I get giddy when I see a new Cosby title! If you're a fan of his and I told you the family in this book owns a crematorium, then you already know! It's delightfully dark for those of you who are into such things. Family loyalty, corrupt cops, and gang activity in a small town. Razorblade Tears is still my favorite, but this one ranks pretty close! Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

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King of Ashes - S.A. Cosby

Y’all! Cosby has officially outdone himself. King of Ashes is a masterclass in gritty storytelling, emotional depth, and cinematic pacing—I swear, reading this felt like watching a high-stakes thriller unfold on screen. It’s raw, intense, and full of fire (pun intended).

This one reads like a summer blockbuster—and fittingly, it hits shelves June 10th. The story follows Roman Carruthers, a man with a sharp mind for finance and an even sharper instinct for survival, as he’s pulled back to his small-town roots and into a blazing mess of family secrets, criminal debts, and a suspicious accident that lands his father in a coma. The Carruthers siblings—Roman, Neveah, and Dante—are so richly developed and emotionally layered that I felt every hit they took, every choice they made. The stakes are high, and the twists? Brutal in the best way.

Cosby’s writing is so tight and cinematic, you can practically see the action scenes unfold in your mind. Every chapter builds with unrelenting tension, and just when you think you know where it’s going—it flips everything. Roman is the kind of flawed, reluctant hero I love: fiercely loyal, quietly dangerous, and full of heart.

This is my new favorite from Cosby. It’s not just action-packed—it’s personal. Family, loyalty, vengeance, and the ghosts of the past collide in unforgettable ways.

Huge thanks to @netgalley and @flatiron_books for the advanced copy!

Have yall read any of Cosby’s other books? If so, what’s your fave?

#KingOfAshes #SACosby #ThrillerBooks #CrimeFiction #SummerBlockbusterRead #ReadingWithBrian #Bookstagram The #FamilyDrama #MustReadThriller #EverythingBurns #PageTurner #CinematicReads #NetGalleyReviewer #FlatironBooks

S. A. Cosby has done it again. I would award this more than five stars if I could. He excels at writing dark southern thrillers that pit regular folks against the forces of evil. In King of Ashes, Roman returns home to Jefferson Run,VA after his father is in a serious car accident that leaves him in a coma. Turns out, it wasn’t an accident, it was a message being sent to his younger brother to pay up on a large debt. In an effort to save his family, Roman, a financial advisor, makes a deal with the devil.
This is not a book for the faint of heart. There is a lot of violence in this book, a ton of graphic descriptions. But Cosby doesn’t rely on just fast pacing and dark plot lines; he excels at character development. Cosby focuses on the strength of family ties, of going all out to help siblings. As an only child, I found Roman’s willingness to help his screwup of a brother, Dante, amazing. I was totally engrossed to see how far Roman would be willing to go to save his family from the mess that Dante had landed them in. As the story goes on, Roman steps further into the dark side and it was fascinating to watch him go down that slippery slope. Dante was also a fully fleshed out character. It would have been easy to make him into a caricature. But Cosby made him feel real. So real, I spent most of the book wanting to strangle him.
The story encompasses so many deep themes - duty, loyalty, revenge, secrets, true evil. There is a Greek tragedy feel to it. By the end, I was gasping, it was so heartbreaking.
I listened to this and it was a fabulous audio experience. Adam Lazard-White was just the perfect narrator.

The audio version of this amazing. The narrator brings the characters and story to life. He has narrated many of Cosby’s books and I will search them out for a listen
There are some books that take you to the exact place described in the story. SA Cosby has a definitive talent to build a world and the characters in it. His prose are as if he is setting up a movie script, with every detail perfectly articulated. His writing is smart and colorful. His work is gritty, painful and harsh. King of Ashes is exactly as I would have imagined it. The Carothers family - parents, Roman, Dante, and Nevaeh are raised in Falls Virginia. By all accounts they are part of the upper echelon of the area, but in real life theirs is one of lack of love, infidelity and crime. But family always takes care of family.
The story bounces between 2004 and now. The now occurs after their father is in a coma from a terrible accident. Roman, a wiz of a financier, comes home due to the accident and finds his younger brother Dante is heavily involved in the local gang, a brutal and dangerous affiliation that runs the cities corruption. Roman makes deals with the devil to help Dante pay his debts. But, his involvement soon becomes a new way of life that he doesn’t like, but continues to survive. The end of the story is a WOW moment as truths come about and the family is thrown into unimaginable turmoil.

Wow. Just wow. I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come!

Roman Carruthers returns to his hometown of Jefferson Run to reunite with his brother Dante and sister Naveah after their father suffers a terrible accident. What follows is a heartbreaking display of a family that has suffered trauma, and the path each of them chooses to cope.

This book is gritty, shocking and devastating but I could not put it down.

Not only is the story unforgettable, but Adam Lazarre-White is incredible narrator and I absolutely plan to seek out more of his work!

UNPUTDOWNABLE!!! A 6🌟read!!

S.A. Cosby is another automatic read author for me. Whatever he writes, I will read it. And he has outdone himself with this Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic. It is gritty and gruesome, more than his other books, and he writes that kind of horror so poetically it’s perfection. This has his signature razor-sharp prose and morally complex characters, that gives us a story that’s both deeply intimate and cut-throat explosive. Every chapter is a masterclass in tension, a slow burn that erupts into flames! 🔥

At a loss for words. I’m too stunned to speak. I sat in place for a good 7mins just in awe of how good this story was. Dramatic much? Yes! I loved it! That man was minding his rich business in ATL, now look at him. The “King of He’ll”. I knew Donte would ended up where he did because he’s dumb, and didn’t listen to save his life…literally!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

When Roman Carruthers goes home to Jefferson Run, VA, he thinks it's as simple as being there for his siblings after their father ends up in the hospital from a car accident. Little does he know that his younger brother Dante's actions are about to wrap him into a complicated endeavor that risks all of their lives. Now Roman must use all the smarts he's gained from his upbringing and his career as a financial advisor to the very wealthy to try and get them all out alive.

S.A. Cosby knows how to walk that line of gut-wrenchingly beautiful writing with a slow burn, propulsive plot. Nothing and no one are as they seem and it's an enjoyable frustration to keep reading to see where this author is going to take you, as a reader. The only downside to listening to the audiobook was that the narrator (who I think has narrated Cosby's other novels) is not very good at doing female voices. While the many male characters each have a nuance to the tone of their voices, the women all sound the same--a nasally twang that can distract from their roles in the story. Overall, this another banger from S.A. Cosby; definitely worth picking up.

King of Ashes is out June 10, 2025

Wowwww!! Speechless is the only word I can find to describe S.A Cosby every single time. Because the action packed and plot twist was chef kiss. The audiobook was amazing well done. I will definitely be listening again and can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy when it gets released. This book was 10000/10 across the board and more.

The narrator for this book was amazing. In typical S.A. Cosby writing, the story was detailed, painful, and real. The characters are relatable and it broke my heart as the story progressed. The main character Roman would do anything for his family, and you have to follow his path down a road he doesn’t belong on. Roman was meant for so much more than where he goes in the story and that was difficult. There were points in the story that were drawn out a bit and felt slow and seemed to drag, but overall this was a beautifully written story.

Cosby does it again!!!!! I was hooked from the first page. I was rooting for these siblings and loved the mystery surrounding their mom, the little insider tips of the trade and how we got to truly get to know every single one of these characters! I was blown away and even though I wanted the family to find peace I didn't want this book to end! What a wild ride.

S.A. Cosby just gets better and better! Roman goes back home when his brother Dante gets caught up with a rough crowd, and those men sent them a message by causing an accident that left their father in the hospital and unresponsive. This book legitimately broke my heart. It is about family at its core, and how secrets can burn a hole through an entire family. This book was action packed as well, and raw and gritty like only Cosby can write. I want to talk for hours about this book, but I have to say this one may be as great, if not a tad bit better, than Razorblade Tears (which is/was my favorite book by Cosby). The intricate levels of the family dynamic and how they can fall apart had me absolutely devastated. This is a must read for everyone!

King of Ashes is the new S. A. Cosby thriller novel and, just like in any of his previous novels, the writing and character development are flawless.
It's raw, heavy, violent, uncomfortable to read and yet we, the readers, seem to be hipnotised by it.
If you have read a book by this author before, you know what to expect from this one.
I personally enjoyed most of what I've read by this author, and I was very eager to read his upcoming new book.
I liked it, but it seems that I've become a little less tolerant reader of violent and gruesome stories. Up until 2 years ago (when I last read a book by this author) I loved everything about it, includind the action-packed violent scenes.
But now? I noticed I've been struggling with raw violence in books (as well as in movies). I haven't been enjoying it, really.
And King of Ashes is one of Cosby's most violent books.
Also, there is a big part of the plot about (or focused on) drug-dealers business, which is a topic that definitely does not appeal to me.

This book didn't work so well for me because I am not happy reading a story about drug dealers. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the author's writing, it is just me. The story didn't work for me, that's all. When it focused on the siblings relationships, I loved it. But when it focused on the drugs plot, it lost me.

But I can easily recommend this book to anyone who has read a book by this author and enjoyed the writing style.
I listened to the audiobook, which was once again narrated by Adam Lazarre-White, and it was great, as usual. No complaints or reservations regards the audio production. If you're into audiobooks, go for this one.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for allowing me to listen to a free advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I had the pleasure of receiving an arc of the audiobook King of Ashes by the talented S.A. Cosby, narrated by Adam Lazarre-White who not only has a flawless delivery of character and context, but gives a rich gorgeous baritone flavor for the listener.

King of Ashes is my fifth Cosby book. I discovered Blacktop Wasteland first and hungrily devoured my way from there. When I bring up this author I get polarized answers because of his uniqueness in tone. I want and crave uniqueness in the reading world. I don't want another copy of something, I want to experience different and memorable and that is how I describe Cosby's writing. He delivers a rawness about topics that may be uncomfortable for some readers. Cosby will always educate his readers whether you realize it or not and that's why he is a favorite in my personal library. He delivers very important socioeconomic points within his passages. Brings up scenarios I would have never considered in many situations and why they came to be. There are exchanges in this novel that give you many layers to the characters and makes you think beyond the surfaces. Street gangs aren't always just muscle and weapons. Not everything works out the way you hope it will no matter how many steps ahead you think you are. Sometimes justice isn't carried out ways you think they will.

Roman comes home after being away for many years leaving behind his dad, sister (Neveah) and little brother(Dante). Roman remembers times of hardship his siblings never had to experience. what his parent's had to do to get by and what his father told him had to be done. Neveah had been left with the full weight of the crematorium business when their mom went missing years ago after a scandal and more recently when their dad was attacked and left in a coma. Dante confesses that it's his fault their dad was attacked and he doesn't know how to get himself and now the family out of trouble. Roman assumes the responsible role to get his family out of trouble with his quick wit and knowledge of finances. As the story progresses we meet the gang who is after Dante and why. We also learn that the family has been hiding a very dark secret. Will their dad wake from the coma in time to confess the truth? Will Roman be able to outsmart the BBB gang before he loses everything? In the end we learn...everything burns.

Another outstanding novel by the talented S.A. Crosby - this one of family dynamics and the impact of past trauma. Three siblings: one a money-making machine, the middle sister a hard-working loner, the youngest a drug addict, all brought back together while their father is in hospital following an accident - or was it? This is a gripping family saga that reveals the pain at the heart of the family left by their mother who went missing decades ago. A raw and unflinching look at today’s urban problems with gangs, poor policing, and compromised politicians. This kept me listening compulsively right to the end. Excellent character narration for the audiobook. Highly recommended!
My thanks to the author, publisher, @MacmillanAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook #KingofAshes for review purposes. Publication date: 10 June 2025. Reserve your copy today!

I have loved all of S.A. Cosby's books, but this one is my new favorite by him and definitely my favorite book I've read this year. It had me on the edge of my seat and felt like a movie in my mind. There were so many elements that I loved, that it's difficult to fully put into words. I think this book made me feel every emotion possible.

I adored Roman. His personality, intelligence, love for his family, private quirks, etc. That man was truly a man of action and didn't play about his people. The dynamics of the family were so layered and complex that every scene involving the siblings grabbed my attention.

The twist towards the end got me good. I found myself replaying just to be sure I heard what I thought I heard.
I don't think any review can really do this book its full justice, so if you're reading this, read the book.

This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be back for more. I received an audio arc for this book.

The narrator is perfection, he should do a romance book at some point. I was happy to see he also narrates other books by this author.

The story kept me engaged the entire time. It was interesting to see the storyline from each sibling's point of view. It didn't end the way I imagined and I could see a potential sequel in the future.

I hereby bestow the crown to the S.A. Cosby, the KING of crime fiction. Some of the content of Cosby ‘s books are horrific, but he writes in such a smooth, comforting style, that I will literally read and love anything and everything he writes. Roman, the protagonist, is such a strong, enthralling character made more so by the buttery smooth voice of Adam Lazarre-White, whose voice made me swoon on every auditory page (or whatever is equivalent to a page in an audiobook). What a magical combination White and Cosby make. I’ve read all of Cosby’s books and I can safely say that this book had the most disturbing violence of them all, but may also be packed with the most love and devotion, if that is possible. The plot was complex, but understandable, and so unique. I can’t express the feeling I get from finishing a book by S.A. Cosby. Unless you have delicate sensibilities, give this a try! Unending thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The books starts a little slow, Roman has to go back home because something horrible has happened. His Family owns a crematory, his fathers in the hospital and his siblings are in their own ways living in disarray. Roman sets out to protect his family by any means necessary even and he does just that. S.A Cosby is an amazing story teller and he left me which my mouth on the floor.

I am telling you now that this book will be a movie. Hands down.
Whew!! ROMAN!
King of Ashes was so good. It exploded from the plot. The structure of the plot is well-written.
The characters are well-developed and the chemistry jumped in your face.
I don't want to give away too much but there are twists and turns and heartbreak.
The creamaotorium setting.. spot on!
"eventually... everything burns"...
The criminal world that after Dante (Roman's brother) is ROUGH. But Roman doesn't play.
READ THIS BOOK!