Wow!!!! King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby is pure fire. With a gripping dual timeline, explosive secrets, and a raw sibling bond, it’s fast-paced, emotional, and unforgettable. 5/5 — a must-read.
The narrator for the audiobook was amazing!

Wow! This was such a masterpiece. I’m already a big fan of SA Cosby but this exceeded my expectations. I loved how the theme of fire and ashes was woven throughout this book. Roman as a main character was so complex and fallible but I especially loved the way his intellect helped him to navigate such a complex situation. The sibling dynamics were so accurate and no matter what happened, their love for one another was apparent. This story was gripping from start to finish. Heartbreaking at points. Action packed. I was sent on a wave of emotions throughout but I absolutely loved this. The mystery element as well was masterfully done. Bravo to SA Cosby on this book.

S.A. Crosby is a fantastic author, but I do prefer the audiobook version of his novels because the narrator is AMAZING. His voice is so smooth, and he really is fantastic with changing the tone for various characters. The storyline was great, I wasn't expecting some of the things that happened at the end at all.

King of Ashes is gritty, fast-paced, and emotionally charged. It’s got everything: suspense, heart. The family dynamics are intense, the action is sharp, and the writing is raw in the best way. Perfect for fans of thrillers that hit hard and don’t let up. I couldn’t put it down.

The writing style and pacing of King of Ashes kept me fully engaged from start to finish. S.A. Cosby masterfully builds emotional tension, and in this story, it’s done flawlessly. The family dynamics, simmering secrets, and ever-present danger made this a compelling and gritty listen. Roman is a standout character. He’s sharp, determined, fiercely loyal, and his descent into the criminal underworld to protect his family was both tense and rewarding to follow. I really enjoyed this and will definitely be picking up more from S.A. Cosby in the future.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Another SA Cosby winner!!! I can’t wait to read the physical copy as well. I really enjoyed it and couldn’t stop listening. I was hooked from the first minute! The narration was wonderful. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook.

Things I loved:

A layered, propulsive plot that grabs and doesn’t let go

Characters so human they practically breathe off the page

That signature S.A. Cosby blend: brutal, lyrical, and deeply Southern

King of Ashes is Southern Grit at its finest. S.A. Cosby delivers another knockout—equal parts raw and beautiful, with characters that feel heartbreakingly real. Roman’s story is tense, brutal, and complex, and Cosby never shies away from showing both the violence and vulnerability that shape a man like him. You care about these people, even when you know they’re spiraling—and maybe especially then.

The audiobook? Chef’s kiss. The narrator’s performance is gripping and moody, adding even more weight to every scene. Cosby has a gift for slipping real-world issues into fast-paced crime fiction without ever feeling preachy. There are moments here that challenge how you think about family, loyalty, justice, and survival—and remind you that street-level decisions are rarely black and white.

This book is smart, scorching, and filled with moments that linger. Cosby writes like every word matters, and in King of Ashes, every one of them hits.

In true S.A. Cobsy fashion, the book is narrated by Adam Lazarre-White. They go together like peanut butter & jelly! The dynamic duo!

S.A. Cosby’s newest plot-focused thriller novel follows a man named Roman. His dad is in a car accident and ends up in a coma, so Rome comes back to his hometown to help with their family business, a crematory. Their property keeps getting vandalised & finally Rome’s little brother, Dante, admits that none of it was an accident. He owes a local gang a over $300k for some product he got fronted & they been sending messages that no one in his family is safe. Roman, a financial advisor, makes a deal with the gang—he’ll flip their money and triple it using the stock market. He also grants them access to the crematory & its facilities. Soon after, Roman realized that the gang isn’t ever going to let him out of the arrangement & takes matters into his own hands to keep his family safe. Whewww. This was a wild ride. The twists & turns had me gagged! Another 5 star read from S.A. Cosby.

Thank you NetGalley, McMillan audio and S.A Cosby for this audio ARC. Once again S.A Cosby left me speechless. I love his style of storytelling. The narrator Adam Lazarre- White did a good job bringing this story to life. Roman trying to save his family has found himself in the middle of a mess with a group of bad people trying to cover his brothers debt all while his father is in a coma fighting for his life. A family fighting to stay alive takes some crazy twists and turns. I respect Rome for all he did for Devonte and nevaeh but miscommunication and trust brings out the worst. I really enjoyed this book please read it because this author is an auto buy for me.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! MR. COSBY. SIR. Every book is a masterpiece. Roman is such a composed wild card. Is that possible? The ending DESTROYED me 😭 the way Cosby writes plots that carry you. He is able to make you feel what the character is feeling. I cried with Roman, I wanted to scream with his sister, I wanted to collapse in depression with his brother. The weight of this world they carry like atlas on this family was so palpable. They would all do anything for one another, but none of them felt free to do anything but fix it themselves, in their own way. His stories are so real, and because of that he will always be my favorite author

This was insane! I loved this and the narrator was fantastic! I loved his voice and I loved how I knew every character like they were personal friends of mine! S,A, Crosby is still on my top list!! Loved this!

My jaw is still on the floor! I don’t have much to say without spoiling aside from this is such a good story! If this was a show I would absolutely tune in! Definitely pick this one up if you like strong family bonds, crime and drama!!

King of Ashes was a cinematic high octane thriller where we follow a family that has already suffered so much trauma and it’s about to get worse. Roman has come back home after the family’s father was in a suspicious car accident that left him in a coma. Now, Roman has to be the big brother again and fix the problems his little brother created and prevent them all from being killed.
The narrator was PERFECT for this title. He even voiced the women in a believable way (and that is hard to do!). His voice is engaging and fits the dark mood so well.
All of the characters in the story felt so realistic. This could’ve been a TikTok story time for all I know. I loved the plot twists, i literally had my mouth agape!  I disliked the ending because I felt like it was a little too perfect. (Taking off half a star for that). I wish some things would not have been given closure. I recommend this to all crime thriller lovers!

S.A. Cosby is such an exciting author! His books are brutal, visceral, frenetic and so eloquently written, it's hard to put them down once you've started.

King of Ashes was one of my most anticipated releases this year and it did not disappoint. With an incredibly strong narrator in Adam Lazarre-White, the story takes off immediately.

The plot, featuring an older brother coming home to clean up the mess of his younger brother and face the ghosts of the past feels fresh and dynamic. The antagonists are brutal but well developed and there is a richness to the story that flourishes with Cosby's magnificent prose.

Godfather adjacent I suppose, but it deserves so much praise in its own right. I recommend this to anyone and everyone that enjoyed Cosby's previous works or is itching for a new crime tale.

I am a S.A. Cosby fan for sure, this is the 4th book of his that I read and I gave it 3.75 stars. I liked how the individual story lines of the siblings and who they were dealing with ran together. I didn’t like how much they kept Neveah in the dark but involving the family business (where she was really the only one contributing) when in reality she was also in danger because of Roman and Dante. Roman’s sexual needs and interests were quite random and I didn’t find that it added much value. I also wish the truth about their mothers death came out earlier. Overall, good book, I recommend that you read it, just not my favorite book by this author.

I don’t think I’ve ever used the word “terrifying” in a review of an audiobook, but it applies here. In King of Ashes Roman Carruthers’ younger brother Dante finds himself, and his family, in trouble with some really shady characters after a drug deal goes south. Roman steps in to try and resolve the situation and things go bad quickly. I found the confrontations held between the criminals and the Carruthers family to be absolutely stressful. Props on both the writing and the narration!

Generally speaking, I don’t pause audiobooks to try and think through possible solutions to plot dilemmas, but I was so invested in this one that I found myself stopping to ponder how in the world would Roman and Dante, along with their friends and family, ever find a way out.

It’s always fun to discover a new favorite author and S.A. Cosby (someone I had not heard of before) jumped high on my list in 2023 when I read All the Sinners Bleed. King of Ashes was equally exciting – the characters were all well-written, the plot contained interesting surprises, and the ending was both believable and satisfying.

This audiobook is narrated by Adam Lazarre-White, a favorite of mine since I listened to All the Sinners Bleed. He does an exceptional job here as well. Any audiobook that I see narrated by Lazarre-White is automatically more intriguing to me.

Given my admiration of Cosby and Lazarre-White, I really need to listen to Razorblade Tears soon!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to listen to King of Ashes. The above opinions are my own.

★★★★★ Book Review: King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby

Whew—King of Ashes is a fiery, drama-packed Southern noir thriller that grabs you by the throat and does not let go. S.A. Cosby delivers yet another masterwork of crime fiction with a plot fueled by secrets, revenge, and raw family tension. This book? Five stars, no doubt.

From the jump, you're pulled into the chaos—Roman Carruthers is called back to Jefferson Run after his father’s mysterious accident. But what waits for him? Nevaeh, the resilient sister holding things down, and Dante, the wildcard little brother deep in debt and even deeper in trouble. This family? A walking powder keg. And once Roman starts pulling at the threads of what really happened, the truth comes out swinging.

Cosby's writing is cinematic and intense. The dialogue snaps. The characters feel real—flawed, gritty, and unforgettable. Nevaeh is the kind of strong, layered woman who commands every page she's on. Roman’s unraveling is equal parts heartbreaking and captivating. And Dante? Let’s just say his name alone sparks drama.

The twists don’t stop. Every time you think you've hit the final bombshell—boom, another one drops. The stakes rise, the secrets get darker, and by the end, you’re left gasping.

This is not just a crime novel—it’s a story about what happens when family, pride, and pain collide under one burning roof. And Cosby doesn’t waste a single sentence.

Final Verdict: 5 out of 5 stars.
If you love your thrillers with edge, emotion, and enough drama to fuel a firestorm—King of Ashes is your next obsession.

S.A. Cosby became an auto-buy author after I read Razorblade Tears. I can't wait for whenever he has a new noir mystery releasing. King of Ashes deals with family drama in a small town in Virginia and how the family deals with those matters. It's a sad, but bloody story as you'd expect from S.A. Cosby. I liked that the same narrator, Adam Lazarre-White, as his previous books was used for King of Ashes. Lazarre-White does an amazing job making the characters come to life. Although there are times where it can be harder to differentiate between the characters I really enjoyed the story overall.

Now to wait for S.A. Cosby's next release.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an advanced audio copy for review consideration.

Cosby’s ability to weave intense, emotionally resonant narratives around controversial, and often deeply uncomfortable subjects like racism, class, masculinity, and violence gives his work both grit and grace. He doesn’t shy away from moral complexity, yet his prose remains sharp, lyrical, and deeply human.

In King of Ashes, we follow Roman Carruthers, a man with a sharp mind for finance and an even sharper instinct for survival. After years away, Roman is dragged back to his small-town roots when his father is left in a coma following a suspicious attack. The Carruthers family, fractured but fierce, has been holding on by a thread. His sister Neveah bears the weight of the family’s crematorium business, left behind by a mother who vanished years ago under scandal. His younger brother Dante carries a more immediate burden: he confesses that his choices led to their father’s attack, and now the BBB gang is circling, demanding a payment that could cost them everything.

Roman remembers the hardship his siblings were spared, the quiet sacrifices their parents made, and the harsh truths his father once shared with him in secret. Now, with danger mounting and their father unconscious, Roman must step into the chaos. Armed only with his wit, his financial savvy, and a will to protect what’s left of his family, he digs into the gang’s motives,and the long-buried secrets they’ve unknowingly carried for years.

The Carruthers siblings, Roman, Neveah, and Dante—are so richly developed and emotionally layered you feel every blow they take and every impossible decision they face. The stakes are high, and the twists. Brutal in the best way. Cosby’s writing is so cinematic you can practically see the action unfold. Every chapter tightens the tension, only to shatter your expectations. Roman is the kind of reluctant hero who stays with you: fiercely loyal, quietly dangerous, and full of heart.

Will their father wake in time to tell the truth? Can Roman outsmart the BBB gang before it’s too late?

In the end, one thing is certain: everything burns.

The narrator for this book never disappoints. I love when he does S.A. Crobys books.

King of Ashes - S.A Cosby
4.5⭐️/5
Genre - Mystery & Thriller
Release Date - June 10, 2025

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the free ALC.

Roman is a 35year old finance bro who was called back home as a result of his father’s
ghastly car accident which led him into coma.

Roman’s younger brother, Dante who is a spoiled last child. He ends up in a web of illicit drugs and gang related issues.

Roman discovers his brother’s entanglement with the gang and aims to get his brother out of the mess he got himself involved in.

Roman’s sister, Neveah who runs the family crematory business with their father also plays a motherly role by looking out for Dante since their Mother’s disappearance.

💭The questions on my mind while listening 🤔

What led to their mother’s disappearance?
If she’s dead, who’s responsible?

I really enjoy the story and the family drama. I’ll recommend this 💯

This is my first book by the author and I love his style of writing. I’m ready to read more of his books.

The narrator, Adam Lazarre-White did great 👍🏾.