King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby is a Southern noir thriller that centers on the Carruthers family and the dark secrets that have haunted them for twenty years. The novel follows Roman Carruthers, a successful financial manager in Atlanta, who is forced to return to his hometown of Jefferson Run, Virginia, after his father, Keith, is put into a coma from a suspicious car accident.
Roman's family runs the local crematorium, a grim business that becomes a central point of the plot. He soon discovers that his younger brother, Dante, has accrued a massive debt with a ruthless local gang, the Black Baron Boys (BBB). To make matters worse, Roman’s sister, Neveah, suspects that their father’s accident was no accident at all, but rather the gang’s way of sending a message.
To protect his family, Roman uses his financial savvy to negotiate with the gang's leaders. His deal is simple: he will use his skills to make them a fortune in the stock market in exchange for his brother’s life. He also agrees to use the family crematorium to dispose of bodies for the gang, a decision that forces him and his siblings to descend into a world of violence and moral compromise.
While Roman is drawn deeper into the criminal underworld, Neveah is on her own mission to solve the mystery of their mother, Bonita, who disappeared two decades earlier. The disappearance has cast a long shadow over the family, with Neveah believing their father murdered her.
As the story progresses, the stakes get higher. Roman orchestrates a series of intricate financial schemes and violent confrontations to outmaneuver the gang leaders. He finds a romantic connection with Jae, the half-sister of the gang's leaders, but his lies and actions put their relationship in jeopardy. The violence escalates as a rival gang, the Ghost Town Crew, gets involved, leading to a series of escalating attacks.
In a shocking climax, the truth about Bonita's disappearance is finally revealed. It wasn't a murder, but a tragic accident that occurred during a struggle between the teenage Roman and Dante and their mother after they discovered her affair. Their father covered up the truth to protect his sons, a lie that has ultimately destroyed the family.
The novel concludes with a devastating series of events. Roman, consumed by his desire for revenge and to protect what’s left of his family, orchestrates a final, brutal confrontation. He uses his intelligence and the dark lessons he's learned to take down the gang and the corrupt cop who has been blackmailing him. However, the cost of his actions is immense. Dante is killed, and Neveah, heartbroken and unable to forgive, leaves town. Roman is left alone, the "King of Ashes," in a world he helped to burn down.
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