S. A. Cosby Books in Order (Updated February 22, 2026)

S. A. Cosby (Shawn A. Cosby) is an American crime writer from southeastern Virginia, best known for a run of hard-edged, stand-alone Southern crime novels. Most of his major adult novels do not form a series, so “reading order” is mainly about publication order (watching themes and craft evolve) rather than avoiding spoilers across books.

Your 3-second decision

• Start with the big breakout crime novel: Blacktop Wasteland
• Start with the most widely recommended follow-up: Razorblade Tears
• Start with the most recent adult crime novel: King of Ashes
• Want to read everything in the cleanest path: use the Adult novels (publication order) list below.

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What connects to what (a quick shelf label system)

• Adult crime novels: stand-alone continuity (safe in any order).
• Brotherhood of the Blade: separate early fantasy/urban-fantasy series (read in order).
• Rhythm of Time: co-written middle-grade series with Questlove (read in order).
• Marvel Crime (Luke Cage): tie-in novel (separate; read anytime).
• Edited anthologies: Cosby as editor (not fiction by him, but part of his bibliography).

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Adult novels (publication order) – safest “read them all” path

Each of these is a stand-alone story; the order here is about seeing Cosby’s progression.

1. My Darkest Prayer (commonly listed as 2019): A funeral-home worker investigates a suspicious death in rural Virginia, setting the template for Cosby’s moral pressure-cooker plots.
2. Blacktop Wasteland (2020): A former wheelman tries to stay straight, and the novel’s momentum comes from how quickly “one last job” becomes unavoidable.
3. Razorblade Tears (2021): Two fathers with complicated pasts go after the men who killed their sons, and the book’s power is in the collision of grief, masculinity, and violence.
4. All the Sinners Bleed (2023): A small-town sheriff faces a crisis that becomes both a manhunt and a reckoning with what the town has been hiding.
5. King of Ashes (2025): A family-centered crime story built around loyalty, debt, and escalation, with a broader “crime-epic” sweep than the earlier stand-alones.

Date note (kept simple): My Darkest Prayer is widely cataloged as a 2019 novel, but you will also see 2018 cited in some references; the safer statement is that it’s his debut and was later reissued after his breakout success.

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“Recommended order” that’s not just publication order

If you want the smoothest entry without committing to “read everything,” this four-book path tends to work well:

1. Blacktop Wasteland (best first read for most people)
2. Razorblade Tears (same grit, bigger emotional reach)
3. All the Sinners Bleed (shifts into a darker, more procedural frame)
4. King of Ashes (latest adult novel; read once you know his voice)

Then circle back to My Darkest Prayer as a “where it started” bonus.

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Separate continuity: Brotherhood of the Blade (read in order)

This is an earlier, distinct lane from the later crime novels.

1. Brotherhood of the Blade (2014): Launches the Creedence family conflict and the series’ oath-bound, secret-society premise.
2. The Invitation (2015): A short follow-up entry that continues the same world and is best read between volumes one and two.
3. House of Swords (2017): The second main installment, expanding the stakes set up in the first book.

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Separate continuity: Rhythm of Time (with Questlove) – middle grade, read in order

These are co-authored and aimed at younger readers, so treat them as a different shelf than the adult crime novels.

1. The Rhythm of Time (2023): Starts the time-travel adventure framework and introduces the core rules of the series’ world.
2. Time for a Change (2026): Continues the same storyline and works best immediately after book one.

(A further installment has been discussed publicly, but a stable title/date is not the same across listings, so I’m not locking it in here.)

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Separate continuity: Marvel Crime (Luke Cage)

• Truth to Power: A Luke Cage Marvel Crime Novel (2026): A tie-in adult crime novel starring Luke Cage; it’s designed to be readable without Cosby’s other work.

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Edited books (Cosby as editor)

• Under the Thumb: Stories of Police Oppression (2021): A themed fiction anthology with Cosby as guest editor.
• The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2024 (2024): Cosby is the volume editor (with the series editor credited separately).

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Latest status snapshot

• Latest adult novel: King of Ashes (2025).
• Latest Cosby-related new release listed for 2026: Time for a Change (middle grade, co-written) and Truth to Power (Marvel Crime tie-in).

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FAQs

Do any of S. A. Cosby’s adult novels need to be read in order?

No. My Darkest Prayer, Blacktop Wasteland, Razorblade Tears, All the Sinners Bleed, and King of Ashes are stand-alones.

What should I read if I only want one Cosby book?

Most readers start with Blacktop Wasteland (pure crime momentum) or Razorblade Tears (more character-forward).

Are the children’s books and Luke Cage book part of the same universe as the adult crime novels?

No. They’re separate projects with different audiences and continuity.

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Conclusion

If you want the clean, complete adult path, read Cosby’s adult novels in publication order from My Darkest Prayer through King of Ashes. If you only want one book that captures what he does best, start with Blacktop Wasteland.