Roman Carruthers left his Virginia home and has tied to distance himself from the family crematorium business. Until one night when he receives a call that his father has been seriously injured in a car accident. His sister Neveah is barely holding it together from running the family business and dealing with their younger brother Dante's actions. Dante has gotten involved with dangerous criminals and it soon becomes clear their father's car crash was no accident. Roman attempts to pay Dante's debts by volunteering to be a financial representative for the criminals and getting dragged further and further into danger. But he will do anything to try to save his family.

This was an intense but incredible read. S.A. Cosby is such a great writer. His characters are so detailed and grounded. The family dynamics in this story were beyond complicated but I really was drawn in by them. I was rooting for all of the siblings even if I wanted to shake Dante a few times. And that ENDING! Oh my goodness. I was on the edge of my seat. I can't say enough about the audiobook performance. Adam Lazarre-White was captivating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This reads as some a top tier film noir- dark, gritty, sexy, and just absolutely action packed. Crosby is amazing at writing a family dynamic and should be an auto-buy author for everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this early release audiobook read by Adam Lazarre-White, who is an AMAZING narrator.

I'm usually not great at keeping up with police procedurals and who's who, but I was able to keep track of the story and the characters in this one. The narrator did a great job and was really fitting the serious atmosphere of the book.

Cosby knows misery; misery and misfortune are his comfort food. When you crack the cover of a new release from Cosby, you can hear it whisper to you “are you sure you want to do this? The friends you make in here are going to get hurt, and so are you.” That voice isn’t lying.
In a King of Ashes, we have a classic tale of brains vs. brawn and if you have read any of Shawn’s other books then you’ll know you need both in order to survive. His prose is as smooth as Muhammad Ali, every punch hits you right in the gut, and you won’t see any of them coming.
Extortion is what brings this family back together, but it could also be what ends it all

I received this audiobook as an Advance Listening Copy, this is my honest review (Releasing June 10, 2025).

This audiobook made me feel like I was listening to a movie! The storyline & narrator kept me fully entertained. The narration had me picturing the scenes is my head & bringing it to life. The way the twists & turns had my mouth wide open, was diabolical. I am a sucker for book titles directly linking with the book & this did not disappoint. The siblings Roman, Dante, Nevaeh had me shaking my head how the three of them were living in their own world.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, & the author S.A. Cosby for this wonderful book & ALC.

SA Crosby has written another thrilling and gripping book. He shows us the best and worst of his characters. I love how vulnerable the characters are.

King of Ashes is a brilliant story that is action-packed, emotional, and thought-provoking. It goes through family relationships and what can cause them to be complex and heartbreaking, while also uncovering secrets and dangerous sides of people you never thought possible. How far can one person be pushed before they break? How much can someone lie before the truth is revealed?

This book is well-written and makes you think about it even when you aren't reading or listening.

I listened to the audiobook, and Adam Lazarre-White's performance helped make the story come to life even more.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

If you’re looking for a dark and gritty crime thriller with fantastic storytelling, this is it. It kept me engaged throughout. It asks the question of how far you’ll go when it comes to family. Adam Lazarre-White was an exceptional narrator for this book and really brought the story to life.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook!

No one writes a dark and gritty thriller like Cosby. This one was hard for me to read at times (due to the violence but also the bad choices the characters made), but the writing was so well done and you cannot help but be completely engrossed in the story. The characters are so well developed, nuanced in their morality, and you can't help but root for them even when you hate the choices they make. There is never a way to predict the direction a plot will take with Cosby, but you know you will always be along for the ride. I don't think this is my favorite by Cosby, but it is definitely another win!

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

I didn't know going into this book that it was inspired by The Godfather, but now that I know it, I can totally see it. Roman is a successful financial consultant in Atlanta and is summoned to his small hometown of Jefferson Run after his father’s car accident. It's a run-down, crime riddled town in central Virginia that's run by gangs. He finds out that his younger brother Dante is in debt to dangerous criminals that he needs to clean up. His his sister, Neveah, is exhausted from holding the family—and the family crematorium business—together.

Roman, acting like a big-shot, thinks he can talk his way out of Dante's trouble, but quickly realizes that the criminals don't play by any rulebook that Roman is familiar with. Every time Roman thinks he's ahead of the game, he's slapped down and suffers one indignity after another. With the help of his deadly fixer, Roman finally realizes the high stakes situation he and his family is involved in, and devises a plan to save his brother and get out of the bind alive.

This book moves slowly and methodically through the story. It's an unrelenting progression of violence, death, and depressing elements. There aren't too many redeeming qualities of anyone in the book. The book is dark, with very little reprieve from the evil that encompasses the small town and the people that live in it. I felt almost claustrophobic with the mounting tension that continued to grow with each chapter.

This isn't a "fun" book to read, but it's very good. The dialogue and descriptions in the book were so well-written I could see the story play out in my mind's eye. It takes a great talent to accomplish that kind of storytelling. I listened to this book and the narrator did a fantastic job, as always.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from NetGalley and Flatiron Books and MacMillan Audio. All opinions are my own.

Just give Cosby all the stars! He deserves all the accolades for such a gritty, in your face, take no prisoners thrill ride. Even though there are some parts that are truly cringe, Cosby keeps his foot on the gas all the way through. The characters are so well developed and you get so invested in them you actually feel their pain. I've heard rumors this is destined to become a movie and no doubt will be a blockbuster...I can't wait. Special kudos to the narrator of the audio version who was brilliant in portraying each character! I don't know how Cosby will top King of Ashes but I'll be first in line for his next adventure. My thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing the audio book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

S.A. Cosby is one of my absolute favorite authors. I had the chance to meet him a couple years ago and that just cemented how great of a human he is!

KING OF ASHES is a Godfather-inspired southern crime novel.

Adam Lazarre-White was the PERFECT narrator! His voice is so soothing and perfectly matched what I was picturing for Roman!

Roman Carruthers returns home after his father is in an accident, and discovers that his brother is in debt to dangerous people. Roman is a financial whiz and tries to use that to his advantage—but the people Roman is up against are cutthroat and will stop at nothing to get what they want.

This is another •dark• crime thriller by S.A. Cosby that explores how far you would go for your family.

His writing is always top tier. The setting of Jefferson Run is a run-down, crime-ridden town that I won’t be visiting anytime soon 🫣 but was the perfect backdrop for this story.

My top two S.A. Cosby books are still RAZORBLADE TEARS and ALL THE SINNERS BLEED, but this was another standout!

S.A. Cosby is such an incredible writer! Both in terms of prose and storytelling, his work is truly top tier. King of Ashes reads almost like a Greek tragedy, but set in the contemporary American South with crime fiction elements.

Roman Carruthers has a comfortable life as a successful financial manager to the wealthy, but after his father is left in a coma after a car accident he returns to his small home town where his family owns the local crematorium. His sister is trying to keep everything together and his younger brother has ended up indebted to an extremely dangerous group of criminals. Roman tries to fix things, but quickly gets in over his head as things begin to unravel and old wounds are uncovered.

It's a gripping family drama and crime epic with scintillating characters. I was left thinking about it long after I finished the book. The audio narration is excellent as well, embodying the characters and tone to perfection. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Roman is pulled home when his father winds up in the hospital after a hit-and-run. Upon returning, he discovers home is overrun with gang violence, drugs, and crime. His brother Dante is wrapped up in it and maybe their dad’s accident was no accident. Meanwhile, his sister Naveah is still obsessed with finding out what happened to their mother years ago when she disappeared. Now, Roman is caught up in running his father’s crematory business, and trying to solve his family’s problems while keeping them all alive. Between the mother’s mystery and Roman’s dangerous dealings, the book keeps you engaged. It is well-written, the characters feel real, and the pacing is fast. You won’t want to miss the end either! I would definitely recommend for a good urban thriller.

Thank you to BOTM for sending an early copy, and to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. It was great to listen while reading along. The audiobook narrator did a great job with this! I could listen to his voice all day. Book releases. 6/10/25.

King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby was a phenomenal story.
A really outstanding crime thriller.
The novel was fast paced and kept me engaged the whole time, the twists were well done.
An absolute masterpiece. A dark, gritty and raw story. But one is was sucked into and hated to see it end.
S. A. Cosby can write such amazing stories and keeps the reader engaged and wanting to do absolutely nothing other than stay glued to this book.
Once again narrater Adam Lazarre-White really outdid himself here.

This book was simply amazing!! The writing the story telling! The details the pace!!! The more I read from SA Cosby the more I enjoy his work!

I usually associate this author with heavy content. However I enjoyed the lighter storyline of this book. I love that he doesn't write the same book over and over and takes chances with new material.

The narrator was just okay. I would have preferred a little more voice inflection.

Adam Lazarre-White is gonna do it every single time. This duo cannot be stopped. So this was SA Cosby’s most gruesome book by far. The true definition of a gritty crime thriller. Just when I thought I knew how it was going to end, I was thrown for a loop in the last 3 chapters. I mean really….how am I supposed to recover??? I truly believed that Roman handled it all and then my heart was ripped out. Neveah & Dante😭😭😭😭😭

Next to Razorblade Tears, this might be his best work yet.

This was my first book by the author even though I had him on my tbr for a while now.
It grabs you from the start and doesn’t let go. King of Ashes is gritty, emotional, and full of twists. When Roman comes home after his father’s accident, he walks into chaos, his brother Dante is in deep with dangerous criminals, and his sister Neveah is holding the family together. The family crematorium becomes the backdrop for violence, secrets, and a fight for survival. Roman is smart, resourceful, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect his family, even if it means getting his hands dirty.
The story is full of tension, crime, family drama, and dark truths. Cosby’s writing is sharp and intense, and the plot moves quickly. The narration by Adam Lazarre-White is excellent, his voice brings the characters and mood to life. Powerful, dark, and unforgettable.

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Pre-Read Notes:

S.A. Cosby is a brilliant writer and one of my top 5. How could I not want to listen to this one?! And Adam Lazar White is narrating it, who I think always gives a fabulous reading.

"There are a thousand ways to die, he thought. But sometimes all it takes is one thing to make you want to live. Like your brother remembering what you like on your pizza."

Final Review

(thoughts & recs) I really loved listening to this book. White is an excellent audiobook narrator and his voice really brings Cosby' stories to life for me.

As I've come to expect from Cosby, setting and literary description are this story's strongest element. So much of the dread I experienced here originated from descriptions of the setting. Even if you don't like ultra violent stories or organized crime stories, you might still come and stay for the gothic beauty.

This book is not as plot heavy as some of Cosby's other books, but I like the shape of it-- two siblings have different recollections of their mother's murder, one trying to unearth the past, one trying to keep it buried. They both pull on the plot, tugging it this way and that, and it makes for brilliant tension and conflict, but not a clean narrative arc. That's just the shape stories take sometimes, and what matters is if the author can wrangle a plot that loose and reactionary. For Cosby, the answer is yes. For me, the denouement is where it's at, as the mystery comes clear for both siblings and they must deal with each other through the consequences.

My 3 Favorite Things:

✔️ S.A. Cosby writes female characters with complexity and like he respects them. I respect and appreciate this deeply and it in part makes his books good reading experiences for me.

✔️ I adore how Cosby writes about sex. He both goes there and keeps it brief, which for me, is the perfect amount. Gives me something to think about but doesn't detail the story. Let's me in on the characters but doesn't force me into their body cavities.

✔️ This man's style is just gorgeous. His narrative voice is strong and intimate. It's easy to forget at times how absolutely violent the story is because the descriptions are so beautiful. I will never forget the hand scene because of the way Cosby plays with sound descriptions there.

Notes:
1. content warning: extreme violence, torture, gore, blood, limited open door sex scenes, binding, corruption, cops, DV, violence against children, early life stress, early life trauma, guns, shootings, accidental death, drugs, alcohol, addiction, etc

Thank you to the author S.A. Cosby, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance audiobook copy of KING OF ASHES. All views are mine.