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micasreads's review against another edition
4.0
Started: April 26, 2024
Finished: April 29, 2024
Format: Digital & Audio
Genre: Thriller
Titus Crown is the first Black sheriff in a small, usually quiet, Virginia town. On the anniversary of his taking the Sheriff position, a school teacher is shot by a former student. When Titus begins to investigate, he discovers the horrible truth of the student/teacher relationship and they horrible things they have done along with another man. Titus must find the man to stop the bloodshed.
I've heard so much about this author and thought this would be a good book to start with.
I learned two things: Cosby is good for a slow burn thriller, and I get through his books faster on audio. This was also the first time that I started a book on my Kindle and finished it via audio. That being said, this was a really well-done story that offered a lot of unexpected backstory and a great mystery. While I felt the "aha" moment was a little obvious; the story that went with it was unexpected. I enjoyed this novel and can't wait to read more from S.A. Cosby.
Graphic: Murder and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse and Child death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Violence, and Religious bigotry
cathy61r's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Pedophilia, Torture, Violence, Racism, Child abuse, Death, Murder, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Alcohol and Animal death
xxfirerainbowxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Torture
Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Colonisation, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Alcohol
jennifer_carroll's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Murder, Child abuse, Child death, and Religious bigotry
reddeddy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Child death, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Kidnapping, Car accident, Violence, Racial slurs, Grief, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Body horror, Chronic illness, Police brutality, Death, Racism, Stalking, Gore, Blood, Cursing, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Classism, Rape, Medical content, Sexual content, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Genocide, and Colonisation
veronnie10's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Child death, Cancer, Violence, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, and Murder
carriepond's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I will start this review with the disclaimer that I don't read a ton of thrillers. I usually find myself annoyed if the plot is too predictable, especially because thrillers are often so plot-driven. I enjoyed this one more than I usually like thrillers.
Things I liked: Cosby does an excellent job with Titus's character. Many of the other characters are a little one-dimensional, but Titus is the star and he is a star. This kept me engaged even when there were some things I was quibbling with while I was reading (see below). The story also drew me in-- some of it was so disturbing, but ultimately I had to know how things would play out. There were also multiple side plots that I thought Cosby did a good job tying in and tying up, and it was a nice breather from the more grotesque aspects of the main murder plotline. Cosby also does a good job integrating the larger social critique into the story itself.
Things I didn't like as much: I felt like I never really had time to wonder what would happen, if that makes sense. Almost as soon as a clue would appear, Titus would instantly figure out its significance or spring into action to move to the next puzzle piece. I like when I read a mystery and I'm given time to chew on how pieces fit together and here I felt like the wind kept being taken out of my sails. Maybe that's what makes it a thriller versus a mystery?
Despite that issue, I read through this really fast and thought it was a great thriller experience. I think folks who read a lot of thrillers would love this one. Definitely be warned though-- there's a lot in here that isn't for the faint of heart.
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Animal death, Racism, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Police brutality and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Mass/school shootings, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
erinestes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Child abuse
sarakeepshersanity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Murder, Racism, Child death, and Child abuse
dana_naylor's review against another edition
3.75
Serious trigger warnings and what I’m putting in spoiler text is within first quarter of book.
I don’t know if I could have handled listening to audiobook. Needed to take pretty frequent breaks from book as I approached the end. I found it more horror than mystery.
Graphic: Cursing, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Mass/school shootings