King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby rocks a gritty crime tale – A Must Read!
Table of Contents
My Rating of King of Ashes – 4 out of 5
Plot Summary – King of Ashes
In the world of generic thrillers, Mr. Cosby brought in a breath of fresh air, first with All the Sinners Bleed and then with Razorblade Tears. I started as a skeptic, then I was converted into a fan of his writing! King of Ashes has pushed me into the zone where I will be waiting for his next release to hit the stores or the ether, as the case may be. The depth of his thoughts and how he develops them is highly commendable. In the literary world full of cheap thrills, here’s an author whose words give you pause and make you think.
This is about a family in Virginia, consisting of a husband, a wife, and their three children. Keith and Bonita Carruthers – Roman, Neveah, and their youngest, Dante. Keith struggled to make money for his family but did finally succeed in building his own crematorium. In the town of Jackson Run, Virginia, theirs was the only one, and they prospered. This was post-segregation America, one which supposedly gives its citizens equal rights, irrespective of colour, religion, gender etc. But, like everywhere else, perfection hardly leaves the pages of that rule book!
As their children grow up, Roman moves to Atlanta and leads a successful life, Neveah is helping her father run the business and the youngest, Dante, is the prodigal son. During their growing up years, a tragedy defines their future life and charts their individual paths and how they go and in which direction. Their close-knit family has been devastated by a tragedy and years later, another brings them together. Little do they know that whirlwind is about to hit their lives and turn them upside down.
At the beginning of this novel, Roman has to pause his successful career in finance to rush back home when an accident strikes their family. But what Roman expected to be a short trip, turns out to be more complicated and demands a longer stay at Jackson Run. One act leads to another and what Roman had thought to be an easy solution, turns into a long chain of downward spiralling events. A blossoming romance, a handshake with the devil are not what he’d bargained for, but that’s what happens.
The beauty of this novel lies in how well it’s crafted, its myriad characters roam that grey zone between good and bad. Some relationships are defined by their solid foundation of trust, faith and a sense of privacy sacred to those involved in it. Outsiders, most of the times, do not understand the nuances, and make their own assumptions – incorrect mostly, but unshakeable in the minds of the holder.
This is not just about crimes and how they are solved or remain unsolved. It is about what makes ordinary people take to crime, sometimes compulsion and sometimes just because they can. How families come together in times of crisis and will do anything to keep the family together, even if that means they commit a series of crimes to combat another. Sacrifices have to be made, sometimes of personal values, often of character but the end result is always to hold the family together – if that is what matters to them.
Conclusion – King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby
I have been following S.A. Cosby from the time of Razorblade Tears and what a lovely novel that was! And he gets better and better!! The nuances in storytelling, the engrossing narratives, the flawed but loveable characters all make for truly engaging reads. King of Ashes was no exception, with its gritty storyline, and how the story pans out. All characters are a realistic mix of good and bad, and their actions reflect their circumstances more than it does their values. Loved this one too, Mr. Cosby, waiting for the next one….
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As soon as I saw the name Roman, I thought of Succession 😛