Amazon has published its best books of 2025 so far, and after seeing the editors’ picks, I’m moving one thrillernovel to the top of my TBR pile. Every year, Amazon’s editors reveal which books are their top reads from each genre, and 2025’s lists feature many great titles. There’s certainly no shortage of new thriller and mystery books to choose from, but one June release stands out to me — probably because it’s written by someone I already consider a go-to author in the category.
That’s not to mention that the novel is featured among Amazon‘s Top 20 Best Books of 2025 So Far, not just on the round-up of its best thrillers. It lands among blockbuster hits like Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, as well as much-anticipated literary fiction releases like Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Not all thriller books stand out, as many repeat similar conventions and tropes. But the fact that two thrillers are at the top of Amazon’s list is exciting, and it makes me want to pick up one of them even more: King of Ashesby S.A. Cosby.
Amazon’s Best Books Of 2025 Makes Me Want To Read S.A. Cosby’s June Thriller Even More
King Of Ashes Has A Great Premise & Promising Reviews
S.A. Cosby’s thriller books are always gripping and memorable, and the author’s June 2025 release could be his best yet (at least, if its 4.45 average Goodreads rating is anything to judge by). King of Ashes hit shelves on June 10, and it’s described as a “Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic” — a pitch sure to win readers over. The novel follows Roman as he returns to his family home after an accident that puts his father into a coma. It soon becomes clear that this incident is more intentional than he believed, as it’s related to the dangerous people his brother has crossed.
King of Ashes sounds like it has the potential to deliver an action-packed and thrilling story on par with Cosby’s prior works.
The rest of the novel sees Roman trying to appease the criminals who hurt his father, all in the hopes of protecting the rest of his family. But Roman will go to extreme lengths for those he cares about, and that leads to some surprising turns. From that premise alone, King of Ashes sounds like it has the potential to deliver an action-packed and thrilling story on par with Cosby’s prior works. It being chosen as one of the best books of 2025 so far only makes me want to read it more.
King Of Ashes Sounds Like It Could Be One Of The Strongest Thrillers Of The Year
It’s One Of Just Two Thrillers On Amazon’s Top 20 List
Amazon has me moving King of Ashes all the way up on my TBR, but it also sounds like it could be one of the biggest thrillers of the entire year. While it’s too soon to make that call, there are only two mystery-thillers on Amazon’s Top 20 Books of 2025 So Far: King of Ashes and Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. In terms of concepts, these both stand out compared to much of the other thriller fare to hit shelves in recent months. And both novels have well above average ratings, suggesting they’re worthy of the excitement.
S.A. Cosby’s Previous Books Make Him A Must-Read Author
Razorblade Tears & All The Winners Bleed Are All-Time Favorites
If King of Ashes’ positive reception and spot on Amazon’s best books of 2025 weren’t enough to convince me, the fact that I’ve loved his previous books makes me want to pick up this new release as soon as I can. Razorblade Tears was an action-packed revenge story that made a powerful impact, while All the Sinners Bleed delivered a gripping mystery with timely themes. Both are all-time favorites, and they’ve cemented Cosby as a must-read author. His novels strike an incredible balance, delivering on action and suspense while discussing incredibly relevant topics.
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King of Ashes sounds poised to build on Cosby’s strengths as a thriller author, and its June release makes it a potential beach read for summer 2025. I’ll certainly be picking it up sooner rather than later, especially after seeing such great responses to it.
