SA Cosby’s darkest book yet, which is truly impressive. The type of read where 45 mins in, you know there’s no “good” ending possible.

Thanks to Flatiron and NetGalley for an early audiobook copy. Related, Adam Lazarre-White should read all the books, he’s that good.

King of Ashes by SA Cosby is the story of Roman Carruthers, a financial advisor in Atlanta, who gets called home to help his sister and brother after their father is hospitalized following a bad car accident. After returning home his brother tells him the truth of what happened to their father and Roman is sucked into the criminal underworld of Jackson Run, the town where he grew up.

The story that follows is an edge of your seat thriller that puts its foot on the gas and never lets up. Cosby weaves an intricate drama of a family grieving a loss, who are in over their heads with in a business that they only sort of understand. Underneath all of that the story also is a mystery and Nevaeh, Roman's sister, works to uncover the truth of what happened to their mother - who disappeared when the kids were all young.

I couldn't stop turning the metaphorical pages of this book (I was listening to it on audio) and several times found himself stopping what I was doing to just stand and listen to the book. I even messed up an entirely meal as I was entering into the climax of the book because I was too invested and stressed out over what was happening to the characters.

On top of all of that, writing was excellent. That combined with great characters and a great story means that I'm definitely going to dive into all of SA Cosby's other books. This was definitely a 5-star read for me.

And because I listened to the audio I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Adam Lazarre-White was a fantastic narrator. Enough so that I probably add all the other books he's worked on to my TBR.

Thank you to SA Cosby for writing this, and Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio for supplying me with the ARC, and as always to NetGalley for being the vehicle with which I received this book.

4.5 Stars. I was excited to receive the ARC for S.A. Cosby's latest book, The King of Ashes. Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this exhilarating and gritty family drama. It was a violent, brutal, and disturbing story of family secrets, loyalty and revenge. Although the story was dark, the writing was lyrical and packed an emotional wallop. Cosby is an absolute favourite author, and I stop whatever I am reading to move his books to the top of my list. The talented narrator, Adam Lazarre-White, does an outstanding job, and it was impossible to put the book aside.

A crematorium is in the background and sometimes moves to the forefront. As events become darker, the only light emitted is from the crematorium furnace. The family characters are flawed and intriguing while evoking sympathy. They make some terrible choices. I found it fast-paced, gory, explosive, and stress-inducing. I loved it!

"Everything burns, but sometimes end up in the gutter where they belong." My only problem was the vast number of secondary characters, girlfriends and sociopathic gang members. With an audiobook, it wasn't easy to go back and keep the names straight. I intend to read a print book as soon as it is available. I have no doubt it will be a 5-star review.

Roman Carruthers is called to come home because his father was in a terrible car accident, and lies near death in a coma. His father and mother started the Carruthers Crematorium, and the father was referred to as the King of Ashes. The mother disappeared when the three children were teenagers. Roman is proud of being a financial genius with the talent of making his clients rich. He rarely uses ethical means, but as long as his client's funds increase, so do his. Roman arrives to find his younger brother Dante in danger. He owes a lot of money to hardened gangsters, borrowed to support his alcohol and drug addictions. His sister, Neveah, is exhausted from running the crematorium alone and has little time on her own. She is obsessed with her mother's disappearance. Rumours have circulated that their father murdered her. Dante keeps a reckless lifestyle, always making their problems worse.

Roman will do anything to save his family. It has become clear that his father's fatal injury was not an accident. Roman is overconfident. He pays most of Dante's debt to the gangsters but thinks he can make a deal with them. He tells them he can earn them significantly more money than they are owed. They refuse, and Roman ends up doing some jobs for them as demanded. Is Roman morally justified in going so far to save his siblings? How much is too far? He has no experience dealing with deadly, depraved sociopaths.

The story has many disturbing twists. It is highly recommended, but be aware that it is grim, brutal and heart-wrenching. The publication date is June 10th.

Thank you to NetGalley and to MacMillan Audio for the ARC of King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby.

As a big fan of S.A. Cosby I jumped for joy when I saw I was approved to listen to his new book. Razorblade Tears is one of my favorite books and I can now add King of Ashes as well! This is an incredible read I cannot wait to see what happens next. I was hooked beginning to end. And I love the narrator's voice.

SA Cosby is one of those no blurb needed authors. It he writes it I want it. He never disappoints with darkness and one hell of a story. This book had the strong characters I come to expect from Cosby and they show you just how far some will go for family. His books are also always amazing on audio! Thank you for my early copy.

Once again this author leaves me on the edge of my seat. Emotionally invested in all the characters and didn't expect that ending

King of Ashes was so good. I love S. A. Cosby’s books, and this was no exception. It was full of unexpected twists and turns. Loved it and could totally see this being turned into a movie.

Oh. My. God. King of Ashes had me in a full-blown state of anxiety for half the book. I was absolutely hooked from the start. It felt like Sons of Anarchy crashed into the gritty (over-exaggerated) reality of the streets, and the result was pure chaos. The drama? Unrelenting. The violence? Brutal. The lies? Layered and messy. Every time I thought I could breathe, something else exploded (literally). It’s raw, fast-paced, and emotionally intense. I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and to MacMillan Audio for the ARC of King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby.

This is my second Cosby read, my first being Razorblade Tears. Cosby continues to be a master of suspense, and navigating the risks a person is willing to take to protect their family.

In King of Ashes, it felt like Cosby made an even darker turn from Razorblade Tears in the journey of Roman, the oldest of three siblings, who returns home to Virginia after his father has been in a car accident. It turns out Roman's brother, Dante, has been involved in drug dealing gone wrong, and is in debt to the wrong people, and they are more than willing to go after his family. Hoping to protect Dante, their sister, Neveah, and their comatose father, Roman inserts himself with the crew, but can he save his family using his financial skills? Or will they push him too far?

Running alongside this story is the past history of the family and their mother's disappearance 20 years prior which has left an indelible mark on the siblings and their father. As her brothers keep her out of the loop on the new dangers Dante has caused, Neveah takes it upon herself to find out what really happened those 20 years ago.

Both siblings are trying to save their family, just in different points of time. Cosby wonderfully shows how trauma lingers, both in Roman's present actions, and in how he and Neveah talk about their lives since losing their mother and the affect it had on their relationships with each other and with others. All interactions with Dante sting - you want to help him and you want to hate him in equal measure for his damage and his ineptitude while his siblings navigate life in their own guarded and damaged ways.

Listening to the audio was a bit difficult in some of the more violent scenes (I have a personal fear of any sort of teeth smashing) -- again, this felt a lot darker than Razorblade Tears, and some of the violence was hard to listen to, as oppose to reading where it could be moved through more quickly. My compliments to Adam Lazarre-White for making that so difficult to listen to, and for his excellent narration throughout to provide distinct voice to each character and the southern setting.

let .it. all .burn.
this was so freaking good. the writing is spectacular, the darkness and the twists are so well done. this version of Americana is so gritty , you can't wash it away.
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio ARC.

Roman is summoned home to Jefferson Run when his farther is in a serious crash. Hospitalized and unresponsive, he comes home to help his sister with the family business a crematorium. Upon his arrival he sees his brother got in over his head with some local gangsters. In trying to help get his brother out of trouble he’s sucked in. Roman uses his financial skills to try and get on these guys good side, but so they even have a good side? And will they realize Roman can not be backed down?
I enjoyed this audio book, but it was not what I expected. There was the family drama and backstory that sucked me in but the gangster story was a little intense for me. And that ending! Overall a good read!

King of Ashes was one of my most anticipated book releases for the year and it did not DISAPPOINT! Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced listener copy!

S.A. Cosby is an auto read author for me. His pen game is the best when it comes to thriller and action. It’s like the reader becomes apart of the story and is watching it all happen. That’s how cinematic I feel his writing style is. If you are familiar with his work; you know drugs, family drama, and crime are at the forefront and King of Ashes ran through all of that. The narration by Adam Lazarre-White was absolutely incredible as always.

I can’t wait to get a physical copy on release day.

5 stars

5 stars. No question. This is the kind of story that will stay on your mind long after the last page.
Richmond, VA is my hometown so its always fun to read books that are in or around an area I am aware of.

I went into this book completely blind & I am so glad I did. In true SA Cosby form this book packs a punch! There are so many twisted things in this story. It is incredibly well written, keeps you hooked, on the edge of your seat and unable to put it down.

The main character Roman return home to help because his father is in a terrible car accident, in the hospital but was it an accident? Upon his return he finds the town he grew up in has changed, many places have closed , and now the town is dangerous due to gang violence. His brother Dante screws over a top gang and now his families lives are in danger. His sister Neveah is obsessed in finding out what happened to their mother several years ago when their mom disappeared. Roman also is helping to run the family business, a crematorium.
What lengths would you go to in order to protect your family?

S.A. Cosby’s writing is incredibly expressive—action-packed & emotional. Its dark, its gritty but all grounded in love & loyalty.
Once again, Adam Lazarre- White came through with an amazing narration!
Thank you @netgalley, @macmillan.audio & Flatiron Books

First, let me start by issuing a sincere apology to the audiobook I was listening to when I got the email from NetGalley and the publisher offering me this audiobook as an advanced copy. I dropped you like a hot rock, and honestly, that wasn’t very nice. But come on—King Cosby and his royal prince Adam Lazarre-White came calling. Who am I to deny royalty? I’m reading everything he writes.

All kidding aside, the king of crime noir has done it again. King of Ashes is another gripping, gritty, bleak, and violent story packed with some of the most compelling characters you’ll ever meet—none of whom are particularly likable, by the way. And yet, Cosby is so damn good at what he does, you still get them. You might not agree with their choices, but you understand where they’re coming from. That’s real storytelling.

Now, unlike All the Sinners Bleed, where I straight-up loved the character of Titus, this one doesn’t have that kind of anchor. You won’t find many hearts of gold here. But again, that’s not what this book is about. It’s a scorched-earth revenge tale that reads like a big-budget, high-stakes movie—complete with an ending that absolutely obliterates. And let’s talk about that twist… didn’t see it coming. At all.

This book is dark. Like, NC-17 level dark. Violent, brutal, and emotionally raw in a way that hits hard and doesn’t let up. It’s unlike anything I’ve picked up in a while, and I mean that in the best way possible.

And a special shoutout to Adam Lazarre-White—his narration is ELITE. His voice is just built for Cosby’s worlds. So yeah, correction: I’ll continue to consume everything Cosby writes… but I’ll be listening, not reading. Because that combo? UNMATCHED!

Ooooof that ending. So good. Once again SA Cosby delivers a gritty, dark, wild novel. Roman is a fully fleshed character who deeply loves his family but is certainly flawed. This didn’t have quite the emotional impact that Razorblade Tears or All The Sinners Bleed had but still really enjoyed it!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGally for an ALC!

S. A. Cosby has done it yet again! I was completely enraptured by this story and invested in our main characters from the start. As Roman Carruthers works to pick up the pieces of his brother’s life and protect his family, he finds himself in deeper than expected. There is violence, mystery, and a splash of romance in this epic novel about family loyalty and organized crime.

Thank you, S. A. Cosby, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this audiobook! The sound quality was excellent. The narrator, Adam Lazarre-White, was a familiar voice and did a fantastic job of bringing the story and characters to life.

I dropped everything to read this as soon as I got it. S A Cosby is a master storyteller and I was all in with King of Ashes. This was one of the books that I most looking forward to reading and it did not disappoint one little bit. It was everything that I hoped it would be and more.

Brilliant narrative from Adam Lazarre White once again, he just has that voice that is perfect for these characters that Cosby creates. He always does a magnificent job keeping all the characters unique for the listener, so that at no time do we get confused.

Now there are some pretty detestable characters in this book. It is a a look into the world of underground criminal gangs. It is dark, dangerous and violent, really violent. Some scenes did turn my stomach, but they felt so real. When the family owns a crematorium it makes sense to make use of it! Everything Burns….

Roman was a bit of a hard character to warm to, although he was doing his best to help his family. There was just something about him that keeps me from liking him. He was pretty selfish but I guess with his way of life you have to be.

The many twists were just brilliant, especially that last one. Wow, I didn’t see that coming.

A brilliant crime epic and family drama from a favourite author. Absolutely one to get in your TBR.

Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for my early copy to listen to . Out on June 10th

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.