I love Blacktop Wasteland. I love Razorblade Tears. Now I can say I love King of Ashes. This book is definitely being added to my list of favorites of SA Cosby novels.

In true Cosby fashion, this is a gritty crime thriller full of action, mystery, exceptional writing, and compelling characters who blur the line between right and wrong (and also some scary ruthless bad guys, of course). I was invested from the very start. It is said that this is inspired by The Godfather, and I can see that.

The audiobook was awesome. Adam Lazarre-White will forever be one of the best narrators. If you are an audiobook lover, or even if you're not normally a listener, do yourself a favor and go the audio route. He's always outstanding.

I will definitely be getting a hardcopy for my shelves to join my collection of Cosby's work.

I patiently await new books by S.A. Cosby, and I was not disappointed in this one. I love his way with words. Raw, gritty, poetic. Everything burns!

S.A. Cosby has done it again! His writing is so raw and captivating. You are dumped right into the story that keeps your heart racing from beginning to end. I listened to the audiobook, and Adam Lazarre-White brought all of the characters to life in an impactful way. Cosby really knows how to write both flawed, likable characters and absolutely despicable ones. This book makes you think about how far you may go to protect your own family. For Roman, this knows no bounds. I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes a heavy, dangerous thriller! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. This one will stick with me.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillian audio for this advanced copy.

Roman… seriously?? Dante.. You stressed me out!!!! Bad!! Naveah.. girl… SMH.
Khalil.. my guy right there.

I enjoyed this one. It was a little slow in the beginning but many moving parts. The way this story wrapped up was banana. SA Cosby has another masterpiece on his hands and I am here for it!! I highly recommend this one and will add this to the collection on my shelf.

Adam Lazarre Whjte captures each character and I appreciate him for that. Excellent job bringing King of Ashes to life!! Everything must burn!! 🔥

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

TW: Drugs, Addiction, Sex, Murder, Violence, Cheating

“Everything burns.”

“They are monsters, and a monster ain’t nothing but a beast that you don’t understand. But I understand them now.”

“Sometimes the man wearing the crown ain’t supposed to be the king.”

“So grown people can just be hoes and nobody’s supposed to say nothing?”

“Tonight we balance the books. All debts are paid.”

“You’re not going to end up on a tshirt no one is even gonna know you’re gone.”

Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for my #gifted copy of this audiobook.

S. A. Cosby is one of my FAV authors. He writes it…you best believe I’ll be reading it and the audio narration in this one was top notch.

Cosby’s books have this raw gritty authenticity to them, I say it all the time and it always rings true. He expertly crafts the plots in his novels and his characters always have such fantastic dialogue and depth.

The other amazing thing about Cosby’s writing is how it transports you…when I read/listen to his book it’s like I’m watching a movie in my mind.

Effortless, immersive reading is what you’ll get with a S. A. Cosby novel.

Did I finish this one in <24 hours, yes I did.

Roman was such a great character and I loved the love the 3 siblings (Roman, Neveah and Dante) had for each other. Their bond while strained remained strong.

The reference to The Art of War was cool because I literally just read it a month or so ago and felt the same as Roman. Hoping to see more of Roman in future books, even if they are just cameos.

I enjoyed this one as much as my fav book by him, Razorblade Tears.

Thank-you netgalley and MacMillan audio for the free alc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. What a master storyteller. The narration wad absolutely captivating and so sonwell done the plot kept memonnthe edge of my seat and loved it from start to finish. This author is tremendously gifted author and I will read every single thing he writes.

Suggest picking it up

5/5☆

This was my first foray into Southern crime dramas, and I was captivated from the very first chapter. S.A. Cosby is a master storyteller and expertly builds the suspense and tension through multiple story lines and POVs. Cosby takes the complexity of family and layers it with deeply held secrets buried under love and devotion. The plot twist had my jaw on the floor and frantically trying to get through the last 10% of the book.

On top of all of that, Adam Lazarre-White does an absolutely phenomenal job bringing this fast-paced, epic drama to life. Every character has a distinct personality and perspective which Lazarre-White fully embodies. He will now be on my list of favorite audio book narrators.

Eldest son Roman travels back home after his father is a serious car accident and finds younger brother Dante in debt to dangerous criminals, his sister Neveah is trying to hold the family together, while running the family business the Carruthers Crematorium.

S. A. Crosby’s writing is hard-hitting and street-stylish, literary crime fiction with an authentic voice. Narrator Adam Lazard-White does a great job with an array of distinct voices, capturing the drama, emotions and pain.

Perhaps the finale didn’t quite live up to everything that came before, but this was a great listen.

Very highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgally for the advanced audio copy.

I should just posted my review before I even started listening because I knew this was gonna be 5 🌟's.

@leoking8473 has done it again and hit us with another banger. Roman, the man that you are! This book was raw, gritty and emotional. Literally edge of your seat excitement and the twists did not disappoint as always. I already want to re-read. Also for anyone who has read Razorblade Tears... IYKYK! Loved it!

S.A. Crosby's latest thriller, King of Ashes, is his darkest novel yet. I found this story of a pragmatic businessman haunted by a terrible secret (and, to protect his loved ones, he's accumulating even more grisly secrets) such a downer that I had to push to finish it. I typically enjoy Crosby's novels and have found their violence amply balanced by redemptive aspects of the story. However, while Crosby's writing is good and Adam Lazarre-White's narration brings the characters to life, this novel's storyline is too unrelievedly bleak and violent for me.

S.A. Cosby’s King of Ashes hits like a shot of Tennessee whiskey – smooth at first, then leaves you burning. This Godfather-meets-Gothic tale centers on the Carruthers family’s crematorium business, where family loyalty gets tested in the fires of violence and redemption.

Roman Carruthers comes home to a powder keg after his father’s suspicious car crash. His brother Dante’s neck-deep in debt to the wrong people, and suddenly the family business isn’t just about dealing with other people’s dead – it’s about keeping themselves alive.

Cosby writes violence like a poet and family drama like someone who’s lived it. Every punch lands hard, every quiet moment between brothers feels earned, and the Southern setting wraps around the story like kudzu. This is his darkest book yet, but even in its bleakest moments, hope flickers like a stubborn flame.

The genius is in the details – the way a character’s hand shakes while lighting a cigarette, how family dinners feel like negotiating nuclear treaties, the weight of unspoken words between father and sons. Sure, some readers might flinch at the violence, but in Cosby’s world, it’s never just for show. It’s the price of doing business, the cost of family, the toll of survival.

Hollywood’s already circling this one, and no wonder. It’s got the bones of a classic crime saga and the heart of a family drama. Cosby proves again he’s not just writing crime fiction – he’s writing about the American South, about family, about the debts we inherit and the ones we choose to pay.

4.5/5 stars – A fierce, unforgettable story that’ll leave you checking your own family ties.

5 stars — A Dark, Gripping Family Drama That Doesn’t Let Go

King of Ashes is the kind of book that gets its hooks into you from the very first chapter and refuses to let go. This is more than a thriller — it’s a gritty, emotional, and deeply human story about the messy, complicated bonds of family, loyalty, and survival.

The small-town Virginia setting is hauntingly atmospheric, and the Carruthers Crematorium makes for a perfectly eerie backdrop. The author masterfully weaves together past and present mysteries, dark secrets, and high-stakes danger, keeping the tension high while never losing sight of the characters’ humanity.

This is one of those books that reminds you thrillers can have heart — and that sometimes, the scariest things aren’t the criminals in the shadows, but the family secrets we keep buried.

If you love gritty, character-driven thrillers with a strong emotional core and a relentless pace, King of Ashes belongs at the top of your TBR.

In summary, King of Ashes delivers a razor-sharp, emotionally charged thriller about loyalty, survival, and the destructive power of secrets. With a vividly atmospheric setting and characters you’ll ache for, it’s a compulsive read that reminds you family can be both your refuge and your ruin. #KingofAshes #NetGalley

This book was one of the best books I've read this year. s.A Cosby will NEVER DISAPPOINT ME. Razorblade tears is very high on my favorite books of all time but this might just take the cake.

Thank you to author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

OH MY GOSH! S.A Cosby has never let me down! This book is no exception. I loved a return home to figure out things storyline and this is exactly what it is. I loved the characters in this book each struggling with they're own things not realizing the degrees of seperation truly weren't that far! The narrator was also amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of King of Ashes.

S.A. Cosby has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and this book reminded me exactly why. After reading a few of his earlier works, I found myself drawn into the world of psychological thrillers and King of Ashes absolutely delivered.

This story kept me hooked from the very beginning. The suspense, the twists, the way Cosby layers emotion with tension it was all masterfully done. Roman was such a complex and intelligent character, and the way the story unfolded through him kept me intrigued the entire time. I genuinely didn’t see that ending coming!

Cosby doesn’t just write thrillers he builds psychological puzzles that pull you in and don’t let go. This book was a wild, smart, and satisfying ride.

Highly recommend!

S A Cosby continues his reign as the master of the modern, Southern, gothic novel. "King of Ashes" is brutal, violent, sad, suspenseful, and powerful. Siblings, Roman, Neveah and Dante have demons. Their mother disappeared from their lives 20 years ago, and their emotionally distant father threw himself into his work at the family business, a crematory. Neveah has been trapped at home working alongside her father, at the expense of her dreams. After their father is the victim of a terrible accident, Roman, the eldest, returns home to help, but Dante has gotten into a mess that his big brother may not be able to fix. Cosby's ability to tell a story in chilling, haunting detail, and capture the emotional turmoil of his characters is a master class in literary fiction... 5⭐ for consistently creating characters we care about and stories we can't put down.

Danteeeeee!!

This was a good read!! SA Cosby knows how to paint a picture and keep you entertained the whole time.

NetGalley thank you for this ARC review!!


Publish date: 6/10

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!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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.