After Roman Carruthers receives word that his father has been in a terrible car accident, he returns home to be with his brother, Dante, and sister, Naveah, and closer to the hospital where his Dad is being kept. The accident was serious, and the prognosis is grim. They aren't sure if Dad will ever fully recover.

Roman has been away from his hometown, where his family owns and operates a crematorium, for many years. He's built himself a highly-successful career in Atlanta, and seems to have left central Virginia in the past. Now that he's returned though, he must confront his younger brother, Dante's, dangerous criminal enterprises, which have left him riddled in debt, as well as his sister, Neveah's, burn out, as she struggles to hold everything together with regards to the family and the business.

Roman is a bit gobsmacked by the current state of his family. He didn't know things had progressed this far, particularly in regards to Dante's debt and substance use issues. It doesn't take Roman long to parse out that his father's crash wasn't an accident, and Dante's recklessness has placed them all in very grave danger.

Vowing to get his brother out of trouble, and save his family, Roman offers his very applicable services to the criminal overlords hunting down his brother. Roman is an expert negotiator and he's sure he can see this through, and free Dante from his debts. Concurrently, his sister is working on her own mystery project. She's trying to determine what exactly happened to their mother, who disappeared years before.

There's so much going on in King of Ashes. The most impressive part is Cosby's incredible skill at writing such a complex story, while keeping it flowing naturally, and never making the Reader feel overwhelmed. I enjoyed how quickly it all kicks off as well, as far as getting Roman back to Jefferson Run and involved with the flourishing criminal underworld there.

Additionally, this is a Long Game story, IYKYK, which is one of my favorite tropes in this kind of novel. Roman, as an MC, is incredible. He was so easy to root for. I loved his courage and determination in spite of the danger, no matter what, he was gonna fight to reach his goals. I also enjoyed him as a bit of a reverse prodigal son. In spite of his successful time away, he still did seek a bit of forgiveness in a way from the other members of his family.

All the other characters were really well done too. Dante, though frustrating as heck, the guy's literally a walking liability, was still believable and sympathetic, and I loved Naveah as well. The plot was fast-paced and kept me super invested. I had no moments where I wasn't fully locked into the audiobook while listening to it. I adored it.

In short, S.A. Cosby's gripping, gritty stories, paired with the impeccable narration of Adam Lazarre-White, is nothing short of perfection. A winning combination! While I was completely invested in this story, and maybe because I was so invested in it, I'm NGL, it CRUSHED me. This one is going to stick in my brain for a long, long time. This is a must for everyone's Summer Reading List!!

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. S.A. Cosby is an auto-read author for me, and this firmly secures his place on that list!

I received an Advanced Reader Copy and am voluntarily reviewing it. Mr. Cosby came with the heat. I really enjoyed listening to the audio of this book. The narrator did a wonderful job. He really brought the characters to life. Roman Carruthers is back home after a car accident that has left his father in a coma. Roman has been doing well for himself and knows that he needs to come back home to help his other siblings get through this tough time.

Dante, the youngest sibling, has been running from something his whole life. His father took care of him while he was partying with the wrong crowd. He is now indebted to the local gangsters in town. Roman is trying to fix Dante's problem without getting Neveah, their sister, involved. This book takes readers on a ride. It is well worth the ups and downs of this rollercoaster. Readers will be dealing with loops and curves until the very end. Will the Carruthers' family make it out of this hole alive? There are a lot of people that want to see them fall. The family is one of the few prominent families in Jefferson Run. Roman is forced to make some tough decisions to keep his family safe. Nothing is safe from the streets. Once you are involved, there is no way to get out. Roman is smart, but can he solve this problem? The family seems to be falling apart while their father is in the hospital. Roman, as the oldest, must find a way to put the pieces back together again or burn everything.

S.A. Crosby stokes the flames of revenge in his latest thriller

In S.A. Crosby’s latest novel, “King of Ashes,” money manager to the stars Roman Carruthers has long abandoned his Virginia roots. For years, he’s been living large in Atlanta, making millions for his clients, and indulging in every fantasy he can imagine. The deep scars of a troubled childhood remain buried within him and his hometown of Jefferson Run, Virginia, a small city on the edge of ruin by crime, drugs, and zombie buildings.
He's also left behind his ambitious father and sister, Neveah, who run the family’s crematorium business, and his wayward younger brother, Dante, who can’t quit his addiction to drugs, women, and the dark underbelly of Jefferson Run. They are all haunted by the twenty-year-old disappearance of their beloved mother, Bonita, whose death sparks layers of guilt that binds them together while pulling them apart.
The prodigal son, Roman returns home when his father is hospitalized after a near fatal auto collision with an oncoming train. He immediately discovers that Dante is deeply in debt to a local gang that rules Jefferson Run, and which is threatening his family at every turn. He suspects the gang is responsible for recent tire slashings at the crematorium and his father’s accident.
As the oldest sibling, Roman feels obligated to protect his kin and the thriving business his father sacrificed so much to establish. He immediately enters “big brother protective” mode and is drawn into a world of corruption and crime to save his brother, sister, and comatose father. As a result, Roman becomes trapped in a web of betrayal, power struggles, and murder that won’t let him go. Each day presents deadly choices that leave him wondering whether there is a way out of the fiery hell called Jefferson Run.
“King of Ashes” is a dark, complicated “Southern noir” tale of family relationships, and the way the Carruthers family deals with the tremendous weight of guilt they carry over their mother’s long-ago disappearance. For twenty years, the siblings have lived without closure of the unsolved mystery of their mother’s vanishing. Their obsession with their mother colors every aspect of their lives; every decision they make and turns every dream into a nightmare. Neveah is convinced her father incinerated her mother in a jealous rage, while the boys try to make peace with the memories of growing up without a loving mother but with a dominating, career-consumed father. Having raised themselves, it is no wonder they cling to each other like life preservers in a storm.
At the heart of “King of Ashes” is the adult siblings realization that their parents are human beings with fatal flaws, and trying to preserve them as idols has reaped a heavy moral price. Neveah has begrudgingly dedicated her life to the family business. Roman has bolted from Jefferson Run to distance himself from his family’s issues, and baby brother Dante has struggled to identify his place within a family of strong, competent personalities. Ultimately, it is Dante’s stupid mistakes that shake the family, and their futures, to the core, and makes each sibling reexamine their priorities.
In “King of Ashes,” Crosby drives home that the small-town cycle of violence and crime can be without escape and deadly. Drive-by shootings, crooked cops, fire bombings, and drug deals gone awry are some of the obstacles the characters face as they struggle to survive Dante’s fatal error. However, Roman quickly grasps the hierarchy of power within his hometown, and that loyalty and revenge force him to engage in previously unthinkable actions to protect his loved ones.
“The King of Ashes,” once again, proves that S.A. Crosby is a mesmerizing crime fiction storyteller. And he cleverly utilizes his in-depth personal knowledge of the crematory business (his wife is a mortician) as the framework for a heart-pounding tale of murder and revenge. The depth and sincerity of the Carruthers siblings and their trials will resonate with the reader long after the final explosive page.

I don't read many books by male authors, but S.A. Cosby is the exception. He can craft a gritty Southern crime novel like no other. His characters are deeply flawed and the novels are dark and fast-paced. The audio format is narrated by the phenomenal Adam Lazarre-White, who brings so much to each character.

Synopsis:
When eldest son Roman Carruthers is summoned home after his father’s car accident, he finds his younger brother, Dante, in debt to dangerous criminals and his sister, Neveah, exhausted from holding the family—and the family business—together. Neveah and their father, who run the Carruthers Crematorium in the run-down central Virginia town of Jefferson Run, see death up close every day. But mortality draws even closer when it becomes clear that the crash that landed their father in a coma was no accident and Dante’s recklessness has placed them all in real danger.

Roman, a financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, has some money to help buy his brother out of trouble. But in his work with wannabe tough guys, he’s forgotten that there are real gangsters out there. As his bargaining chips go up in smoke, Roman realizes that he has only one thing left to offer to save his brother: himself, and his own particular set of skills.

Roman begins his work for the criminals while Neveah tries to uncover the long-ago mystery of what happened to their mother, who disappeared when they were teenagers. But Roman is far less of a pushover than the gangsters realize. He is willing to do anything to save his family. Anything.

Because everything burns.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Headline: S. A. does it once again! Hands down, another unputdownable 5-Star read!

Book Review: King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby
Published by Macmillan Audio and Flatiron Books, June 10, 2025

★★★★★ (5/5 Stars, Rave!)

With a phenomenal trove of notable literature in just a few short years, fan favorites all, — "All the Sinners Bleed" (2023), "Razorblade Tears" (2021), "Blacktop Wasteland" (2020), reader excitement and enthusiasm can only be expected to be soaring sky-high for that next S. A. Cosby novel.

And Mr. Shawn Andre Cosby, better known as S. A., bestselling "southern noir" crime fiction writer sans pareil, does not disappoint!

Enter "King of Ashes" (June, 2025).

S. A. goes to his forte, his life experiences, the very themes depicted in his 2019 debut novel "My Darkest Prayer". Discretion being the better part of valor. Financial prowess juxtaposed against street brutality. Strong, enduring friendships and family ties, malgre deeply seethed emotional disagreements. A bold, doubled-lined delineation between good and evil. And desperate, dire challenges against the soul's undaunted resilience. In other words, quite the dish of an edge-of your-seat thriller, genre bar none.

What makes the story, the writing, the novel authentic, compelling, and palpably so? The author's real-life experience in dealing with crematorium incinerator chambers and its morbid output of ashes, may just have something to do with it.

"...Because everything burns...!"

// "King of Ashes" by S. A. Cosby (2025) //

A Prodigal Son Returns Home.
A road accident befalls a rural Central Virginia mortician and leaves him comatose in critical condition. His eldest son, an Atlanta-based, self-made money manager for recording artists, and such, is urgently summoned home.

Roman Carruthers takes leave from his wealth management firm, squeezes his lanky self into his squat 10-year-old Porsche in his bespoke suit and with his weighty $12K Rolex on his wrist, and heads back to his hometown, Jefferson Run, where the family owns and runs a local funeral parlor.

The Daughter's Dilemma.
A funerary business run, to be exact, by father and daughter lifelong morticians, Keith and Neveah Carruthers, mommy Carruthers having mysteriously disappeared when Roman was about sixteen, a dreadfully unresolved issue, the enduring object of a distraught daughter's obsession.

Drugs, Gangsters and A Load of Pain.
He finds out shortly after that his baby brother, Dante, a happy-go-lucky sort, has himself involved with drugs and gangsters, the latter to which he is indebted to the hilt. In the process of interceding for his brother, Roman finds himself staring up, one dark evening, at the business end of a steel gray barrel, trussed, roughed up, and awarded with the booby prize of a broken limb.

A Deal of a Lifetime.
He crawls back to the wannabe toughies and proposes a lucrative repayment plan on a compounded basis, a deal of a lifetime no one could refuse, even as the Gilchrist brothers lick their greedy lips. Wicked, evil, remorseless and cruel, even to their own underlings. And ever so clearly involved with that near fatal accident of daddy Carruthers. Now bequeathed with free, at-will use of the Carruthers' incinerator chambers to turn their problems into ashes.

King of Ashes.
On the side, Roman slyly doles out cash to the Gilchrist brothers' henchmen. He quietly calls out a man called Khalil, whom he's rescued from grave misfortune in the past. The same Khalil one who plays a lethal role in the shadows for Atlanta's in-the-know elite.

Thereupon, the King of Ashes deftly positions himself to rule the entire domain...!

S. A. does it once again! Hands down, another unputdownable Five-Star read!

Review based on an advance review copy courtesy of Macmillan Audio and Flatiron Books, and NetGalley.

King of Ashes did not disappoint—it’s a solid five-star read! S. A. Cosby’s storytelling is exceptional, blending gritty crime with deep family drama. Roman Carruthers returns home to find his family in turmoil, debts piling up, and dangerous criminals closing in. As secrets unravel and tensions rise, Roman must make unimaginable choices to save those he loves.

The characters are complex, especially Roman and Neveah, whose journey to uncover buried truths adds a haunting layer to the story. The narration by Adam Lazarre-White is top-notch, pulling you straight into the action with his powerful voice.

This book is gripping from start to finish, and I’m already craving more from Cosby. Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

This was my first S.A. Cosby novel and I thought it was brilliant. Now I’m wondering why I sat on this author for so long!


King of Ashes is a gritty, godfather inspired southern crime family drama. In the Virginia town of Jefferson Run, the owner of Carruthers Crematorium is left in a coma under suspicious circumstances. When his eldest son Roman comes home after hearing the news, he finds his younger brother Dante in debt to some dangerous criminals, and his sister Neveah struggling to keep the family buisness together.

While his sister agonizes over the disappearance of their mother from when they were teenagers, Roman uses his financial skills to work for the criminals to save his brother. But Roman proves to be smarter than the criminals and is willing to do anything to save his family.

Cosby wrote some killer characters here and the narrator Adam Lazzare-White , really brought them to life 🙌. I can have a tough time with audiobooks but this one was truly exceptional.

The story itself was fantastic. A true crime drama with some jaw dropping twists and masterful ending. I definitely got some Ozark vibes from this and have a new, and disturbing, outlook on what a Slushie is 😳.

King of Ashes is a dark, slow-burn family thriller steeped in tension and Southern grit. When Roman Carruthers returns home to a crumbling crematorium business and a family in crisis, he’s forced to face not just financial ruin and criminal threats, but long-buried secrets. The novel blends crime drama with family dysfunction and a simmering mystery, anchored by Roman’s transformation from calculating financier to desperate protector. While the pacing occasionally lags, the stakes feel real, and the moral murkiness adds weight. Gritty, tense, and quietly tragic—this is a story about what we’re willing to sacrifice when there's nothing left to lose.

Wow!!!!I want to say this is my favorite book by S.A. Cosby, but Razorblade Tears keeps me in a chokehold! King of Ashes is a photo finished second! I was held in suspense the entire story! Dante had me ready to lay hands on him, and Roman took his older brother responsibilities seriously! S.A. can weave some great stories and back stories in his masterful web. And to have cameos of characters from past books popping up, I just absolutely loved every minute of the ride!

This is my second SA Cosby book, and it won't be my last. Roman is a fascinating character to follow. He is a flawed, though deeply sympathetic man. This book moves quickly into a dark world of violence and survival. Roman makes many choices that seem wrong, yet he is committed to his own purpose and by following his thought process they are understandable. The plot moved quickly and steadily forward, and gave little room to breathe as everything builds to it's tragic conclusion. I appreciate the depth SA Cosby brings to this terrifying world of power and pain. Adam Lazarre-White is an incredible narrator. He really brings Roman and his world to life in the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for providing an eALC in return for my honest thoughts.

When Roman Carruthers returns home to find his father in the hospital, chaos ensues. His brother Dante is neck-deep in debt to some seriously dangerous criminals, and his sister is obsessed with uncovering the mystery of their mother’s long-ago disappearance. With the whole family targeted by a ruthless gang, this gripping saga of family, vengeance, and dark secrets will keep you on the edge of your seat. How far will Roman go to protect his loved ones? Buckle up, because EVERYTHING BURNS!

This twisty crime thriller is dark, intense, and packed with complex characters. Plus, it gives a nod to The Wire! I usually don’t annotate thrillers, but I couldn’t help marking some brilliantly crafted lines that deserve recognition. Get ready to walk alongside this family in crisis, with their backs against the wall!

🎧 Audiobook Highlights
Narrated by the incredibly talented Adam Lazarre-White, who has lent his voice to all of Cosby's novels, this audiobook is pure magic! He brings each character to life, perfectly capturing Roman’s troubled soul and fierce determination to protect his family. You can’t go wrong with either format, but trust me, the audiobook is an experience you won’t want to miss!

King of Ashes is an unforgettable journey that unfolds like a cinematic masterpiece. Don’t miss this thrilling ride!

S.A. Cosby's KING OF ASHES pulled me in from the start. It is an enthralling story of crime and family. The author moved the story along at the right pace with believable characters, leaving me wanting more.

I look forward to more of Roman, the complex big brother you want to hate but can't!

Wow.

This book.

SA Cosby is a master at creating multi dimensional characters. Almost everyone in this book is both the bad guy and the good guy, occasionally at the same time. I very much enjoyed getting to know Roman. He is such a complex character, an excellent MC to spend the most time with. It did take a little while to keep some of the side characters straight (who hated who etc) but I had it down by the end.

I would be interested to see if this story has anything left to tell. This particular chapter closes well, but I could see another book with these characters in the future.

SA Crosby ignites the pages in this mystery/thriller following one family when their father in left in the hospital after a suspicious hit and run. Combine this with their mother’s disappearance years earlier and it looks like someone is out to eliminate the Carruthers family.

Told in a third person but varying timelines, this novel keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

Roman, Dante, Tranquil and Torrent were flushed out characters that felt like real people. Crosby’s writing has this ebb and flow quality that brings the reader to the edge, leaves on a cliff hanger, and then brings them back down. It is such an amazing way to write a book with different characters, locations, and timelines.

Never have I read a book and could see it being turned into a movie like I had with this book. This is a testament to Crosby’s solid foundation and fleshed out characters. He knew this story and could probably tell you more backstory and motivations for these characters outside what he has already written.

The characters in this novel were compelling and were so vivid. I was scared of some of the characters while knowing the book was fiction! It is wild to think this type of violence happens every day in our country.

Overall, while violent and graphic at times, this is the epitome of a thriller novel. Highly recommend!

Thank you to the author, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced copy to listen to and share my humble thoughts and opinions.

Having read and loved every Cosby book before this, I thought I was prepared for this story, but I was NOT 😭
Adam Lazarre-White is my favorite narrator for a reason, and I really hope he wins an award for this narration because it was fantastic - the different voices, tones, diction and emotions came through clearly and really helped paint the picture. As I was listening I could easily imagine watching it play out as a movie. I listened to the whole book with my husband and he was just as captivated.
For me, this is the most dynamic and emotional Cosby novel since Razorblade Tears (and how about that little Easter Egg of Ike?!) as it truly begs the question how far would you go for family?
Roman is easily the most morally gray character I’ve seen from Cosby yet. Every decision, from in his past, to throughout the book led up perfectly to THAT ENDING 😳
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for my advanced listening copy!

S.A. Cosby creates characters that I feel so connected to by the end of the book and King of Ashes is no different. The roller coaster of emotions I felt for Roman and his family was all over the place. I found the first chapter a little slow to start but I really enjoyed this audiobook overall.

𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝙎. 𝘼. 𝘾𝙤𝙨𝙗𝙮 is a gritty, slow-burn crime novel that doesn’t rush anything. At the center of it is Roman Carruthers, a wealthy Atlanta finance guy who’s called back to his crumbling hometown, Jefferson Run, when his sister tells him their father’s in a coma. What starts as a reluctant trip home quickly spirals into something darker, as Roman gets dragged into the mess his brother Dante has created including a dangerous debt that comes with serious consequences.

Cosby writes violence like he means it. It’s intense, precise, and somehow still layered with emotion. Roman isn’t your usual hardened noir lead. He’s slick, conflicted, and trying hard to stay grounded in who he used to be, even as he slowly becomes someone else.

I really liked how the book blends family drama with a crime plot without losing momentum. The setting feels vivid and gritty, and you can practically feel the tension.

The audiobook is *chef's kiss*. The King of Ashes audiobook is intense on its own, but with Adam Lazarre-White narrating? It hits another level. He doesn’t just read the story. He inhabits it. Perfectly matched to Cosby’s gritty, emotionally raw writing.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for sending the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

King of Ashes is my third book by S. A. Cosby and I feel every book he comes out with is just gold. He writes a mystery book that just sucks you in! And that's not even including the narrator. I do not think he could find anybody more suited for the narration. I always listen to the audio because Adam Lazarre-White literally brings the story to life. His voice is just perfect for these books. I will always recommend the audio when it comes to S.A. Cosby. He will always have a reader from me, no matter what he comes out with. They are all perfection.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

Award-winning NYT Southern superstar S.A. Cosby returns following his hit, All the Sinners Bleed, with this best yet, KING OF ASHES. A dark and riveting Godfather-inspired Southern Gothic crime thriller and family drama that will leave you breathless!

The author’s popularity has exploded in recent years, as has his brand of Southern noir crime fiction (and rightly so), with a TV series based on the novel upcoming!

TOP AUDIOBOOKS OF 2025!

About...

Roman Carruthers is called home after his father’s recent accident to help out. His younger brother, Dante, unfortunately, is in debt to a gang of dangerous criminals. His sister, Neveah, is tired of holding down the family business by herself. She and her father run the operations at their family's business, Carruthers Crematorium, located in the rundown town of Jefferson Run, Virginia.

When Roman discovers the crash that landed their father in the hospital in a coma was no accident, and then Dante finally comes clean about his recklessness, he knows they are all in danger.

Roman must fix this problem and use all his tools, plus the family Crematorium, to outsmart the thugs, or they all will wind up dead. After all, he is a financial wizard and makes people rich, so he begins pulling some tricks out of his bag. But will they be enough?

However, his tactics only buy him a little time; the danger and stakes are higher. How far will he go to protect his family?

At the same time, Roman and Dante are trying to deal with the criminals, and their price goes higher, and they are in more danger, trying to keep their sister in the dark; however, she is working on a long-ago mystery of what happened to their mother, who disappeared when they were teens. Everyone thought it was their father, possibly, who killed her, but he was not charged.

What happened to their mother? The answer may be closer than she knows. How will this one end when they see no end to this web of criminals, drug lords, gangsters, and their payback?

My thoughts...

EXPLOSIVE! Oh my, what a book!. S.A. Cosby has outdone himself and pulls out all the stops in this thrill-by-the-minute, knock-out Southern crime thriller. This is a stay-up-all-night-and-never-stop kind of book that will leave you spellbound and heart pounding.

These three siblings could not be more different.

Roman, who is a numbers guy, driven, and couldn't wait to get out of this small town for the big city. However, he is selfish and self-centered, looking for a way out. A solution. A fixer. He is not afraid to cross moral lines for the end result. He likes power. He, too, makes a deal with the Devil and thinks he can outsmart the enemy. What is he hiding?

Dante is impulsive, reckless, and not interested in the family business, with no thought to his actions nor the outcome to others. Continues to be a screw up making poor decisions and wants someone to bale him out. He is not the sharpest tool in the shed and is out for a good time. He has some childhood issues as well. He has made a deal with the Devil, and the time has come to pay up or else.

Neveah is the rock, the glue that holds the family together. Growing up without a mother, she is resentful. She wants answers. She does not want to work in the family business, facing death every day, but she feels loyalty to the family. She is ready to kill the person who took her mother. She is desperate for answers. Just wait, you may think she is in the back seat, but wait until she is ready to release her rage.

Crematoriums are freaky, creepy, and scary, and even more so than funeral homes, as in the movies, a way to get rid of bodies. Even though I have already paid for my cremation, after reading this, it makes you think, will my sons get my ashes? Also, removing any chance of what happened to the dead, erasing all evidence?

Cosby is a pro and combined with this edge-of-your-seat storyline, the danger, nerve-wrecking suspense, the setting, the crematorium, the well-developed characters, and the parallel mystery of the mom from the past, you have a home run! No one could have written this story better than S.A. Cosby, the King of Southern Gothic Fiction.

Audiobook...

The audiobook was EPIC! I am talking SMOLDERING, STELLAR, BEST AUDIO OF 2O25, and the performance by the mega talented Adam Lazarre-White was award-winning! Stupefying! Off the charts fabulous! He nailed every voice, character, mood, intensity, fear, and thought, elevating the story to new levels. I was so engrossed, hanging on his every word—there was no way I was putting this audiobook down. Unputdownable. I listened to it in one sitting and couldn't wait to see how it would turn out. I highly recommend the audiobook!

MOVE-WORTHY! Yes, a TV series based on S.A. Cosby's novel "King of Ashes" is planned. Netflix, along with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment and the Obamas' Higher Ground Productions, has acquired the rights to develop the book as a TV series. The series is described as a family crime drama.

The author is on fire 🔥! I will be buying the hardcover for my home library, but the audiobook and narrator are not to be missed!

Recs...

It is difficult to compare this book to anything out there as S.A. Cosby is in a class of his own, but if you are a fan of his work, KING OF ASHES is a must-read, must-listen. My favorite of his. Fans of dark and gritty crime fiction and those who enjoy works by Karin Slaughter, Dennis Lehane, and Walter Mosley will devour.

Also the family dynamics reminded me of Terah Shelton Harris' (top book of 2024-highly recommend as well; see my Author QA) Long After We Are Gone: An explosive and emotional story of four siblings―each fighting their own personal battle―return to their NC home in the wake of their father's death to save their family's home from being sold out from under them.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and #MacAudio2025, for a gifted advanced listening copy via Google Play for the opportunity to review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Top Audiobooks of 2025
Pub Date: June 10, 2025
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“Everything burns.” Whenever Roman said it, you knew something or someone was about to go up in flames. S.A. Cosby delivers yet again, with a suspenseful, fast-paced story that absolutely lives up to its title. I couldn’t put this book down and devoured it in a one day.

The lengths Roman goes to in order to keep secrets buried or burned are both chilling and mind-blowing. The plot twist was full of tension, danger and moral complexity. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I absolutely did not. Excellent read - 5 stars!!!!