King of Ashes

This book is not my usual genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a refreshing change from my go-to authors. I was initially apprehensive that I wouldn't be able to get through it due to the significant violence, but I found myself unable to stop reading. I loved Cosby's writing style, and his characters were well-developed and complex. While I wouldn't necessarily describe them as likable, given their involvement in a gangster lifestyle, I still found them intriguing.

The story begins with Roman, a successful financial advisor living in California, who is summoned home to rural Virginia because his father was in a terrible car accident and is in a coma. Once he arrives, he realizes there are many secrets, debts to be paid, and family to protect.

If you're looking for a gripping story that keeps you turning pages with tension, grit, and emotional depth, this one delivers. It's dark, compelling, and well written - definitely worth stepping outside your comfort zone for.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"Propulsive and powerful... A gripping roller coaster ride of escalating danger." - New York Times Book Review
"Pick up the novel everyone will be talking about." - The Atlantic
"Dark, riveting, and accomplished."- Washington Post

Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author S. A. Cosby returns with King of Ashes, a Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama.

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 the crash 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 he's forgotten that there are real gangsters out there. As his bargaining chips go up in smoke, Roman realizes he has only one thing left to offer: himself, and his own particular set of skills.

As Roman enters this criminal underworld, Neveah begins searching for answers about their long-lost mother. But Roman is far less of a pushover than the gangsters expect. He'll do anything to save his family.

Because everything burns.

1. The book opens with a devastating loss. How did that first chapter shape your expectations for the story?

2. Grief and trauma run deep throughout this narrative. How does S.A. Cosby illustrate the various ways people respond to loss? Were there any moments that felt particularly honest or emotionally powerful to you?

3. Justice and revenge blur in this story. Do you believe any of the characters ultimately found true justice? What does the book suggest about how far we should go in seeking justice?

4. Cosby portrays men who appear tough on the outside but are emotionally vulnerable underneath. How does he explore masculinity and vulnerability through these characters?

5. Race, class, and policing are intricately woven into the story. Were there any moments that felt especially relevant or eye-opening to you?

6. The novel moves quickly, balancing action and introspection. Did the pacing work for you? Are there any sections you wish had slowed down or explored more deeply?

7. There is a significant amount of moral ambiguity in this book. Did you agree with the choices the characters made? Where do you draw the line?

8. The title "King of Ashes" is powerful. What do you think it signifies in the context of the story? Who, if anyone, deserves the crown by the end?

9. If this book were adapted into a movie or series, who would you cast in the various roles?