4.5 stars!

When Roman Carruthers returns home after his father's car accident, he discovers that his family is in deep trouble. His brother is in debt to dangerous criminals, his sister is overwhelmed with running the family business, and it becomes clear that his father's accident was no accident. Roman, a financial expert, tries to use money to solve the problems, but soon realizes he must use his skills to save his family from real danger. As Roman works for the criminals, his sister tries to uncover the mystery of their mother's disappearance. Roman is determined to do whatever it takes to save his family, as everything around them begins to crumble.

What an exhilarating rollercoaster of a book! I was lucky enough to receive both an audiobook and a digital copy, and let me tell you, the audiobook was top-notch. The choice of narrator was absolutely perfect. I loved the narrator's voice and the way he expertly used different voices to bring the characters to life. A fantastic choice indeed!

From the get-go, the main character Roman and his family had me hooked. As a newcomer to this author, I found their writing style to be quite enjoyable. While some parts may have been a bit lengthy, they were necessary to help us navigate the timeline jumps and unravel the family's deeply rooted secrets.

The vivid descriptions of the environment and the thrilling action scenes made me feel as though I was right there in the thick of it, experiencing the gunpowder's scent and the characters' pain alongside them. It added an extra layer of depth to the story that I truly appreciated.

If you're a fan of buried family secrets, clever storytelling, and characters who aren't exactly warm and fuzzy, then this book is a must-read for you. I found it nearly impossible to tear myself away from the pages, and I'm sure you'll feel the same. Happy reading!

Thank you, Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar and Macmillan Audio, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is best book I've read this year. I can trust S.A. Cosby with writing a family drama, a domestic thriller and imagery that can bring so much emotion in such a few amount of words. Adam Lazarre-White is a phenomenal narrator and brought this story to life. I was fully invested in every aspect of the story and I did not want to stop reading this book. After reading King of Ashes, I want to read the rest of S. A. Cosby's backlist that I have not read yet.

What a wild ride! 4.5 stars.

This is a fast-paced, violent, emotional story of sibling and family loyalty, revenge, secrets, and deals with the devil, read by my favorite narrator. It's dark and sinister, full of dread, and though you want there to be a happy ending, it seems impossible. There are twists, so many twists, and Cosby's usual calm lead male with a wily and kinda crazy partner with no moral compunction outside of loyalty to the main. Great pairing. The straight sister and damaged but fun younger brother round out the "good guys" with perfect complimentary traits, making them highly sympathetic and relatable. The crematory setting was both terrifying and dark as heck. And the cameo by another of Cosby's characters was lovely. I really wanted him to join the crew.

Great book, so gut-wrenching I will need time to recover.

S. A. Cosby never disappoints. I really despised Dante through this entire book, and then realized why he was the way he was. Then that last suicide mission, smh. The twists in this book were a whole lot.

This was just a mess of a story. The mess that Dante created, and that Roman had to clean up. Cassidy got on my nerves. If she was so bored, she should’ve read a book. Chauncey made my behind itch. Like sir, you sleeping with all these women, one is bound to say something. Oh, but when Torin’s (sp) turned on him, siding with Roman, that was oh so sweet.

Nevaeh killed her own daddy, thinking that he killed her mama, when it was an accident that she died. Then when she found the ashes, that was the icing on the cake. Roman, Dante, and their father should’ve been told her. That was wrong to keep her in the dark.

🌱| Wow! What the….. This was a plot twist of plot twists!!!! Such a great, engaging read! Thanks for the ALC.

Great book. Loved the characters and the narrator was absolutely excellent. Will definitely be reading more of Cosby's work soon!

An Absolute Powerhouse of Storytelling

As expected from S.A. Cosby, this book delivers gritty, grounded, and painfully real storytelling that grabs you from the first page. The characters are raw and deeply human, shaped by a tough upbringing and haunted by secrets too terrible to speak aloud—even to family. The tension between gang dynamics, the brutal realities of the drug world, and the lingering trauma of childhood poverty create a backdrop of constant suspense.

Every scene pulses with emotion, and the stakes only get higher as the story unfolds. The narration is absolutely beautiful—gripping and emotionally rich without ever feeling overdone. Cosby proves once again why he's a master of Southern noir.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Wow WOW when I got this I dropped everything and finished it in one day. S.A. Cosby is a must read, and I'm never disappointed. This book is probably his best one yet.
This story is so dark it was Shakespearean. So harsh and tragic, Marlon is the one who feels like he has to protect the family while sister Nevaeh is the caretaker. Dante is the brother who struggles with addiction and is in debt to some dangerous people. When their father is injured in an automobile crash, Marlon comes home, and everything comes to a head.
This book starts out fast and never slows down. I didn't expect what happened and I'll be thinking about these people for a while. The narrator was excellent, with the voices and the accents and the feelings.

WOW- I am utterly speechless and stunned after reading this incredible crime fiction novel. I am a big fan of SA Cosby books but this is definitely my favorite. In the last few chapters I had to put the book down because I was sobbing, I am wrecked emotionally.

A retelling of the Godfather, Roman is a rich music executive from Atlanta that has to go home because his father Keith is in the hospital. His sister Nevaeh is keeping the family together as usual, and his brother Dante has gotten himself in seriously hot water again. Their mother went missing 10 years ago, and everyone in town thinks that their father Keith murdered her, because he is the owner of the town Crematorium. Hence the title, King of Ashes.

The title has a double meaning, not only because of the crematorium, but also Roman may be the head of this family but it is a family in ruins. In trying to help Dante out of trouble, Roman takes what comes at him. A typical SA Cosby hero, Roman is morally gray, smarter than everyone around him, and always appearing to be in control. These characters are so fantastic and they will stay with me a long time. This was fast paced, very gruesome, even by SA Cosby standards, and utterly tragic. The story unfolded like sinking into quicksand.

Audiobook review- the narrator Adam Lazarre-White has voiced all of the SA Cosby books (and also some sports memoirs I have listened to). I think he is at the absolute pinnacle of narrators. It is wildly difficult to voice as many characters, male and female, and be as engaging as he is.

This is absolutely the best crime fiction of 2025, and one of the top 10 mystery/thrillers of 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC. Book to be published June 10, 2025.

Family drama hits different when everything is on fire!

S.A. Cosby’s writing is cinematic—action-packed and emotional, like you're right there in every smoky room, and every dangerous deal. It’s dark, gritty, and grounded in love, loyalty, and survival.
5 stars. No question. This is the kind of story that burns into your brain long after the last page.

Once again, Adam Lazarre- White came through with an AMAZING narration!

Thank you Flatiron Books for the advanced listener copy!

Wow. This was intense and dark, even by S.A. Cosby standards. I know it says it was inspired by The Godfather, but add quite a dash of Breaking Bad into the mix. What lengths will a man go to in order to protect his family? How will he justify it to himself? This is bleak, dark, violent, and so very compelling.