King of Ashes is one of S.A. Cosby’s finest — dark, suspenseful, and packed with morally gray characters you can’t look away from. Twists come hard and fast, but at the heart of it all is a deeper mystery that keeps you guessing until the last page. Cosby’s sharp writing and relentless tension make this a must-read for fans of gritty, unforgettable crime fiction.

Due out June 10th!

S.A. Cosby is an exquisite author, and Adam Lazarre-White makes his characters fully come to life. There were several passages that Lazarre-White's narration felt intensely diabolical, so convincingly sinister. And King of Ashes is by far Cosby's most unsettling book yet.

Roman Carruthers lives in Atlanta where he's in wealth management for famous athletes and musicians. His tricks of the trade aren't all above board, but he thrives on the game. When he learns that his father has been in an accident, he goes home to Virginia, to his siblings and the family business.

Back in his hometown, his sister Neveah has worked alongside their father in the family's crematorium. She's been the only one who joined their father, while their younger brother Dante spends his time partying. With Roman home, Dante is forced to admit that he owes a lot of money to some awful people. Since money is what he knows best, Roman approaches the repayment as a businessman, discovering as he's absorbed into their circle that these aren't your average criminals.

Full of violence, rage, depravity, and casual brutality, Roman's plan to save his brother puts them all in danger. Every moment has potential for violence and death when any act or statement is viewed as a betrayal.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audiobook ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

How do I put into words the love I have for all of S.A. Cosby's books!! This one DOES. NOT. DISAPPOINT. This was dark and gritty and thrilling and I loved every bit of it. The audiobook narration by Adam Lazarre-White is perfection! Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

An excellent read. Never disappointed by Cosby’s works. Especially loved the Jordan Harper Easter egg. Not sure if it was due to the fact that this is a pre-release version, but there were a few tonal changes that I found distracting. I did like the narrator and look forward to more of their audio work.

Roman Carruthers returns home after his father’s car accident and discovers that his family is in serious trouble. His brother Dante is in debt to some dangerous criminals, and his sister Neveah is overwhelmed with running the family crematory business. It soon becomes clear to Roman that his father’s accident was not an accident after all. Roman, a financial expert, tries to use his financial expertise and money to solve his family’s problems. He quickly realizes his family is in more danger than he originally thought. As Roman works for the criminals his brother got caught up with, his sister is determined to uncover the mystery of their mother’s disappearance. Roman is willing to do whatever it takes to save his family as everything around him continues to collapse.

I am a huge fan of S.A. Cosby, so I jumped at the chance to review his latest book. This one definitely did not disappoint. Cosby always includes vivid descriptions in his writing that make you feel like you are right there with the characters. I was immediately drawn into the story and hooked from the start. I had to find out what would happen to the Carruthers family. Adam Lazarre-White did an amazing job narrating the story. Cosby couldn’t have picked a better narrator! I highly recommend this one to anyone that enjoys action-packed thrillers! I give this one 4.75/5 stars.

“Everything burns”

Adam Lazarre-White absolutely kills it again with the narration for S.A. Cosby’s new book. He just gets every character, no matter their race or gender, and it makes the whole story that much more real and unforgettable.

Now, let’s get into the story. How far would you go to protect your family? That’s the question that stayed in my head the whole time I was reading. Every family’s got their drama, and the Carruthers family is no different. After their dad has a near-fatal accident, Roman heads back home to Virginia from Atlanta. His sister Neveah is beyond exhausted with trying to keep their family business (a crematorium) afloat, and their little brother Dante is in deep with some really dangerous people. Roman steps up to do what big brothers are supposed to do: protect.

I’m not gonna lie - Dante had me wanting to throw the book a few times. He made some awful choices that just kept making things worse. But the truth is, each sibling was battling demons of their own, far beyond what was visible on the surface. And right at the center of everything, there’s a mystery that could blow up what’s left of their family ties.

I loved the pace of the story - the slow burn into that intense ending was perfect. And Roman? Man, I loved how he had two sides. On one hand, he’s this super smart finance nerd. On the other? Yeah… you definitely don’t want to mess with him.

King of Ashes is easily one of my new favorites from S.A. Cosby. And if you’ve read his earlier books, there’s a little cameo that’s gonna make you smile. Highly recommend checking it out!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the amazing audiobook!

I had the opportunity to listen to an advanced audio copy of King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby, and it absolutely lived up to my high expectations. I’ve always loved Cosby’s work and the unique perspective he brings to his stories, and this book was no exception.

His ability to craft complicated, deeply human characters and make their lives feel so rich and layered is truly remarkable. I also love the grittiness of his writing—it pulls you in immediately and doesn’t let go. I flew through this audiobook and honestly didn’t want it to end. King of Ashes dives into family complications, fraud, love, and so much more, delivering a raw, powerful story that stays with you long after it’s finished.

S.A. Cosby has delivered another thrilling, gripping, shocking, intense and beautifully written book! He continues to amaze me with his lyrical and emotion evoking writing. I like to call what he writes Southern Grit. It is gritty, raw, brutal, beautiful, and so very human. He shows us the best and the worst in his well-rounded characters. He doesn't shy away from violent scenes as he doesn't shy away from showing the vulnerability in his characters. Speaking of characters, that is what it is all about for me with his books. S. A. Cosby writes characters that I grow to care for, become invested in, and enjoy spending time with. He also creates characters that I enjoy booing and hissing at as well. He shows the good, the bad, and the in-between in his books. Make no mistake about it, King of Ashes is bloody fantastic! In fact, it's so hot that it might just burn its way onto your favorite book list.

Who says you can never go home again? Roman Carruthers is called home after his father has been in an accident. His sister, Neveah, and his father have been running Carruthers Crematorium, the family business while his brother, Dante has gotten himself into some hot water with local criminals. When Roman learns that his father's accident may not have been an 'accident' and that his brother, Dante has put them all in danger, he knows he must step in.

Roman is a whiz with number and is a fast thinker but will that be enough to save them when danger comes calling?????? Holy Moly! This book becomes intense fast and when S.A. Cosby puts his foot on the pedal, he never let up. The action, drama, tension, dread, and sense of doom never end. There is no down time as the danger mounts and smoke keeps pumping out of the crematorium.

If that is not enough, there is also the mystery of what happened to their mother who went missing all those years ago. Family secrets, loyalty, danger, and survival all come into play as Roman does his best to save his family in a town where everything burns!

Whew! As I mentioned, this book is beautifully written, raw, gritty, and hard to put down. I was instantly drawn into this book which ferociously grabbed my attention and never let go. I loved the fully fleshed out characters, vivid descriptions, their relationships, and the riveting plot in this book.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Adam Lazarre-White, did an amazing job of bringing this book to life!

If S.A. Cosby writes it, I am going to read it!

Highly Recommend.

So S. A. Cosby is one of my favorite writers, and this was fantastic (if a bit gruesome).



Review copy provided by publisher.

S.A. Cosby is incapable of writing a bad book or telling a bad story. I so thoroughly enjoy his writing, the way he develops his characters, the way things always come full circle -- it's just so impressive. It is truly a privilege to be able to read his work.

The narration was AMAZING. I had an incredible time listening to this novel and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading mysteries about family trauma & escaping gang life.

This story follows Roman and his siblings Neveah and Dante. Roman is the eldest sibling that made it out of the small town. Dante is the brother who just can’t get it right. Neveah is the one stuck keeping things together including the family business. At the beginning of the book, Roman is told that he needs to come home because their father is in a coma. Upon his return he finds out his brother is in big trouble and Roman will stop at nothing to protect his family.

I don’t want to give too much away, but S.A Cosby can tell a story. The main plot was juicy and had so many layers, but the subplot was equally as good. Things I loved the most:

- Even though Roman was the main character, each of the siblings felt complete. They all grieved and coped differently but neither outshined the other. They each had their own lane.
- Khalil was such an important character. I loved what he brought to the story. We knew a little bit about him but not too much so he could maintain his mystique.
- Roman's inner thoughts vs what he presented to the world - it was always good to hear him think.
- Neveah surprised me in the end, but everyone has their breaking point.

I listened to the audiobook and Adam Lazar White's voice is so deep, almost soothing, and his narration really brought this book to life.

Overall, this was a phenomenal book and I can't wait to get my hardcopy.

S.A.Cosby does it again! If you have not read of his books what are you waiting for? No really

This crime thriller has so much to keep you entertained and captivated. Roman is making moves and you will have to read and see how it all plays out because Roman will do anything and everything to protect his family.
Buckle up for the ride!


Sidenote: If you haven't read any of their books before I highly encourage you to do so. There may be some people you see again here.

I received the advanced listening copy (ALC) from Macmillan audio via Netgalley. Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me to provide my genuine and authentic review on this ALC.

First off, the narrator? EXQUISITE! I will be listening to many other books with this narrator and by SA Cosby.

I enjoyed listening to this book. It was my first SA Cosby novel but he has always been on my radar and TBR.

I really enjoyed the story, and there is a twist! Multiple twists I say, and I really enjoyed how all of that came together in the end.

I highly recommend this novel. It is a good crime/thriller read, perfect for anytime you need that fix and it didn’t disappoint!

S.A. Cosby just doesn’t miss! This was a wild ride filled with mystery, violence, trauma, secrets, and pain. The way he writes is absolutely beautiful and this did not let me down. The family dynamics in this was great. I loved the mystery surrounding the mom and I was SO wrong! Roman and his relationship with both his siblings was written really well. Each sibling had their “stuff”. Roman was a true protector type big brother.
The ending had my mouth on the floor!
Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc.
There were a lot of side characters and I think the narrator did an awesome job distinguishing different voices through the audiobook. This was amazing as are all his other novels.

Thank you for an advance audio copy of this book. I have LOVED this author in the past, Razorblade Tears and All the Sinners Bleed were 2 of my favorites and this one did not disappoint. We meet the Carrauthers family who own a crematorium in Virginia...a bad sign of things to come. Roman returns home when his dad is in a bad accident...and finds his brother is in a bad situation with a local organized crime gang. The trouble goes from there. This book is definitely dark. Violent. But it needed to be that at times. The mystery and suspense is top notch. Great writing. These are not perfect characters. But they love each other...family over everything. That was intense. 4:5 stars .

Absolutely incredible! S.A. Cosby can write a damn book! When you combine his writing with Adam Lazarre-White’s narration, it’s going to be amazing every single time. The story was perfectly paced, with just the right amount of grit and action.

What I love most about Cosby’s writing style is how he always gives us a character you know, a character you can identify with, and a character you shouldn’t be rooting for—but you do anyway.

And don’t even get me started on how he writes the sidekicks in these novels—I love them just as much!

*Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio for this audio ARC!*
Ughhhhh this was absolutely heart wrenching! No one does a gritty family drama quite like S.A. Cosby. I read Razorblade Tears a couple of years ago (loved the little crossover near the end of this book!) and absolutely loved it!
There's something about Cosby's writing that is so immersive. I always find his characters so easy to picture in my head and feel like his books would make amazing tv series. The audiobook is fantastically done, I believe Razorblade Tears was narrated by the same person and they really bring the story to life. Cosby's books can be a bit violent but if you can handle that, I think it's done in a way that really adds to the story.
It's really rare for a book to make me tear up but King of Ashes does it for me! I won't forget about Roman, Nevaeh and Dante for a looong time.

Not sure how Cosby keeps doing it, but here we are. First off, the narration of all his books is ALWAYS spot on. Absolutely gripping. This book was very, very dark but super engaging. I couldn't stop listening. Do your self a favor and don't miss anything that Cosby puts out!!

Cosby does it again. Everything this author writes is golden. The character development, the suspense and the loyalty to family are a few things that captured me in this book.
This book was dark. Gave me Godfather vibes but man was this book good. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this book. The audiobook was very good. The narrator was easy to follow, passionate when delivering and kept me listening.
A great book that I will recommend once it is released.

I have loved all S.A. Cosby's novels. He is exceptionally skilled in describing flawed, violent anti-heroes, who will do indescribable acts, but are still likeable. Roman has had a difficult childhood and has left his hometown in Virginia to get away from the past and his family and put his money managing skills to the test in Atlanta, Georgia.
He loves his family though, and when trouble is brewing, he will return to his hometown and stand up to family members, gangsters, politicians and police to try and safe his siblings.

I highly recommend this new novel by S.A. Cosby. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.