the story to life.
Now, the story. Holy buckets! It was very good, tense, and really very sad.

#NetGalley

Another beautifully written, complex and absolute banger of a book from Cosby! He really writes the best characters. I loved going into Roman’s world. This felt bloodier than his other books but I couldn’t decide if I was just remembering wrong - needless to say I still loved it. And trust me, while I always buy a copy of Cosby’s books, I also ALWAYS do the audiobook because his go-to narrator, Adam Lazarre-White, always nails it so you will want to give this one a listen.

S.A Cosby does it again! This was such an incredible reading experience. It's gritty, dark, bleak, and emotional and I could not get enough! This is not for the faint of heart, as it has plenty of graphic, violent scenes. Cosby has crafted flawed characters that we can't help but care about, despite their horribly poor decisions. I liked how there was three different threads that followed the Carruthers family: Navea and her efforts to keep the family together while managing the crematorium alongside her dad, Dante and his addiction habit starting conflict with the locals, and Roman with his moneymaking abilities that he uses to help his brother. I enjoyed the mystery piece of what happened to their mother- it effected each of them differently and it manifests on the page in the last 20%. I ate this one up and I couldn't put it down. The narrator does an excellent job at bringing these characters to life. Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

I am not sure what it was about this book, but I really struggled. I will definitely be picking up the physical version in the future to try again. The audio really did not keep me engaged and I struggled to even want to read this book.

This one took its time building, but once the fire caught? I couldn’t look away. Twists, secrets, miscommunication. Every time I thought I had a handle on it, another layer peeled back.

I gave it ⭐⭐⭐⭐—a gritty, emotional ride with a main character who’s trying to do right in a world that rarely plays fair. Cosby knows how to write broken people so well, you root for them even when they mess up. And that ending? Definitely left me hanging a little.

If you’re into thrillers that burn slow but hit hard—with family drama, crooked systems, and a storm of consequences—this one’s for yo

Love love loved this ! I’ve never read a book by S.A Cosby, this first impression blew me away. I loved the godfather like plot, the godfather is a classic. Each character was written so beautifully & the details were perfect. Books don’t really make me emotional but certain parts I caught myself getting a bit emotional. I will be read g lore books by this author very soon. Thank you Netgalley & Macmillan audio for this ALC !!