All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

A Five-Star Book Review

S.A. Cosby will tear out your heart while pouring words of gold across the page. That’s what I learned when I read his book Razorblade Tears, and All the Sinners Bleed exceeded even higher expectations. He is a master at crime fiction novels, a king of “Southern noir,” and one of my favorite authors because of the devastating content of his books and the exceptional quality of his writing. Here is a glimpse at his words:

“But there were moments like today when the true nature of existence was revealed to him. Moments when the ephemeral curtain of divine composition was pulled away and entropy strode across the stage.”

S.A. Cosby, All the Sinners Bleed (Page 32)

Summary of All the Sinners Bleed (No Spoilers)

Titus Crown returned to Charon County, Virginia to care for his father and to forget his final moments as an FBI special agent. But as the first Black sheriff in Charon, Titus faces more challenges, both current and past. After a school shooting that leaves two dead, Titus discovers that there is more to the story of Charon’s latest tragedy that pits Black versus white, old versus new, and good versus evil. As he grapples with a case that becomes more twisted by the hour, along with racists who want to uphold the Confederate history of Charon, Titus fights his own past while trying to uphold his duty as sheriff in a county that seems determined to upend his position.

What I Loved About All the Sinners Bleed

It’s already clear that Mr. Cosby’s writing touches my soul. He writes about gruesome, horrific acts but does so with grace and a cadence that makes you feel the words like the beat of a drum. His syntax is perfect as he crafts sentences and paragraphs with emotional language. You feel the tension of the story through his words.

And the story that Mr. Cosby created is multilayered, like a stone that’s been encased in more rock through the ages. All the Sinners Bleed addresses racism, crime, historical trauma, and more issues that I can’t share without spoiling the plot, and the book makes a clear statement about them all. With talented writing and beautiful characters, Mr. Cosby shares his views and urges the reader to consider every nuance of the world he’s described.

Just like his story, Mr. Cosby has created multifaceted characters in All the Sinners Bleed. Titus Crown is the tormented hero, the man who deeply believes in honoring his role as sheriff but who is conflicted by both the past and present. The secondary characters, like his father, brother, and deputies, are well-developed, and they move the story forward just as much as they help to shape Titus’s actions.

My Final Thoughts About All the Sinners Bleed

I tried to finish All the Sinners Bleed before midnight on December 31, 2023, but I needed just a few more hours to complete my reading. So, this beautiful, five-star book is my first read for 2024, and I couldn’t be happier with it. This is a book I highly recommend; while the crimes are difficult to read, Mr. Cosby’s talents as a writer make it an exceptional book.