gritty

Review: Dead First by Johnny Compton

~ megs14malloy

Dead FirstDead First by Johnny Compton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dead First follows P.I., Shyla Sinclair, who at the start of this novel gets invited to the mansion of eccentric billionaire, Saxton Braith. As it turns out, Braith wants to hire Shyla, based on her reputation for taking on peculiar cases.

Shyla enters the meeting a bit suspicious. What does Braith want with her? They run in such different worlds.

Their encounter takes a startling turn when Braith’s assistant jams a metal rod through the back of his skull. He’s dead. Wait, no he’s not. He’s been resurrected.

That’s right. Braith cannot die and he doesn’t know why. This display by Braith and his assistant was done solely to convince Shyla of their claims. He wants her to dig into his life and try to figure out why he’s immortal.

Therein lies the case at the heart of this novel. I was intrigued by this set-up, and right away enjoyed the gritty Crime Fiction tone Compton was bringing to the story.

Shyla, as well, is intrigued by Braith’s claims and the opportunity to look into it. What she doesn’t like is that he basically blackmails her into taking the case, whether she wants to or not. Braith has done some digging on Shyla and knows her darkest secrets.

She can either help him, or risk losing everything?

Shyla ends up pairing up with her, I believe, ex-girlfriend, and sometimes work partner, Jihn, a psychic, for the case. Also along for the fun is Braith’s employee, Remy.

This is an intriguing supernatural mystery, and as mentioned above, I did really like the overall tone of the story. However, I think where it lost me was including so much backstory for Shyla. I get in a way why her past is included, the events obviously shaped her as a character, but those sections slowed the pace way down for me.

Because of my mixed interest in the various plot angles, the pace went from high to low, and with it, my enjoyment level did as well. Up, down and all around.

Even though I’ve rated this as a mid-story, I still can appreciate the quality of Compton’s writing and his creativity. I do love the rhythm of his sentences, and his descriptions of the horror bits, when they pop up.

I think if this had just been a little more singularly-focused on the mystery of Braith and his past, I would have enjoyed it more. For me, it felt like it was trying to do too much with the characters and it ended up detracting from the main plot.

With this being said, this is completely a personal taste assessment. You could read this one and it could knock you out of the park, so don’t just take my word for it. If it sounds interesting to you, give it a go. It’s worth it.

Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’m still waiting for Compton to match The Spite House. Though this didn’t, I’m still glad I picked it up, and look forward to whatever he releases next. We’re on a journey.

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Review: The Secret Dinner by Raphael Montes

~ megs14malloy

The Secret Dinner: A NovelThe Secret Dinner: A Novel by Raphael Montes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

When I picked up The Secret Dinner, I’ll be honest, I expected a typical dinner party Thriller, but Raphael Montes definitely had something different in mind.

I went on a journey with these characters and could not put this down once I started it. This is Hostel II meets Tender is the Flesh, dishing up plenty of food for thought.

This story was originally published in 2016, but has just recently been translated to English. It follows four friends living together in Rio, who find themselves in dire straights and in desperate need of money.

Through a series of interesting interactions, they develop an unorthodox plan to get the funds they need, but it’s not exactly above-board. They decide to host secret dinner parties, a recent trend among the elite, and it sucks them into dark places they never expected to find themselves in.

What starts as a bit of a half-joke, ‘get rich quick scheme’, quickly spirals out of control. Our main narrator is Dante, and he relays to us just how wildly-unruly their lives become because of these parties.

They started on a slippery slope as is, and are now steamrolling downhill with haste. I couldn’t believe the lengths they were going to, and it certainly pushed their friendships past the limit.

When I got to the concluding bits, I was shook. I loved how far Montes took this. I get this might not be for everyone, but as a Horror Reader, it’s definitely to my tastes.

I would compare the dark and gritty nature of this story to something like The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias, or Coffin Moon by Keith Rosson.

The characters here, as in both of the stories mentioned above, are so well-developed. Their desperate circumstances were understandable, but man, the lengths they went to in order to get out of them…yikes.

The Epilogue had my jaw on the floor. I actually read it twice, because it was that good. I couldn’t believe it. I never saw what was revealed coming. Well done, Montes. Well done.

I would recommend the audiobook as well if you’re going to pick this one up. I thought the narration by Andre Bellido and André Santana felt so authentic and true to the story. It felt like I was listening to a friend telling me a story of something wild that had happened to them.

And when I say wild, I mean, WILDDDD!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio and Celadon Books, for providing me with copies to read and review. This was such a surprising treat.

I’m so happy to have read it!

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Review: Crone by Keith Rosson

~ megs14malloy

CroneCrone by Keith Rosson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤

Keith Rosson captured my heart and my full attention last year with Coffin Moon. There was something so devilishly-good about that book. The setting, the grittiness of the plot, the characters; it was a whole mood. It all worked for me and has remained in my mind ever since.

To say that I was excited to get an early-copy of this novel, Crone, would be putting it so mildly it wouldn’t even register. I was stoked for this and as you can tell from my rating, I wasn’t disappointed for a moment.

This novel matches Coffin Moon in tone, so if you also enjoyed that one, I would highly recommend reading this as well. The big difference would be while Coffin Moon is a bit of a vampiric romp, Crone is for the witches in the crowd.

This continues the classic dark Crime Fiction feel that Coffin Moon brought, and is actually even set in the same area of the United States, just in a later time period.

This story follows Eli Lamp, an ex-detective, turned addict, turned ex-addict, whose daughter disappeared 10-years ago. Eli’s battled his emotions since Hannah’s been gone, but the guilt and grief frequently overwhelm him.

Due to a certain incident Eli got himself involved in while investigating Hannah’s disappearance, he’s also now indebted to a local drug gang, the Crooked Wheel. They utilize his skills as an enforcer. It’s a dark road he’s traveled.

We also follow a young woman named Avery. Avery was actually Hannah’s best friend, and the two were together on the night that Hannah disappeared. Like Eli, Hannah has also really struggled since that night. The guilt and shame she’s felt since Hannah disappeared has definitely defined the trajectory of her life so far.

Avery fled their small town as soon as she graduated high school, unable to stand the whispers and looks any longer. Recently though, she’s been having extremely vivid dreams of Hannah calling her back.

After the boss of the Crooked Wheel’s son is found brutally murdered, he asks Eli to investigate it, so they can bring the killer to justice. If Eli’s successful, he won’t owe them any longer. He’ll be a free man.

His investigation brings him into the orbit of Avery, recently returned to town, a girl he never thought he’d see again. Soon the two are entwined in a search for answers that all link back to the night their dear Hannah disappeared.

Contrary to everything they might believe in, signs point to a mysterious something lurking the woods. A something with a bent back, black eyes and claws. No one wants to say witch, but it’s a thought…

This is such a beautifully-devastating story. My heart aches with the weight of it. It’s gritty and violent, showcasing the worst acts that humans can do unto each other.

There’s also a rawness to it all, with humanity just bleeding off the page. Rosson does such an incredible job of examining dark emotions, such as guilt, grief and self-doubt, even hate. This is vengeance-fueled story, much like Coffin Moon, and I was completely invested.

I loved the direction Rosson ultimately went with this. I will say the way he laid it all out, it’s not a path I would typically enjoy, but I think in this case, just because of the overall emotion of the story, it actually worked. He pulled it off.

If you’ve never read Rosson before, you’ve got time. Pick up Coffin Moon before this one releases in September. If you like that vibe, you should absolutely pick this one up as well.

Also, I definitely recommend this for fans of Witchy stories, particularly if you’re itching for something opposite of all the Cozy Witchy vibes we seem to be getting lately.

This is full stop a Horror novel. It’s violent, gory and full of complicated topics and emotions. It’s absolutely stellar and I cannot wait for a hard copy to take residence on my shelves.

Thank you to the publisher, Random House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This will definitely be making my Best Books of 2026 list!!!

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Review: Headlights by C.J. Leede

~ megs14malloy

HeadlightsHeadlights by C.J. Leede
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Headlights is an exciting blend of Horror and Crime Fiction that is both thrilling and horrifying. Set in Colorado, this story is sure to creep under your skin until its profound, and admittedly, head-scratching conclusion.

On what should be his last day as a Special Agent with the FBI, Danny Stansfield, gets an unexpected call that it’s happening again. This news forces Danny to return to Denver, a city he fled 4-years previously.

It’s difficult to describe the string of cases that this book features. They’re clearly all related, but he’s never gotten satisfactory answers as to the who and why. Basically, seemingly innocent people are found wandering wearing the skins of victims they have butchered.

These skin-wearers have no recollection how they ended up where they are, or how they could’ve done what they’ve done. It doesn’t make sense. The most disturbing detail, besides the skin suit of course, is that each is found with a strand of a stranger’s hair tied around their tongues.

These individuals have never even met the people that have been murdered, whose skins have been torn from their bodies. What are the connections, and if he couldn’t figure it out before, how can Danny solve these mysteries now?

In this latest case though, there seems to be a twist, a person left who may hold the answers he seeks. Danny is determined to find out.

The deeper he’s pulled back into the cycle of death and depravity, the more Danny is forced to face the demons of his past. Aspects of his traumatic childhood are popping up all around him in a truly haunting fashion.

Will Danny be able to piece it all together, before he, or someone he loves, ends up as the killer’s next victim?

Every time I pick up a C.J. Leede book, I feel like I’m getting a new peek into her breadth as an author. I think for me, as far as tone and set-up, Headlights has been my favorite.

I actually rated American Rapture slightly higher, with 4.5-stars, but reflecting on it now, I feel that had more to do with the emotions I was having after reading the Author’s Note at the end. That gutted me.

Overall though, this one is definitely the closest match to my reading tastes.

The audiobook, narrated by Andrew Eiden, fits the narrative so well. Eiden’s narration has a bit of an old Detective Noir feel to it, that I felt paired so well with Danny’s perspective. It brought the Crime aspect to the forefront, yet carried through nicely into the Horror as well.

I would recommend the audiobook format, should it be available to you. It helped pull me into the story from the very start, as I was so entranced by Eiden’s delivery.

In addition to Eiden’s delivery, Danny has such a compelling backstory as well. I loved piecing that all together over the course of the book. You could tell from the start that he is truly haunted by his childhood, and I liked how Leede chose to reveal all that entails to the Reader.

There was certainly plenty to unpack. There was a lot of sensory things that would trigger memories for him, which made me really empathize with him, as I think that’s something we can all sort of relate to in one way or another.

It was more than just places he had been, there was also a lot of music, or other media involved, and certain smells, just things that would immediately take him back to when he was a kid. It was all very interesting.

Additionally, there’s connections to one of my favorite novels of all time. I was quite surprised when those details started popping up, and I wasn’t sure if I was reading too much into it, seeing connections that didn’t exist, but before long, it’s clear you’re supposed to be picking up on those.

I can imagine some Readers getting to those moments, or hearing about them, and feeling this is Copy Cat, but IMO it felt more true to life that that, if that makes sense.

To me, it was that this character had found an inspiration in, or an explanation in, this novel and I feel like that’s something a lot of us have experienced before. The cool part about this, was that the novel in question, is a real novel, and it’s a popular one, to say the least.

I will say that towards the end, the direction it went, it left me with some questions. Now that’s necessarily a bad thing, I don’t mind things left open-ended, or anything like that, I just feel like in this case, it actually got a little rushed and maybe slightly confusing.

I do plan to get a hard copy for my collection though, and would love to read it again, so perhaps on reread, I’ll be able to piece together more of the bigger picture concepts.

At the end of the day, I had a great time with this. I would recommend it to any Horror Reader, but also to Readers of Dark Crime Fiction, such as The Chestnut Man, The Echo Man, Come With Me, or Bone White.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’ll pick up anything written by C.J. Leede.

Keep ’em coming!

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Review: Bone of My Bone by Johanna van Veen

~ megs14malloy

Bone of My BoneBone of My Bone by Johanna van Veen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️

Bone of My Bone is a historically-set Religious Horror novel set during the time of the Thirty Years’ War. It’s Sapphic, contains a lot of gore, and also some really interesting elements stemming from Germanic Folklore.

We follow Ursula, a nun, and a peasant girl named Elsebeth. Both women are fleeing from marauding soldiers. Ursula has fled her convent, and Elsebeth, after the loss of her entire family, is trying to make her way to her Aunt’s home.

They meet on the road after Elsebeth jumps in to protect Ursula from an attacking soldier. Once they’re safe, the women have a chat, and decide it would be safer for them both if they travel together. Safety in numbers, and all that.

Keeping to the woods in the hopes they won’t be spotted by any more soldiers, they happen upon a dying man. He’s clutching a glass box, within which lies the gilded skull of a Saint. Ursula immediately recognizes it for what it is, and also knows that it’s said that if you reunite the Saint’s skull with it’s body, you’ll be granted a wish.

In these horrific times, both women have a lot to wish for. They discuss it a bit, and decide they have nothing to lose. It’s worth a shot. Thus, they scoop up the reliquary and begin their quest.

There’s a map to where the Saint’s body is said to be, but there’s certainly a lot of ground to cover. Unfortunately, the dangers on the road are plentiful, and it’s not just the soldiers they need to fear. There’s also a Necromancer, drawn to the power of the skull, who is hot on their heels.

Will they be able to survive the dangers of the road, dodge the Necromancer and be able to reunite the Saint’s skull with her body? There’s only one way to find out.

Johanna van Veen has done it again!

This is such an excellent blend of Historical, Religious and Folk Horror. The setting is rich with detail, gritty and brutal. There’s dirt, grime, gore, blood, and everything in between.

Ursula and Elsebeth were both well-developed and I found their quest to be gripping. Gore is mentioned-above, and I loved how gory it was, but I also appreciated the softer character moments than van Veen included.

I was a bit intimidated by this going in, but instantly found it so accessible. I had concerns it would be challenging, I think because I found the synopsis a little confusing. Nevertheless, I had nothing to be concerned about.

Having the quest gave the story great focus, and also allowed Ursula and Elsebeth to bond more quickly due to their reliance upon one another for safety.

I’ve heard some people mention it’s too heavily-focused on religion, and understand people having those opinions, but I feel like it makes sense due to the historical context of the story, and Ursula’s role within the church as a nun.

The Thirty Years’ War is such a horrible period of history, and it’s not one I’ve read a lot about in a fictional way. I liked that van Veen chose that time period. It’s certainly made me more curious about that war and to imagine what life was like during that time is truly horrifying.

This is only the 2nd-novel I’ve read from van Veen, but she’s quickly jumped the ranks of my go-to authors list. I still need to read My Darling Dreadful Thing. I have a feeling I’m going to love that one just as much.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to get a hard copy of this for my shelves!!

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Review: Abyss by Nicholas Binge

~ megs14malloy

AbyssAbyss by Nicholas Binge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Setting eyes on this cover for the first time, I judged and I wanted. Then I read the synopsis. I don’t watch a lot of shows, so have never watched Severance, but I know Lovecraft, and I certainly know corporate horror and existential dread.

Just check in with me any Sunday evening…

This novella follows Joe, who post-pandemic finds himself not living up to his potential. He’s been out of work, but he’s close to dire straights and it’s high time he found something.

Just when he’s thinking it’s hopeless he ends up securing an admin position with a company called Ponos. He’s not expecting much, the most he’s hoping for is a reliable paycheck every week.

Even though he’s filled with a nervous energy, on his 1st-day Joe successfully makes his way to the Ponos building and enters. Expecting the normal 1st-day at a new job song and dance. What he gets is anything but. What he gets is horrifying to think about.

If you ever wanted a book that feels like a post-apocalyptic version of The Office meets H.P. Lovecraft, this one is definitely for you. I did feel at times like it was quite heavy-handed on the commentary, but valid nonetheless and I wouldn’t say it impeded my enjoyment that much.

Personally, I enjoy when commentary is there, but allows the Reader to think more for themselves. With this personal preference aside, I see you, Nicholas Binge and I hear you.

Thinking about other Horror novellas, this was actually what I wanted Coup de Grâce to be as far as the creepy, claustrophobic vibes. I was given the want to escape; a need to flee. I was confused about what was happening and I walked away thinking, what the hell did I just read.

Spoiler alert: that’s a good thing.

I would recommend this to Horror Readers looking for something strange and oddly compelling with a solid nod to Lovecraft. Bonus if you love stark, desperate landscapes, whether inside or out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This is the first I’ve read from Binge, but I’m definitely going to be picking up more!

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Review: Blood Like Ours (The Blood Trilogy #2) by Stuart Neville

~ megs14malloy

Blood Like Ours (Blood Trilogy #2)Blood Like Ours by Stuart Neville
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Blood Like Ours is the 2nd-book in the Blood Trilogy by Stuart Neville. The 1st-book, Blood Like Mine, took me completely by surprise when I read it last year.

Initially, I thought that one was a standalone, so I was super excited when I discovered it was actually slated to be a trilogy. Since that time, I’ve been anxiously awaiting this installment and it didn’t disappoint.

These books are a stellar blend of Horror with Crime Fiction. It’s got such a tone to it. Dark, intense, and oh yeah, there’s a lot of blood involved.

Coffin Moon, which was a fairly-hyped Horror release this year, would be a fairly good comp in my opinion. So, if you enjoyed that one and are looking for more in a similar vein, you should check this series out.

Vein…did you see what I did there??

In this installment, we continue to follow Rebecca and her daughter, Monica, who she calls Moonflower. We also continue to follow FBI Agents, specifically, Special Agent Sarah McGrath, who’s very familiar with their case.

The cat-and-mouse dynamics from the 1st-book carry over here, but we also get a new perspective, an young Irish immigrant, who ends up with a shocking connection to Monica and Rebecca.

I love how this book continues to build out this world and cast of characters involved in this story. When it all started, it felt quite insular, with Rebecca and Monica feeling like islands unto themselves. As the story has progressed though, we discover just how many players are actually involved in this whole thing.

It’s intriguing as heck. The way Neville moves all these pieces around, it feels like you’re witnessing a first class chess match with a bunch of blood splatter.

This ending too, OMG!!!

There’s so much more to explore and I can’t wait to discover where the 3rd-book is going to lead us. One of my favorite aspects of this one was the new perspective, Emma, and all the insights she brought to the historical side of this story.

I don’t want to say too much, because the synopsis keeps it vague. I will say as a sequel, it’s completely successful at continuing the original story, whilst also bringing in a lot of new information and truly expanding the stakes, as well as the intrigue.

Thank you to the publisher, Recorded Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Book 3 cannot come fast enough. I can’t wait!!

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Review: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker

~ megs14malloy

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora ZengBat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Bat Eat and Other Names for Cora Zeng can officially be noted as the only novel that features the backdrop of the COVID pandemic that I’ve actually enjoyed.

Many have tried it, but none, IMO, have been able to pull it off with the power and creativity of Kylie Lee Baker. I’ve been impressed by Baker’s writing in the past, and the fact that she could pull me into this so easily, is a testament to her spectacular writing chops.

In Bat Eater we follow Cora Zeng, who recently lost her sister, Delilah, after she was pushed in front of a train in a vacant subway station. Cora witnessed the whole thing, and will never forget the murderer uttering, ‘bat eater’, as he pushed the unsuspecting Delilah onto the tracks.

In her job as a crime scene cleaner, Cora, is used to cleaning away the goriest scenes that you could ever imagine, but her sister’s end is one brutal scene that will forever be seared into her brain.

As the pandemic continues around them, Cora and her two coworkers, Yifei and Harvey, get called to scene after scene of brutalized Asian women, where they’re also finding the bodies of bats. This cannot be a coincidence, can it?

They start to fear a killer could be targeting their community, but even if there is, what can they do about it?

In addition to the horrid crimes occurring all around them, Cora failed to adequately honor the Hungry Ghost Festival as her Aunt advised her to, and trust me, she should have. Unfortunately, it seems Cora’s gonna pay the price for that.

This story is exquisitely told. I feel like it won’t be for everyone, just due to the whole COVID-backdrop, but for the people who try it out, I think you’d be hard-pressed not to get pulled into Cora’s world.

I really enjoyed getting her experience and perspective, which although fictional, I’m sure is very much based in true life. Her relationship with her sister, aunts and co-workers, was also so well done and I liked watching the evolution of Cora’s character over the course of the story.

This isn’t an uplifting story, by any stretch of the imagination, but it has a lot of powerful moments examining society and humanity. I also, as always, was very impressed with Baker’s horror imagery. The descriptions and scene-setting truly make the story come to life.

In a way, I almost wanted more. There were certain areas that I would have enjoyed built-out even more than they were. For example, Cora’s relationships and interactions with her Aunts.

With this being said, having this short and punchy also made it highly-effective. The mystery and horror were equally intriguing. I listened to the audiobook, and would recommend that format, as I feel the narration style fit the story quite well.

Thank you to the publisher, MIRA and Harlequin Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. I was a fan of Kylie Lee Baker before, but this has taken her to a whole new level for me. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

.

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Review: The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

~ megs14malloy

The GhostwriterThe Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Ghostwriter is such a beautifully-tragic Thriller. I loved the way Clark constructed this story. The way the truth was revealed, the stellar character work, and the emotions she was able to elicit in me upon completion; wow.

I quickly became invested in this one and loved how it kept me guessing the entire way through. Even when I thought I had the answer, I was never 100%, and I got so much wrong.

The Ghostwriter is told in two timelines. Presently, our MC, Olivia Dumont, is returning to her hometown to help her estranged father write his memoir.

Olivia makes her living as a ghostwriter, and it seems she is perfect for the project. Her father is an iconic Horror writer, infamous for the family tragedy that took the lives of his two siblings when he was just a teen.

Olivia has always hidden the fact that THE Vincent Taylor is her Dad. It’s complicated.

The past timeline is set in 1975, the year Vincent’s siblings, Poppy and Danny, were brutally murdered in their home. As the case went cold, many suspected that Vincent had something to do with the crime.

Decades later, Vincent has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, a progressive brain disorder that disrupts his behavior and memories. It’s at this point, he decides he needs to tell his side of the story, before he no longer can.

We’re told this story through this beautiful blend of these different points in time; through Vincent telling his version of events, and Olivia putting her Journalism education to the test, digging into the events of the past via outside sources.

This book has a lot of my favorite things in it, so that was working in its favor right off the bat. I love characters returning to their hometown after a long period away, looking into some sort of mystery of their past. Additionally, I love journalism as an occupation for main characters.

They frequently make the most fun investigators to follow.

I was so invested in both timelines and loved trying to figure out the truth of what happened to the Taylor siblings. It was completely gripping and entertaining.

I would absolutely recommend this to any Thriller Reader, particularly if you enjoy those of the darker, or more violent variety. Also, check it out if you enjoy dark family secrets and past-present timelines.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This was my first time reading from Julie Clark, and I cannot wait for more!

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Review: King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby

~ megs14malloy

King of Ashes: A NovelKing of Ashes: A Novel by S.A. Cosby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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.

In 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!

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