Razorblade Tears

A BLACK FATHER. A WHITE FATHER. TWO MURDERED SONS. A QUEST FOR VENGEANCE. *SUNDAY TIMES THRILLER OF THE MONTH* * FINANCIAL TIMES CRIME BOOKS OF THE YEAR* * BARACK OBAMA'S SUMMER READING LIST 2022* ' Superb...Cuts right to the heart of the most important questions of our times.' MICHAEL CONNELLY 'The very definition of a white-knuckle ride' IAN RANKIN Ike Randolph left jail fifteen years ago, with not so much as a speeding ticket since. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid. Ike is devastated to learn his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah's white husband, Derek. Though he never fully accepted his son, Ike is broken by his death. Derek's father Buddy Lee was as ashamed of Derek being gay as Derek was of his father's criminal past. But Buddy Lee - with seedy contacts deep in the underworld - needs to know who killed his only child. Desperate to do better by them in death than they did in life, two hardened ex-cons must confront their own prejudices about their sons - and each other - as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys. A provocative revenge thriller and an achingly tender story of redemption, this novel is a ferocious portrait of grief; for those loved and lost, and for mistakes than can never truly be undone. 'Cosby's talents for pungent dialogue and Chandler-esque phrase-making were praised in his previous novel,.. and they're evident again in this pulsating follow-up ' Sunday Times THRILLER OF THE MONTH 'A stellar performance' Sunday Times Crime Club 'Cosby's prose barrels along like a pick-up still angry it's not a Ferrari, and his phrase-making is up there with the great artists of noir' The Times BEST THRILLERS OF THE MONTH 'It's a rare trick to combine violence with social commentary, but Cosby pulls it off' Daily Mail 'Raw, powerful and pacey, Razorblade Tears more than fulfils the promise of Cosby's superb debut' The Guardian 'This is as close to a thriller masterpiece as it is possible to get...it is a tale of grief and redemption, but ends with a heartbreaking poignancy that brings tears to the eyes' Daily Mail 'Every once in a while a writer comes along with an incredible voice...add S. A. Cosby to that list.' STEVE CAVANAGH 'Utterly brilliant....Beautiful, violent, operatic, relevant, poignant, gripping & important. This book is a mirror. It shows us our world as it is. Masterful' WILL DEAN Praise for S. A. Cosby: 'Sensationally good' LEE CHILD 'I loved BLACKTOP WASTELAND' STEPHEN KING 'Stunning. Can't remember the last time I read such a powerful crime novel' MARK BILLINGHAM 'S. A. Cosby is a welcome, refreshing new voice in crime literature. ' DENNIS LEHANE

A BLACK FATHER. A WHITE FATHER. TWO MURDERED SONS. A QUEST FOR VENGEANCE. *SUNDAY TIMES THRILLER OF THE MONTH* * FINANCIAL TIMES CRIME BOOKS OF THE YEAR* * BARACK OBAMA'S SUMMER READING LIST 2022* ' Superb...Cuts right to the heart of the most important questions of our times.' MICHAEL CONNELLY 'The very definition of a white-knuckle ride' IAN RANKIN Ike Randolph left jail fifteen years ago, with not so much as a speeding ticket since. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid. Ike is devastated to learn his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah's white husband, Derek. Though he never fully accepted his son, Ike is broken by his death. Derek's father Buddy Lee was as ashamed of Derek being gay as Derek was of his father's criminal past. But Buddy Lee - with seedy contacts deep in the underworld - needs to know who killed his only child. Desperate to do better by them in death than they did in life, two hardened ex-cons must confront their own prejudices about their sons - and each other - as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys. A provocative revenge thriller and an achingly tender story of redemption, this novel is a ferocious portrait of grief; for those loved and lost, and for mistakes than can never truly be undone. 'Cosby's talents for pungent dialogue and Chandler-esque phrase-making were praised in his previous novel,.. and they're evident again in this pulsating follow-up ' Sunday Times THRILLER OF THE MONTH 'A stellar performance' Sunday Times Crime Club 'Cosby's prose barrels along like a pick-up still angry it's not a Ferrari, and his phrase-making is up there with the great artists of noir' The Times BEST THRILLERS OF THE MONTH 'It's a rare trick to combine violence with social commentary, but Cosby pulls it off' Daily Mail 'Raw, powerful and pacey, Razorblade Tears more than fulfils the promise of Cosby's superb debut' The Guardian 'This is as close to a thriller masterpiece as it is possible to get...it is a tale of grief and redemption, but ends with a heartbreaking poignancy that brings tears to the eyes' Daily Mail 'Every once in a while a writer comes along with an incredible voice...add S. A. Cosby to that list.' STEVE CAVANAGH 'Utterly brilliant....Beautiful, violent, operatic, relevant, poignant, gripping & important. This book is a mirror. It shows us our world as it is. Masterful' WILL DEAN Praise for S. A. Cosby: 'Sensationally good' LEE CHILD 'I loved BLACKTOP WASTELAND' STEPHEN KING 'Stunning. Can't remember the last time I read such a powerful crime novel' MARK BILLINGHAM 'S. A. Cosby is a welcome, refreshing new voice in crime literature. ' DENNIS LEHANE

*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* New York Times Notable Book - NPR's Best Books of 2021 - Washington Post's Best Thriller and Mystery Books of the Year - TIME Magazine's 100 Must-Read Books of 2021 - New York Public Library's Best Books of the Year - Goodreads Choice Award Nominee - Book of the Month's Book of the Year Finalist "Provocative, violent -- beautiful and moving, too." -- Washington Post "Superb...Cuts right to the heart of the most important questions of our times." --Michael Connelly "A tour de force - poignant, action-packed, and profound." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel A Black father. A white father. Two murdered sons. A quest for vengeance. Ike Randolph has been out of jail for fifteen years, with not so much as a speeding ticket in all that time. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid. The last thing he expects to hear is that his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah's white husband, Derek. Ike had never fully accepted his son but is devastated by his loss. Derek's father Buddy Lee was almost as ashamed of Derek for being gay as Derek was ashamed of his father's criminal record. Buddy Lee still has contacts in the underworld, though, and he wants to know who killed his boy. Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common other than a criminal past and a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. In their quest to do better for their sons in death than they did in life, hardened men Ike and Buddy Lee will confront their own prejudices about their sons and each other, as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys. Provocative and fast-paced, S. A. Cosby's Razorblade Tears is a story of bloody retribution, heartfelt change - and maybe even redemption. "A visceral full-body experience, a sharp jolt to the heart, and a treat for the senses...Cosby's moody southern thriller marries the skillful action and plotting of Lee Child with the atmosphere and insight of Attica Locke." -- NPR

*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* New York Times Notable Book - NPR's Best Books of 2021 - Washington Post's Best Thriller and Mystery Books of the Year - TIME Magazine's 100 Must-Read Books of 2021 - New York Public Library's Best Books of the Year - Goodreads Choice Award Nominee - Book of the Month's Book of the Year Finalist "Provocative, violent -- beautiful and moving, too." -- Washington Post "Superb...Cuts right to the heart of the most important questions of our times." --Michael Connelly "A tour de force - poignant, action-packed, and profound." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel A Black father. A white father. Two murdered sons. A quest for vengeance. Ike Randolph has been out of jail for fifteen years, with not so much as a speeding ticket in all that time. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid. The last thing he expects to hear is that his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah's white husband, Derek. Ike had never fully accepted his son but is devastated by his loss. Derek's father Buddy Lee was almost as ashamed of Derek for being gay as Derek was ashamed of his father's criminal record. Buddy Lee still has contacts in the underworld, though, and he wants to know who killed his boy. Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common other than a criminal past and a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. In their quest to do better for their sons in death than they did in life, hardened men Ike and Buddy Lee will confront their own prejudices about their sons and each other, as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys. Provocative and fast-paced, S. A. Cosby's Razorblade Tears is a story of bloody retribution, heartfelt change - and maybe even redemption. "A visceral full-body experience, a sharp jolt to the heart, and a treat for the senses...Cosby's moody southern thriller marries the skillful action and plotting of Lee Child with the atmosphere and insight of Attica Locke." -- NPR