All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
I’ll be the first to admit I have a male-deficient bookshelf. Most of the books in my library are written by women for a female audience. It was never purposeful, it just happened.
In the spirit of a new year, I’ve challenged myself to many things. Most of the resolutions are the usual: drink more water, exercise often, sleep earlier, etc., but outside of that I wanted to expand my reading horizons. I challenged myself to read Black authors across different genres.
That meant stepping outside my typical female-authored dramas to dabble in some YA, romance, and even Fantasy.
BookTok and Bookstagram make it easy to get stuck in an echo chamber of what’s good to read right now. While I love seeing recommendations from other readers, sometimes it feels like the same ten books and a handful of authors are in heavy rotation.
So when I went digging and found a Black male-authored Thriller that I’d never heard of I ran to Libby, charged my Kindle, and got to reading.
All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby follows Titus Crown, a former FBI agent who returns to his rural two-traffic-light-type hometown to be the local sheriff.
Throughout the story, you’re constantly reminded that Titus is the first black man to hold the position and the country charm is a blanket that lies on top of racial tensions and small-town politics. A murder that sends ripples through the community is only the beginning of a secret that is too sinister for most of the town to believe.
In a city so small it is impossible to ignore that the killer is not only living among them but someone they know well. One murder becomes multiple and Titus is racing against the clock before the killer can strike again. Haunted by his past Titus is desperately trying to be the sheriff the people deserve while grappling with how much horror he can withstand.
The story is dark and if you need trigger warnings… they’re there. Unsettling content aside the writing is impressive. I’ll admit that I’m willing to overlook some questionable writing and shaky plot points for a good twist or surprise ending. This book doesn’t make me compromise.
The dialogue reads like real conversation, the writing is sharp, and even though the story is dramatic it never feels over the top. As someone from a rural area, I can say Cosby does an amazing job constructing a town and people you can believe.
The action is nonstop, and each chapter deepens the story. I stayed up way too late two nights in a row to finish this book. It is a perfect blend of gritty crime, drama, and murder mystery.
If you like Thrillers and want a haunting read I highly suggest All the Sinners Bleed.