I continue to be blown away by SA Cosby’s talent as both a writer and a storyteller, though I’m not sure I’d exactly say I “liked” this.

This is a tough read, and contains a LOT of really awful and deeply disturbing content. I’m no great fan of serial killer novels, especially when the killer tortures and murders children. Cosby is so brilliant as a writer that I’ll always read anything he puts out there, but this wasn’t exactly a fun read.

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a very, very good book. I might contend that this is Horror rather than a crime novel, but the quality of writing here far transcends what’s typical of that genre.

Cosby is so good at creating complex and intriguing characters and rich setting, and he has a way with words such that he can make the most banal or unpleasant thing feel powerful through turn of phrase.

Plot-wise I hope in the future he returns to material more akin to Blacktop Wasteland, but I also really respect his ability to tackle more difficult subject matter.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Flatiron Books for providing advanced copies of the eBook and audio book for review consideration.

This review expresses my own personal opinion. I have not been asked to post it by the author, his publishing company, or anyone connected with the book or author.

I decided to listen to the audio version narrated by Adam Lazarre-White, and so glad I did. More on this later. First, my take on the story.

Let me start by saying this book was a Goodreads Choice Awards nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2023), which got my vote. While it didn’t win, the mere fact it was nominated tells you this is a book to read.

For those of you who are fans of the series involving FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, former FBI, now independent criminal profiler, Alex Cross by James Patterson, and troubled former cop, now FBI consultant, Amos Decker by David Baldacci, comes a new sheriff in town, literally, as the main character, Titus Crown is also of FBI stock. Note the trend here, each of these formidable law enforcers have FBI backgrounds. A shout out to the Bureau.

Set in the Virginia County of Charon, former FBI Agent Titus Crown returns to his hometown of Charon, to see after his aging father, who by the way you’ll quickly want a dinner invite from, Titus’ father’s cooking is on par with that of Alex Cross’ Nana Mama. Reading some of the meals he cooks up will make you want to jump inside the book searching for the kitchen, but I digress.

After returning home Titus runs for and gets elected as the first Black sheriff in a historically white dominated rural town, where the high school is named after Jefferson Davis and a statue honoring the Confederate cause stands outside the local courthouse. A year later, almost to the day that Titus was elected, a beloved white teacher is shot by a former student, who is black and he then is shot and killed by Titus’ white deputies, which the Black community questions, did they have to kill him when it appeared he was surrendering with gun in hand. Sounds like an open and shut case, justifiable shooting, the killer is then killed. But all is not what it appears to be. Titus’ FBI training kicks in and as he begins to investigate the motive for the shooting of the teacher and questioning his deputies’ quick fingers, he uncovers unspeakable horrors which quickly reveals there is a serial killer preying on young Black girls and boys, a killer that could be hiding in plain sight.

Titus knows all too well that being the first Black sheriff the expectations are much higher than if he were white, the bar is higher and he must not fail. In addition to catching the killer, he still must carry out his sheriff duties, crime and stupidity does not stop. He has to contend with a far-right racist group that is still living in the pre-Civil War days, where black folks should know their place. This group of Neanderthals are planning to hold a parade to celebrate the town’s Confederate history, and a young charismatic Black activist is having none of that and plans to hold a counter-march. You get the picture, another Charlottesville, VA in the making.

Are you exhausted yet! Wait, there is more. Not only does Titus have to carry out the duties of being a sheriff, he is also battling his own personal demons – his discarded faith in God for allowing his mother to die while Titus was young, an estranged relationship with his brother, his only sibling, and a painful and haunting secret from his past.

Cosby delivers strong characters within a story that pulls you in from the very first page. The Washington Post hit it straight on in their review, which stated, “Cosby weaves politically charged salient issues — race, religion, policing — through the prism of a serial murder investigation and the perspective of one of the most memorable heroes in contemporary crime fiction. . . Deeply moving and memorable.”

Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca said, “Crimes often return to their teacher.” There are plenty of examples throughout this story.

This is a rollercoaster of a ride, full of emotions ranging from regrets, anger, hate, love lost, gained, lost, humor, sadness, and so much more mixed in. Like any good crime story, Cosby does not spare us the horrible side of crime, the ruthlessness, ugliness, and brutality, this story is definitely not for the faint of heart.

An audiobook can rise or fall based on the narration, no matter how well written the book is. Adam Lazarre-White delivers a stellar performance, he is Titus Crown. Lazzare-White’s narration brings the small-town vernacular front and center, you know you are in Charon. The story comes alive in so many ways, the delivery is spot on and you are captured from the very first spoken words. The voice inflections, the delivery, the style generates almost unbearable tension and unease from start to end, in fact so much so, I had to stop listening for periods of time just to regroup. You are in Titus’ world.

The ending will have you go, “What the @##$%!!!! “ and there is an epilogue that will put a smile on your face and make you pump your fist.

This is an awesome good book, one that will stay with you long after you have stopped listening or closed the cover. I rate this 5-Stars, with no further explanation needed.

Unpopular opinion;

I didn’t love this book. I loved Razorblade Tears and I quite liked Blacktop Wasteland. This book…I struggled to not DNF.

First of all, one of the reasons that I much prefer Razorblade Tears to Blacktop. Wasteland is the reduction in metaphors and similes. A great metaphor is lovely. I appreciate wonderful metaphors. I just don’t enjoy them practically every other sentence.

Razorblade Tears reduced the metaphors in sheer volume and cherry picked the best ones. The editing was on point. All the Sinner’s Bleed is bloated with metaphors to the point where it felt almost like a prank. Just how many could Cosby get by the editors without the red pen coming out. It was like there was NO red pen at all…

No book needs TWO instances of the Shakespearian phrase “mortal coil” Cosby slips this one into each of his books I think. But twice?! C’mon. It’s pretentious AF. My ex loooved using this one and he’s not the kind of guy any author (or human of any ilk) should want to be associated with/share favorite phrases with.

One of my other qualms was the level of graphic horror. It was too much for me. I would compare the level of unnecessary gore and torture here to one of the most over the top episodes of Criminal Minds.

I also did not enjoy that only the main character was really three dimensional. I felt I didn’t know anyone else in the book. They all felt like paper dolls to me with the exception maybe of the serial killer and that’s not what I’ve come to expect from this author at all.

The thing I really hated the most, though, was the narrative/moral that people who endure terrible terrible abuses-are destined to visit their pain upon others. I myself went through horrifying psychological, sexual and physical abuse from in my infancy, all through into adulthood at various times. I have never wished to hurt others. Some people who go through hell come out the other side and NEVER want anyone to hurt like they have been hurt.

As always, audiobooks for SA Cosby are the way to go! So much suspense & excitement packed into this one & audio brings it to life.

A multi-faceted, gritty small town mystery, All the Sinners Bleed feels like a HBO crime series in the best way possible: dimensional characters, a setting with an underlying sociological tension, and not shying away from putting violence on page when necessary.

The novels takes its time setting the scene; with my previous reference point from S.A. Cosby being the Michael Bay-esque, fast-paced Razorblade Tears, I was initially a little thrown off by the intentionally slow pace. All the Sinners Bleed is more tension rather than action, and I came to appreciate it allotting space to flesh out characters and their complex dynamics (racism is very thought-provokingly explored here) before kick-starting the central mystery. Speaking of mystery, while the serial killer plot unfolds at a steady pace, with many gruesome set pieces making me wince along the way, I did find the reveals a little too straightforward (in many cases the red herring turn out to be the truth).

All the Sinners Bleed is eloquently written, drenched in dread, and featuring many current societal issues, which makes the violence all the more visceral and close to home. I wouldn't label this a 'fun' thriller—but if you're seeking something immersive with a fleshed-out protagonist (I can see this being a series starter), this will be the one to pick up.

This book is a steamy Southern mystery that brims with racial tension. Titus Crown is a stalwart protagonist that must keep this pressure cooker from exploding. Another winner from Cosby!

I absolutely loved and devoured Razorblade Tears, and was so excited to read ALL THE SINNERS BLEED.

SA Cosby has once again pulled me in with the beautiful writing and storytelling, making me want the reading experience to never end.

I listened to the audiobook format, by narrator Asam Lazaro White, and thought it was wonderful, and really set the tone of the story. His voice was like honey, and I could listen all day!

The author somehow manages to weave a beautiful story from a dark and heavy storyline, which begins with a school shooting of a white teacher, and black gunman killed by police. The two are involved in unsolved murders.

*many thanks to Flatiron, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

One of my all time favorite books is Razorblade Tears so I had to pick up All Sinners Bleed.

Briefly this is the story of a Black sheriff. A serial killer and small town ready to combust.

Whoa y’all this one is dark and heavy. But somehow SA Cosby has this uncanny ability to transport you into the book with his words. While the subject matter was tough the storytelling was superb. I highly recommend All Sinners Bleed if you’re able to handle dark themes.

Good book. The narrator was good and the plot kept me engaged. I enjoyed how it hit on some social aspects.

Some of the most beautiful writing around. In any genre. SA Cosby stuns and moves me every time. And he just keeps getting better and better. Read this as soon as you can get your hands on it! The audiobook narrator does a beautiful job as well. You will be completely captivated.

S.A.Cosby may be my favorite author of the decade. I have read his books in both styles (physical books and listened via audio recordings) and they are both excellent! The narrator of this book is particularly talented; voice like honey, sets the mood and characters up so effortlessly. I wish I could give this book an extra star!

I absolutely love the author. He writes so well and his stories just weave you in. Every book is fantastic.

The book follows Titus, who is the first Black sheriff in a small historic U.S. town. The book opens with a school shooting where a beloved white teacher is murdered. The Black gunman is killed onsite by the police and it becomes clear that the killer and the teacher are linked and that both of them are entwined in multiple ritualistic unsolved murders.

The book is racially charged and I love how the author's writing is never heavy-handed. He has a gift for creating pacey, compulsive, intellectual reads which suck you in from the start.

The audiobook is fantastic because the narrator Asam Lazarre White is so good. His voice is smooth and so even-keeled.

One of the best thrillers I read this year.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

It was well paced and full of twists, hard decisions, horrific discoveries, dangerous situations, untimely deaths and a race against time. I listened to the audiobook that was very well narrated by Adam Lazare-White.

S.A Cosby is easily one of my favorite authors. He brilliantly tackles heavy topics and creates stories that need to be shared. I listened to this audiobook in one sitting because I needed to have all the answers.

This is an intricately plotted thriller about a school shooting of a teacher & how it exposed a much darker story to the teach and his shooter. The protagonist, Titus is a black cop in a small town and he is trying to do right by everyone while navigating the politics surrounding the situation. Cosby seamlessly incorporates themes of violence, trauma, racism, religion and social injustice into the narrative. I also really enjoyed having a deeper insight to police procedurals through Titus' POV.

Thank you Netgalley, and MacMillan Audio for an alc of this book. Adam Lazarre-White was an incredible voice for this story.

I love the author's work, especially his audiobooks. They are MUST listen, and always go to the very top of my tbr.

All the Sinners Bleed has compared to [book:Razorblade Tears|54860585] and [book:Blacktop Wasteland|51182571] a more slower build up, more subdued, at the least at the beginning, but it's not any less impactful.

S.A. Cosby has the ability to write the most interesting stories. Stories that go deep, pull me in, and spit me out the other side. It's a different kind of emotional rollercoaster. His voice is fresh, but keeps the reader on the edge of ones seat. The pressure is high and the story is exhilarating until the very end.

A must read for anyone enjoying American crime fiction, that has a timely and current feel to it.

Can't wait to read the next one!!

All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Crosby was both compellingly complex and intriguing. From start to finish I couldn't stop reading this book. I read Razorblade Tears by Crosby and was blown away by Crosby's writing and the cinematic nature of the storytelling. Same thing here with All the Sinners Bleed. Crosby is a great storyteller and I plan to dig into this author's backlist. The narration and audio quality were great. The narrator's cadence was perfect for the story and it gave the characters life.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was my first book my this author and it didn't disappoint. The story was well paced and the author writes his characters in a way that made me truly care about them. I was completely engaged throughout, and struggled to put this book down at times because I needed to know what happens next. Well done, I can't wait to dig into this authors backlist!

Another good read by Cosby. While I love Razorblade Tears more, this was another engaging story that kept me caring about the characters and wondering what would happen next. Cosby does a great job with pacing and highlighting issues without being preachy about them--just sets you right in the midst of the experience.

All the Sinners Bleed
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: S. A. Crosby

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This story was brilliant. It was suspenseful, mysterious, creepy, chilling, dark, disturbing, and kept you on the very edge of your seat! After I read “Razorblade Tears,” I became a solid Crosby fan. I still need to listen to “My Darkest Prayer,” but I have no doubt it will be the same stellar quality. Crosby weaves important social issues into his thrillers. For this story, we have the first Black Sheriff, Titus Crowne, a former FBI agent. He really wanted to make a difference. What starts out as an investigation into a school shooting turns into a cat and mouse game for an unraveling serial killer. Sprinkled in are politics of being a Black Sheriff in a Southern small town.

The book is narrated solely by Titus, in his POV. Titus is driven, determined, and fierce. Titus is a fantastic character, while he has made mistakes in the past, he never held himself above anyone. There are a litany of supporting characters and they all add their own stamp in the novel. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, absolutely intriguing, and creatively woven. Crosby has a way with layering the plot in twists after twists, interweaves social injustices, racism, and trauma themes with multiple characters to create a masterpiece thriller that you cannot put down. The author’s writing style is complex, multifaceted, intriguing, and absolutely brilliant. The pace and flow of the story is perfect. Crosby’s ability at storytelling is thought-provoking, intriguing, and engaging. The details were described so well that you really felt like you were in the small town of Charon County.

The narrator at first I could not sync with, however, after a little while, he grew on me and did an amazing job at voice variation and setting the tone that immerses you into the story. I really connected with Titus on an emotional level, and was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the story. This story just stuck with me and I still think about it. The perfect thriller, gripping, dark, disturbing, and compelling. I highly, highly recommend picking up this audiobook and Crosby’s backlist that includes, “Razorblade Tears, Blacktop Wasteland, and My Darkest Prayer.”

Many thanks to my friends at @macmillan.audio for the #gifted audiobook.

Darkly compelling. Gritty and complex. Cosby’s emotionally charged fourth novel proves he is the future of crime thrillers.

Whether writing about the outlaw (in his previous works) or lawman (in this latest), Cosby enthralls. This is a “one sitting” book. Provocative and page turning, it was just the explosive thrill ride I’ve come to expect of Cosby.

“Charon County was founded in bloodshed and darkness.”

A small, southern town firm in the clutches of history. A serial killer targeting Black youth. Titus Crowne, the first Black sheriff of Charon County, must balance the lines of justice amongst the complexities of race and religion in the American South.

Gritty and raw! This storyline is exacting and propulsive. From the adeptly plotted hunt for a serial killer to the cinematic backdrop of the rural south, I was fully absorbed. Scenes crafted with nuance created the perfect juxtaposition between everyday life and the unfolding horror. The sense that danger lurked among the mundane parts of normalcy created an unnerving scene, rife with complexity and terror.

Cosby’s writing is hard-edged and highly skilled. It’s smart and textured. It’s full of emotion yet loaded with action. It’s expertly balanced between poetry and structure with significance embedded in both.

Though captivating, this isn’t a comfortable read. It’s dark and gory. Violence is on full display.

But maybe most provocative is the examination of the misuse of religion and politics. This story begs the questions we need to be asking. An unflinching look at hard things done with a soft touch, allowing a timely and thorough examination that creates a platform for discussion.

Did I cheer at that ending? YES, I did. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Meticulously crafted and full of verve, All the Sinner’s Bleed is a tour de force!

🎧 @realadamlw has given voice to all of Cobsy’s novels. Each time, he creates the perfect execution, especially for the main character. And this time is no different. His deep and gravely voice has such nuance, allowing him to shift tone and create a full emotional experience pertinent to the scenes. Lazarre-White is one of my favorites and a truly talented voice artists.