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King of Ashes

the new thriller from the award-winning and internationally bestselling author

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King of Ashes

By: S. A. Cosby
Narrated by: Adam Lazarre-White
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'S. A. Cosby's novels always hit the grand slam of crime fiction' MICHAEL CONNELLY
'Cosby sends a shiver down the spine' DAILY MAIL
'A pulsating saga of family secrets and double and triple-crossing' THE TIMES, THE BEST THRILLERS OF 2025

A son returning home. A dangerous debt. Secrets about to ignite . . . and a family consumed by flames.

Roman Carruthers left the smoke and fire of his family's crematory business behind in his hometown of Jefferson Run, Virginia. He is enjoying a life of shallow excess as a financial adviser in Atlanta until he gets a call from his sister, Neveah, telling him their father is in a coma after a hit-and-run accident.

When Roman goes home, he learns the accident may not be what it seems. His brother, Dante, is deeply in debt to dangerous, ruthless criminals. And Roman is willing to do anything to protect his family. Anything.

A financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, Roman must use all his skills to try to save his family while dealing with a shadow that has haunted them all for twenty years: the disappearance of their mother when Roman and his siblings were teenagers. It's a mystery that Neveah, who has sacrificed so much of her life to hold her family together, is determined to solve once and for all.

As fate and chance and heartache ignite their lives, the Carruthers family must pull together to survive or see their lives turn to ash. Because, as their father counseled them from birth, nothing lasts forever. Everything burns.

'A pulsating thriller' MAIL ON SUNDAY
'Builds to an explosive finale' DAILY EXPRESS
'American crime fiction has found its future and his name is S.A. Cosby' DENNIS LEHANE
'Dazzlingly bold and brutal, yet still manages to break your heart' CRIME MONTHLY


Praise for S. A. Cosby:

'Sensationally good' LEE CHILD
'Exhilarating' STEPHEN KING
'Stunning. Can't remember the last time I read such a powerful crime novel' MARK BILLINGHAM
'S. A. Cosby is a welcome, refreshing new voice in crime literature' DENNIS LEHANE
'Every once in a while a writer comes along with an incredible voice...add S. A. Cosby to that list' STEVE CAVANAGH
'Elegant, fierce storytelling at its absolute best.' DAILY MAIL©2025 Shawn A. Cosby Best of 2025 Crime Thrillers Thriller & Suspense Crime Heartfelt
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Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR AWARD-WINNING, NY TIMES BESTSELLER S. A. COSBY:
Fresh and exhilarating (STEPHEN KING)
The very definition of a white-knuckle ride (IAN RANKIN)
S. A. Cosby's novels always hit the grand slam of crime fiction; unstoppable momentum, gripping intrigue and deep character with a hard and telling look at culture and society. (MICHAEL CONNELLY)
Every once in a while a writer comes along with an incredible voice...add S. A. Cosby to that list. (STEVE CAVANAGH)
Richly textured, this is elegant, fierce storytelling at its absolute best.
A distinctive, thrilling new voice in crime writing...will linger long after you've closed the book
American crime fiction has found its future and his name is S.A. Cosby (DENNIS LEHANE)
Sensationally good (LEE CHILD)
Stunning. Can't remember the last time I read such a powerful crime novel (MARK BILLINGHAM)
One of the most important new voices in crime fiction. I won't read a better book this year. Incredible. (M. W. CRAVEN)
Exemplary
A top-notch tale
Raw, powerful and pacey
Cosby's prose barrels along like a pick-up still angry it's not a Ferrari, and his phrase-making is up there with the great artists of noir
A maestro of crime fiction
All stars
Most relevant
Consistently 10/10 - narrator is as good as it gets. Can’t recommend highly enough. Thank you

Incredible as always

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I only have praises for this book. I have never read this genre before (crime thriller), but I will definitely read more from this author, especially, because this stiry gripped me from start to end, but especially towards the end!
The author has a skill - he presented readers with 'Ghost'/ 'Power' meets 'Training Day' meets 'Four Brothers'!

An unexpected, exciting, thrilling crime novel that gripped me!

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I’ve devoured all of S.A. Crosbys book’s books and I can’t praise this latest one enough. It’s a gripping story with engaging characters and you find your own morality being questioned constantly. What would you do in this situation?
My only negative is once I’ve read it (in 2 sittings) I now have to wait for the next one

Incredible storytelling

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This novel is a difficult one to assess as it has to be compared to the authors other body of work which in a few words is nothing short of perfect. It's brutal, entertaining and worthwhile but feels like rushed in places and drags in others. The ending although satisfying is quite abrupt and the big reveal signposted from a long way out. A very good book but the weakest of Mr Cosbys so far.

Entertaining but..

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Chapter 31 left me absolutely stunned. The revelation was beyond anything I could have imagined, and the way Crosby delivered it kept me completely hooked. While I found the level of violence difficult at times, the depth of the storytelling and the power of the characters made this an unforgettable read. It’s rare for a book to catch me so off guard, but this one did and I’ve truly enjoyed the experience!!! Absolutely brilliant!!

King of Ashes !!!!

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