King of Ashes

He just keeps getting better! This novel was explosive and taut. You get southern crime mixed perfectly with family drama. S.A Cosby’s prose is top of the class in this genre. You will NOT regret reading this or any of his thrillers. I can’t recommend this enough. Just remember…everything burns 🔥

S.A. Cosby is the new master of crime thrillers. Every book he has written is a banger & this one is no exception! Follow Roman Carruthers has navigates his way through organized crime & his own dysfunctional family history. This page turner will have you on the edge of your seat wanting more!

Absolutely mesmerizing! The writing is top-tier; Cosby truly is a maestro in his craft!The plot unfolds brilliantly, and the character development is nothing short of extraordinary. It’s gritty, raw, and brimming with emotion. The ending absolutely knocked the wind out of me! While it took a moment to hook me, by the halfway point, I was completely captivated, and by the conclusion, I was head over heels.The narration by Adam Lazzare-White was outstanding and deserves every accolade! He breathed life into the story with his incredible voice, making the experience truly unforgettable. Just like the previous titles they collaborate on.

Really well done, loved the lead character Roman, who was a really complex protagonist. He was basically a good person who had to make some hard decisions to save his family from some local gang members. What he’s willing to do to save his family takes him down a slippery slope both legally and morally. I am a huge fan of this author’s work and this book didn’t disappoint. It feels like this book is a set up for a series, I hope so! It was nice to see Ike from Razor Blades Tears make a cameo appearance.

This man can write a story! S. A. Cosby is a genius author. Not only is it an interesting plot, but his literary skills are prevelant throughout !

This book is about hopelessness. It elaborate the influences that parents bestow on their children ad nauseum. I got so tired of it. If you took all references to that out of the book, it's just about the violence of people killing one another. I found it tiresome and boring.

Not my favorite but I found it to be very suspenseful and hard to put down.

I found this book to be painful at times. My guess is that possibly this book isn't meant to be enjoyed so much as it is meant to point out the cruelty that can and does exist in life.

"King of Ashes" is by the author of "All The Sinners Bleed," "Razorblade Tears" and "Blacktop Wasteland." All three of those books were brilliant, propulsive suspense thrillers, set in the South, that outshine Colby's latest entry in what is being called Southern noir fiction."King of Ashes" resembles his earlier books, but feels like a slightly-off retread. It is also set in the South (Virginia), with a predominantly African-American cast of characters, including the protagonist. But this time, something feels off. Our main character is Roman Carruthers, who is the brother of Dante and Neveah. Someone has run their father off the road and now he's in a coma. His wife and the kids mom disappeared one day when the kids were young teens, a few days after it was revealed she was having an affair with a close family friend and business partner of their dad.I'm not sure why this one didn't resonate as positively with me as his other books, perhaps because NONE of the characters in "King of Ashes" are someone we (the reader) would root for to succeed. And although his previous books were dark and violent, this one takes darkness and violence to whole new levels."King of Ashes" is still a great read, and an exciting suspense novel, it's just not as breathtaking, thrilling ride as Cosby's other books. Just like Pixar's streak of transcendent animated films that expanded the genre eventually came to an end with a simply "very good" film, so does Cosby's end here. Maybe he can rekindle the magic with a sequel? It worked for Pixar!

"A bullet, noiseless, as quiet as the grave, flew...3000 feet per second". The muzzle noise of a gun cannot be completely silenced. The supersonic shock wave of a projectile cannot be quieted at all. Impossible. At least 2 other instances in the novel demonstrate that the author has little knowledge of physical processes.

I really enjoyed this book. It has an excellent ending. A little too wordy, but worth the time. Read it

Wow, wonderful story! A couple of times I thought the pages were heating up and the book was about to spontaneously combust in my hands. I loved the ending, which was both a surprise and entirely inevitable, and seemed to come directly out of his complex and flawed character. Also pleased to see that the tendency to hide critical information from women, in an attempt to protect them, lead to disaster in this story, as it always does in real life. I am putting this book on my "dangerous books' shelf. Ready for the next one when you are!

SA Cosby is a magician with words. His characters are complex and conflicted. He focuses on all the five senses to bring the reader into the story, creating a visceral experience that is perfection itself.In every photo Cosby’s laughing and smiling, the most affable of men. But what’s in his head is the stuff of monsters. This is the most violent book I’ve ever read, and it’s powerful.The flashbacks illuminate the mindset of the adults, how what they experienced in childhood has affected them every day since. These subtleties are the strongest part of the book though the violent scenes are, of course, flashier.This is an intricate tale of a loving family in pain, and the way each child has grown up to deal with it.An aside: after I finished this, I kept thinking of Michael B Jordan in the role of Roman. I hope Ryan Coogler reads this and options the film rights.

Have enjoyed Mr. Crosby’s other novels. This one, not at all. Too much kink, and emotional damage. Like crawling through a sewer line.

Great book and wide open for a sequel. Definitely a cut above many contemporary books. Storyline is captivating. Great job!

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.

If you're looking for a book that grabs you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go, this is it. S.A. Cosby’s King of Ashes is a raw and emotional ride through family loyalty, trauma, and survival. Roman, Dante, and Nevaeh each cope with their mother’s disappearance in self-destructive but painfully human ways—and watching them navigate that pain made for an unforgettable read.Cosby’s pacing is flawless, the twists are all earned, and the writing style is clean, emotional, and vivid. I was hooked, heartbroken, and completely satisfied by the end. The themes of unresolved trauma and moral decay hit hard without being preachy.Roman’s character arc in particular? Whew. You’ll finish the book wondering if he was still doing it all for his family—or if he’d crossed a line he couldn’t come back from.Highly recommend.

Another amazing story as only S.A. Cosby can tell. The characters are compelling and complex, the story line tight and the reader has to sift though all the lies. There is no happy ending but there is a resolution you won't want to miss!

With "King of Ashes" I can no longer deny S.A. Cosby is the finest suspense author of our day. He's been in my top 5 for a long while but he's taken the crown with this novel. "King" is right when you are refering to Cosby. Word for word, line for line, book for book....I will put Cosby up against any of his contemporaries.Cosby.....Cosby will make you feel. Sometimes it's a gut punch...often it's a gut punch...or a heartache....or remorse....or sadness or joy or love....but it's not cardboard. It's deep. It's real. You inhabit his characters just as he must as he writes them. It's a form of literary possession. You feel their joy, you cry their tears, you fear when they fear, you dwell in their sorrow. And his stories never drag, never stall, but move along from the first page to the last and when you get to the end, it's much too soon.So that's S.A. Cosby's novels. This novel in particular captured me as no story has since his "Razorblade Tears". The tension never lets up. You understand early on that anything can happen and you are kept on edge as Roman navigates family history, a deadly, dangerous, sadistic gang, corruption, decay, love of family and most of all constant danger. It's so well done that by the last couple of chapters I felt I had gone a few rounds with Iron Mike Tyson and was left bleeding in the ring. And really, I had done exactly that....only he's in his prime and his name is S.A. Cosby.

SA is an intelligent crime writer., weaving strong webs. His Characters are always fully developed, the BBB are frighteningly believable and Roman's arc in their wake is genius.My only question is when is the next one coming out? I have read all his books and need more!